Role of massage and stretching in recovery from exercise and in delayed onset muscle soreness.
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Date
1997
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Abstract
Adequate recovery from intense exercise is essential to optimise performance and reduce the
associated symptoms of tiredness, fatigue and lethargy. The purpose of the study was to :-
i. investigate the effects of massage and stretching in delaying the development of fatigue during
repeated bouts of dynamic activity and, ii. to investigate the relative effects of massage and
stretching on delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Eighteen volunteer males participated in
this study. They were randomly allocated into one of six groups of an Orthogonal Latin square
design. Subjects performed five repetitions of as many heel raises as possible in 45 seconds. Each
repetition was followed by a recovery technique of three minutes duration. This was repeated
weekly until each group has had all three recovery techniques. A fatigue index % was calculated
from the decline in the number of repetitions from stage 1 to stage 5. Muscle soreness ratings
were retrospectively assessed at 12-36 hour after each session. An analysis of variance showed
a significant difference in the fatigue indices. Post hoc intergroup comparison using paired T-tests
with the Bonferroni adjustment showed a significant difference between rest and massage
(p=0.0001) and rest and stretching (p=0.0006). The differences between massage and stretching
were not significant. Fourteen (77.8%) and Fifteen (83.3%) subjects showed an improvement in
performance following massage and stretching respectively. Massage is associated with
significantly less muscle soreness than stretching (p<0,001). DOMS was most frequently found
in the stretching group while the lowest incidence and lowest mean ratings of muscle soreness
associated with DOMS was found in the massage group. The difference between massage and
stretching was marginal (p=046I) and showed a trend that massage is associated with less DOMS
than stretching. This suggests that rest is the least beneficial recovery technique, and that
massage may be superior to stretching as there is less muscle soreness.
Description
Thesis (M.Med.Sc.)-University of Natal, 1997.
Keywords
Exercise--Physiological aspects., Exercise therapy., Massage therapy., Stretching exercises., Exercise--Health aspects., Theses--Physiotherapy.