A recent report published in Frontiers in Physiology found that massage therapy decreases muscle soreness after strenuous exercise. In a systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers evaluated the effects of massage therapy on alleviating delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and muscle performance after strenuous exercise.

The researchers found that the muscle soreness rating decreased significantly when the participants received massage intervention after heavy exercise compared with those who had no intervention. Massage therapy also improved muscle maximal isometric force and peak torque.

The findings suggest that massage therapy after strenuous exercise could be effective for alleviating DOMS and improving muscle performance. To read the full study, go to www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5623674.