Most sports persons agree that massaging relieves pain and facilitates regeneration, which has also been scientifically proven. At a cellular level, massaging reduces inflammation and helps trigger the growth of new mitochondria in skeletal muscle cells.

A muscle tissue sample was taken from the quadriceps of 11 young men after training within the framework of a research. These samples were genetically analysed after the research subjects rode an exercise bike until they were exhausted. One of their randomly selected legs was massaged and samples were taken before and after training, after a 10-minute massage and 2.5 hours later.

Results showed that massaging decreases the appearance of molecules (cytokines) accompanying inflammation in muscle tissues, in addition to triggering the biogenesis of mitochondria, the powerhouses of the cell. The pain relieving effect of massaging may function the same way as anti-inflammatory medicines do. Its beneficial effects help the elderly, individuals that have suffered an accident, as well as individuals suffering from chronic inflammatory diseases. In the U.S., a total of 18 million people visit a masseur/masseuse each year, making it the fifth most frequently used complementary and alternative therapy.

(Source: Medipress)