Stretching and deep and superficial massage do not influence blood lactate levels after heavy-intensity cycle exercise

While this is now well known in massage therapy, researchers from University of Milan, Italy, conducted a study aimed to assess the role of deep and superficial massage and passive stretching recovery on blood lactate concentration kinetics after a fatiguing exercise compared to active and passive recovery.

Nine participants (age 23 ± 1 years; stature 1.76 ± 0.02 m; body mass 74 ± 4 kg) performed on five occasions an 8-min fatiguing exercise at 90% of maximum oxygen uptake, followed by five different 10-min interventions in random order: passive and active recovery, deep and superficial massage and stretching. Interventions were followed by 1 hour of recovery. Throughout each session, maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of the knee extensor muscles, blood lactate concentration, cardiorespiratory and metabolic variables were determined. Electromyographic signal (EMG) from the quadriceps muscles was also recorded. At the end of the fatiguing exercise, blood lactate concentration, MVC, EMG amplitude, and metabolic and cardiorespiratory parameters were similar among conditions.

During intervention administration, blood lactate concentration was lower and metabolic and cardiorespiratory parameters were higher in active recovery compared to the other modalities. Stretching and deep and superficial massage did not alter blood lactate concentration kinetics compared to passive recovery. These findings indicate that the pressure exerted during massage administration and stretching manoeuvres did not play a significant role on post-exercise blood Lactate levels.