Massage enhances recovery following exercise‐induced muscle injury in older adults

A study from Iran evaluated massage as recovery techniques following exercise‐induced muscle injury in older adults. The study recruited 78 older men and women; they performed a single bout of strength training on the calf muscles to induce muscle injury. After the exercise, participants received either a 15‐min massage on calf muscles or the lower limb’s immersion in cold water (15±1°C) for 15 min or passive rest. Interventions were applied immediately after the exercise protocol and at 24, 48, and 72 hours post‐exercise.

The study found that repeated application of massage after exercise-induced muscle injury relieved muscle pain, attenuated the loss of muscle strength and joint position senses, reduce balance impairments, and fear of falling in older adults. In contrast, repeated cold water immersion applications, despite relieving muscle pain, did not attenuate the loss of muscle strength, joint position senses, balance impairments, and fear of falling. Compared to massage therapy, cold water immersion had some modest effects on muscle pain. Massage attenuated muscle injury symptoms and the related impairments in muscle strength, joint position sense, balance, and postural sway in untrained older individuals.

The authors suggested that older exercisers who plan to participate in strength training can benefit from massage for recovery from muscle injury and balance to decrease falling risk during the days following strength training.