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How Massage Heals Sore Muscles

2/10/2012 12:07:00 PM

February 6, 2012, 12:01 AM

How Massage Heals Sore Muscles

Barbara P. Fernandez for

The New York TimesResearchers

are learning how massage soothes aching muscles.

A massage after vigorous exercise unquestionably feels good, and it seems to reduce pain and help muscles recover. Many people — both athletes and health professionals – have long contended it eases inflammation, improves blood flow and reduces muscle tightness. But until now no one has understood why massage has this apparently beneficial effect.Now researchers have found what happens to muscles when a masseur goes to work on them.Their experiment required having people exercise to exhaustion and undergo five incisions in their legs in order to obtain muscle tissue for analysis. Despite the hurdles, the scientists still managed to find 11 brave young male volunteers. The study was published in the Feb. 1 issue of Science Translational Medicine.On a first visit, they biopsied one leg of each subject at rest. At a second session, they had them vigorously exercise on a stationary bicycle for more than an hour until they could go no further. Then they massaged one thigh of each subject for 10 minutes, leaving the other to recover on its own. Immediately after the massage, they biopsied the thigh muscle in each leg again. After allowing another two-and-a-half hours of rest, they did a third biopsy to track the process of muscle injury and repair.Vigorous exercise causes tiny tears in muscle fibers, leading to an immune reaction — inflammation — as the body gets to work repairing the injured cells. So the researchers screened the tissue from the massaged and unmassaged legs to compare their repair processes, and find out what difference massage would make.They found that massage reduced the production of compounds called cytokines, which play a critical role in inflammation. Massage also stimulated mitochondria, the tiny powerhouses inside cells that convert glucose into the energy essential for cell function and repair. “The bottom line is that there appears to be a suppression of pathways in inflammation and an increase in mitochondrial biogenesis,” helping the muscle adapt to the demands of increased exercise, said the senior author, Dr. Mark A. Tarnopolsky.Dr. Tarnopolsky, a professor of pediatrics and medicine at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, said that massage works quite differently from Nsaids and other anti-inflammatory drugs, which reduce inflammation and pain but may actually retard healing. Many people, for instance, pop an aspirin or Aleve at the first sign of muscle soreness. “There’s some theoretical concern that there is a maladaptive response in the long run if you’re constantly suppressing inflammation with drugs,” he said. “With massage, you can have your cake and eat it too—massage can suppress inflammation and actually enhance cell recovery.”“This is important research, because it is the first to show that massage can reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines which may be involved in pain,” said Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School. She was not involved in the study. “We have known from many studies that pain can be reduced by massage based on self-report, but this is the first demonstration that the pain-related pro-inflammatory cytokines can be reduced.” she said.Getting a massage from a professional masseur is obviously more expensive than taking an aspirin. But, as Dr. Field points out, massage techniques can be taught. “People within families can learn to massage each other,” she said. “If you can teach parents to massage kids, couples to massage each other. This can be cost effective.”Dr. Tarnopolsky suggests that, in the long run, a professional massage may even be a better bargain than a pill. “If someone says “This is free and it might make you feel better, but it may slow down your recovery, do you still want it?” he asked. “Or would you rather spend the 50 bucks for a post-exercise massage that also might enhance your recovery?”

Why get a Facial

1/31/2012 11:19:00 AM

The skin on the face is one of the most sensitive areas of the body, as well as the area most exposed to the daily environment. As a result, the face often is the first part of the body that begins to show signs of dehydration, stress, fatigue and premature aging.

Therefore, many Americans believe that facials are a necessity for revitalizing dull, tired skin by rejuvenating it and blood cells by supplying it with lost moisture, removing toxins and impurities as well as improving elasticity, texture and overall appearance.Write your post here.

what to expect from Microdermabrasion

1/23/2012 11:02:00 AM

If your facial skin has lost its youthful glow and become fettered by mild acne, sun damage, large pores, uneven texture or even fine lines and wrinkles, microdermabrasion may be an option worth considering.A non-invasive skin-freshening technique for your face, microdermabrasion uses mild abrasives to remove the top layer of your skin, including surface dead skin cells. The result is invigorated, smoother-looking skin that is virtually blemish free.To perform microdermabrasion, also known as a power peel, your esthetician uses a device that has a diamond tip across your face to lightly abrade the surface while suction is performed to remove the dead skin cells. Microdermabrasion is largely recommended for the treatment of superficial skin conditions, including:

Mild non-inflamed acne, white heads and black heads
Fine lines and wrinkles
Large pores
Light scarring
Age spots
Uneven skin texture or tone
Milia (tiny cysts) prevention
Sebaceous hyperplasia (A condition that causes enlargement of the sebaceous glands on your face, resulting in yellow lesions)
Certain skin lesions such as actinic keratosis

Happy New Year

1/3/2012 10:19:00 AM

Happy New Years Vermont! We had a wonderful Holiday season here in the Ludlow Valley. We have snow in the forecast so we hope to see lots of skiers coming up this weekend.

Dont forget to call and schedule your appointment at

802-228-7772

Okemo Sking

11/19/2011 9:19:00 AM

The snow guns are running 24/7 up on the Mountain. You can see the white lines forming on Okemo. Plan your visit here in Ludlow by prebooking your massage or facial at Calm Moments Spa Today. Weekends book up quickly during ski season. Call 802-228-7772 or email us at calmmoments@yahoo.com and let us know what your looking for.

Winter is in the air

10/22/2011 12:33:00 PM

As the leaves turn brown and the air gets crisp we know that soon we will all be skiing up at Okemo Mountain Resort. Cant wait, hope you will join us

Okemo

10/19/2011 4:18:00 PM

Here is to a great upcoming ski season here in the Okemo valley. If the farmers almanac is right we will be having one of the snowiest winters on record. Dont forget to call ahead and schedule your massage or facial because we book up fast in the Winter.

Laura Williams LE & LM

101 Main ST

Ludlow Vermont