Delayed onset muscle soreness: is massage effective?

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Exercise Physiology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common condition following strenuous exercise.
• The exact causes and optimal treatments for DOMS remain incompletely understood.
• DOMS can significantly impair athletic performance and necessitate recovery strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the current literature on delayed onset muscle soreness.
• To explore the potential role of psychosocial factors in DOMS.
• To investigate the effectiveness of massage therapy as a treatment for DOMS.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and article references.
• Inclusion of studies examining DOMS, repeated bout effect, exercise-induced muscle damage, and eccentric exercise.
• Focus on research investigating massage therapy interventions for DOMS symptoms.

Main Results:

• The literature presents a lack of consensus regarding the precise etiology of DOMS.
• Psychosocial factors may play a role in the experience and perception of DOMS.
• Evidence suggests massage therapy may be a viable treatment option for alleviating DOMS symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Further research is needed to elucidate the multifactorial causes of DOMS.
• Sports medicine and fitness professionals can utilize this information to improve patient/client outcomes.
• Massage therapy shows promise as an effective modality for managing DOMS and enhancing recovery.