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Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of massage on alleviating delayed onset of muscle soreness DOMS and muscle performance after strenuous exercise. Randomized controlled trials RCTs were eligible and the outcomes of muscle soreness, performance including muscle maximal isometric force MIF and peak torque and creatine kinase CK were used to assess the effectiveness of massage intervention on DOMS.
Results: Eleven articles with a total of 23 data points involving participants satisfied the inclusion criteria and were pooled in the meta-analysis. The findings demonstrated that muscle soreness rating decreased significantly when the participants received massage intervention compared with no intervention at 24 h SMD: —0. Conclusion: The current evidence suggests that massage therapy after strenuous exercise could be effective for alleviating DOMS and improving muscle performance.
Keywords: massage, physiotherapy, exercise, delayed onset muscle soreness DOMS , systematic review, meta-analysis. It is well established that keeping an active lifestyle through exercise benefits human health, especially reducing the risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease. However, exhaustive or unaccustomed exercise particularly involving eccentric contractions frequently result in temporary muscle damage, leading to delayed onset muscle soreness DOMS Bleakley et al.
DOMS commonly occurs within the first 24 h after exhaustive or intense exercise, reaching a peak between 24 and 72 h Howatson and van Someren, It is often accompanied by muscle swelling and reduction in muscle performance Kargarfard et al.
