As a non-drug therapy, massage holds the potential to help not just bone-weary athletes but those with inflammation-related chronic conditions, such as arthritis or muscular dystrophy, said lead researcher Justin Crane in a study that investigated the effects of massage on inflammation. While massage is well accepted as a therapy for relieving muscle tension and pain, the researchers delved deeper to find it also triggers biochemical sensors that can send inflammation-reducing signals to muscle cells. In addition, massage signals muscle to build more mitochondria, the power centres of cells which play an important role in healing and metabolism. However the research proved one oft-repeated idea false: massage did not help clear lactic acid from tired muscles.
http://stm.sciencemag.org/
