A recent study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that far from aiding circulation and assisting in the removal of lactic acid from muscles, sports massage actually slows down the process by as much as 25 per cent. Study author Dr Michael Tschavovsky, from Queen’s University in Canada, also dispels the myth that the soreness we often suffer after a tough workout is caused by a build-up of lactic acid (it’s actually caused by ‘microtrauma’ or tiny tears in muscle fibres). Tschavovsky’s isn’t the first study to question the benefits of sports massage. Research in 2005 found no beneficial effect on post-exercise sorness. But then again, the subjects in that study only got a five-minute session… While sport scientists may be concluding that there is no proof of the benefits of sports massage, the fact that nearly all elite athletes consider it to be an integral part of their regime cannot be ignored. I certainly feel that a treatment every 3-4 weeks helps me stay limber and injury-free - it’s a must during my marathon build-ups. And as my sports massage therapist, Clive Lacey, points out: ‘Regular treatments give a practitioner an opportunity to spot any problem areas that, if left untreated, could turn into full-blown injuries later on.’ (I can attest to this: Clive is always finding areas that are agonisingingly tender to touch, that I was previously unaware of!) So what does he think about this latest research? ‘I feel that to provide meaningful results, studies should be conducted over a complete season, involve many subjects and include massage at different times before or after training or competition,’ he says. ’And regardless of what research suggests, if it works for you, it works for you.’
It’s interesting to note that despite Dr Tschavovsky’s recent findings, he declares he is still a fan of sports massage. ‘It feels good,’ he says. And no amount of scientific studies can take that away.