Massage Therapy Restores Peripheral Vascular Function After Exertion

Abstract Objective To determine if lower extremity exercise-induced muscle injury reduces vascular endothelial function of the upper extremity and if massage therapy (MT) improves peripheral vascular function after exertion-induced muscle injury. Design Randomized, blinded trial with evaluations at 90 minutes, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours. Setting Clinical research center. Participants Sedentary young adults (N=36) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) exertion-induced muscle injury and MT (n=15; mean age ± SE, 26.6±0.3); (2) exertion-induced muscle injury only (n=10; mean age ± SE, 23.6±0.4), and (3) MT only (n=11; mean age ± SE, 25.5±0.4). Intervention Participants were assigned to exertion-induced muscle injury only (a single bout of bilateral, eccentric leg press exercise), MT only (30-min lower extremity massage using Swedish technique), or exertion-induced muscle injury and MT. Main Outcome Measures Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was determined by ultrasound at each time point. Nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced dilation was also assessed (0.4mg). Results Brachial FMD increased from baseline in the exertion-induced muscle injury and MT group and the MT only group (7.38%±.18% to 9.02%±.28%, P