Massage can help not just athletes but those with inflammation-related chronic conditions, such as arthritis or muscular dystrophy, says Justin Crane, a doctoral student in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster. Massage therapy triggers biochemical sensors that can send inflammation-reducing signals to muscle cells, signalling muscles to build more mitochondria, the power centres of cells which play an important role in healing. "We have shown the muscle senses that it is being stretched and this appears to reduce the cells’ inflammatory response," said Crane. "As a consequence, massage may be beneficial for recovery from injury." McMaster researchers are the first to test the effect of massage using a muscle biopsy to show it reduces inflammation, an underlying factor in many chronic diseases. The exercise capacity of 11 men in the 20s was assessed. Two weeks later, the men cycled for more than 70 minutes to a point of exhaustion. While they rested for 10 minutes, an RMT massaged on one leg. Quadriceps on both legs were biopsied once, then again 2.5 hours later. Researchers found reduced inflammation in the massaged leg. Crane admits being surprised that just 10 minutes of massage had such a profound effect. "Seventy minutes of exercise compared to 10 of massage, it is clearly potent." The results hint that massage therapy blunts muscle pain by the same biological mechanisms as most pain medications and could be an effective alternative.