Question: Can massage therapy really reduce pain and perceived fatigue in the quadriceps of athletes after a long-distance triathlon race (Ironman)?
What we already know: Pain and fatigue are common after intense exercise; and massage is beneficial in this situation., However, the evidence for its benefits comes from studies of controlled periods of intense exercise designed to cause rapid onset of fatigue. What about after a long period of grueling exercise?
This study examines the effects of a short period of massage on people who had just competed in a 226-km Ironman event.