The effects of massage on muscle power were assessed in eight amateur boxers in their mid-20s by measuring blood glucose, lactate, and heart rate before and after two performances. Each performance lasted 10 minutes each and entailed 400 punches. After the first performance the boxers either had a 20 minute massage by a qualified sports therapist or 20 minutes of rest. The force of the punches was assessed in both performances. After prolonged exertion muscles release a substance called lactate - its accumulation 'tires' the Muscles, while its dispersal into the bloodstream facilitates recovery.
Massage is thought to aid lactate dispersal by speeding up blood flow.
In fact, blood lactate levels were no lower after massage than after merely resting, nor did the massage prevent a reduction in punch power during the second performance. The authors suggest that either blood flow was not affected by massage, or that it was not sufficiently increased to make a difference. None of the other body indicators differed between the two groups. But the boxers who had been given a massage felt significantly better than those assigned to rest - a purely psychological phenomenon, conclude the authors of the study.