Many coaches, trainers and athletes swear by massage, but its actual medical benefits still remain unclear, according to the September issue of the Penn State Sports Medicine Newsletter.
Massage helps muscles work more efficiently and become more flexible.
Both help to prevent injury. Brennan admits, however, that scientific data to support these claims is hard to find. The sports community increasingly is taking message seriously, the Penn State Sports Medicine Newsletter says. The Olympic Games included massage as part of its official medical program for the first time in 1996. The Chicago Bulls are one of the leaders in the use of massage, with team trainer Chip Schaefer incorporating massage in a battery of training room therapies.