It’s a myth that lactic acid gives our muscles that “burning” sensation when we work out too vigorously or too long from exercise. Research has shown that lactate is continuously being formed even when our muscles have plenty of oxygen, can be used as a source of energy, and is a byproduct needed for strength training. Lactic acid actually acts as a buffer to slow down fatigue by absorbing hydrogen ions that are released for muscle contraction when adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is broken down. A sports massage helps to flush out hydrogen ions that accumulate during the catabolic reaction process.