SynthesisBritish journal of sports medicine1998
Does post-exercise massage treatment reduce delayed onset muscle soreness? A systematic review.
Synthesis in British journal of sports medicine, 1998. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 103 citations in OpenAlex.
- Physical Therapies for Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness: An Umbrella and Mapping Systematic Review with Meta-meta-analysis.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Pooled it
- Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMJ open sport & exercise medicine · 2020Pooled it
- Massage and Performance Recovery: A Meta-Analytical Review.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2016Pooled it
- Pain reduction by infrared light-emitting diode irradiation: a pilot study on experimentally induced delayed-onset muscle soreness in humans.Lasers in medical science · 2006Trial
- Dynamic soft tissue mobilisation increases hamstring flexibility in healthy male subjects.British journal of sports medicine · 2005Trial
- Topical Application of Jojoba Oil Suppresses Exercise-Induced Inflammatory Gene Expression in Mouse Skeletal Muscle.Biomolecules · 2025Article
- Acute Effects of Transdermal Administration of Jojoba Oil on Lipid Metabolism in Mice.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2019Article
- Effects of Suspended Moxibustion on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness: A Randomized Controlled Double-Blind Pilot Study.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2017Article
- Article
- Effects of simplified lymph drainage on the body: in females with menopausal disorder.Journal of physical therapy science · 2017Article
- Massage Alleviates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness after Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2017Review
- SIXTY SECONDS OF FOAM ROLLING DOES NOT AFFECT FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY OR CHANGE MUSCLE TEMPERATURE IN ADOLESCENT ATHLETES.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2016Article
- Specific and cross over effects of massage for muscle soreness: randomized controlled trial.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2014Article
- Effect of a single session of muscle-biased therapy on pain sensitivity: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Journal of pain research · 2013Article
- A descriptive study of the practice patterns of massage new zealand massage therapists.International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork · 2011Article
- The role of massage in sports performance and rehabilitation: current evidence and future direction.North American journal of sports physical therapy : NAJSPT · 2008Article
- The prevention and treatment of exercise-induced muscle damage.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2008Review
- The mechanisms of massage and effects on performance, muscle recovery and injury prevention.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2005Review
- Effects of leg massage on recovery from high intensity cycling exercise.British journal of sports medicine · 2004Article
- The effects of massage on delayed onset muscle soreness.British journal of sports medicine · 2003Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDelayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a frequent problem after unaccustomed exercise. No universally accepted treatment exists. Massage therapy is often recommended for this condition but uncertainty exists about its effectiveness.
aimTo determine whether post-exercise massage alleviates the symptoms of DOMS after a bout of strenuous exercise.
methodVarious computerised literature searches were carried out and located seven controlled trials.
resultsMost of the trials were burdened with serious methodological flaws, and their results are far from uniform. However, most suggest that post-exercise massage may alleviate symptoms of DOMS.
conclusionsMassage therapy may be a promising treatment for DOMS. Definitive studies are warranted.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.