09/29/2025
What people think massage does to their muscles:
It is common knowledge that soft tissue massage breaks up knots or breaks up scar tissue. Although this is widely believed, at a scientific level, this is not accurate about what is happening.
What massage actually does to your muscles:
We can break down what soft tissue massage does into 3 categories.
1) Neurological benefits: Massage impacts the nervous system by changing how your system perceives and regulates muscle tone and pain. This is why we feel looser after a massage, even though there is no change in the structure of the muscle.
2) Circulatory benefits: Massage brings blood flow to the area, which can help with removing metabolic byproducts.
3)Pain benefits: Massage stimulates sensory receptors that compete with pain receptors, which can reduce the perception of pain. Endorphin release can also help reduce pain.
How does massage impact physical therapy?
Soft tissue massage is a tool of physical therapy; however, it’s not the only tool. It is great for managing pain and relieving perceived tension, so that we can work on mobility and strength exercises.
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