14 DAY TRIAL // A team of researchers writing in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research maintain that, according to their investigations, the pains caused by engaging in a more or less intensive fitness routine can easily be dealt with should one build up the courage to exercise some more.
As these specialists explain, it is a common held belief that having a massage either prior or even shortly after having developed post-workout pains is the best way to calm the muscles and get rid of the aches.
However, experiments carried out with the help of several women have revealed that moderate exercise can prove equally efficient. Daily Mail reports that, during the first stage of this investigation, the women were all asked to perform a shoulder exercise.
Since all of them were also connected to a resistance machine, it need not come as a surprise that all of them ended up experiencing intense pains and soreness in their trapezius muscle (i.e. the muscle between the neck and the shoulders) in just two days after having completed their exercise routine.
At that time, the researchers asked the women to grade the pains they were feeling, and most of them rated them at about 5 on a scale from 1 – 10.
Wishing to rid the women of their discomfort, one way or the other, the researchers had them receive a 10-minute-long massage on one of their shoulders and do some more exercises (i.e. about 10 minutes) with the other one.
Apparently, the massage reduced the intensity of the pains by 0.7, whereas the additional exercises succeeded in bringing the pain levels down by 0.8.
Commenting on the findings of this investigation, lead researcher Lars Andersen made the following observations:
“It's a common belief that massage is better, but it isn't. In fact, massage and exercise have the same benefits.”
Since, unlike massages, mild exercise is something people can do on their own, the researchers behind this study recommend it as the best of the two options.