Massage and fitness...the research is in!

Benefits of receiving regular massage while participating in a workout routine:

• Enhances physical performance, reduces workout recovery times and helps prevent injury.
  
• Eases tension in tired muscles, increases flexibility, reduces inflammation and helps move metabolic waste through the lymphatic system.
• Provides a relaxed state of alertness, reduces mental stress and improves capacity for calm thinking and concentration.
• Diminishes pain, reduces anxiety levels and improves sleep length and quality. 
• Helps you feel even better in your body!

Research Findings...
Study reveals post-workout massage  suppresses the inflammatory response in muscles and actually enhances recovery - as opposed to anti-inflammatory drugs that actually block cell repair and growth. The full study is published in the journal,  Science Translational Medicine.

Research shows a single massage treatment increased immune function and decreased production of stress hormones. The abstract is published on the National Institute for Health (NIH) website. 

Another study on the NIH site indicates massage increases production of the body's natural pain killer and healing chemical oxytocin. Additional findings within the same study demonstrate the possible ability of massage to reduce morbidity (disease state) and mortality (death).