Author(s): GORDON, D., GERNIGON, M., MOLONEY, S., WILLMOTT, A., BERNARD, P., PHILIPS, D., Institution: ANGLIA RUSKIN UNIVERSITY, Country: UNITED KINGDOM, Abstract-ID: 432

INTRODUCTION:
Soft and deep tissue massage are routine approaches utilised both in the rehabilitation and recovery processes of performance and recreational athletes, with therapeutic benefits purported to be increased blood flow and oxygenation rates. However, the evidence remains contradictory. Therefore, the purpose of this preliminary study was to examine the impact of both soft and deep tissue massage on consequent muscle oxygenation levels.
METHODS:
Following local institutional ethics approval, 10 recreationally active participants (7 males, 3 females) volunteered (mean ± SD: age 21 ± 2, body mass 67.8 ± 11.2 kg, height 175.3 ± 9.2 cm). All participants were assessed using the ankle-to-brachial index for suitability to undergo blood flow occlusion. For all conditions, the participant lay supine on a massage bench, where muscle oxygenation was recorded throughout using NIRS sampling at 10 Hz, across the mid-point of rectus-femoris. An occlusion cuff (20 cm width) was placed midway between ASIS and mid-patella. Following 7 min in the rested state (REST), muscle blood flow was regulated using occlusive and reperfusion phases of 7 min using 80% of the individualised limb occlusion pressure. Immediately followed by 7 min of SOFT then DEEP tissue massage, which were proceeded by a second occlusive-reperfusion phase.
RESULTS:
There was a significant difference (P< 0.01, effect size (ES) = 2.03; 95% CI 3.01 - 0.88 between minimum (66.43 ± 12.13%) and maximum (88.24 ± 9.12%) tissue saturation index (TSI) values when comparing REST to SOFT following reperfusion. For DEEP, when comparing to REST for minimum to maximum responses (82.34 ± 6.84%), a large ES: 1.51; 95% CI 2.54 - 0.55; (P< 0.01) was also observed. Oxyhaemoglobin (O2Hb) increased from a minimum [baseline value] at REST of 26.63 ± 18.38% to a maximum of 91.53 ± 37.65% following SOFT; ES = 2.19; 95% CI 3.19 – 1.01; (P< 0.01), while for DEEP there was an increase of 201.6% in O2Hb: ES = 3.19; 95% CI 1.77 – 4.35; (P< 0.01).
CONCLUSION:
These data tentatively suggest that both soft and deep tissue massage increased O2 availability at the muscle, as reflected in the increases for both TSI and O2Hb. It is probable that vasodilation, possibly linked to the nitric oxide cascade influenced by the pressure applied and thermoregulatory responses are the primary candidates attributable. Caution should be applied to these findings as both procedures occurred subsequent to each other, potentially explaining the mixed results across conditions.