Does massage help remove lactic acid?
Many massage therapists claim that one way massage helps your muscles recover is by the enhanced removal of lactic acid. There is also a persistent belief that a post-massage warm bath in Epsom salts will further rid your body of lactic acid. However, there is no evidence to prove that lactic-acid removal is enhanced by massages or warm baths. What is known is that a drop in pH due to lactic acid accumulation in the muscle as a result of strenuous exercise can lead to a decrease in force production (the muscles get tired). Will massage immediately after a workout help the recovery process? A study at the University of Northern Iowa compared the effects of massage, passive recovery and mild bicycle riding (about 40% of maximum oxygen uptake) on lactate metabolism after an exhaustive treadmill run. The subjects were trained runners who performed a maximal treadmill run to elevate the level of blood lactate and induce exhaustion after 46 minutes. The subjects blood lactate was sampled for
