Studies Show that Massage is Beneficial to Most People
If you’ve never had a massage, chances are that due to the activity’s immense popularity someone you know has. And those who swear by massages, and how good they make them feel, often create the impression that it’s an integral, indispensable component to better health.
However, when you get past the obvious – that someone kneading all of your muscles for upwards of an hour makes you feel good – specific evidence supporting beneficial health claims is hard to come by.
Do massages stimulate a chemical reaction in the body? Is there a scientific basis to explain why customers feel better, or relaxed, or energized by the experience? After reviewing published material on the subject, the answers, while often encouraging, are less than definitive. Which means someone looking for clear-cut guidance on the matter will be disappointed. That said, here’s what we know, and what we don’t – beginning with their popularity. Are Massages Beneficial? What We Know, and What We Don’t | American Council on Science and Health