title: Massage therapy restores peripheral vascular function after exertion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if lower extremity exercise-induced muscle injury reduces vascular endothelial function of the upper extremity and if massage therapy (MT) improves peripheral vascular function after exertion-induced muscle injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized, blinded trial with evaluations at 90 minutes, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical research center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sedentary young adults (N=36) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: (1) exertion-induced muscle injury and MT (n=15; mean age ± SE, 26.6 ± 0.3); (2) exertion-induced muscle injury only (n=10; mean age ± SE, 23.6 ± 0.4), and (3) MT only (n=11; mean age ± SE, 25.5 ± 0.4).
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were assigned to exertion-induced muscle injury only (a single bout of bilateral, eccentric leg press exercise), MT only (30-min lower extremity massage using Swedish technique), or exertion-induced muscle injury and MT.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was determined by ultrasound at each time point. Nitroglycerin (NTG)-induced dilation was also assessed (0.4 mg).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Brachial FMD increased from baseline in the exertion-induced muscle injury and MT group and the MT only group (7.38%±.18% to 9.02%±.28%, P<.05 and 7.77%±.25% to 10.2%±.22%, P<.05, respectively) at 90 minutes and remained elevated until 72 hours. In the exertion-induced muscle injury only group, FMD was reduced from baseline at 24 and 48 hours (7.78%±.14% to 6.75%±.11%, P<.05 and 6.53%±.11%, P<.05, respectively) and returned to baseline after 72 hours. Dilations of NTG were similar over time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that MT attenuates impairment of upper extremity endothelial function resulting from lower extremity exertion-induced muscle injury in sedentary young adults.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL; Integrative Physiology Laboratory, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Nina C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Franklin
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL; Integrative Physiology Laboratory, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Mohamed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL; Integrative Physiology Laboratory, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Austin T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Edita
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Norkeviciute
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL; Integrative Physiology Laboratory, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL; Department of Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL. Electronic address: shanep@uic.edu.
authors.forename: Shane A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001916:Brachial Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries*; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018616:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex / Q000379:methods; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005996:Nitroglycerin
keywords: Endothelium; Exercise; Massage; Rehabilitation