Study designs of evaluations included in the review
Studies on the efficacy of post-exercise massage as a treatment for delayed onset muscle soreness were included if they were conducted against a control group, were on human subjects and included outcomes measures to quantify delayed onset muscle soreness. Both controlled clinical trials and randomised clinical trials (RCTs) were included. Follow-up periods appear to range up to 96 hours post exercise.
Specific interventions included in the review
The following intervention regimes were included: vibrational massage with mechanical vibrator, massage of one leg with no intervention on the other leg, manual massage of legs, 'warm down' by running on treadmill with heart rate at 120 beats per minute, rest, retrograde massage, 'placebo massage', warm up plus stretching before exercise plus massage after exercise, and manual massage. Frequency of massage included once and multiple applications.
Participants included in the review
Volunteers including healthy volunteers, untrained volunteers and male untrained volunteers and male athletes participated in studies. The following exercise regimes were used to induce delayed onset muscle soreness: eccentric exercises of upper arm and leg; lowering a weight of 75% lean body mass from knee extension to flexion inducing soreness of both quadriceps muscles; maximal run; maximal isometric knee extensions; maximum eccentric forearm flexions; isokinetic eccentric elbow exercises involving extensors and flexors; and bilateral eccentric quadriceps work.
Outcomes assessed in the review
The main outcome measures used to quantify delayed onset muscle soreness were pain and soreness perception. The latter assessed by questionnaire at times including 24, 48 and 72 hours after exercise. Other outcomes included isometric strength, creatine kinase, lactate levels, and muscle torque.
How were decisions on the relevance of primary studies made?
The authors do not state how the papers were selected for the review, or how many of the authors performed the selection.