Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effects of
massage on alleviating delayed onset of
muscle soreness (DOMS) and muscle performance after strenuous exercise. Method: Seven databases consisting of PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI and Wanfang were searched up to December 2016. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were eligible and the outcomes of
muscle soreness, performance (including muscle maximal isometric force (MIF) and peak torque) and
creatine kinase (CK) were used to assess the effectiveness of
massage intervention on DOMS. Results: Eleven articles with a total of 23 data points (involving 504 participants) satisfied the inclusion criteria and were pooled in the meta-analysis. The findings demonstrated that
muscle soreness rating decreased significantly when the participants received
massage intervention compared with no intervention at 24 h (SMD: -0.61, 95% CI: -1.17 to -0.05, P = 0.03), 48 h (SMD: -1.51, 95% CI: -2.24 to -0.77, P < 0.001), 72 h (SMD: -1.46, 95% CI: -2.59 to -0.33, P = 0.01) and in total (SMD: -1.16, 95% CI: -1.60 to -0.72, P < 0.001) after intense exercise. Additionally,
massage therapy improved MIF (SMD: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.21-0.90, P = 0.002) and peak torque (SMD: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.04-0.71, P = 0.03) as total effects. Furthermore, the serum CK level was reduced when participants received
massage intervention (SMD: -0.64, 95% CI: -1.04 to -0.25, P = 0.001). Conclusion: The current evidence suggests that
massage therapy after strenuous exercise could be effective for alleviating DOMS and improving muscle performance.