Why Massage Tools Work
I do know that when I perform soft tissue work I feel better and the players feel better. There is much less muscle pain and also increases in available ROM. So how does this happen? What changes are taking place when a massage tool is used? I did some searching and this is what I have found. Soft tissue work breaks adhesions, flushes metabolic waste from the muscles, its a type of stretching, and it stimulates the nervous system.
Muscles have myofascia all around them as well as all through them. Demanding activity, lack of activity, and chronic postures can cause the layers of myofascia and muscle to stick to each other and this is an adhesion. The mechanical force of soft tissue work can move the layers of epimysium, perimysium, and myofascia in relation to one another breaking the adhesions. This restores ROM and frees up metabolic waste so it can return into circulation.
You can see the layers of muscle and fascia in the pictue below to gain an idea of how mechanical force can move tissues in relation to one another.
Now that metabolites have been freed from the muscles they are in the interstitial fluid. Massage tools that use longer, more superficial stroking or rolling motions return the metabilites into circculation via the lymphatic system. This system has glands concentrated around the joints because the movement of the joints acts as a pump to return metabolic waste to the lymphatic capillaries where it can be removed from the body. Massage tools that affect deeper tissues return metabolites into circulation via the cardiovascular system. This deeper tissue manipulation causes the release of histamine which in turn causes vasodilation and increases circulation. Also, the mechanical force of the massage causes blood to flow through the veins and back to the lungs and heart. In addition, muscle contractions also pump blood through the veins.
Using masage tools also stretches muscle and fascia. The mechanical movement across the length of the muscles provides a stretch very much like that of static stretching. This stretching can break up adhesions as well as increase the length of the muscle and fascia. Also, this stretching affects the nervous system because it stimulates proprioceptors and impacts muscle tonus. This causes the release of several key substances such as serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin. Serotonin is important because it helps regulate things like hunger and sleep as well as our over all mood. Dopamine is key for our sense of pleasure and reward and is involved with things such as sex, alcohol, and even drug addiction. However, I think soft tissue therapy is far less contra-indicated than heroin. Oxytocin is the hormone of love and from what I have read it just makes us feel warm all over.
I have always had good luck with foam rollers, lax balls, and massage sticks. Now after writing this article I understand why and I have an appreciation for the mechanical and physiological forces at play during soft tissue work.
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