Massageology research guide

Sports Massage and Recovery: What the Research Says

Research reviews find little evidence that sports massage improves performance. Some findings concern flexibility and soreness, but results vary.

By Massageology. Published 5 August 2026.

Editorial photograph by Alexander Red on Unsplash. It does not show Karen, the Massageology clinic, a Massageology client, a Massageology technique, or a treatment result.

Evidence standard

This article summarises research indexed by PubMed in plain language. It provides general information, not personal medical advice.

What the reviews examined

A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis combined 29 randomised studies with 1,012 participants. A 2023 systematic review covered 114 articles. Both examined massage in sport and exercise settings rather than one specific Massageology appointment.1 2

What the reviews found about performance

The 2020 review found no evidence that sports massage improved strength, jumping, sprinting, endurance, or fatigue. The 2023 review similarly found little evidence of motor-performance improvement, apart from flexibility findings.1 2

Flexibility, soreness, and uncertainty

The reviews reported some findings related to flexibility, perceived recovery, relaxation, and delayed-onset muscle soreness. Those findings varied across studies and do not predict an individual result.1 2

A separate review of foam rolling and massage-stick studies included five studies with 151 participants, mainly men. It found no significant improvement in soreness, range of motion, swelling, or strength recovery and reported moderate or high risk of bias.3

Using the research carefully

These reviews summarise groups of study participants. They do not establish what a particular person will experience from a sports massage appointment, and they do not support a promise of improved athletic performance.1 2 3

Research sources

References

Davis HL; Alabed S; Chico TJA. Effect of sports massage on performance and recovery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.. BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine. 2020.
What it supports: Systematic review and meta-analysis of 29 randomised studies involving 1,012 participants in sport and exercise settings.
Important limitation: Studies varied in massage timing, technique, comparison groups, and measured outcomes, so pooled findings do not define one appointment protocol.
View PubMed record 32426160
Dakic M; Toskic L; Ilic V; Duric S; Dopsaj M; Simenko J. The Effects of Massage Therapy on Sport and Exercise Performance: A Systematic Review.. Sports. 2023.
What it supports: Systematic review of 114 articles examining massage in sport and exercise performance or recovery contexts.
Important limitation: The review included varied populations, massage approaches, outcome measures, and study quality across a broad evidence base.
View PubMed record 37368560
Medeiros F; Martins W; Behm D; Ribeiro D; Marinho E; Santos W; Viana RB. Acute effects of foam roller or stick massage on indirect markers from exercise-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis.. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. 2023.
What it supports: Systematic review and meta-analysis of five studies involving 151 healthy participants after exercise-induced muscle damage.
Important limitation: The small evidence base mainly involved men, studies were heterogeneous, and risk of bias was moderate or high.
View PubMed record 37330781