By Revathi Murugappan
Original article as appeared in The Star (24th Oct 2025): https://share.google/orlkG65gCp5LmqJsl
The human body is an amazing creation.
It is a biological marvel, with a heart that pumps over 7,000 litres of blood daily, a brain that processes thousands of thoughts, a digestive system that uses powerful stomach acids to break down food, and muscles that generate movement through contraction and relaxation.
Our bodies are constantly communicating with us, but we just don’t pay attention or choose to ignore the messages or signs – usually to our detriment in the long run.
For some people, the body may resist exercise due to a combination of physical, psychological and lifestyle factors.
Exercise should not be viewed as punishment, but rather as a celebration of your body’s abilities to work (as a slave!) for us.
Every body needs regular exercise to build and maintain its strength so that we can function well until the end.
It’s an act of self-care.
The benefits extend to nearly every system in the body, strengthening not only muscles, but also bones and the cardiovascular system.
There may be times when a workout leaves you exhausted, and this is where a post-workout massage can help.
Exercise itself is stressful as it can elevate adrenaline and cortisol levels, especially after high-intensity training.
A massage after a workout helps reverse this effect by stimulating the parasympathe-tic nervous system, promoting a calm, restorative state that’s essential for muscle repair and deep sleep.
Most of us are familiar with the myriad of massages out there, from the long gliding strokes of the Swedish massage to the kneading of Shiatsu, and deep tissue, hot stone, aromatherapy, Thai, sports, reflexology and so on.
Each has its own benefits and caters to different needs and preferences.
Time it well
For post-workout massages, the timing is important, depending on your goals.
Ideally, the massage should be done within two hours after exercise for immediate recovery benefits, or up to 48 hours afterward to help with delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS).
An immediate massage can boost recovery and reduce soreness, while a later massage can address lingering tightness and DOMS.
However, the immediate massage should be mild to moderate, not deep and penetrative.
After a strenuous workout, there could be microscopic tears in muscle tissues, a process that is a natural and necessary part of building muscle and strength.
These tiny tears are a result of the stress placed on the muscle fibres and the subsequent repair process leads to new, stronger muscle tissue.
There might also be slight inflammation to the muscles and a deep tissue massage can aggravate this, leaving you more fatigued and sore afterwards.
You might even end up with an injury.
On the other hand, a delayed post-workout massage (after 48 hours) can be deeper to address specific injuries or muscle tightness.
This is effective for relieving pain and addressing muscle tightness that may have developed after the initial recovery period.
What the studies say
A 2014 study published in the Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation found that when subjects tried a new exercise (in this case, walking up and down five flights of stairs 20 times), a post-workout massage significantly reduced the pain brought on by DOMS.
Yet another 2018 study published in the open-access journal Frontiers in Physiology looked at the most common post-workout recovery activities, including massage, stretching, active recovery, cryotherapy, hyperbaric treatment (a medical treatment where a patient breathes 100% pure oxygen inside a pressurised chamber) and electrostimulation (a method that uses electrical impulses to stimulate muscles or nerves).
Researchers found that post-workout massages outperformed all other recovery activities in reducing DOMS.
Pre-workout massage
I’m a big fan of full body post-workout massages – it’s my one indulgence because I find it aids in my recovery.
Although foam rollers, tennis balls and other gadgets can do the job, there is nothing like the human touch and empathy to bring comfort.
Unlike machines, a human therapist can read the body’s subtle signals, build trust and intuitively adjust pressure and movements to a client’s specific needs and feedback in real time.
For running and hiking enthusiasts, a foot massage or reflexology session can bring much needed relief to those overworked feet and calf muscles.
Again, the timing is important.
In fact, a pre-workout massage can also be beneficial to ready the body for an upcoming physical activity.
A quick 15-20 minute gentle massage allows the muscles to get warmed up and stretched out so that you’re more flexible.
It also helps get you in the right frame of mind to work out.
Don’t go for anything too intense or you won’t feel like working out afterwards.
A deep tissue massage might feel good in the moment, but it’ll leave your muscles too raw and sore before a workout, which may increase the risk of muscle strain or injury.
Remember, whatever massage you chose, it shouldn’t be painful, as pain does not equate to relaxation.
If the masseur is using too much pressure and you’re uncomfortable, speak up instead of suffering in silence.
And as always, listen to your body as it doesn’t lie.
Also, when you’re not feeling well, skip the workout and the massage because contrary to what you might have heard, both will leave you feeling worse.
Instead, take a break, stay hydrated and rest in bed.
Yes, not everyone can afford the luxury of a massage, but there are plenty of good deals online and on e-commerce platforms.
So, hunt for them if you’re interested and treat yourself – see if the pre-or post-workout massage makes a difference to your body.
Ian Chow Massage Therapy 