Can a massage cause a muscle strain?

Author: Camryn Kiehn  |  Last update: Wednesday, April 30, 2025

The primary reason muscle aches occur after a massage is due to the inflammation or minor injuries caused by the manipulation of muscle fibres. When pressure is applied to the muscles, it can lead to small tears in the muscle tissue, similar to what happens during intense physical exercise.

How long does it take muscles to recover from a massage?

At a minimum, you should rest for at least 24 hours after your massage to ensure your muscles have plenty of time to repair themselves.

When should you not massage a muscle?

An acute injury is a sudden, sharp, traumatic injury that causes pain. Typically the result of an impact or trauma such as a fall, strain, sprain or collision. Massage shouldn't be performed on the injured site because it encourages circulation and can increase swelling during the body's initial response to injury.

Can massaging too hard cause pain?

Pressure that's fine for you may cause severe pain, emotional distress, “sensory injury” (sensitization) in others, or even physical injury, so pressure should be customized but often isn't.

How long does it take for a strained muscle to heal?

If you only have a minor (grade I) muscle strain, it should heal within a few weeks. Moderate (grade II) muscle strains may take several weeks to months to heal completely. A severe (grade III) muscle strain can take four to six months to heal after surgery.

Why do I get sore after a massage?

What are three symptoms of a muscle strain?

Symptoms
  • Pain or tenderness.
  • Redness or bruising.
  • Limited motion.
  • Muscle spasms.
  • Swelling.
  • Muscle weakness.

How to speed up healing of muscle strain?

Treatment
  1. Rest. Avoid activities that cause pain, swelling or discomfort. ...
  2. Ice. Even if you're seeking medical help, ice the area immediately. ...
  3. Compression. To help stop swelling, compress the area with an elastic bandage until the swelling stops. ...
  4. Elevation.

Can muscles be damaged by massage?

Injury Risk: Applying excessive pressure can cause bruising, inflammation, and even muscle or tissue damage. This can lead to prolonged recovery times and exacerbate existing issues.

What body parts should not be massaged?

These are areas of the body where deep, sustained pressure should be avoided because of the structures that lie beneath. Those areas are the anterior and posterior triangles of the neck, suprasternal notch, sternum, axilla, spinal column, umbilical area, inguinal triangle, popliteal fossa, and the antecubital fossa.

Why do my muscles hurt so bad after a massage?

The pressure and movements during a massage can break apart spasms or micro-scars in the muscle fibers. This can lead to soreness similar to what you might experience after exercising.

Is it okay to massage inflamed muscles?

Massage can assist the healing of damaged fibers by increasing blood circulation. Increased blood circulation provides an increase of oxygen and nutrients to an area. An increase of oxygen and nutrients can help repair fibers, decreasing inflammation and pain. Massage can help reduce muscle tightness caused by DOMS.

What are 3 instances when massage is not recommended?

Certain skin conditions, such as open wounds, burns, rashes, or contagious skin infections (like impetigo or fungal infections), should not be treated with massage. Even non-contagious skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema may be aggravated by massage if not handled carefully.

Should you stretch a strained muscle?

Stretching can help you heal from a muscle strain, as long as it's not severe. Stretching can also help when healing a new muscle contusion. For example, our athletic trainers often recommend simultaneously icing and stretching quad contusions right after the injury.

What happens to muscle knots after massage?

Massage therapy techniques can help to relieve, reduce or even prevent muscle knots. Deep tissue massage or sports massage techniques work on the muscles that are tight or have the knots. Trigger point massage can be firm and specific pressure to the areas of restriction or “knots” and cause release of that knot.

Should you massage a pulled muscle?

It's important to note that you should never massage a strained muscle that hasn't been given 72 hours to rest. Massaging a freshly-strained muscle can actually increase inflammation and even cause further injury, so be sure to wait at least three days before attempting any massage therapy.

How do you know if you got a bad massage?

Experiencing sharp pain or excessive discomfort during or after the session is a clear indication that the massage wasn't beneficial. While some discomfort can be normal, especially with deep tissue massage, it should never cross the line into sharp pain.

What areas are off limits during a massage?

These include direct manipulation of the spine, the front of the neck, and any visibly injured or inflamed areas.

What is the most relaxing body part to massage?

Choosing Your Massage Focus Target Spots
  • ➪ Head. In our view, a head massage is a great choice for some extra focus, as it can be highly relaxing yet revitalising at the same time. ...
  • ➪ Neck & Shoulders. One of Top 3 selected body parts. ...
  • ➪ Back. ...
  • ➪ Buttocks. ...
  • ➪ Thighs. ...
  • ➪ Calves. ...
  • ➪ Feet. ...
  • ➪ Arms & Hands.

What not to say during a massage?

Here are some examples of what you, as the client, should never do! :
  • Don't joke if this is a “happy ending" massage or make any sexual comments. ...
  • Don't get sexually excited, it's inappropriate. ...
  • Don't break wind. ...
  • Avoid talking too much. ...
  • Don't use your phone. ...
  • Don't be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

What happens if you massage a muscle too hard?

Excessive pressure can probably cause “rhabdo”: poisoning by proteins liberated from injured muscle, a “muscle crush” injury. For example: an 88-year old man collapsed the day after an unusually strong 2-hour session of massage therapy.

What does a muscle knot feel like?

Muscle knots feel like small, tender lumps or nodules. They are palpable and can be felt when touched. However, knots can be discreet and exist deep in the muscle, and a person may have to press hard into the connective tissue to feel the knots or trigger points.

Why do my lower legs hurt when massaged?

The most common reason for pain during massage is the wrong pressure. While your masseuse might think they're applying the right amount of pressure, you may feel too much. This is very typical when having a deep tissue massage because it is a type of massage that requires intense pressure to massage the tissue.

What not to do with a muscle strain?

Avoiding activities that cause pain and may further injury the muscle. Physical therapy to regain strength and function. Giving adequate time for the muscle strain to heal. Returning too soon can lead to re-injury.

What does a grade 1 muscle strain feel like?

To help simplify diagnosis and treatment, doctors often classify muscle strains into three grades, depending on the severity of muscle fiber damage: Grade I strain. In this mild strain, only a few muscle fibers are stretched or torn. Although the injured muscle is tender and painful, it has normal strength.

Why won't my pulled muscle heal?

Their study found that, as we age, the lines of communication to the stem cells of our muscles deteriorate and, without the full instructions, it takes longer for injured muscles to heal. Even then, the repairs aren't as good.

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