14/10/2026
What if massage doesn't actually loosen your muscles the way we've always thought?
For years, we've talked about massage as a way of loosening tight muscles.
But some interesting research published in 2026 challenges that idea.
A systematic review looking at 25 studies found that massage techniques didn't significantly reduce measured muscle or tendon stiffness overall.
So why do people often walk out of a massage feeling looser, moving more freely and experiencing less discomfort?
Because how tight a muscle feels isn't necessarily the same as how stiff it measures.
Pain, sensation, relaxation and how our nervous system responds may all play a part in how we experience tension.
This is something I've come to appreciate over my years working as a remedial massage therapist.
You don't always need more pressure or harder treatment to feel better.
Sometimes a slower, more comfortable approach is exactly what someone needs.
The goal isn't always to force a muscle to change. It's to help the person feel and function better.
Slower is better.
DM Sports and Remedial Massage
Long Jetty, Central Coast
Study: Short-term effectiveness of massage techniques on myotendinous structures' stiffness (2026).
https://doi.org/10.1080/15438627.2026.2697196