Effects of Massage on Alpha Motoneuron Excitability

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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the specificity of the effects of massage (petrissage) on spinal motoneuron excitability as measured by changes in the peak-to-peak amplitude of H-reflex recordings. H-reflexes (and M-responses) were recorded from the distal aspects of the right triceps surae muscle of 8 men and 8 women, aged 20 to 37 years, with no neuromuscular impairments of the lower extremities. The H-reflexes were recorded during five control and four experimental conditions (20 trials at each condition). The control conditions (C1–C5) preceded and followed each experimental condition, providing a measure of the stability of the H-reflex. Each experimental condition consisted of a 4-minute period of massage of the ipsilateral and contralateral triceps surae and hamstring muscle groups (ITS, CTS, IHS, and CHS, respectively). The mean peak-to-peak amplitude of the H-reflex was found to be stable (range=1.91-1.95 mV) across the five control conditions. H-reflex amplitudes recorded during the experimental conditions indicate that massage of the ITS resulted in a reduction of the H-reflex (0.83 mV) in comparison with the pretest control condition (C1) and the remaining experimental conditions (range=1.77-2.23 mV). This difference was significant, and subsequent Newman-Keuls tests indicated a specificity of the effects of massage on the muscle group being massaged.

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