Pain Relief Massage Research

Did you ever get a massage and the pressure was too light? You went into the massage expecting pain relief and you get off the table feeling no real improvement. Well, it's not just you.  

According to researcher Tiffany Fields, the right amount of pressure is needed to get the best pain-relief effects from a massage. And that perfect pressure is not light pressure. It's moderate pressure.

In this interview in American Psychological Association, Fields explains the science: "The benefits of massage come from stimulating pressure receptors in the brain, says Field. 'Most people don't know that. They might do light stroking, but that doesn't help and really is aversive to most people.'"

"These receptors are long and well-insulated nerve fibers--much more insulated than pain receptors, she adds. 'Say, for example, you hit your funny bone and you rub it. The pain message is transmitted more slowly than the pressure message, so it gets turned off and you stop experiencing pain.'"

It's reasonable to assume that your moderate (Goldilocks) pressure may not be exactly the same as someone else's. PressurePerfect massage therapist are trained to establish and deliver your Goldilocks pressure throughout the entire massage.

You can read more about the the research here: 

https://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug02/massage
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25172313/