The Sore You Know
Stretch and Massage Rank as Top Remedies to Relieve Muscle Soreness
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. (Dec. 8, 2021) – Massage Envy, the nation’s No. 1 provider of massage and skin care services in the U.S. collectively across its franchise network, revealed its findings from a national survey of 2,000 American consumers. The survey, conducted by OnePoll1, examined common causes of soreness and fatigue, and how respondents go about relieving this soreness in their everyday lives.
According to the survey, activities including strength and weight-training (38%), doing yard work (38%) and cardio exercise (37%) leave consumers feeling sore. This may be why nearly three in five survey respondents are reluctant to exercise and 47% said they dread post-workout soreness or aches/pains.
Foregoing stretches before a workout can result in waking up sore the next day. Of those polled, 42% of respondents rely on neck stretches and 37% turn to shoulder rolls as part of their pre-workout warmup.
“These survey results indicate the importance of stretching as a preventative measure rather than just a reactive one,” said Beth Stiller, CEO at Massage Envy. “While three in five respondents stretch to relieve soreness, it’s also important to incorporate stretching into your routine as a preventative measure to avoid the aches and pains that can accompany activities such as working out. At Massage Envy, we know stretching regularly helps improve and maintain mobility, and more flexibility means less stress on muscles during workouts and daily activities. Combining stretching on your own with assisted stretching delivered by a trained professional is a great way to keep your body working.”
When it comes to alleviating those aches and pains, more than three in five of those surveyed have tried DIY remedies instead of painkillers to relieve muscle soreness. Some non-medical solutions respondents are willing to try include:
- Stretching (76%)
- Massage (53%)
- Assisted Stretch (31%)
- Massage Guns (30%)
- Electrical Nerve Stimulation (29%)
- Cupping Therapy (26%)
“It’s great to know that people are open to external remedies for their aches and pains, and have found stretching and massage to be so effective in providing relief,” added Stiller. “There are so many non-medicinal options available to relieve aches and pains for people to explore. Making assisted stretch or massage a part of your regular wellness routine is a great way to give your body the attention it needs and deserves.”
In addition to custom massage, Massage Envy franchised locations offer a variety of services like assisted stretch and Rapid Tension Relief, which utilizes high-performance wellness brand, Hyperice’s state-of-the-art percussion technology, the Hypervolt device, to help ease minor aches and pains.
1 A random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 general population Americans was commissioned between August 31 and September 2, 2021. It was conducted by market research company OnePoll, a market research company and corporate member of ESOMAR and adheres to the MRS code of conduct.
About Massage Envy
Massage Envy, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a national franchisor and does not independently own or operate any of the Massage Envy franchised locations nationwide. The Massage Envy franchise network, through its franchise locations, is the leading provider of therapeutic massage and skin care service. Founded in 2002, Massage Envy has more than 1,100 franchise locations in 49 states that have together delivered more than 100 million massages and facials. For more information, visit www.massageenvy.com, or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook at @MassageEnvy.