Why Summer Is Actually the Best Time to Get a Massage
The science-backed case for booking a session this season
By Polly Hollar, LMT | Kraft & Ruhe Massage Co. | Whitestown, IN
Summer tends to be the season we put self-care last. Vacations, kids home from school,
packed weekends — massage falls off the radar. But here’s what most people don’t realize:
summer may actually be one of the best times to prioritize bodywork. Between the heat,
increased physical activity, travel fatigue, and elevated stress that comes with a disrupted
routine, your body is working harder than ever. Here’s what the research says about why
massage belongs in your summer wellness plan.
1. Heat + Activity = More Fluid Retention — And Massage Can Help
If your ankles look puffier in the summer, you’re not imagining it. Heat causes blood vessels
to dilate, which can increase fluid leakage into surrounding tissue and contribute to swelling
— especially in the lower extremities. Add long days on your feet, travel, or standing at
outdoor events, and that swelling compounds.
Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is specifically designed to address this. A specialized,
gentle technique that moves lymphatic fluid out of congested tissue, MLD has clinical
support for reducing edema from a variety of causes. According to a 2015 randomized
controlled trial cited by the American Massage Therapy Association, MLD improved severity,
edema, and pain in patients with chronic venous insufficiency — a condition characterized
by exactly this type of lower-extremity swelling. A clinical description from Anne Arundel
Health System Research Institute further notes that MLD “promotes reuptake of interstitial
fluid along the pathways of the lymphatic system,” reducing swelling and decreasing pain.
UCLA Health also notes that MLD performed on the neck may temporarily reduce blood
pressure and slow heart rate in healthy individuals — hallmarks of nervous system
downregulation, which is the physiological state your body needs to recover.
Bottom line: If you’re swelling more in the summer heat, your lymphatic system needs
support — and MLD is one of the most targeted tools available.
2. More Activity Means More Muscle Damage — Recovery Is Not Optional
Summer brings hiking, biking, swimming, recreational sports, and all the yard work that
accumulated over winter. All of it is great — and all of it creates micro-trauma in muscle
tissue that your body has to repair.
A 2025 narrative review published in MDPI found that post-exercise muscle stiffness is
closely linked to changes in connective tissue and fascia, and that massage may help by
increasing the mobility of hyaluronic acid — the substance that facilitates gliding between
muscle and fascia — thereby reducing stiffness and soreness following physical activity.
Research on inflammatory mediators has also found that massage therapy can reduce the
expression of pro-inflammatory pathways (NFκB) while increasing expression of anti-
inflammatory and regenerative pathways (ERK1/2 and FAK), as measured in studies on
athletes following sprint exercise (PMC, NIH). This suggests massage isn’t just about feeling
good after a workout — it’s influencing the biochemical environment of recovery.
For deeper restrictions and fascial adhesions that build up over a summer of activity, IASTM
(Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization) offers another layer of support. Research
from ClinicalTrials.gov notes that IASTM creates targeted micro trauma in restricted tissue
that stimulates collagen synthesis and connective tissue remodeling — essentially
prompting your body to rebuild tissue more efficiently. Studies have also found that IASTM
can increase muscle strength, performance, and endurance alongside its rehabilitative
applications.
Bottom line: Summer activity is hard on soft tissue. Regular massage — especially deep
tissue and IASTM — supports faster, more complete recovery.
3. Summer Stress Is Real — And Your Nervous System Feels It
We think of summer as relaxing, but the reality is often the opposite. School’s out, routines
are disrupted, finances are stretched by travel, and the mental load of managing everyone’s
summer schedules is real. The body’s stress response doesn’t distinguish between work
deadlines and logistical overwhelm — it responds the same way: elevated cortisol, increased
heart rate, disrupted sleep.
A foundational review published in the International Journal of Neuroscience (Field et al.)
examined multiple clinical studies and found that massage therapy produced meaningful
decreases in cortisol levels alongside significant increases in serotonin (averaging 28%) and
dopamine (averaging 31%) across a wide range of conditions and populations. The
researchers concluded that massage carries both stress-alleviating and mood-activating
effects at the biochemical level.
A separate randomized controlled trial published in PubMed found that back massage
significantly improved anxiety, blood pressure, heart rate, cortisol level, and sleep quality in
study participants — all without pharmacological intervention.
Even a single session has measurable effects: a study on psychiatric inpatients found
significant reductions in self-reported anxiety, resting heart rate, and cortisol levels
immediately following just one massage therapy session.
Bottom line: Summer stress is physiologically real. Massage isn’t a luxury response to it —
it’s a clinically supported one.
4. A 2024 JAMA Review Confirms: Massage Works for Pain
If you or a family member manages chronic pain — and summer activity tends to flare it —
this matters. A comprehensive systematic review published in JAMA Network Open (Mak et
al., 2024) analyzed 17 high-quality reviews covering 13 different painful conditions using
research published between 2018 and 2023. The review found moderate evidence
supporting massage therapy for chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia, and noted that in
some cases massage appeared to outperform common medications.
This is especially relevant for clients managing conditions like sciatica, plantar fasciitis,
arthritis, or soft tissue injuries — all of which can be exacerbated by increased summer
activity and heat.
Bottom line: The evidence base for massage and pain management is growing. If pain is
limiting your summer, it’s worth addressing — not waiting out.
Summer Is the Perfect Time to Book — Here’s How to Think About It
Rather than treating massage as a reward for something, think of it as maintenance for the
body you’re asking to do more right now. Most clients see the best results with consistent
sessions — monthly at minimum, biweekly for active recovery or chronic conditions.
At Kraft & Ruhe Massage Co., services are tailored to what your body actually needs —
whether that’s MLD for summer swelling, deep tissue and IASTM for athletic recovery,
prenatal massage for expectant mothers navigating the heat, or a therapeutic relaxation
session to give your nervous system a genuine reset.
HSA and FSA cards are accepted — so if you have pre-tax dollars to spend, this is one of
the most evidence-supported ways to use them.
Ready to book?
Schedule your session here:
6051 S Indianapolis Rd, Suite I, Whitestown, IN 46075
317-210-2060 Text or Call
References
Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (2005). Cortisol
decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy.
International Journal of Neuroscience, 115(10).
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16162447/
Mak, S., Allen, J., Begashaw, M., et al. (2024). Use of massage therapy for pain, 2018–
2023: A systematic review. JAMA Network Open, 7(7): e2422259.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821154
American Massage Therapy Association. (2020). Research updates in lymphatic
drainage. Massage Therapy Journal.
https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/research-update-
lymph-drainage/
UCLA Health. (2026). Lymphatic drainage massage — separating fact from fiction.
https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/lymphatic-drainage-massage-separating-fact-
fiction
PMC/NCBI. (2020). Massage therapy modulates inflammatory mediators following sprint
exercise in healthy male athletes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7739334/
MDPI. (2025). Mechanisms and efficacy of massage therapy for post-exercise muscle
repair: A narrative review. https://www.mdpi.com/2813-0413/5/2/29
PubMed. (2015). Back massage to decrease state anxiety, cortisol level, blood pressure,
heart rate, and increase sleep quality in family caregivers of patients with cancer.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26745049/
Anne Arundel Health System Research Institute. Manual lymphatic drainage.
ClinicalTrials.gov. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02360735