The effect of kneading a muscle so as to remove the waste products from it is very extraordinary.

When the muscles of an uninjured frog are stimulated to contraction by the rhythmic application of maximal induction currents until they are exhausted and no longer contract, kneading them, or massage, restores their contractility so that their contractions are nearly as powerful as at first, while simple rest without massage has very little restorative effect. In man also, while a rest of fifteen minutes after exhausting labour had very little restorative action, massage during the same period increased double the work that could be done. Massage has a similar action to very complete and perfect circulation through the muscle, in removing the waste products and restoring its power.1