Evaluating the Impact of Massage Therapy on Performance and Well-Being in Taekwondo Practitioners: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Background and objectives: Taekwondo is a physically intense martial art that demands strength, agility, and mental focus, often leading to physical and psychological strain. While massage therapy is recognized for enhancing muscle recovery, reducing injury risk, alleviating stress, and improving sleep quality in athletes, its specific effects on Taekwondo athletes remain underexplored. This review aims to evaluate the impact of massage therapy on physical recovery, injury prevention, and psychological well-being in Taekwondo athletes. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across Science Direct, Google Scholar, Sport Discus, and PubMed, using MeSH terms including “massage therapy”, “Taekwondo athletes”, “muscle recovery”, “injury prevention”, “psychological well-being”, “Swedish massage”, “deep tissue massage”, “sports massage”, “performance optimization”, and “sleep quality”. Results: Thirteen peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings suggest that massage therapy improves muscle recovery, enhances flexibility and balance, supports injury prevention, and contributes positively to athletes’ psychological states, including mood and anxiety reduction. Conclusions: Massage therapy appears to be an effective intervention for enhancing both performance and well-being in Taekwondo athletes. Future studies should aim to standardize massage protocols and investigate long-term effects across training and competition periods.