Rabbit Enjoys Massage?

What a cute drawing, a rabbit enjoying a massage. 

The drawing is not really meant for cuteness.  

Wall Street Journal on June 11, 2013 reports a study done at Ohio State University that scientists used mechanical devices to exercise the tibialis anterior muscles of 18 rabbits under anesthetic.  

One group of rabbits received immediate treatment with a mechanical device that simulates the long flowing strokes used in Swedish massage.  Another group received the treatment starting 48 hours after the muscle injury.   A control group was not massaged.  The massaged rabbits received 15-minute treatments daily.

After four days, muscles that received immediate massage had recovered almost 60% of their lost strength compared with 30% for delayed massaged muscles.  

This suggests immediate massage triggered greater fluid dissipation which would help to reduce swelling.   

For more detailed report, click on the photo to enlarge for easier reading.