Relaxation Response Signal
The body is replete with mechanoreceptors that send messages to the brain about tension, pressure and displacement.I was once told by a chiropractor that my first rib was high (out of place). She used a gun-like apparatus called an activator. A little bar of steel shot out and slammed into my rib. It was more like a tap and it did not hurt at all. I laughed and said, "Do you really think that moved my rib? I don't feel any difference." She replied, "Yes, It sent a message to your brain telling it to re-position your rib back down to where it is supposed to be." The same communication happens with muscles. When a muscle is tight or put in a shortened position for a long time, the brain can begin to believe that the muscle is supposed to be tight and supposed to be short. The brain can literally reset the tonicity and length of that muscle so that it stays that way permanently.
The brain can respond with a relaxation response signal when triggered by massage therapy.
The good news is that just like that activator, manually pressing on a muscle can send a message to the brain stating, "We want this muscle to relax." If the brain interprets the message properly, it will relax the muscle and reset it to its normal, longer length after it has been lengthened by massage. This won't necessarily happen right away, however. Tight muscles can take a long time to relent. You will likely need multiple sessions depending on the degree of tightness. Plus, there are multiple layers of muscle to get through. The body and brain can eventually learn and remember with continued massage. People who get frequent bodywork typically find that their muscles loosen soon after the therapist starts working. Their muscles have been trained to respond to massage quickly.