Breaking Down to Build Up

There are times in my life when I feel like I am splintering from the inside out. Pain in my body mirrors the pain in my heart. And yet, over time, I realize that those fractures aren’t the end. They are the beginning of repair. Our bodies live by this truth. When bones are stressed through weight-bearing movement, they experience tiny micro-fractures. That “damage” signals a cascade of repair: osteoclasts (cells that clear out weakened tissue) arrive first, dissolving old bone, and then osteoblasts follow, laying down new mineralized bone that is stronger and more resilient than before. Stress initiates growth. Massage works in a similar way — only within soft tissue. When pressure, friction, or shear forces are applied during massage, tiny disruptions occur in the fascia and muscle fibers. This stimulates a cascade of repair mechanisms: • Fibroblast activation: These are the cells responsible for building connective tissue. They’re drawn to the “micro-injury” sites created during massage and begin producing fresh collagen and elastin fibers. • Collagen remodeling: Instead of disorganized, scar-like fibers, massage encourages the collagen network to reorganize into stronger, more flexible patterns. This is why tissue becomes more pliable and less prone to re-injury over time. • Increased circulation: Mechanical pressure dilates blood vessels, bringing in oxygen, amino acids, and nutrients that are the raw materials for repair — while flushing out waste products like lactic acid. • Immune signaling: Studies show that massage influences cytokines and growth factors, enhancing the body’s ability to reduce inflammation while also supporting tissue regeneration. • Nervous system regulation: By stimulating mechanoreceptors in the skin and fascia, massage communicates directly with the nervous system, lowering pain signals and promoting parasympathetic activity — the “rest and repair” state where healing happens. So while it may feel like massage is “breaking down” tissue, what’s really happening is stimulation of the body’s remarkable intelligence to heal itself. The temporary tenderness is the spark of something greater: repair, renewal, and growth. And this mirrors life itself. Forests renew after fire. Bones strengthen after stress. Hearts often deepen after they’ve been broken. What looks like fracture is often the first step of renewal. Massage is more than relief in the moment. It’s an invitation for the body to remember what it already knows: that breakdown is not the end — it’s the beginning of becoming stronger, freer, and more alive.