Massage can help loosen contracted, shortened muscles and stimulate weak, inelastic muscles. This balancing act can help improve posture and provide for more efficient muscle movement and increase range of motion. Massage also disperses acids that irritate muscles. Lactic and carbonic acids accumulate around muscle tissue shortly after exercise begins. These acids are waste products that contribute to the pain and occasional cramping that one may experience after workouts or periods of vigorous activity. Massage can help eliminate the irritation caused by these wastes by stimulating the metabolic process, thereby increasing muscle recovery rates.