More is not necessarily better when it comes to lifting weights. Recently released guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) outline new recommendations for the quantity and quality of exercise for development and maintenance of muscular fitness in healthy adults.

The recommendations state that for many people, working a muscle group with one set of eight to ten repetitions two to three times a week is beneficial.

"It was previously thought that a weight-lifting regimen had to include at least three sessions a week to produce noticeable results," said Dr. Bill Kohl, director of research at the Baylor Sports Medicine Institute at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Additional recommendations emphasize that multiple-set workouts may result in greater muscle benefits.

"Strength training is an important part of an exercise program," said Kohl, a member of the ASCM's public information committee. "It targets muscle, something we begin to lose after age twenty-five. By regularly lifting even light weights, the body retains more lean muscle mass, which can keep you fit as you age."

A muscle strain or shin splints that will not go away could actually be a stress fracture. "Pain around the shin should respond to ice and a reduction in activity," said Dr. Jon Divine, assistant professor with Baylor Sports Medicine Institute at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "If the pain lingers for more than a couple of weeks, the problem could be a stress fracture, a slight break in the bone."

Too much activity, particularly in high-impact sports such as running or basketball, a sudden increase in training and biomechanical deficiencies in the feet are potential causes of a stress fracture. Symptoms can be similar to shin splints or a pulled muscle, but a key stress-fracture indicator is the inability to put weight on the leg without experiencing pain. It is likely a sports-medicine specialist can diagnose the problem without an X-ray.

"Active rest and training modification are necessary to heal a stress fracture," said Divine. "This usually takes about three to eight weeks." During that time, stationary cycling, swimming, and strength training are good ways to stay fit.

A massage feels great, but are there any real health benefits? "Absolutely," said David Brennan, an exercise physiologist in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. "Massage increases circulation, decreases muscle spasms, and allows muscle and tissue to recover more quickly after an intense workout." Massage therapy has become an important component of training programs for elite athletes, and many recreational athletes, including cyclists, tennis players, and swimmers, are also sold on a regular rubdown.

"Massage helps muscles work more efficiently and become more flexible, two key ingredients in injury prevention," said Brennan. Athletes are not the only ones who benefit from massage. Brennan says it is being used in rehabilitation settings to help people regain muscle strength following an operation.