Everybody has them— backaches from sitting at an office desk too long, a stiff neck from sleeping in an awkward position, or an overuse injury from years of athletic competition.

We all love a good rubdown. But beyond easing muscle tension and relieving sore spots, massage—even a single session—triggers beneficial biological changes, finds new research from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

Ever wonder what your body would feel like without tightness, pain, or stiffness? Or how it might be to sail—rather than stoop—your way through the day? Bodywork might hold the key to regaining your body’s natural elasticity, bringing you back into balance—and grace—in ways you never believed possible, at least not since you kissed your 30s good-bye.

For two years, Michelle Marcon suffered from constant pain because of a herniated disk in her lower back, arthritis in both hips, and bone spurs in her heels. After walking for only a couple of minutes, pain would shoot down the back of her legs, and her left foot would go numb. “My pain got so bad that I had to quit my job,” says the Chicago-area dog walker.