Benefits
of Massage Therapy
Massage gives you a map of stress
areas in your
body. Very often people don't know how much stress they are carrying
until they have a treatment.
As the Therapist stretches and loosens muscles and
connective tissues, stress and muscular tension are released. Once you
have an awareness of where stress lodges in your body, you can begin to
do something about it. You start to educate yourself and your body, and
you reverse a negative cycle.
Neuromuscular
Therapy is often prescribed for injuries and
conditions of pain. It works at softening the muscles so that the
Therapist can move in more
deeply to break up adhesions and release muscles. This allows muscles
to become really
elastic, the way they should be. The body then may be freed of spasm
and pain, increase its range of motion, and have the ability to avoid
injury.
Massage will:
- Maintain
the body in better
condition.
- Help prevent injuries and loss of
mobility.
- Aid healing and restore mobility to
injured
muscle
tissue.
- Help boost performance.
- Help extend the overall life of your
sporting
career.
Physical
effects are:
- Pumping
- The stroking movements in massage suck fluid through blood vessels
and lymph vessels. By increasing the pressure in front of the stroke, a
vacuum is created behind. This is especially important in tight or
damaged muscle tissue as a tight muscle will squeeze blood out like a
sponge, depriving the tissues of oxygen and vital nutrients and energy
to repair.
- Increased
tissue permeability - Deep massage causes the pores in tissue membranes
to open, enabling fluids and nutrients to pass through. This helps
remove waste products such as lactic acid and encourage the muscles to
take up oxygen and nutrients which help them recover quicker.
- Stretching
- Massage can stretch tissues that could not be stretched in the usual
methods. Bundles of muscle fibres are stretched lengthwise as well as
sideways. Massage can also stretch the sheath or fascia that surrounds
the muscle, so releasing any tension or pressure build up.
- Break
down scar tissue - Scar tissue is the result of previous injuries or
trauma and can effect muscle, tendons and ligaments. This can lead to
inflexible tissues that are prone to injury and pain.
- Improve
tissue elasticity - Hard training can make tissues hard and inelastic.
This is one reason why hard training may not result in improvements.
Massage helps reverse this by stretching the tissues.
- Opens
micro-circulation - Massage does increase blood flow to tissues, but so
does exercise. What massage also does is open or dilate the blood
vessels and by stretching them this enables nutrients to pass through
more easily.
What
can massage really do?
Physical Level
Deep relaxation and stress reduction
Relief of muscle tension and stiffness
Reduced muscle spasm and tension
Relief from entrapment of nerves by muscles
Greater joint flexibility and range of motion
Increased ease and efficiency of movement
Promoted deeper and easier breathing
Better circulation of both blood and lymph fluids
Reduced blood pressure
Relief of tension-related or eye-strain headaches
Healthier, better nourished skin
Improved posture
Faster healing from pulled muscles and sprained ligaments
Reduces pain, swelling, and formation of scar tissue following injury
General health maintenance
Mental Level
Relaxed state of alertness
Reduced mental stress: a calmer mind
Greater ability to monitor stress signals and respond appropriately
Increased capability for clearer thinking
Emotional
Level
Feeling of well-being
Reduced levels of
anxiety
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