A lot of people have a massage as a treat on holiday or a girls spa day but massage should not be considered a luxury.
Have you ever had a massage?...
...If the answer is no you will want to read on as regular massage has significant health and well-being benefits. You may be surprised what a good quality massage can do for you.
1. Manage low back pain
Remember muscles attach to bones and when they contract they move the bones and joints. If the muscles are tight the bones will not move well, meaning we end up with some joints becoming very stiff. By parts of our body’s not moving well means it puts more strain on other areas of our body’s which at some point will cause pain, aching, soreness and stiffness.
2. Help chronic neck pain
Neck pain is something most of us experience at some point in our lives. It could be a result of stress, work, sport, sleeping funny or an accident.
It makes you grab your neck/shoulder area with a hand all in the hope the ache will ease.
Whether you’ve suffered for weeks, months or years with neck pain it can become very draining. Your head feels like a ten ton weight and all you want to do is lay down and close your eyes.
But there is hope!... having a good quality massage will ease those tense muscles, ease those aches and pains and allow you to move better as muscles with less tension will lengthen and move well.
3. Relieves tension headaches
Tension headaches are the most common type of headache. Stress and mental or emotional conflict trigger the pain through the muscles in the neck, face, scalp and jaw. Clenching your jaw, if you are struggling with anxiety or depression or you have an insane work schedule and you regularly miss meals these can all lead to tension headaches.
I too struggle with headaches when I have been hard at it on my computer all day. Have a massage and do some exercise and my headaches are gone....Bliss!
Also check your glasses. If like me they slide down your nose notice what happens to you neck position…. your chin lifts up and pokes forward which means the muscles of the neck tighten up and the joints become stiff and don’t move well leading to the almighty tension headache!
4. Reduce arthritic pain
Arthritis as we all know is a chronic condition. There sadly is no cure for it, so to lead an active life with reduced pain one must consider a regular health and movement programme to promote well-being. The Arthritis Foundation on its website promotes the benefits of massage with results being reduced pain and stiffness, improved movement in general and how well joints move.
So please if your doctor is just pumping you full of pills or telling you nothing else can be done, please try massage as a medication free way to lead a happier and more active, independent life.
5. Relieve joint replacement pain
Now I’m going to tell you straight joint replacement surgery isn’t pretty and often patients have the expectation that once they have their shiny new joint all will be wonderful in the world and they will be running, skipping and jumping down the road. Let me tell you this… it is rarely like that. The post-operative recovery after a joint replacement especially in the leg is hard work!
The surgeons cut through skin, muscle, bone and then stitch the muscles back up and either stitch or staple the layers of skin back together. And people wonder why they have so much pain after a joint replacement.
It’s big surgery but with the right sort of care afterwards you will do just fine! So how can massage help....
Well massage needs to be done by a qualified medical professional. Sorry a salon massage will not cut it here. Therapeutic massage will help relieve pain, reduce muscular tightness, reduce any swelling and help improve range of movement and muscle function by softening and loosening the tightened stitched skin and muscle tissue.
It will also help calm down any pain from hypersensitive scars.
6. Increase mobility
By working on muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joints, regular massage can improve your flexibility and range of motion, keeping your joints moving better and making you less likely to suffer pain or injury.
Elongating muscles will help improve your posture and how your body moves thus keeping you mobile and able to do all the things you want to in life.
7. Reduce muscle tension
Whether you are a sportsman/woman needing to speed up a post workout recovery or need to improve your athletic performance sports massage is a great way to do this.
For those of us who are not competing athletes but regularly feel tension in our neck or shoulders, aching back or tight hips, massage is used to get you feeling great again soothing those aches, pains and relaxing tight muscles allowing joints to move as they should.
8. Relaxation
We are always on the clock whether we like it or not. Getting to work on time, dropping the kids off at school or nursery, having deadlines to meet. We cannot avoid it. Research has proven massage lowers your heart rate and blood pressure and releases the feel good chemicals endorphins. Serotonin and dopamine are also released through massage and this results in a feeling of calm relaxation that makes chronic or habitual as well as short term stress much easier to overcome.
In addition to relaxation on-going massage will reduce pain, increase energy levels and improve overall physical and mental performance.
9. Sleep Better
Good quality sleep is vital to our health and wellness. Lack of sleep is associated with a whole host of chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, depression to name a few.
Let’s face it who doesn’t want a good night sleep to make them feel loads better in the morning.
If you’d like to know more about the types of massage that are available here at WDC Physiotherapy simply: Click HERE>>>
Suffering in silence won't change your life but booking a regular massage just might! 😉
See you soon,
Wendy 🙂