BENEFITS OF MASSAGE
Massage can significantly help you if you are suffering discomfort or pain through injury, over-exertion or bad posture. Whether it’s a pulled calf muscle, a repetitive strain injury or neck pain and headache from long hours in front of a computer remedial massage is proven to help nine out of ten sufferers. It is well known that massage gives us a feeling of well-being. Research shows that babies deprived of loving touch fail to thrive. Well-being also comes from the release of endorphins stimulated by massage and the general benefits from improved sleep.
The Muscular System
Muscles can contract to 50% of their normal length and stretch to 150% of their normal length. Through overuse and through stress (due to the fight and flight response) the muscles can stay in a contracted state, causing imbalance in the body. Tight muscles will pull posture out of alignment and increase the risk of injury during subsequent exercise.
Massaging Muscles will:
Increase flexibility by stretching and relaxing the muscles and encouraging them to return to their normal relaxed length.
Remove waste products. When muscles work, they burn oxygen and glucose and produce lactic acid. This can build up in the muscles and add to muscle soreness and induce cramp.
Reduce the formation of adhesions. Through overuse and wear and tear, microscopic tears occur in the muscle fibres. If not treated these will be replaced by inelastic scar tissue.
Improve muscle tone.
The Skeletal System
Massage will:
Improve posture. Once the muscles are relaxed and lengthened, posture will improve. Poor posture will impact on the other systems of the body. For example, rounded shoulders and tight pectorals will impede lung function.
Improve mobility. In someone with a poor range of movement within their joints, massage and passive movements can ease joints and improve the range of movement.
Release red blood cells from the bone marrow, which can only enhance health and energy as they carry life giving oxygen.
The Cardio-vascular System
Massage will:
Encourage blood flow to the extremities, organs and superficial blood vessels.
Improve the venous return. Blood has to work against gravity to return from the extremities back to the heart. Whenever possible, particularly on the limbs, we massage towards the heart to assist the return of venous blood.
3. Lower blood pressure by helping the client to relax and reducing their heart rate. Also tight muscles create a resistance to blood flow which leads to an increase in blood pressure. Tight muscles are very difficult for blood to flow through and pressure builds up back at the heart. Relaxing muscles will therefore reduce blood pressure.
The Respiratory System
Massage will:
Encourage deep breathing and slow it down (when people are stressed, they breathe rapidly and shallowly).
Stimulate the intercostal muscles attached to the ribs
The Lymphatic System
Massage will:
Improve the circulation and drainage of lymph and the removal of toxins from the cells.
Boost immunity by stimulating the production of antibodies which give us immunity. Also by triggering the parasympathetic nervous system immunity is stimulated.
Reduce oedema (swelling), often caused by injury or inactivity.
The Nervous System
Massage will:
Stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. This has the effect of slowing down the systems of the body (except digestion), encouraging the body to repair and renew.
Improve transmission of nerve impulses. The overall effect of massage will be to stimulate the neurons (nerve cells), improving the efficiency of the transmission of messages.
The Digestive System
Massage will:
Stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system to switch digestion back on if it has affected by stress.
Stimulate and assist the process of digestion and peristalsis (the muscular squeezing of food along the intestines) if applied to the abdomen in a clockwise direction.
Speed up the elimination of waste products from the body, reducing toxicity and alleviating constipation.