Massage Therapy Benefits: Relieve Body Aches and Stress Naturally
Did you ever notice that when you injure a part of your body, your natural instinct is to grab or rub the injured area with your hands in an effort to ease the pain? This simple urge is the very origin of massage therapy.
The benefits of massage therapy have been well-known in Eastern cultures for centuries. But in the United States, massage is a relatively recent trend that was propelled into mainstream culture by a leaning towards natural healing.
“When I started 26 years ago, a “massage” was something you got in back alley in a seedy part of town,” laughs licensed massage therapist Patti Francis. “The first group to seriously embrace massage as part of physical therapy was athletes. If it wasn’t for them, my business would have never taken off.” (Members of professional sports teams including the Cleveland Cavaliers and Browns were among Patti’s first clients.)
Massage therapy has since grown so much that it’s now on par with other complementary services like chiropractic and physical therapy, says the Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP). A commissioned study shows that 2 out of 5 adults have been treated by a massage therapist, and 12% of American adults had at least 1 massage in 2004.
Patti recently compiled a list of proven massage therapy benefits. With her permission, I’m sharing them with you.
Benefits of Massage Therapy:
- Dilates blood vessels improving circulation and relieving congestion.
- Acts as a “mechanical cleanser” pushing along lymph and hastening the elimination of wastes and toxins.
- Increases blood supply and nutrition to muscles without adding to their load of toxic lactic acid produced through voluntary muscle contraction. It thus helps to overcome harmful “fatigue” products resulting from strenuous exercise or injury.
- Helps to repair scar tissue in injured muscles. It breaks down or prevents the formation of adhesions and reduces the danger of fibrosis.
- Relaxes muscle spasm resulting from fibrosis.
How often should you get a massage?
“Ideally, once a month,” says Patti. Regular massages help train the body to retain a relaxed state, making it possible to walk through life in a balanced state. Not only can massage reduce pain without costly drugs and their potential side effects, but it can alleviate conditions before they affect lifestyle and become long-term problems.
