The Benefits of Massage
If you have not had much experience with massage, it can be difficult to understand its lure. You may be surprised that despite its image of personal indulgence, massage is actually beneficial for both your physical and emotional wellbeing rather than just an excuse to be pampered (not that there is anything wrong with that!).
I have been a regular user of massage for many years now and experienced three key areas of benefit. These are:
- Improved emotional wellbeing;
- Improved recovery from exercise; and
- Treatment of injuries.
1. Improved emotional wellbeing
Massage makes you feel good and helps you manage stress for a huge variety of reasons. The most obvious is the benefit of taking a short break in order to do something for you. This small act is an opportunity to stop and restore your energy, particularly if you live a busy lifestyle.
You may be surprised that a good massage is not necessarily an opportunity to drift off to sleep. Instead, you will typically feel that you have slowed down so that by the time you leave, you are markedly more relaxed and at ease. It is also worth mentioning that you may actually experience some discomfort during the session as your therapist works to relieve muscle tension. Don’t be concerned or nervous, as your therapist will make sure you are comfortable with the pressure that is being applied and will move to another area of the body if it is causing you distress.
This release of muscle tension does not always feel good at the time but is actually one of the key sources of benefit. Most people store stress and anxiety in their body and it is reflected through muscle tension. That is why massage can also be quite an emotional experience for some people. At times I have experienced surges of emotion such as sadness during a massage, even though I was not feeling that way when I walked into the room. I believe this is due to a release of negative energy that I had buried in my body. I know that may sound a bit strange but I see massage as an opportunity to let that negativity go, so I can let my positive energy flow more freely.
2. Improved Recovery From Exercise
When I first started to exercise a lot, I was able to recover quite easily from a workout with a small amount of stretching and some water. Unfortunately I simply don’t recover with the same speed as I used to. Over time, as the lactic acid builds up in my muscles, I experience quite extreme soreness. I find that a regular massage helps relieve this discomfort. In my case, massage has become a part of my body’s maintenance strategy to ensure I can remain active for as long as possible and helps to manage the risk of injury.
3. Treatment of Injuries
Massage is obviously not an appropriate treatment for all types of injuries. If you have any doubts, then you should consult your physiotherapist or doctor. I have used massage to treat neck, back and knee injuries over the years. However other common injuries such as an Achilles tear (which I have also had!) required a combination of acupuncture and massage before I saw a real improvement.
So, as you can see, massage can have huge benefits for everyone to improve their general wellbeing as well as supporting your long term health. If you have had limited experience, then I would highly recommend you give it a try!
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Tags: australia, improve recover, manage stress, Massage, massage australia, massage benefits, relaxation, understand massage
November 3rd, 2008 at 7:34 am
Does anyone know where I can get a good deal on Chinese gun powder, its not what you think its a Chinese herbal tea? thanks.”