January 2nd, 2014 • Posted by Beneficial Bodyworks • Permalink
Massage affects people in many different ways. These effects range from physical to mental. Additionally, massage can help tie physical, emotional and mental health together to work in unison and create better balance in life. Many people think of massage as a technique used to induce relaxation. Massage does help people relax, but its value extends far beyond a day of relaxation. Bodyworks therapy, for example, can be used in a variety of proactive ways.
Clinical therapeutic massage helps the body heal and creates a general sense of wellbeing. Therapists can tailor their efforts toward meeting their clients' wellness goals. This is where we get into the rehabilitative aspects of massage.
People sit in unhealthy positions at work, or they stand all day, or they accrue repetitive stress from the unnatural movements they make over and over. Plus, all kinds of fluids build up and linger in the body, in the blood and in lymph vessels. Massage therapy can help move those fluids around, helping the body to stay fresh and healthy, improving immune function. It is up to the client or patient to tell their massage therapists about:
- Injuries from accidents, bad posture habits from work.
- Bad posture habits from work or school.
- Points of repetitive stress.
One of the first results of massage therapy is a decrease in pain. Massage therapy manipulates soft tissue to flush fluid through the body, decrease pain, and decrease inflammation. Inflammation occurs in the joints of athletes, students, workers and the elderly. Not only does clinical massage therapy reduce pain and inflammation, it also increases flexibility. Clinical massage therapy helps release the tension built up in stiff limbs and axis points, and thus, increases mobility in the entire body. Increases in mobility are especially noticeable in parts of the body that had been stiffened from stress.
This all helps bring people back into balance. What's more interesting is that it brings people into the present moment. After a massage session, people are able to gather their thoughts and put ideas together in a new more focused mindset. The massage allows for an adjustment: a way of letting go and coming back into the present moment.
