Skip to main content

Massage: More Than Just a Back Rub


Before you have your first massage, you may have already had a much idealized picture of what your session will be like. However, a massage delivered by a licensed professional should certainly differ from the occasional back rub you might have received from a friend or a loved one.


 What a massage therapist targets during treatment includes:

  • Releasing the tension in the muscles
  • Promote the healing of soft tissue
  • Facilitate the flow of blood
  • Reducing emotional stress
  • Reducing pain and inflammation

Some studies also support the use of massage as a supplemental treatment for depression and anxiety, and has also shown promise in successfully alleviating symptoms associated with multi-dimensional illnesses such as fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

More than one way to exercise muscles
However, even without secondary health issues, a massage can affect muscles much more vigorously than most people realize. As a massage therapist, I work diligently on knotted areas of muscle that result from the everyday buildup of anxiety and stress and either my clients’ lack of physical exercise or a tendency to over train certain areas. The act of massaging these muscles and stretching them out will improve blood to the area and stimulates optimum healing over the long term. However, this can sometimes place added stress for the muscles which can sometimes result in soreness, particularly if massage sessions are too intensive, too closely scheduled or scheduled too far apart.

Is it Good?
You see, a ‘good’ massage is very much like workout. If the muscles aren't used to it, they often respond with some soreness. Granted, the soreness should only last for a day or of two. However, if the soreness lasts any longer, or is accompanied with bruising, then the massage was more than likely too intense.

Getting the intensity level just right requires that you let your therapist know when the treatment is getting painful or uncomfortable for you. This allows the massage therapist to adjust the intensity level either during the session and make note of it for the next session. As the body adjusts to the manipulation, the intensity can gradually be increased for greater results.

What Can Be Done?
The human body is one highly complex machine, and while we are just beginning to understand the interplay between body and mind, this connection could explain why soreness can sometimes be experienced shortly after a massage.

While there are many ways one can minimize the unwanted side effects of a good massage, I've listed a few suggestions to consider:

  • Understand the need to properly care for your physical and mental health through exercise, diet and recuperation.
  • Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated
  • Be sure to communicate honestly with your therapist, particularly about your general health and mental well-being
  • Experiment with different massage techniques till you find what works best for you
  • Experiment with the length or intensity of your massage sessions 

In most cases, experiencing some muscle soreness after a massage is completely normal. However, if this lasts more than a couple of days, or incapacitates you in any way, then it needs to be addressed.

As I've mentioned, there can be many simple explanations for this phenomenon. All of them are easily remedied, but they must begin with an open, honest conversation with yourself, what you want to accomplish through this mode of therapy, and conclude with discussing your concerns with a licensed massage therapist.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Should I Get a Massage and How Often?

This is a question I get often… Let’s face it, if it were up to massage therapists we’d say that you should get a massage every day, but in reality – very few people ever have the means or time to make this scenario play out in their lives. So technically speaking, your frequency should depend on how much you like massage, how often you experience chronic pain, and your budget. If you’re able to afford it, getting a monthly or weekly massage works best at helping prevent injuries by catching tight areas before they become problematic. With my more athletic clients (runners, weightlifters, gymnasts), I usually recommend timing their massage to coincide with the times they are training their hardest. For example, runners can develop tight hamstrings and hips, gymnasts and weight-lifters can get tight shoulders. These tight muscle groups can elicit injuries over time if they aren't treated by massage. If you are physically active, I recommend getting a massage within 24 hours ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Coffee Has Health Benefits

Anyone who knows me knows I love my Joe…. err, “cup of joe” that is. In fact, I’m enjoying a cup as I write this post. However, as a wellness professional that little admission of guilt has gotten me a few sneers and looks of condescension. Caffeine is BAD for you, they say! Well, perhaps abusing caffeine may be “bad” for you, but ‘caffeine’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘coffee.’ Despite this fact, coffee has gotten a bad rep over the years after a few health experts linked it (or rather, linked caffeine abuse) to several diseases. But is coffee actually that bad? Probably not; new research shows that drinking coffee in moderation provides numerous health benefits. Antidepressant It might seem a little odd to find that coffee could help with depression, but new research has shown that it does just that. Now, don’t go throwing out your prescriptions or quit counseling just yet though, coffee is not a cure for depression. Rather, the caffeine in coffee helps regulate your mood trans...
2 comments
Read more

What To Do When You’re Chronically Stressed

Of all the modern-day ailments that seem to affect us, none is more pervasive than stress. Everywhere you turn, there are factors lurking to redirect you from your peaceful pursuit of happiness and lock you in the clutches of “stress.” What exactly is stress—and what more insidious effects does it cause? The dictionary defines stress as “great pressure or force; strain.” In today’s world, we think of stress as the result of too much pressure laid upon us by life, causing mental worry or anguish. This, in turn, manifests itself in tight neck and shoulders, headaches, nervous stomach, etc. But these physical and mental conditions are really only the beginning. Studies show that stressful situations can develop into more threatening health conditions. For instance: A sudden or unexpected stressor can activate your adrenal glands, which sends adrenaline and other hormones into your bloodstream. This brings about an increase in your breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, and blood f...
Post a Comment
Read more