Massage has long gone hand-in-hand with vacations and spas, but it’s becoming increasingly recognized as a form of hands-on healing. And there’s good reason: it boosts your mood, relieves pain and aids overall wellness.
It can also reduce inflammation by flushing out the accumulated lactic acid in injured muscles and prevent adhesions. Contact Massage Therapy Tulsa for professional help.
A good massage is more than just a pleasant experience. It activates the body’s built-in system for overcoming stress. In fact, researchers have now scientifically proved that just a few minutes of relaxation or massage therapy is enough to activate the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) and reduce stress levels.
During a massage, your therapist’s touch stimulates pain receptors under the skin that signal your nervous system to slow down and relax. In addition, massage often occurs in a soothing setting complete with calming music and dimmed lighting that further promotes a sense of calm and relaxation.
The result is a reduction in both physical and mental stress. Stress increases muscle tension and when muscles are tight they can increase the production of cortisol, a hormone that leads to inflammation and chronic pain.
Massage helps lower the production of cortisol by increasing blood circulation and flushing the body of this chemical. It also decreases the buildup of lactic acid in the muscle tissues and promotes tissue elasticity, both of which can help ease chronic pain.
It’s important to communicate openly with your therapist throughout the session. If you’re uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to speak up; it is their job to ensure your comfort and safety. They’re trained to recognize any discomfort and can make adjustments to the pressure, depth or technique as needed.
Studies indicate that just 10 minutes of relaxing massage is enough to significantly reduce stress hormones in the body. A study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies found that regular back massage decreased systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in people with clinically diagnosed hypertension, a significant finding given the strong link between high stress and cardiovascular disease.
Another way that massage helps lower stress levels is by promoting the release of endorphins, your body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Many people find that they have a better mood after their massage, and regular visits can help you maintain that happy feeling long after your appointment is over. In addition, a massage can improve sleep by reducing tension that keeps you awake and promoting the release of serotonin, which is a precursor to melatonin and regulates sleep patterns.
Relieves Pain
Massage therapy can help relieve pain by relaxing painful muscles, tendons and joints; relieving stress and anxiety; stimulating competing nerve fibers that block or slow the transfer of pain messages to and from the brain; and releasing endorphins, which are natural painkillers. Studies indicate that many different types of massage can be effective in reducing pain. Some of the most common include Swedish massage, deep-tissue, trigger point, and sports massage.
Inflammation and pain can result from tense, knotted bundles of muscle tissue, called trigger points. Regular massage breaks up these trigger points, helps restore flexibility and mobility to the area, and reduces pain levels by promoting healthy circulation and removing toxins.
When a person is injured, the body’s innate fight-or-flight response causes muscle fibers to tighten around the damaged area. These tightened muscles, known as fibromyalgia, can cause pain in other areas of the body, often referred to as secondary pain. Regular therapeutic massage can help relieve this secondary pain by breaking up the fibromyalgia and decreasing stress in the body.
A good massage also stimulates the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is made of tiny lymph vessels that transport lymph fluid to glands and nodes throughout the body where waste products are removed. During a massage, lymph fluid is stimulated and flows faster than normal, helping to remove waste products from the tissues and muscles.
As a person gets a massage, friction is created between the skin and the fingers of the massage therapist’s hands. This friction increases the temperature of the treatment area, which helps to loosen muscles and relieve tension and stiffness. The increased tissue temperature also decreases muscle inelasticity and helps the muscles stretch to their full length.
Before the session starts, it’s important to communicate with the therapist to make sure that they know how much pressure you can tolerate. Some people are sensitive to touch and may need light pressure, while others can only handle moderate or firm pressure. In addition, it’s important to let the therapist know when you are in pain or uncomfortable so that they can adjust their technique.
Restores Flexibility
One of the primary goals of massage is to relieve stress and tension. Tense muscles are less willing to stretch and move, which reduces flexibility. This is why a good massage should always include some form of stretching. Stretching alone can help improve flexibility, but massage has the additional ability to enhance muscle coordination and support optimal performance in both athletic and everyday activities.
When the body is free of stiffness and pain, the mind can focus more effectively. This is especially true for athletes, who must keep their mental game as strong as their physical prowess. Achieving flexibility goals, like touching your toes or a challenging yoga pose, can also boost confidence and provide a sense of achievement that can inspire greater focus on the tasks at hand.
Flexibility is achieved by a combination of factors including increasing tissue temperature, improving muscle elasticity, breaking down adhesions, removing waste products and decreasing swelling. Massage stimulates all of these mechanisms, which increases flexibility in several ways. Static stretching before a massage can help prepare the muscles, which makes it easier for the massage to target deeper layers of muscle.
Increased tissue temperature is achieved by the friction created during a massage, which causes an increase in blood flow to the area being worked on. This increased circulation helps push blood through tissues and remove waste products. This enables the tissue to more readily stretch without causing pain.
Massage can also break down and realign collagen fibres in the muscles, which is another factor in improved flexibility. When a muscle is injured collagen fibres are laid in a haphazard manner, which restricts movement and flexibility. Massage breaks down the cross links that create this scar tissue, returning the fibres to their normal form.
Lastly, massage can help decrease swelling in the soft tissues around an injury. Swelling is the body’s natural response to an injury, but it can restrict movement and flexibility. Massage helps decrease swelling by applying pressure across the affected area and flushing out excess fluid.
For the best results, it is important to get regular massages, which can help maintain flexibility and mobility and prevent injury. This is why many athletes schedule regular massages to prevent aches and injuries from developing. It is similar to the concept of car maintenance, preventing a problem before it becomes a major issue.
Improves Athletic Performance
Many athletes train hard to achieve their highest potential, but intense training can lead to muscle strains and injuries that can halt training and recovery. Massage therapy helps athletes overcome these setbacks by speeding up healing time, alleviating pain, and reducing inflammation. Massage also promotes mental well-being, which is vital to success in sports.
Injury Prevention
Increasing muscle flexibility and releasing tension in the body reduces risk of injury, making it possible for athletes to train at higher intensities for longer durations. This allows for greater gains in strength and endurance, and it reduces the time needed to recover between workouts. Massage can also help prevent overtraining injuries by addressing imbalances in the muscles and joints, improving range of motion, and relieving stress.
Athletes often receive pre-event massages before a competition or game to warm up the muscles, improve circulation, and reduce muscle stiffness and tension. This type of massage uses light techniques like effleurage, friction, tapotement and vibration (not petrissage) to prepare the muscles for action.
Post-event massages are often performed after a game or event to alleviate muscle fatigue, reduce the risk of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), and accelerate recovery. This type of massage usually focuses on removing lactic acid and flushing out the toxins created during strenuous exercise, as well as soothing the nervous system.
Maintenance Massages
Regular maintenance massages are a great way to keep the body in peak physical condition. By addressing any lingering tightness or imbalances, massage can help athletes perform at their best without the risk of injury.
Whether you’re an amateur or professional athlete, massage can enhance your performance and help you perform at your peak. It improves flexibility, reduces muscle stiffness and tension, speeds up recovery time after injury, relieves pain, and boosts the immune system. The most important thing is to find a therapist who understands your needs and is able to deliver a customized massage treatment that will make you feel your best. Contact us today to learn more about how therapeutic massage can improve your athletic performance. We offer a wide range of massage services, including deep tissue, sports, and prenatal massages.
