Why Massage is a Vital Part of your Wellness and Fitness Routine
Massage therapy is a natural, drug free, and cost-effective way to treat chronic pain. Massage was once considered a “luxury spa treatment” and is now recognized for its many healing properties and vital part in our overall wellness – just as our ancient predecessors from China and Egypt recognized thousands of years ago. Certainly, there are luxury components to massage that spas can add to your experience to provide an even more relaxing and deeper connection to your “self” than the therapeutic massage and fascial release (relief of bound up muscle and tissue fibers) alone. The art of massage aids in whole-body wellness, and connection of mind, body, and spirit.
Massage can be a tool to help individuals recover more rapidly from workouts or strenuous competition. By releasing the muscle fibers that bind up through continuous motion and use, the body becomes more relaxed and flexible, thus allowing recovery to occur naturally and rapidly. Not only athletes benefit from this therapeutic recovery, but also the person who sits at a desk for several hours or stands up all day. When our bodies become “locked” in certain positions for lengthy periods of time, the muscles and connective tissues tend to become more rigid and hypertonicity can occur, thus creating discomfort or pain in upper/lower back, neck, or legs.
Lower back pain may be caused by tight gluteal muscles which occurs from both normal activities and daily use. Neck pain is typically caused by computer or deskwork when having your head “locked into position” while working. The build-up of lactic acid in one’s muscles can also cause discomfort or cramping. Breaking down this acid can provide better blood flow to the muscles, thus decreasing the muscle cramps and discomfort. Massage can also benefit the cardiovascular system through improved blood flow. With cardiovascular and heart disease on the rise, it is important to have a healthy regimen of proper fitness, nutrition, and body-wellness routines. Other benefits of massage include soothing anxiety, easing depression, relieving stress caused by headaches, and increasing quality of sleep. The needs and expectations for each individual will dictate what type of massage will be most beneficial.
Whatever type of massage you choose, rest assured, you are not only helping your body “feel better”, but you are improving cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, psychological, and total wellness by implementing this as a regular part of your total health and wellness regimen. The many benefits of massage may leave you asking, “Why have I not already included this as a part of my weekly or monthly health and wellness regimen?”
