The Top 5 Hidden Benefits of Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy is Full of Hidden Wonders
We all know that a really good massage can make you feel worlds better; it can relieve you of that stress and purge that awful anxiety. But did you know there are countless other hidden benefits as well?
Author and expert, Suzanne Kane, walks us through five of the top hidden benefits of massage therapy that will make you see the practice in a whole new light!
The Top 5 Hidden Benefits of Massage Therapy
1. Massage Loosens Muscles
“Being in physical therapy for a recent low back pain episode means I’m working muscles that have not seen regular activity for some time. That results in soreness that proves I’m doing things right, but it’s also a little uncomfortable,” Kane writes. “While the therapy starts with dry heat and then massage before exercise, I also find that getting a good massage at times other than during physical therapy helps loosen those tight, sore muscles. I’ve also taught myself how to deliver a good self-massage. I also use a hand-held massager called the Thumper that helps break up knots in muscles.”
2. The Lymphatic System Gets a Workout
“There is a type of massage known as lymphatic massage or lymphatic drainage that stimulates the lymphatic system. The benefits of such stimulation are improved metabolism, removal of bodily waste and toxins, and promotion of a healthy immune system,” Kane writes.
3. Stress and Tension Melt Away
“Everyday stress is unavoidable in today’s fast-paced world. Tension headaches, tightness in your shoulders, stomachaches and assorted pains are signs of built-up stress,” Kane writes. “The confident hands of an expert massage therapist help melt all that stress and tension.This is a case where you don’t need to do anything other than relax and feel your body ease a sigh of relief.”
4. Circulation Improves
“For people with impaired vascular function or limited mobility, research has shown that regular massage may offer significant benefits, especially in improved circulation. A study from the University of Illinois at Chicago found that massage helped improve vascular function in people who had not exercised. Researchers said this suggested the benefits of massage for circulatory function for anyone regardless of level of physical activity,” Kane writes.
5. Massage Contributes to Healing, Especially After Surgery
“One of massage’s biggest benefits, in my opinion, is how it aids in healing the body post-surgery. Having had several operations for carpal tunnel syndrome, a reconstructed leg, cyst and tumor removal, and so on, I can attest to the relief from pain that strategic therapeutic massage delivers.When you alleviate pain, your body is better able to heal,” Kane writes. “There’s less focus and concentration on what hurts, and the body does what it does best: function properly.”
