MASSAGE THERAPY
May of us have experienced the benefits of massage therapy without attending a
treatment, by the caring touch of a friend, spouse or colleague. A parent rubs the
child to sooth and comfort; we instinctively rub the aches and pains sore muscles, we
rub another’s shoulders when they are uptight and stressed. With the ever-increasing
job demands and continual changes in technological development and the growing
participation in recreational activity, our own well being is often ignored. Massage
therapy can be utilized for many reasons, the best of which are to gain body
awareness, injury prevention and maintenance after recovery from injury.
Massage therapy is a treatment through manipulation of the soft tissue (muscles,
tendons and fascia), primarily using the hands to perform various techniques to
prevent, maintain, and rehabilitate the soft tissue.
The three most common types of massage are Therapeutic Massage, Sports Massage
and Relaxation Massage.
Therapeutic Massage assists in healing and is specific to an injury, trauma,
pathology, or muscular dysfunction.
Some common examples are whiplash,
tendonitis, delayed onset of muscle soreness, neck and back pain, fibromyalgia and
muscle strains. The treatment involves deep tissue work using various massage
techniques, following a specific protocol. Some home exercises and stretching may
be recommended to optimize your healing.
Sports Massage is used at pre-event, post-event and inter-event situations. Pre-event
massage aids in the preparation of an athlete’s muscle tissue for a competition, by
increasing circulation and stimulating the nervous system. The techniques are
vigorous, non-intrusive and short. The athlete should feel energized after this
treatment. Post-event massage assists in the drainage of toxins (lactic acid) from the
muscle tissue to prevent muscle soreness and improve recovery time of the muscle
tissue after an event. Furthermore, it helps to maintain flexibility and range of
motion. Inter-event massage can be used for injury prevention and maintenance of
the muscle tissue between events during the season.
Relaxation Massage can help work out the knots and refresh your muscles that have
been irritated by stress, poor work station ergonomics and injuries that leave you
feeling achy and tired. The intent of relaxation massage is to improve circulation,
hence decreasing heart rate, increasing waste, oxygen and nutrient exchange in the
muscle tissue, promoting relaxation and relief from stress and anxiety.
What are the benefits of massage therapy?
Circulatory
 Increases cellular waste removal, and oxygen flow to the cells

Increases circulation (blood flow) and lymphatic drainage to both healthy and
injured tissue (this can increase the process of healing)
Muscular
 Reduce muscle stiffness and spasm
 Promotes relaxation of the muscle tissue
 Assists in improving posture
 Decreases the formation of fibrosis (scar tissue)
 Increases the length of the muscle fibres and the range of motion
 Increases strength and flexibility of the muscle fibres
Respiratory
 Promotes deeper breathing and improves oxygenation to the muscle tissue
Nervous
 Sedates or stimulates the nerves, depending on the technique
Psychological/Emotional
 Promotes relaxation
 Increases body awareness
 Enhances self-image
Massage therapy is an integral treatment in the prevention, maintenance and
rehabilitation of your musculoskeletal system. Massage treatments enhance health
through pain control, improved circulation, stress reduction and an overall feeling of
well-being. It minimizes the incidence of injury, enhances recovery and leaves you
with a feeling of well-being. It can be a very effective treatment in conjunction with
physiotherapy, acupuncture, IMS or chiropractor treatment.
The physiological and psychological benefits of massage therapy make it an excellent
compliment to an exercise conditioning program, or even to combat the stress of our
daily lives. Incorporate massage into your life today….you won’t be sorry you did!!!