Everything We Thought We Knew About Massage Is Wrong
A massage right about now sounds heavenly, right? Who couldn’t stand a little loosening up of those tight shoulders and an hour of zenning out to truly unplug? But if hitting the spa also seems too pricy—after all, it’s just a “treat yo’self” thing, right?—it’s time to change your perspective.
Not only can a good massage enhance physical mobility, The effects of massage to the hamstring muscle group on range of motion. Corman, L.J., Cheateuvert, S.R., Weisberg, J. Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. 1984;6(3):168-72. relieve pain, A Comparison of the Effects of 2 Types of Massage and Usual Care on Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Daniel C. Cherkin, Karen J. Sherman, Janet Kahn, et al. Annals of Internal Medicine. Jul 5, 2011; 155(1): 1–9. The effects of massage in patients with chronic tension headache. Puustjärvi, Airaksinen O, Pöntinen PJ. Acupuncture & Electrotherapeutics Research. 1990;15(2):159-62. and lower the bloodstream’s concentration of stress hormones, Massage reduces anxiety in child and adolescent psychiatric patients. Field, T., Morrow, C., Valdeon, C. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1992 Jan;31(1):125-31. A Meta-Analysis of Massage Therapy Research. Moyer, C.A., Rounds, J., J.W. APA Psychological Bulletin. 2004 130(1): 3–18. getting a rubdown has also been shown to boost the brain’s production of feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy. Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Diego, M. et al. International Journal of Neuroscience. 2005. Oct; 115(10):1397-413. bolster immunity, Massage therapy is associated with enhancement of the immune system’s cytotoxic capacity. Ironson G., Field T., Scafidi, F., et al. International Journal of Neuroscience. 1996 Feb;84(1-4):205-17. and improve sleep. The effect of massage therapy on the quality of sleep in breast cancer patients. Kashani F., Kashani P. Iranian Journal of Nursing and Midwifery Research. 2014 Mar;19(2):113-8. Which is why some say massage shouldn’t be considered just an indulgence—rather, it’s part of a healthy lifestyle, just like going for a run or eating an energy-boosting snack.
There are many other misconception out there too. Learn the latest facts so you can reap the many rewards of massage.
1. Massage is for so much more than just relaxation.
Yes, bringing your body and mind to a state of greater calm is a massage therapist’s objective. It’s what licensed massage therapist Gina Flores, founder of Essential Body Wisdom, calls “lowering the reticular alarm system.” In other words, it calms the sympathetic nervous system, which is often high-strung due to crazy-busy schedules and other life stressors. By using touch to activate the …read more
Source:: Greatist
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