Like most other health care techniques, massage therapy is best if it is used to prevent any injuries to your body. There are too many individuals out there that hang on until the actual injury takes place before they will research massage therapy as a viable option. The most common problems I see in my career are stress and neck pains due to inadequate postures while sitting at a desk, tendonitis in the hands, and lower back and sciatic nerve pain. All of these problems can be avoided if regular massages were part of your weekly routine.
Injuries are most common in muscle groups that don’t get regular exercise each week, which is why pain while sitting at a desk for 6 to 9 hours a day is not uncommon. Problem muscle areas will tighten up and can possibly cause problems, sciatic damage, and tendonitis. Muscles need to move. I often have to remind my patients to take short breaks when they can, go for a stroll before or after lunchtime or even try to stretch out their muscles in a conference room. Consistent massages can help as well, and I usually recommend getting a massage every two weeks depending on the individual’s pain levels.
Massage therapy’s overall objective is to reduce pain and stress. Different techniques and requirements are used depending on the amount of pain being experienced. Not only does massage therapy provide the resources to reduce pain but is also gives you some alone time. I find out that some of my clients use massage therapy both for the therapy factors and for the chance to rest and just tune life out for a while.
People that come in for regular massage therapy usually sleep better, and when the human body gets proper rest it will also heal quicker too. The benefit of massage therapy is huge. Most of my clients can’t believe how well rested they feel the very next day after a 1 hour session.
Even children of all age groups benefit significantly from massages. With children, depending on the size I usually like to start off with a 30 minute block of time. It is great for hyperactivity, discomforts, sleeplessness, and helps with growing pains. In some hospitals mothers and fathers can be qualified for basic massage techniques so they can massage their own children at home. This is an amazing way for them to establish a bond with their children through the power of touch.
I usually recommend starting off with a 60 minute time block to see how your body responds then tweak the massage session from there. Some individuals can be sensitive to some of the massage techniques and may only need a ½ hour while some benefit the most from 90 minutes. Everyone is different, and each therapy session should be designed to that client’s specific need. Also, there are different types of massage therapy that can be used depending on the client’s condition: hot stone massage therapy, pregnancy massages, and sports massages.
People of any age can benefit from a therapeutic massage as long as it is offered by a professionally qualified therapist. I encourage all of my clients to look into their personal health benefits plan to see if they have any coverage packages for this type of therapy, and if they do to make sure the embrace it and use it.
