A Physio’s Four Benefits of Massage
Massage is one of the oldest therapies known to man and has been part of many ancient civilizations around the world.
Every ancient culture from China to Greece has some form of therapeutic massage as part of its healing tradition with oldest records of massage coming from the “The Tomb of Akmanthor” in Egypt depicted by two men having what appears to be massage on their feet and hands.
Modern benefits of massage
In recent times, massage has become an integral part of healthcare and an accepted therapeutic tool for wellness.
In the co-corporate world, massage has been employed by businesses and organizations such as the U.S. Department of Justice, Boeing and Reebok1. In the sporting world many notable athletes such as LeBron James and Roger Federer have personal massage therapists that at times even accompany them on tour.
Is there evidence that massage is good for you?
Obtaining a reliable level of evidence for the benefits of massage therapy is close to impossible. Mainly because it would be difficult to find someone who would not know that they were getting massage, and it would be impossible to blind the therapist giving the massage2.
What we don know however, is that despite these limitations, peer-reviewed medical research has shown there are many benefits to having a massage, including:
1. Pain Relief:
Early researchers in pain perception theorized that pain could be modulated by competing stimuli, which basically means that if you have an injured vertebral disc and apply sufficient pressure to the skin/muscle in the area, that this may interfere with the messages that reach the brain, causing the pain to feel less.
As well as reducing muscle spasm in the area, massage has also been shown to increase the amount of endorphins and serotonin. Such physiological changes have been proposed to help with decreasing pain as found by a recent study using massage for lower back pain3.
2. Relaxation and Sleep:
Massage therapy has been shown to influence the central nervous system with increased healing and regeneration shown to occur with massage and is associated with a decreased heart rate, a reduction in stress hormones and feelings of calmness and wellbeing.
These physiological and psychological changes have meant that relaxation massage may be used to reduce anxiety reduce stress and even increase the immune system response4.
3. Scar tissue healing:
Massage and applying pressure on scar tissue may aid in the break down of subcutaneous adhesion and prevent the formation of additional scar tissue. This is especially useful after surgery, especially orthopaedic surgery where returning the joint to full range of motion is important in regaining full function and reducing future complications.
4. Lymphatic Drainage:
The lymphatic system is a system of slow moving cellular waste through vessels in your body that move toward the heart to be filtered and removed.
A specialised form of massage known as “lymphatic drainage” is highly a beneficial technique that involved gentle strolling movements and light pressure of the skin which aims at increasing the circulation of lymph fluid and thereby reducing swelling5.
Such techniques are used frequently following removal of lymph nodes after breast cancer surgery.
Conclusion
World renowned author, coach and leadership expert Robin Sharma states on his blog:
“A massage each week. This isn’t an expense – it’s an investment in your full creative expression/productivity/passion and sustained excellent health. And you’ll find you need far less sleep”.
With the wide range of benefits that massage can provide, there really is no excuse not to have a regular massage! Book a massage at your local practice online now
Rushabh Pattni - Physiotherapist and Director, Back In Motion Balwyn with Natalie Arambasic
Rushabh is a qualified physiotherapist, yoga teacher and Pilates instructor. He completed his training as a physiotherapist from Newcastle University in 2007. In 2011 Rushabh completed his Masters in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy at the University of Queensland earning him the title of a 'Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist'. In June 2014 Rushabh launched Back In Motion Balwyn and continues to be the principal physiotherapist and director at Balwyn. His clinical interests include treating back and neck pain, acute sports injuries, and chronic pain.
Natalie is currently completing a Bachelor of Public Health and Health Promotion at Deakin University in Burwood, hoping to work in local councils with nutrition based education programs.
References
Goodman, T. (2000-12-28). “Massage craze: Hands-on therapy attracting more patients”. CNN. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
Evans, R. (2006). “What Does the Research Say?”. Regents of the University of Minnesota. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
Massage for low-back pain. Cochrane Database. 2008 Oct 8;(4): Furlan, A.D. Imamura M, Dryden T, Irvin E.
Diego, M. A., Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Hart, S., Brucker, B., Field,T., et al. (2002). Spinal cord patients benefit from massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience, 112, 133–142.
Milady's Guide to Lymph Drainage Massage; Ramona Moody French; Delmar/Cengage; 2004