BENEFITS AND WHAT TO EXPECT
BENEFITS AND WHAT TO EXPECT
BENEFITS AND WHAT TO EXPECT
Soft Tissue Massage Therapy / Sports massage therapy has many benefits and can aid sports and fitness participants, people with an active lifestyle or job and those who are experiencing muscular tension and pain though work related activity, lifestyle or injury.
1. RELEASE MUSCLE TENSION
During periods of stress on the body your muscles can create trigger points (knots) and tension which can be painful and can create a shortening of the muscle fibres. Having regular massages can optimise your tissue pliability, which in turn can reduce injuries and improve mobility.
2. SUPPORT GOOD POSTURE
Many of us spend hours at our computers or looking at phones, driving or using heavy equipment at work all causing our posture to suffer and our muscles to fatigue. Our bodies adapt to this causing muscles to shorten pulling joints into positions which over time can reduce their function and impact joint mobility increasing the chance of over-use and repetitive strain injuries. Soft tissue massage therapy can help to release these tired short muscles and will encourage correct joint alignment and restored function in time.
3. REDUCE PAIN
Massage therapy can be used alongside other interventions (Physiotherapy/Osteopathy etc.) to help reduce the pain produced by injury or muscle fatigue. By releasing specific areas of tension the muscle is able to re-set itself and relax.
4. ACCELERATE RECOVERY FROM TRAINING AND INJURY
A trained / worked muscle is likely to feel sore 24 – 36 hours after activity. To help reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS), massage will aid recovery by stimulating local blood supply to the tissues helping to flush out the waste products that are stored within the muscles during exercise. At the same time, fresh blood flow increases the oxygen and the nutrient content within the muscle which will improve recovery, restore muscles back to their original quality and leave you better able to optimise training in the following days. Due to the above, massage is a vital strategy to reducing recovery time post injury and can be used to break down scar tissue which if left can cause further issues.
5. ENHANCE PERFORMANCE IN LIFE, WORK AND SPORT
Regular massage will increase levels of relaxation and reduce the physical and psychological stress levels of everyday life. Whether this is a result of a placebo effect (thinking that there should be a change), taking time out for yourself, or from the physical reduction of pain and muscular tension; massage therapy has been found to reduce daily stress and anxiety levels. This in turn can lead to increased quality and quantity of sleep which is essential for healthy daily living and cognitive function.