THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE
Therapeutic massage stimulates the body’s circulatory system. This increases the flow of blood, oxygen, and nutrients, through the tissues of the body, which boosts the immune system. Toxins and waste products are more rapidly eliminated and congestion is relieved.
Massage is a physical therapy, but it has wide-ranging mental and emotional benefits. It is useful in the treatment of stress, tension, and anxiety, especially when used in conjunction with other treatments.
General Massage Techniques
SPORT/REMEDIAL MASSAGE
The overall aim of sports massage is to enhance performance at what ever level the sportsman has achieved. Sport/Remedial massage has the same goals, but strives to assist in the repair and enhancement of damaged soft tissues and their functions. Sport/Remedial massage is therefore a result orientated therapy/profession
PREVENTS muscle and tendon injuries
REDUCES the strain and discomfort of training and chronic strain patterns, allowing a quicker return to maximum training
ENABLES the athlete to recover more quickly from soft tissue injuries with less chance of chronic problems returning.
PROVIDES psychological support improving the sense of well being and body awareness, a bonus for stress management.
ENHANCES a preventative approach to training allowing soft tissue to be free of trigger points and adhesions, helping toward the improvement of peak neuromuscular functioning.
Massage affects numerous areas of the body the main areas/functions are as follows:
Is caused through bleeding, which is a vital part of the initial healing process. However, very often too much bleeding occurs, which then leads to excessive amounts of scar tissue forming. This scar tissue can then become a repetitive injury site when exercising. Friction massage techniques in the post-acute or chronic stages will prevent excessive scar tissue forming. Where scar tissue has formed, friction can break it down into smaller particles, which is absorbed into the lymph.
Massage is able to stretch specific localized areas of tissue in a way that may not be possible with functional exercise. Regardless of functional range, deep longitudinal stroking can stretch the tissues by drawing them apart and in all possible directions.
it is common knowledge that tension/stress is often held in the soft tissue of the body. The accumulative affect of the above allows the release of this tension, and the more frequent the treatments are the resulting release is enhanced.