Do you consider massage a luxury? A treatment only received at a spa – when you have a day to relax and unwind? You need to view it as a necessity! You work long hours, often with poor posture, under stressful conditions. Your body is your temple and your tool. You must maintain it as a star athlete would. According to The Franklin Institute web site on the human brain and stress, “Massage releases endorphins that calm the peripheral nervous system” – impacting everything from digestion and body temperature to your muscles and joints. The Mayo Clinic website identifies massage as a valid medical method to reduce stress and pain. Continue reading to learn about the differences between the most popular options so you’ll know which is most appropriate for your needs. For additional resources visit About Health for a listing of even more choices!
- Swedish: Swedish massage is often referred to as relaxation massage. It consists of long, flowing strokes often in the direction of the heart. Therapists use lotion to minimize friction or pulling on the tissue and may incorporate circular movements and kneading of the muscles. While typically received in a spa setting, a swedish massage is very effective for releasing tension and stress.
- Deep Tissue: This type of massage is targeted at muscles that have been strained or are related to chronic pain or posture problems. The therapist targets deep layers of muscles and connective tissue by using short strokes and intense pressure. It’s not uncommon for clients to feel sore for several days after such a deep tissue massage session, but the benefits can be well worth it. Therapists at chiropractic offices are extensively trained to target the muscles that are contributing to your diagnosis to help resolution take place as quickly as possible.
- Trigger Point Therapy: Trigger Point Therapy is similar to deep tissue massage in that a specific area of the body is focused on and may cause some discomfort during the procedure. A trigger point is a tight area in one muscle that can refer pain to other areas of the body. For instance, a trigger point in the neck can cause headaches or one in the upper back can cause chest pain. While not a pleasurable experience, the results can be system wide! With a little equipment such as a lacrosse ball or a “theracane” this is even a therapy that can be provided to yourself!
- Sports: Sports massage can be a combination of all of the above. Sports massage is the best of all worlds – stretching of over worked muscles, trigger point eradication, cross friction pressure and even flowing strokes to conclude. A sports massage can help not only keep you in the game but recuperate from the last competition.
Whether your main concern is a tight neck and shoulders from studying briefs all night or a sore low back due to poor posture from working on your laptop, there’s a technique that could be highly advantageous. It may even be an office benefit to bring in a company to do chair massage for the entire firm! Many firms utilize therapists monthly as part of their wellness program or yearly as an added bonus. If this is something you’d like to incorporate into your firm culture, have your HR department contact us today!