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Massage
Therapy for Health & Fitness
Massage affects the body as a whole. To understand how
massage therapy works, some of the physiological effects of massage need to be
briefly examined.
Massage is known to increase the circulation of blood and
flow of lymph. The direct mechanical effect of rhythmically applied manual
pressure and movement used in massage can dramatically increase the rate of
blood flow. Also, the stimulation of nerve receptors causes the blood vessels
(by reflex action) to dilate, which also facilitates blood flow.
A milky white fluid called lymph carries impurities and
waste away from the tissues and passes through gland-like structures spaced
throughout the lymphatic system that act as filtering valves. The lymph does
not circulate as the blood does, so its movement depends largely on the
squeezing effect of muscle contractions. Consequently, inactive people fail to
stimulate lymph flow. On the other hand, the stimulation caused by vigorous
activity can be outstripped by the increased waste produced by that activity.
Massage can dramatically aid the movement of lymph in either case.
For the whole body to be healthy, the sum of its parts --
the cells -- must be healthy. The individual cells of the body are dependent
on an abundant supply of blood and lymph because these fluids supply nutrients
and oxygen and carry away wastes and toxins. So, it is easy to understand why
good circulation is so important to our health and why massage can be so
beneficial for the entire body due to its effect on circulation alone.
Massage is also known to:
* Cause changes in the blood. The oxygen capacity of the
blood can increase 10-15% after massage.
* Affect muscles throughout the body. Massage can help
loosen contracted, shortened muscles and can stimulate weak, flaccid muscles.
This muscle "balancing" can help posture and promote more efficient
movement. Massage does not directly increase muscle strength, but it can speed
recovery from the fatigue that occurs after exercise. In this way, it can be
possible to do more exercise and training, which in the long run strengthens
muscles and improves conditioning. Massage also provides a gentle stretching
action to both the muscles and connective tissues that surround and support
the muscles and many other parts of the body, which helps keep these tissues
elastic.
* Increase the body's secretions and excretions. There is a
proven increase in the production of gastric juices, saliva, and urine. There
is also increased excretion of nitrogen, inorganic phosphorus, and sodium
chloride (salt). This suggests that the metabolic rate (the utilization of
absorbed material by the body’s cells) increases.
* Affect the nervous system. Massage balances the nervous
system by soothing or stimulating it, depending on which effect is needed by
the individual at the time of the massage.
* Enhance skin condition. Massage directly improves the
function of the sebaceous (oil) and sweat glands which keep the skin
lubricated, clean, cooled. Tough, inflexible skin can become softer and more
supple.
* Affect internal organs. By indirectly or directly
stimulating nerves that supply internal organs, blood vessels of these organs
dilate and allow greater blood supply to them.
Knowing about the physiological effects of massage makes it
possible to better understand the health and fitness benefits of massage. What
takes place under a massage therapist's hands has profound importance for
those interested in health and fitness -- in "tuning up" their
bodies. In every sport or form of exercise, massage can help. By helping to
reduce physiological fatigue and aid recovery from the exertion of working out
or playing, massage enables training better, with longer, more effective
workouts, thus facilitating better performance and preventing injury.
The people of ancient Mediterranean civilizations knew this.
After bathing and exercise, they included a full body massage. The ancients
understood that education involves equal development of mind and body. The
modern public’s interest in physical fitness, holistic health, wellness and
human potential represents a bid to revive a time-honored philosophy.
For most people embarking on a fitness program, often the
spirit is willing but the flesh is not. When regular exercise is begun almost
every part of the body changes. Of interest to massage therapists is the way
blood vessels become more intricate in order to meet the body’s demand for
more oxygen, to supply more nutrients, to permit more elimination. This takes
time. While the muscles are getting into shape, they have trouble getting
enough oxygen and nutrients, and wastes back up and stagnate. Unfortunately,
many exercise programs regard aches and pains as the inevitable price to be
paid. This is simply not true because massage can be used as the Greeks and
Romans used it -- to increase endurance, control fatigue, and feel better as
part of a regular health program.
Massage acts to disperse the accumulated by-products of
muscle action that irritate muscles and nerve endings. Lactic and carbonic
acids build up in muscle tissue shortly after exercise begins. These acids are
waste products that contribute to causation of the pain and occasional
cramping that exercisers, athletes, dancers, etc. suffer during and/or after
workouts or performing. These acids are formed when the glycogen stored in the
liver and muscles is burned to produce the energy expended during exercise.
The acids must eventually be reconverted to glycogen and stored again, or
drained out via the lymph and circulatory systems. Pain and fatigue persists
until this process of reconverting or excreting is completed. Massage can help
eliminate the irritation caused by these wastes, thus increasing muscle
recovery rates. When massage has been substituted for rest, an increase from
20-75%, even 100% muscle recovery has been recorded. For example, this is why
boxers are massaged rather than rested between rounds.
Joints are critical to exercise because joints are moved by
the muscles to produce movement. All joints are complicated, and their parts
have a way of settling and stiffening when not used. A sluggish, numbed
feeling in the joints discourages exercise. A massage therapist counteracts
this by using massage strokes and passive movement to release the muscle
tension and free the connective tissue found around the joints that can bind
the joints.
Massage also aids recovery from soft tissue injuries such as
sprains and strains. This is possible because the growth and repair of tissue
are accelerated by efficient circulation in the injured areas and appropriate
stimulation of the healing tissues. Many soft tissue injuries are not serious
enough to cause one to visit a doctor or hospital for treatment, or are only
treated with some first-aid, but still cause some discomfort and disability.
Massage therapy can often help speed and improve recovery and reduce
discomfort from such mishaps. In this way, massage helps bridge the gap
between common neglect of injury and major medical intervention.
Increased health awareness has also increased nutrition
awareness. The most carefully planned diet is partly wasted if blood vessels
are not developed and open so that nutrition can reach the cells. Massage can
aid internal nutrition rates by improving circulation.
The relationship of stress and illness is of interest to
anyone maintaining their health. We all have stress in our daily lives
relating to work, family, environment, society. Mental tensions, frustrations,
and insecurity are among the most damaging. Stress causes the release of
hormones that create vasoconstriction -- vessel shrinking -- and reduced
circulation. Affected by stress, the heart works harder, breathing becomes
rapid and shallow, and digestion slows. Nearly every body process is degraded.
Psychosomatic studies show how stress factors can cause migraines,
hypertension, depression, some peptic ulcers, etc. Researchers have estimated
that 80% of disease is stress related. Soothing and relaxing massage therapy
can help by counteracting stress effects.
Massage has a definite psychological effect. Since massage
animates the tactile sense, the body's primary sense, it brings people into
the here and now and away from tension generated by constant preoccupation
with problems. Also, loosening of muscle tension or "armoring" --
the physical counterpart to how we defend and protect ourselves from
psychological pain -- can lead to freeing of repressed emotions.
Users of massage therapy as a healing tool quickly realize
that they have found a form of drugless therapy. Headaches, insomnia,
digestive disorders including constipation and spastic colon, arthritis,
asthma, carpal tunnel syndrome, sinusitis, and minor aches and pains are some
of the problems that can respond to massage therapy. Massage can have an
excellent effect on nervous people who have been dependent on their pharmacy
for rest and relaxation.
While this article has focused on how massage can help tune
the body, and on its concrete scientific effects, it should also be mentioned
that massage can be seen as a healing art as well as a science. The theories
of therapeutic massage are scientific in character, but the actual application
of these theories is an art, for it involves the healing sense, sensitivity of
touch, insight, and intuition. It is a unique way of communicating without
words, sharing energy, enjoying pleasurable relaxation, and experiencing peace
of mind. Massage is often attributed to have ethereal spiritual effects akin
to those of meditation.
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