The athlete was very frustrated. Although she had been carefully following the advice of her physical therapist, she was still experiencing extreme back pain. The struggles she encountered in the gym were keeping her from reaching her ultimate goal: a half marathon by the end of the year. One night, after talking to some other friends she realized that most of them spent at least one morning a week visiting a massage therapist. They did not all go to the same location or see the same person, but they all explained that their once a week massage therapy appointment was the turning point in both their running career and their rehabilitation process.
Theraputic Massage Appointments Can Help Athletes and Non Athletes Find Comfort
Athletes and non athletes alike often find that a weekly massage is a good part of their routine. Even athletes who are already visiting a physical therapist find that a massage on a weekly basis can help them make more progress toward living in greater comfort. Consider some of the ways that massage can be beneficial:
- Massage for spa treatments. For many people, the only time they have heard anyone talk about massage is when a friend is telling the group about the best massage she ever had. Given as a birthday or holiday gift, massage treatments are a favorite way to tell someone thank you or to recognize that person for how hard that person has been working. A relaxing massage is a perfect accompaniment to a weekend spa get away. The relaxation achieved at a massage is often unlike any thing else a person has experienced. Is it any wonder that the massage appointments are some of the first to book full on luxury cruises?
- Massage for athletes. Deep tissue massages have grown in popularity as athletes try to find a way to recover from injury or long workouts. Although this type of treatment is sometimes available in all massage locations, many physical therapists are also licensed to give deep tissue massages. This treatment is especially effective for large muscle pain like thighs and overall pain like backs. Combined with physical therapy, ice and heat treatments, deep tissue massages can help athletes get back to doing what the love most: working out and competing.
- Massage to improve posture. Many of the back and neck pain that people experience is a result of poor posture. The strain of constantly looking down at our phones and tablets, for instance, is putting an incredible amount of weight and stress on our necks and spines. Massage therapy can help train muscles to be in the right position allowing for better support to our structure and improving overall posture. Improved posture also helps conditions like asthma because it provides less lung constriction.
- Massage for stress reduction. Many of the problems that Americans deal with are related to a constant level of stress. Stress from work, stress from family relationships, stress about being stressed. In its most basic form, a full body massage has long been a way for people to escape the pressures of the day and find a way to relax and hopefully get a good night’s rest.
- Massage to prevent injury. Some athletes swear that they are able to avoid injury by having someone give them a thorough deep tissue massage after their workouts or competition. Preventative approaches for athletes are growing in popularity as they try to extend the length of their careers. Finding a knowledgeable message therapist who can target the treatment to the most needed areas is the way that some athletes hope to extend their strength, flexibility, and activity. Most professional athletes, especially in basketball and football, contend that the massage breaks up the lactic acid that accumulates after strenuous workouts or competitions.
How do you feel when you first wake up in the morning? Are you tired, sore, or stressed. For many people, an early morning massage is the perfect answer to a better way to start the day and the week. Massage is an age old treatment that continues to be an effective treatment method in today’s society: for spa treatments, for athletes, to improve posture, for stress reduction, and to prevent injury.