Massage Therapy @ Evolution Fitness
Massage is a general term for pressing, rubbing and manipulating your skin, muscles,
tendons and ligaments to enhance a person’s health and well-being. Massage therapists
typically use their hands and fingers for massage, but may also use their forearms,
elbows and even feet. Massage may range from light stroking to deep pressure.
There are many different types of massage, including these common types:
• Swedish massage. This is a gentle form of massage that uses long strokes,
kneading, deep circular movements, vibration and tapping to help relax and
energize you.
• Deep massage. This massage technique uses slower, more-forceful strokes to
target the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, commonly to help with
muscle damage from injuries.
• Sports massage. This is similar to Swedish massage, but it’s geared toward
people involved in sport activities to help prevent or treat injuries.
• Trigger point massage. This massage focuses on areas of tight muscle fibers
that can form in your muscles after injuries or overuse.
Benefits of massage
Massage therapy is beneficial to reduce stress and anxiety, relax muscles, rehabilitate
injuries, reduce pain, and promote overall health and wellness. Massage is generally
considered part of complementary and alternative medicine. It’s increasingly being
offered along with standard treatment for a wide range of medical conditions and
situations. Studies of the benefits of massage demonstrate that it is an effective
treatment for reducing stress, pain and muscle tension.
While more research is needed to confirm the benefits of massage, some studies have
found massage may also be helpful for:
- Anxiety
- Digestive disorders
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches
- Insomnia related to stress
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Paresthesias and nerve pain
- Soft tissue strains or injuries
- Sports injuries
- Temporomandibular joint pain
Despite its benefits, massage isn’t meant as a replacement for regular medical care. Let
your doctor know you’re trying massage and be sure to follow any standard treatment
plans you have.
