A Healing Touch

Kelly Gonzalez
Busy Bodies Health and Fitness
Date Published: November 12, 2008

A Healing Touch

A few weeks ago I experienced a minor hamstring injury during a workout. Luckily, it wasn’t serious, but it did set me back a few days. Immediately after I felt the “tweak” in my hamstring I stopped, felt frustrated for almost an hour, and then devised a plan to fix it fast. In addition to the usual remedy of rest, ice, compression, and elevation I went a step further and called my massage therapist to schedule an appointment.

While receiving my massage I was quickly informed why the injury occurred. All the muscles of the body are a chain. When there is a kink in one area it can affect another. By re-lengthening my tight muscles and then giving myself a few days off to heal I was up and running again pain free.

Massage Basics

During a massage a licensed massage therapist applies pressure to the body with the use of their hands and or massage tools. The main goal of a massage is to release tension from the muscles, re-lengthen the muscles and attachment sites, relieve pain, and increase circulation; ridding the body of toxins.

There are different forms of massage that can aid in sports performance, recovery, and rejuvenation. The most common type of massage is the Swedish massage. A Swedish massage usually consists of long strokes, light kneading, and gentle pressure, which encourage the muscles to relax. Deep tissue massage is a technique that generally focuses on relieving areas of increased tension. The massage therapist can apply deeper pressure with their fingertips to trigger points, irritated sections in muscle fibers that knot and spasm. Feel around your neck and shoulders for any moving bulges…they are trigger points.
A sports massage generally focuses on overused muscles related to an individual’s activity. It can consist of a multitude of techniques. A sports massage can be used prior to an athletic event to prepare the working muscles or as a method of recovery. It increases circulation; getting rid of built up lactic acid, which causes soreness. Massage therapy can help an athlete train harder and prevent injury.

Your First Massage

Generally, a massage lasts anywhere from 10 minutes for a chair massage to 90 minutes. Prices vary, but you can expect to pay in the range of about $75 for a full-body 60-minute massage. Different types of massage may also vary in price. Call different massage therapy centers or go to their websites to get their rates.

Ask about the massage therapists’ qualifications. Some massage therapists specialize in certain types of massage techniques, such as acupuncture or special populations like pregnant women. It’s important to find a massage therapist you feel comfortable with. Some people prefer male massage therapists while others feel more comfortable with a woman. It’s all personal preference.

You can choose to wear whatever you’re most comfortable in when receiving your massage. You will be under a sheet the entire time. It’s completely normal to wear nothing at all, but if you feel more comfortable in underwear or light clothing, it’s acceptable.

Have an open line of communication with your massage therapist. If they are applying too much pressure ask them to lighten up and vice versa. Be sure to tell them about areas that you would like them to focus on, sensitive areas, or anything that you are uncomfortable with.

During a massage toxins are released from the soft tissues of the body, therefore it’s important to drink plenty of water to flush them out. You may want to give your body a day to rest following a massage especially if you received deep tissue, which can leave the muscles feeling a bit weak for a day or two.

Massage is often viewed as a luxury service. The truth is it can be a valuable form of preventive medicine. If you experience arthritis, fatigue, delayed onset muscle soreness, stress, back pain…the list goes on and on, you can benefit from massage therapy. If you don’t believe me, schedule an appointment and you’ll be hooked. Massage can greatly increase your body and health awareness. You’ll find what muscles are overworked, become aware of imbalances, and learn what areas need to be strengthened. Sometimes you don’t know how much your body needs attention until someone shows you.