What exactly are the benefits of receiving
massage or bodywork treatments? Useful for
all of the conditions listed below and more,
massage can:
• Alleviate low-back pain and improve
range of motion.
• Assist with shorter, easier labor for
expectant mothers and shorten
maternity hospital stays.
• Ease medication dependence.
• Enhance immunity by stimulating lymph
flow—the body’s natural defense system.
• Exercise and stretch weak, tight, or
atrophied muscles.
• Help athletes of any level prepare for, and
recover from, strenuous workouts.
• Improve the condition of the body’s largest
organ—the skin.
• Increase joint flexibility.
• Lessen depression and anxiety.
• Promote tissue regeneration, reducing
scar tissue and stretch marks.
• Pump oxygen and nutrients into tissues
and vital organs, improving circulation.
• Reduce postsurgery adhesions and swelling.
• Reduce spasms and cramping.
• Relax and soften injured, tired, and overused
muscles.
• Release endorphins—amino acids that
work as the body’s natural painkiller.
• Relieve migraine pain.
A Powerful Ally
There’s no denying the power of bodywork.
Regardless of the adjectives we assign to it
(pampering, rejuvenating, therapeutic) or the
reasons we seek it out (a luxurious treat, stress
relief, pain management), massage therapy can be
a powerful ally in your healthcare regimen.
The incredible benefits of massage are doubly
powerful if taken in regular “doses.” Professionals
at the Touch Research Institute at the University
of Miami explain the more massage you get, the
greater benefits you reap. Here’s why:
Experts estimate that upwards of ninety
percent of disease is stress related. And perhaps
nothing ages us faster, internally and externally,
than high stress. While eliminating anxiety and
pressure altogether in this fast-paced world may
be idealistic, massage can, without a doubt, help
manage stress. This translates into:
• Decreased anxiety.
• Enhanced sleep quality.
• Greater energy.
• Improved concentration.
• Increased circulation.
• Reduced fatigue.
Furthermore, clients often report a sense of
perspective and clarity after receiving a massage.
The emotional balance bodywork provides can
often be just as vital and valuable as the more
tangible physical benefits.