By Kelly Kilpatrick

We live in a fast-paced and demanding world that residually takes its toll on us as human beings physically, emotionally, and mentally.  It is very easy to get caught up in the shuffle and unintentionally harm ourselves, putting our bodies and minds out of balance in the process. 

There are many things we can do to be proactive about our health and well-being, among them getting proper nutrition, regular exercise, and plenty of rest.  These things, however, can only do so much for us.  Making therapeutic massage a regular part of bodily maintenance can have many beneficial and lasting effects.

Pain Management

We all deal with stress and injuries in a variety of ways, but the body begins to adapt to the conditions we create for ourselves.  From carrying heavy bags around each day to the way we sit when we drive our cars, our body and our muscles “remember” these positions even when we are not in them, causing stress, strain, and tension to build up in the affected areas.  Regular massage therapy can help mange this pain and right the wrongs that our routines have created for our bodies and our musculature, making these things all just part of our past.

Improved Circulation

This is an especially important thing to think about if you live a more sedentary life.  Regular massage helps our bodies to circulate blood more efficiently and helps our lymphatic system move interstitial fluids more effectively.  Tense and knotted muscles are not efficient muscles and have poor circulation as a result.  Massaging and kneading these muscles back into shape helps to increase blood flow and deliver much-needed oxygen to areas of the muscles that have been inhibited through the tension. 

Release of Toxins

While improving your circulation, massage also helps to move and eliminating toxins that have been stored up in your muscles.  Sometimes after the first therapy session, clients feel weak and disoriented as a result of all the toxins that are released by the process.  This is a mixed blessing, as the toxins leave the body we may feel worse, but will ultimately feel better once they have been eliminated.  Regular therapy can help to ensure these toxins don’t build up in large amounts once again over time.

Improved Flexibility and Mobility

Over time, regular massage therapy will loosen up muscles and in turn make the client or patient far more flexible in the process.  Improving circulation and eliminating toxins are the primary steps to getting muscles warmed up and ready for more activity as the body gets used to its less-tense, more flexible incarnation.  After a few sessions, patients notice a marked improvement in their ability to stretch and utilize their muscles in previously unforeseen ways.