Does your BodyWork?

Benefits of Massage

Often, people do not know how much stress they're carrying until they have a massage and then they are able to feel it and let go of it. As the massage therapist stretches and loosens muscles and connective tissues, stress and muscular tensions are released. Once you have an awareness of where stress lodges in your body, you can begin to do something about it. You start to educate yourself and your body and you can reverse a negative cycle

Types of Massage

There are a myriad massage techniques but in essence, there are two types namely:
massage designed for relaxation
massage designed for pain management.

Relaxation

As massage stimulates the relaxation response, muscular tension is released, circulation is increased and sensory receptors are activated. Areas that have been "cut off" by accumulated stress can begin to feel normal once again. Massage teaches us to tune in to body signals and soothes us at the same time

Clinical Massage

The muscles in the body are surrounded by a thin membrane of strong connective tissue called fascia. This fascia is normally moist allowing it to slide freely as muscles contract and release
After a period of time, through use and/or injury, the fascia thickens and hardens.
Clinical massage, often prescribed for injuries and conditions of pain, is a unique technique that involves softening the muscles by manually moving and separating them. By stretching the surrounding fascia, the therapist can move in more deeply to break up adhesions and by working between the muscles, allows them to become really elastic, the way they should be.
The body can then be freed of spasm and pain, it can increase its range of motion and it has the ability to avoid injury.
This adds a new dimension to soft tissue manipulation as well as providing the advantages of “normal” Sports Massage.

Sports Massage

It is now understood that a complete workout routine includes not only the exercises itself, but also caring for the wear-and-tear of minor injuries that normally occur with strenuous movement.
The physiological and psychological benefits of massage make it an ideal compliment to a total workout programme

What can Massage really do?

Physical Level
Deep relaxation and stress reduction
Relief of muscle tension and stiffness
Reduced muscle spasm and tension
Relief from entrapment of nerves in muscle
Greater joint flexibility and range of motion
Increased ease and efficiency of movement
Promotes deeper and easier breathing
Better circulation of both blood and lymph fluids
Reduced blood pressure
Relief of tension related or eye strain headaches
Healthier, better nourished skin
Improved posture
Faster healing from pulled muscles and sprained ligaments
Reduces pain, swelling, and formation of scar tissue following injury
General health maintenance

Mental Level
Relaxed state of alertness
Reduced mental stress: a calmer mind
Greater ability to monitor stress signals and respond appropriately
Increased capability for clearer thinking
Emotional Level
Feeling of well-being
Reduced levels of anxiety
Increased awareness of mind-body connection
Enhanced self image
A sense of being unified and in harmony