By: Massage Therapist Elissa-Rae Chatfield from Victoria Point Chiropractic
Massage therapy is one of the oldest forms of manual treatment. It involves kneading and manipulating muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia, (the internal connective tissue that connects layers of muscle) to improve health and wellbeing.
Massage is not just beneficial in helping you feel better or releasing pressure through tight and sore areas. Over the years, massage has become a well-researched modality which has proven benefits to many conditions, including but not limited to: subacute/chronic lower back pain; relief of headaches or migraines; stress relief; insomnia; stimulation of the lymphatic system and can be used in supporting patients with chronic diseases.
There are many types of massage with the most common: Remedial, Sports, Relaxation. Remedial massage incorporates objective assessment, treatment and rehabilitation to realign biomechanics. Sports massage involves pre-sport, during-sport, post-sport massage to assist the body in prevention of injury and recovery from physical exertion. Relaxation massage works more with the circulatory system, with the aim to promote blood circulation throughout the body and relieve tension through a lighter pressure.
Chiropractic and Massage can be very complimentary. The muscles of the body have connections to the bones and the contraction of muscles is the mechanism by which the body performs movement. When someone presents to a chiropractor with discomfort, there is usually a bone component (misalignment and restriction of the bone), and a muscle component (change in surrounding muscle tone presenting as tightness or weakness). The percentage of each will be different in individual cases.
Remedial massage therapy is primarily focussed on muscular health and can therefore be beneficial for chiropractic patients. Massage works on softening muscle tissue by using a variety of techniques that focus on breaking down dysfunctional or painful areas of the body. Relief of muscle tension through massage can help to make chiropractic adjustments easier. The combination of both modalities can also be effective in providing longer lasting benefits.
For further information speak to your massage therapist or chiropractor.
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