benefits of massage Flashcards
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Relieving Muscular
Tension
Massage stimulates the “Relaxation Response” • a state where the heart and breathing rate slow down, blood pressure goes down, there is a decrease in stress hormones and muscles relax • increase in serotonin levels, a chemical that positively affects emotions
Reducing Soreness and
Fatigue
Massage enhances blood circulation, which increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients available to the muscles: • Increased oxygen and nutrients reduce muscle fatigue and post exercise fatigue • A fatigued muscles recuperates 20% after 5 min of rest and 100% after 5 min of massage
Trigger Points
• Trigger point formation is greatly reduced by the pressure applied during a massage • Massage affects the trigger points in both the muscle and fascia
Muscle Fibers
Massage compressive strokes and
cross-fiber friction strokes manually
separate muscle fibers
• reduces muscle spasms
Improving balance
• Massage helps stimulate the body’s proprioceptors • These are nerve endings that tell the body where it’s part are in space • For example, if you close your eyes, you can still touch your nose or your foot without seeing it • Your body’s proprioceptive nerves let you know where it is
Proprioception
Proprioceptive input can become altered due to injuries and improper movement • Massage can help stimulate those nerves and improve movement to increase proprioceptive input • Leads to better balance and lesser change of injury
Increased Range of
Motion
• When muscular tension is reduced, range of motion is improved • The movement of joints is dictated by the movement of muscles • If the muscles are tight, then the joints can not move freely and optimally
Weak Muscles
Massage aids in toning weak muscles because muscle spindle activity is increased during massage • An increase in muscle spindle activity creates muscle contractions, aiding in toning weak muscles • Massage is extremely beneficial for those with muscle atrophy
Improves muscular nutrition
Massage can improve blood and lymph circulation through the physical manipulation of soft tissue and chemicals that are released as part of the relaxation response • Improved circulation will bring nutrients to the cells and remove waste products
Improving Circulation
Massage can improve blood and lymph circulation through the physical manipulation of soft tissue and chemicals that are released as part of the relaxation response • Improved circulation will bring nutrients to the cells and remove waste products
Skeletal System
Increases mineral retention
• Promotes fracture healing
Mineral Retention
Massage increases the retention of
nutrients such as nitrogen, sulfur and
phosphorus in the bones
Fracture Healing
When a bone is fractured, the body forms a
network of new blood vessels at the break
site
• Massage increases circulation around the
fracture, promoting healing
• Increased circulation lead to increased
deposition of callus to the bone
• Callus is formed between and around the
broken ends of a fractured bone during
healing and is then replaced by compact
bone
Nervous System
- Promotes relaxation
• Decreases Pain
• Activates sensory receptors
Relaxation
General relaxation is promoted through activation of the relaxation response • This also has a diminishing effect on pain sensation
PAIN #1
Massage relieves local and referred pain caused by hypersensitive trigger points • These points are caused by ischemia (decreased blood flow) • Increasing blood flow helps eliminate these trigger points
Pain #2
Massage stimulates the release of endorphins, enkephalins and other pain reducing neurochemicals • Endorphins cause a euphoric state of mind (example is a “runner’s high”)
Pain #3
The pressure of massage interferes with pain information entering the spinal cord by stimulating pressure receptors • This works to further reduce pain (based on the pain gate theory)
