Massage is good for us on so many levels. And we all know that prevention is better than cure.
In this busy and complicated life many of us spend a good deal of time in ‘fight or flight’ mode. This means we are working predominantly via our sympathetic nervous system, or in layman’s terms we are stressed. In order for our body to function well we need to move between our sympathetic (active) and our parasympathetic (relaxed) systems, as different situations demand, during the day. Moving out of stress and into our ‘rest and digest’ or ‘rest and repair’ is vital to allow all of our body’s systems to get the attention that is required, for the health of our whole being.
Did you know that when a sabre-toothed tiger is chasing us our body directs its energy – its blood flow, oxygen, nutrients and nerve responses – to the essential systems required in that moment, to get away from the danger.
This means that the systems that are not essential in this moment are put on the back burner. These vital but non-urgent systems include digestion, reproduction, immune and certain cognitive functions. It is a fantastically clever and efficient way of doing things; we don’t need to be concerning ourselves with preparing to make a baby or reassigning the molecules of that banana we had for breakfast when we need everything we have to climb a tree, or put some life-saving minutes between us and a deadly feline!
These days we don’t come across many sabre-toothed tigers in our daily routine. However, we are responding to dangers, and perceived dangers constantly. The ‘dangers’ or stressors come in the shape of car journeys, deadlines, financial difficulties and even how many likes we got on our last Insta post.
These low level attacks on our psyche are constantly moving us towards the sympathetic responses and away from our parasympathetic. This literally means that our heart beats faster, our pupils are dilated, our salivation is inhibited, our stomach, gallbladder and intestinal activations are reduced our bladder attempts to empty and stress hormones are released. The other, very noticeable effects are that our muscles tense and concentration becomes hyper focused. The muscle tension is often most noticeable around neck and shoulders where it can result in headaches.
It leads to frown lines and wrinkles in the face. It commonly encourages our hip flexors to shorten and tighten which then leads to bad posture and back pain. Muscle tension can also lead to jaw clenching and teeth grinding which can get very expensive!
If we have a fairly inactive job – sitting at a desk for instance, our cortisol (a stress hormone) can pool in our lower legs leading to pain and dysfunction there, as well as swelling.
Guess what? Massage can help to move you away from all of this and to allow your parasympathetic system to work its magic.
Giving yourself the time to lie down in a nurturing environment sends the message that the sabre-toothed tigers are not currently a threat and now is the time for the body to allow all of the non-urgent systems to ensure our body maintains its homeostasis or ideal environment for health and well being.
Massages come in many flavours. At b2 we are all experienced practitioners with a variety of education and modalities. We tend to call ourselves Sports Massage Therapists because it is the most obvious way of separating ourselves from a Spa type massage. Sports massages tend to be more specific and can deal with injury and rehab as well as general fitness. However, our massage therapists will apply pressure and techniques depending on what the patient presents with. We all have the ability to do a more relaxing massage as well as very specific deep tissue and trigger-point work. Each appointment normally consists of a combination of pressures and styles in order to facilitate the best outcome.
Patients come in with a range of requirements.
Most have some pain that they need help with, some are aware of the effects that stress is having on them and would like help to relax. Whatever you require your treatment will elicit a number of results. Alongside feeling more comfortable through a reduction in pain, you may experience improved circulation of both blood and lymphatic fluids.
You may notice you sleep better, especially that night but in general also. The tonicity (elasticity and strength of muscle whilst at rest) will balance, allowing for better function and posture. Endorphins will be release leading to better mood and cognitive ability. Your immune system is more readily available to fight infection as well as recognise internal attacks, which can lead to things like cancers and autoimmune diseases. It is also better equipped to help heal wounds, injuries and recover from operations.
In my experience having a regular massage makes all the difference. If you only have a treatment when you are in pain then it often takes a few appointments to make a difference. If you are having a habitual massage then you are getting a regular check in with what is normal and what feels ‘off’ and so is your therapist. From both personal experience and having patients that have come regularly over the years it speaks for itself that prevention is definitely better than cure.
Book an appointment with one of our experienced Sport Massage Therapists here to make massage part of your wellbeing routine!
