REVITALIZED Massage in the Off Season

The air is crisp, rain or snow is coming down, coffee/tea is hot, and our muscles are begging for some attention.

Massage therapy has proven to be beneficial for those who are seeking to relax and renew their ease of movement. Now that we are about halfway through the rainy season and planning our spring and summer activities, it is a good time to recoup and/or prepare our bodies for the recreation they anticipate. 

Some may not have had an off-season, just more of a season shift. Some may have been able to keep active on the slopes, in backyard or organized gyms or run clubs. Whatever the case, our bodies and mind could benefit by receiving some nurturing through a passive mode such as massage. 

REVITALIZE YOUR CONDITIONING 

There are quite a few benefits that may be reaped by receiving quality massage. A few main benefits include: 

Mental Relaxation ~ Stress Relief 

Massage can aid the body and mind’s ability to relax and become rejuvenated by regulating the amount of common stress hormones in the body such as cortisol and adrenalin. During times of low concentration such as eating, visiting with goo friends and family, heightened levels of adrenalin and cortisol are generally not welcomed. Sometimes through excessive conditioning and/or alongside a busy work schedule, our bodies can get stuck in a heightened cortisol atmosphere, making it difficult for us to fully engage in a relaxing environment. Massage has proven to help reduce that affect and increase the feel-good hormones such as endorphins, epinephrine, and serotonin. This isn’t to say that all cortisol or adrenalin are bad, just that they have their proper place and time; coffeetime is not one of those. 

Muscle Recovery and Repair 

Massage, as a whole, may fast-track the body’s ability to heal itself by increasing circulation. A temporary increase of circulation moves oxygen and vital nutrients into muscles more quickly, thereby enabling the body to dispose of metabolic waste, such as damaged muscle tissue, and replaces it with the building blocks for new muscle growth. 

Soft Tissue Maintenance 

Through regular soft tissue therapy, muscles have a decreased risk of becoming knotted up and forming pools of stagnated lactic acid. Lactic acid, that is unable to circulate, causes tenderness and pain in undamaged muscle tissue. It also creates the possibility of calcium deposits building up and exacerbating pain signaling in the nervous system. 

Increase Active Range of Motion (AROM) 

Safe massage and movement both minimize the possibility for muscles to become stuck and locked tight. Conversely, not moving enough or pushing a movement too hard, can cause the nervous system to perceive that any given position or movement is too dangerous to execute and will cause a muscle to shorten, or stay locked-short (guarding). This is a common stress/injury response. By partaking in a movement based modality, the central nervous system may be reprogrammed through downregulating a faulty (guarded) stretch response. 

FEEL BETTER; DO BETTER 

Movement and massage are great at downregulating emotional, mental, and physical stress, resulting in making us feel better. When we can move our bodies with confidence during recreation and allow our bodies to heal, we feel better. When feeling better, we focus, think, play, work and dream successfully. Simply put, we do better.