Exercise and the Benefits of Massage

Written by Brittany Fathergill

It can be extremely difficult to find and make time for ourselves. Life gets in the way and sometimes other people become more of a priority to us than ourselves. Many people do find and make time for exercise, however. Each of us has our own motivation to stay healthy in our movement and we have our own reason and desires to make exercise part of our lifestyle.

Get Moving!

Exercise and movement come in many different forms. Sometimes it can look like a stroll through your neighborhood or a hike on the weekends. Maybe a quick walk on your lunch break. Perhaps it is going to the gym on your own, or even taking a class at the gym or even hiring your own personal trainer. According to a newsletter from the Mayo Clinic, Dr. Edward R. Laskowski said that the average healthy adult should participate in 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week. This can be broken down to 30 minutes for five days. However; you are finding and allowing movement for yourself allows you to reap the many benefits of exercise. Some benefits may include an overall decrease in mental stress, the increase of healthy hormones like dopamine, the decreased risk in cardiovascular disease, and many more.

According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) exercise can help:

1. Control your weight
2. Strengthen muscles and bones
3. Improve your ability to perform daily activities, improve balance and prevent falls (in the older adult community)

Massage is for more than just relaxation!

Although these are all positive benefits of exercise and movement, our bodies can develop tension in certain areas with physical impact. This tension may look like a sore muscle, achy joints, limited range of motion or stiffness and more. Massage therapy can assist in many ways to alleviate or improve those ailments caused by physical impact.

According to the American Massage Therapy Association massage therapy can:

1. Decrease muscle stiffness and fatigue prior to exercise
2. Increase range of motion and decrease muscle tension
3. Support in physiological recovery
4. Prevent exercise induced injuries
5. Enhance athletic performance!!!

If finding time weekly for exercise and/or movement is something that is in your routine, you can see how massage therapy can only enhance this special time you make for yourself! There are massage facilities all over the city, and surrounding counties. Each facility has a different price point and different hours, so finding a convenient location and comfortable cost is very possible.

Deep Tissue Only??

There are a few different massage modalities that may be appropriate for post exercise. According to elementsmassage.com some of these modalities may be broken down to help explain the difference. The ever so popular deep tissue is an option. Deep tissue is a technique using muscle specific application of Swedish strokes, such as effleurage, petrissage and compression. These are a combination of long strokes, short and kneading like and deep and still on single part of a muscle. The therapist can work on specific muscles that may be sore or over worked and increased deeper pressure to access the muscle on a deeper level. Sports massage is another popular type of massage often sought for post exercise. Sports massage is very similar to deep tissue with a blend of specific muscles work and passive stretching in order to relieve tension in the muscle and joint.

Whether you chose one of these modalities or you choose something different, the preference is yours! Finding out how your body will respond to these different modalities is the key. Trying to find the right therapist and modality is key to your massage journey. Communication regarding pressure is also of extreme importance when receiving post exercise massage. If the pressure seems painful, let your therapist know. Finally, enjoy! Massage and fitness can add so much to your life. So have a fun getting fit and feeling great!