Swedish Massage

BENEFITS OF MASSAGE

In general terms massage can:

Maintain the human body in a healthy condition

Increase flexibility 

Help prevent injuries

Increase sporting performance

Speed up the recovery period following an injury

Increase Circulation

Aid sleep and deep relaxation

Help to de-stress the mind

In more specific terms there are the physical, physiological and psychological benefits of a massage.

Physical Benefits: 
Enhanced tissue permeability: Massage allows the tissue membrane pores to widen, encouraging fluids and nutrients to pass through more readily. This enables waste products such as lactic acid to be removed rapidly and creates an environment whereby oxygen and nutrients are quickly delivered to the target muscles, producing an enhanced recovery.

Increased flexibility: Massage stretches muscle tissue in a multidirectional manner, both longitudinally and laterally. It can also have a similar effect on the muscular sheath and surrounding fascia, allowing a beneficial release of stored tension and pressure.

Enhanced micro circulation: Massage enhances the blood flow to the tissues of the target muscles in a similar manner to exercise. In addition to this, massage also causes blood vessels to dilate enabling oxygen and nutrients to pass through more readily.

Physiological Benefits:

Stimulates relaxation response: Massage creates an environment whereby heat generation, enhanced circulation and increased flexibility are all promoted. All of these factors play a role in stimulating mechanoreceptors in the body and creating relaxation.

Inhibition of pain: A combination of tension and waste products within a muscle can often result in the sensation of pain. Massage lessons this painful feeling by its ability to reduce tension and remove waste products. It also encourages the release of endorphins.

Psychological Benefits:

Reduced anxiety levels: Through stimulating a relaxation response, massage has the additional benefit of lowering anxiety levels, creating a mood enlightening experience.

Invigorating bodily response: If the sports massage is completed utilising brisk movements prior to a sporting event then it can create an invigorating bodily response.

So if you ever needed one good reason to book a massage, now you have many!