Massage therapy is an effective addition to any physical or occupational therapy program. I have been using massage therapy with most of my clients and it really speeds up the healing process. Not only does it help my clients to get better faster from their injury or chronic pain issue, but it also has many other excellent benefits. I would like to share with you my experience with massage therapy and how it has helped my clients.
Massage therapy uses manual manipulations to relax, loosen knots in the muscle, ease pain and stretch tightened tissue. Such manipulations include kneading, pressing, light and deep pressure depending on the condition or result you are looking for. This results in many positive benefits for the client which helps in the healing process. Massage therapy increases blood flow to the area, improves tissue flexibility, and reduces swelling. The painful knots are known as trigger points which are areas of increased tightness in the muscle. There are like small spasms in the muscle where there is a decrease in blood flow. This decreased blood flow results in a build up of waste products in the muscle causing a chemical reaction that further tightens up the muscle and makes the knot worse. The improved blood flow from the massage therapy fixes this issue.
As the blood flow improves to the trigger point and the muscle starts to loosen up there is improved movement and decreased nerve sensitivity. This causes a decrease in pain levels. As a result, there is a cascade of healing benefits to the client including reduced mental stress, decreased anxiety and overall improvement in the client’s mental well-being. The client is able to move better with less pain.
Anyone can benefit from massage therapy. It does not matter how old or young the client is. These positive healing benefits can help everyone. But it is especially beneficial for those with headaches, joint pain, swelling, shoulder problems, back pain, sciatica, knee issues, and anxiety just to name a few. The list of those who can be helped with massage therapy could go on and on. Those who are currently physical or occupational therapy clients can all be helped with massage therapy. Once finished with their formal PT/OT programs most of my clients find that regular sessions in massage therapy keeps them on top of their issue to continue the healing and keep them running in top condition.
Massage therapy is not expensive either. It can be added to any existing physical or occupational therapy program for $35 for an additional 15 minutes. 30 minutes of massage therapy is $50 and one hour is $75.
If you are currently participating in a physical or occupational therapy program, ask your therapist to add massage therapy to your program. It will speed up your healing and get you better faster. If you are not in a current therapy program, then call us at (800) 930-8803 to set up your session with one of our massage therapists today to start your road to healing today.
