This article was written by Heather Lehman, a board-certified massage therapist who has a private practice in Boulder, Colorado, where she works with athletes and other active people.
Massage may be the oldest and simplest form of medical care. Evidence of this can be found in Egyptian tomb paintings showing people being massaged. In Eastern cultures, massage has been practiced continually since ancient times. A Chinese book from 2,700 B.C., The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine, recommends “breathing exercises, massage of skin and flesh, and exercises of hands and feet” as the appropriate treatment for “complete paralysis, chills, and fever.” It was one of the principal methods for relieving pain employed by Greek and Roman physicians. Julius Caesar was said to have been given a daily massage to treat his neuralgia. “The physician must be experienced in many things,” wrote Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, in the 5th century B. C., “but assuredly in rubbing… for rubbing can bind a joint that is too loose, and loosen a joint that is too rigid.” The Chinese have used massage for more than 3,000 years, along with other forms of medicine such as traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture.
Early in the 19th century, the Swedish physician Per Henrik Ling - who is considered to be the father of massage as we think of it today - devised a massage system for joint and muscle pain, which was later extended to relieve deformities caused by arthritis and to re-educate muscles following paralysis. Manipulations included light or hard stroking, compression (kneading, squeezing and friction), and percussion (striking with the edges of the hands in rapid alternation). A more current definition of massage, as offered by Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, is the therapeutic application of touch by a licensed massage practitioner, which may aid in the treatment of anxiety, arthritis, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, depression, fibromyalgia, musculoskeletal pain, premenstrual syndrome, sports injuries, and stress.
There are many modalities (or types) of massage available to suit the needs of each individual. Some common names of massage modalities are: Swedish, deep tissue, myofascial release, neuromuscular, sports and orthopedic, craniosacral therapy, reflexology, prenatal, integrative, manual lymph drainage techniques, as well as Zen shiatsu, to name a few.
During the past few decades, massage therapy has shifted from the occasional luxury for the privileged few to becoming a more integral part of many people’s healthy lifestyle maintenance program. For example, during her career, Uta has relied on sports and deep tissue massage to aid in her recovery and for injury prevention. The frequency and type of massage she receives depends on her training schedule. As a general guideline, those in training, working with injuries, or seeking to achieve specific goals should receive massage once a week.
While massage can be specific and focused on particular areas to achieve certain goals, massage also has a myriad of general health benefits for its recipients:
- Promotes general well-being
- Alleviates stress and tension
- Reduces anxiety, depression and insomnia
- Improves circulation of the blood and lymph systems
- Improves posture
- Reduces chronic pain and headaches
- Improves immune function
- Relaxes the nervous system
- Relieves sore muscles and joints, promotes joint health and improves range of motion
- Increases joint mobility
- Promotes better digestion and elimination
- Increases energy
- Accelerates the healing process
- Decreases the chance of getting injury
- Helps break down and remove scar tissue
As a massage therapist with a busy practice and active lifestyle, I receive an hour-long deep-tissue or neuromuscular massage once a week. My activity level and the physical nature of my work demand that I give back to my body; otherwise, I start to notice soreness and muscle fatigue at the end of my day.
What I normally recommend for people who are not seeking relief from a specific issue or complaint, and who are not currently in training, is one massage a month, for maintenance and physical well-being. That way, by staying in touch with how you feel, month to month, and learning to increase your awareness, you can head off potential problems by being more body-aware and learning to “keep a record.” Not to mention, relaxing and taking time for yourself at least once a month keeps you feeling happy and well cared for!
