Most therapists use their hands and fingers, but some may use their elbows, forearms or feet. The main purpose of massage therapy is to relax the soft tissues and increase the delivery of oxygen and blood to the areas that have been massaged, warm them and thereby decrease pain.
Here are a few of the popular types of massage therapy:
1. Swedish massage - In this type of therapy, the therapist will use long strokes, knead and will use friction on the muscles. He or she will also move the joint to aid in their flexibility.
2. Deep tissue massage - The therapist will use patterns of deep finger pressure and strokes on different parts of the body where the muscles are knotted and tight. The therapist will focus on layers of muscles that are deep under the skin.
3. Trigger point massage - A variety of strokes are used by the therapist and deeper and more focused pressure is applied on knots that will sometimes form in the muscles. These knots are painful when they are pressed and can cause symptoms in other parts of the body.
4. Shiatsu massage - Varying rhythmic pressures are applied by the therapist from the fingers on different body parts that are important for the flow of vital energy which is call qi.
There are many reasons why people use this therapy. Most of these are health related issues such as: the relief of pain, stress, to rehabilitate sports injuries, increase relaxation, aid in the feeling of general wellness and help in the areas of depression and anxiety.
There are some other reasons that scientists may feel that massage therapy is beneficial:
1. Changes occur in the muscles of the body when certain forces are applied to them.
2. Massage therapy may help to block pain signals that are sent to the brain.
3. Massage may help to guide a person's nervous system away from the sympathetic and move it towards the parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system is often referred to as the fight-or-flight response. The parasympathetic nervous system helps the heart rate and the breathing to slow down and the person becomes more relaxed.
4. Massage therapy may stimulate the release of serotonin or endorphins(chemical).
5. Massage may help cause beneficial changes in the body for example, the prevention of scar tissue formation and the increase of the flow of lymph which help in the fight against disease.
6. Massage therapy may help to improve sleep. This plays a role in pain and in healing.
7. It may also provide a health benefit due to the interaction between the patient and the therapist.
If you have never tried massage therapy, and if it is within your budget, then you may want to give it a try. Perhaps you may experience some of the benefits that it has to offer.
Academy Of Massage Therapy
As a massage therapist there are certain things that you need to know about the human body that enable you to effectively do your job. Other things that you can learn about anatomy and physiology will take your massage practice to the next level. Taking the time to educate yourself about the body and learning the intricate functions of the body will help you be a better massage therapist and you will show your clients that you are indeed an expert in the massage therapy industry and you have taken the time to further your education and be the best massage therapist that you can be for them.
Traditional Massage Therapy Schools do not teach these advanced massage therapy techniques.
Proprioceptors
Proprioceptors are sensory nerve endings that send information to the brain about the angle of joints, length of muscles and muscle tension. All of this information is brought together to tell the body about the position of a limb so that even with the eyes closed the body knows just where that limb is and what it is doing. Muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs are both proprioceptors. Muscle spindles send information on the changes of the length of the muscle while Golgi tendon organs send information on the changes of the tension of the muscle.
Stretch Reflex
The stretch reflex is a protective measure that the body takes to prevent a muscle from stretching too much. It is an involuntary reaction by the nerves that make the muscle contract when it has been overextended or stretched too far. If you stretch your muscles too far, neural impulses are sent through your body to the muscle that is being overstretched and that muscle automatically contracts. In the stretch reflex, the muscle actually tightens which creates a situation where your muscles are doing the opposite of what you are trying to get them to do.
Proprioceptors and Stretch Reflex as a System
Proprioceptors and the stretch reflex actually work together as a system to protect the body. The stretch reflex is the result of a proprioceptor. One set monitors the length of the muscle and the other monitors the tension of the muscle. They work together to keep the body from becoming injured. This intricate system works to make the human body a highly functional machine. There is a sort of push and pull mechanism at work, but the push protects against the pull and vice versa.
What do these mean to your Massage Therapy Training?
When you have a deep understanding of how the human body works, you can begin to use that knowledge to reach your clients in a manner that many other massage therapists can not. Understanding how the proprioceptors work and when they will work will help you in the stretching stage of a massage. You will understand that when you work a muscle and stretch it, when it reaches its maximum stretch it will automatically contract. That is why when you lie on your back and stretch your hamstrings, once you reach your maximum stretch your leg is no longer straight, it involuntarily contracts and bends. When you have mastered this concept, you will be much more effective and your massage therapy education will show.
Both Alex Olson & Robert Vignoli are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Alex Olson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Entertainment Guide, Massage and Fishing. Alex Olson wrote a number of highly popular articles which concern health problems. In them she pays much attention on , its types and benefits.. Alex Olson's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.
Robert Vignoli has sinced written about articles on various topics from Massage, Build Muscle and Massage. Robert C. Vignoli has been a massage therapist for over 10 years and is an expert in cutting edge . He currently co-owns Roman Paradigm. Robert Vignoli's top article generates over 33100 views. to your Favourites.
