The power of massage

When you hear the word ‘massage’, does your mind take you to a luxurious day spa, with essential oils and feeling your best ‘zen’ self? The problem is, you only go once in a blue moon, right? Lucky for you, massage is incorporated into our osteopathic treatment and has amazing benefits for your whole body (that extend far beyond feeling relaxed after your session!).

What is massage?

Massage has been used as a healing treatment for thousands of years and is one of the most popular alternative therapies used across the globe. Our friends at the Better Health Channel define massage as “the practice of kneading or manipulating a person’s muscles and other soft-tissue in order to improve their well-being or health”. It is a form of manual therapy that includes pressing, moving, rubbing and applying pressure to manipulate muscles, tendons and ligaments. Your osteopath will typically use their hands or elbows to perform treatment, with pressure ranging from light to deep, depending on your presenting concerns.

Here are some of the common types of massage you may see on offer around your home town or city:

• Remedial: targeted to treat pain and injuries related to muscles, ligaments or tendons.
• Deep tissue: uses firm pressure to release deep muscle tension and enhance recovery.
• Sports: specific to sports injuries, it is used to enhance recovery and performance.
• Trigger point: targeting ‘knots’ or areas of tenderness in the muscle to reduce pain locally or in other parts of the body.

Massage and osteopathic treatment

Osteopathy uses massage to help treat a range of musculoskeletal concerns which include sport injuries, repetitive strain injuries, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain and tennis or golfers elbow. It is also used in the treatment of other health issues like chronic headaches, posture problems, stress-related tension or pregnancy-related pain (just to name a few!). As osteos, we look to provide a holistic treatment that not only enhances recovery of a particular area but your overall health as well.

Massage and osteopathy work well together and provide a range of benefits for your entire body (see below!). The exact combination of therapy methods is determined after a thorough assessment to make sure the treatment is right for you!

Benefits

The benefits of massage extend beyond just relaxation — that’s why we love it! Applying pressure to your muscles, tendons and ligaments helps circulate blood flow and flush toxins from your body. By releasing certain areas, we can improve joint mobility and flexibility, which also helps to relieve pain, restore damaged tissue and enhance recovery from injury. Some other great benefits include:

• Future injury prevention
• Reducing heart rate
• Minimising fatigue
• Managing chronic pain
• Improving athletic performance
• Improving immune system and digestion
• Releasing endorphins and improving mood
• Reduction in stress and anxiety
• Increased energy and overall well-being

If you fear you’re experiencing carpal tunnel syndrome, come and see us. We are here to help! We will assess your symptoms and come up with a treatment plan to help relieve the pain. Call us on 1300 337 339 or email info@healinghandshealth.com.au to make an appointment.