Massage Therapy in Edinburgh
Massage is recognised as being one of the oldest methods of healing at over 4,000 years old! Massage is the manual manipulation of soft tissue structures such as muscles, tendons and ligaments. Massage helps stimulate normal movement and function. There are also great health benefits to massage associated with improving relaxation and reducing stress.
What is Massage Therapy?
Massage aims to treat muscles that are damaged, knotted, tense or immobile. It is useful for a number of problems that affect muscles, tendons and bones. Massage is used to locate and repair damaged areas of the body and speed up the body’s own healing processes.
Massage aims to trace the origins of pain, tackling both the cause of the problem and the symptoms.
What Does Massage Therapy Involve
Before the massage session begins, your therapist will discuss your expectations and any injuries, medical conditions or allergies you may have.
Your therapist may use creams or oils to help them massage your skin smoothly. The pressure applied during the treatment can either be strong and deep or gentle and shallow, depending on what treatment outcome has been agreed.
The therapist may use a number of different techniques to help locate and repair tight or injured muscles. They may also use stretching techniques to help compliment the massage therapy.
What is Massage Therapy?
To help sports people the Massage Therapist should have additional knowledge and experience, as well as a good understanding of sports biomechanics and typical injuries sustained from sports participation.
Massage therapy for sports people is a form of massage involving a deeper manipulation of soft tissue to benefit a person engaged in regular physical activity. It is designed to assist in correcting soft tissue imbalances or overload that can develop from repetitive and strenuous physical activity and trauma. The application of massage, prior to and after exercise, may also enhance performance, aid recovery and prevent injury.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Massage?
One of the immediate benefits of massage is a feeling of deep relaxation and calm. This occurs because massage prompts the release of endorphins – the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that produce feelings of wellbeing.
Levels of stress hormones, such as adrenalin, cortisol and norepinephrine, are also reduced. Studies indicate that high levels of stress hormones impair the immune system.
Remedial massage can stimulate the blood supply, make joints more mobile, and help to repair damaged tissues. Your therapist will aim to balance the length, tone and tension of muscles and tendons, which restores the correct position of the bones, increases blood flow and helps heal injuries.
Easing and stabilising the muscles can improve problems such as headaches and abdominal pain.
Other health problems that can benefit from remedial massage include muscle cramps, whiplash, muscular atrophy, fibrositis, spondylitis, arthritis and frozen shoulder.
Research indicates that massage is effective in managing:
- subacute/chronic low back pain and sciatica
- delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
- anxiety
- stress
- soft tissue injuries
- high blood pressure
- insomnia
They can also be effectively used to support people with:
- a chronic disease
- a life threatening illness such as cancer
