Why Massage is Important When Starting a New Exercise Program

Any time you start a new workout routine, increase your present workout routine, try a new sport or try new exercise equipment, you will likely suffer from delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). This pain and soreness usually occurs within 12-48 hours following your workout and can last a day or two. Incorporating massage as part of your exercise regimen will help alleviate muscle soreness and speed tissue recovery.

What Causes Your Muscles to Get Sore After Exercise?

When you exercise, the muscles go through a lot of stress and strain. This stress on the muscle results in small microscopic tears of the muscle fibers.

These microscopic tears of the muscle fibers lead to inflammation as the body repairs itself. This is natural and should resolve itself in 24 to48 hours. This soreness is telling you that the muscles are adapting to the new stress. These adaptations are making the muscles stronger so that they can perform the exercise easier the next time.

If you experience soreness after your exercise routine, take it easy for the next day or two so that your body can adapt. Also, take note as to how long the soreness lasts. If the soreness lasts more than two days, lessen your workout routine so that you don't injure yourself further. Use less weight or do less repetitions of the exercise. Also, it's good to have a cooling off period as you end your exercise routine.

How Can Massage Help Alleviate Soreness?

Massage helps the muscles adapt to the demands of strenuous activity. According to research, it does so by reducing the production of cytokines, a compound that aids in inflammation. Massage also stimulates mitochondria, the part of the cell that turns glucose into energy that is necessary for all functions and repair.

Pre Exercise Massage

A pre exercise massage is stimulating and vigorous. The purpose of this is to wake up the nervous system and increase blood circulation to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments.

Post Exercise Massage

Massage after a workout improves the recovery process by transporting the by products from the metabolism away from the muscles more effectively. According to research, post exercise massage speeds up recovery time due to increased nutrient distribution and blood flow. Post exercise massage is also a great way to relax both the body and mind after a strenuous workout.

What is the Best Type of Massage for Sore Muscles?

There are number of different massage techniques designed to promote relaxation and alleviate muscle soreness including sports massage, deep tissue massage, Swedish massage and trigger point massage. Also, stretching is a very important component in alleviating DOMS. It has been my observation that people don't stretch enough. Stretching the muscles and fascia (fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds each muscle) helps break the cycle of soreness to muscle spasm to contraction and tightness.

Flexible and supple muscles are important throughout life, especially when beginning a new exercise routine, to prevent pain and injury. Stretching helps keep your muscles flexible. Stretching before your workout will help warm up the muscles and increase your muscle range so they are less likely to tear and cause soreness. Incorporating a stretch routine in combination with massage therapy will help your muscles remain supple and flexible. Be sure to consult with your personal trainer about the proper way to stretch to prevent injury.

Sports Massage

During a sports massage, your therapist will incorporate a series of vigorous kneading techniques designed to increase circulation and support tissue repair and will often incorporate stretching into the massage routine.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage targets the deeper layers of muscle tissue where soreness begins. This massage not only helps relieve pain, but can also help you feel more relaxed because it increases serotonin. Serotonin is the "feel good" chemical released by the brain.

Trigger Point Massage

Trigger point massage targets specific areas of the body where there is pain, instead of focusing on entire muscle groups. This is a great massage for muscle injuries, however, you may experience some soreness the next day.

Swedish Massage

This is a less vigorous massage that incorporates a series of circular techniques and gentle strokes to alleviate soreness and promote relaxation.

How Often Should I Get a Massage?

Massage therapy is similar to a fitness program. Consistent massage therapy can provide positive results. Your massage therapist will assess your needs and develop a massage program that is best for you.

Yours in Good Health,
Eugene Wood
Certified Massage Therapist
NYC-Massage.com

How Regular Massage Helps Improve Mental Health

Most people know that a good massage feels good but what most people miss is that the right massage will help your mental health, too. When you become stressed, it creates anxiety. Anxiety then causes a rash of other issues from tight muscles to grinding your teeth, which causes TMJ, which can also cause tinnitus; another ailment that massage can help. All of this pain can also add to your anxiety or depression, so when you get a massage to help your muscles, you are also helping your mental health.

There are many factors in everyday life that can cause anxiety; money, family and health issues just to name a few. Anxiety is not something to be ashamed of. In fact, most of us suffer from it to some extent; some people just experience a higher level at times.

What happens is that anxiety causes the body to tighten up which then creates physical pain which will lead to more anxiety. It is a vicious circle that must be broken for the patient to feel relief, both physically and emotionally. During your first massage, your therapist will determine the points of your body causing your anxiety. They will then work through those areas to focus on your problem areas.

Your massage therapist is specially trained to find areas causing your anxiety. Not only do they offer relief for tight muscles, they also know how to use various pressure points to relieve stress and anxiety. This creates an overall total body massage, relieving pain in your body and your mind. This is one way of finding relief from your anxiety without medication.

Depression is another mental health ailment that massage therapy can help. Many times when you become depressed, you just need to relax for a while. Simply close your eyes and focus on the healing power of the massage and nothing else. Typically, those suffering from depression do not believe that this technique works until they try it. Once you try it, you may instantly feel the results and those around you will find a happier, healthier you. Again, massage therapy can help your depression either instead of or with medications your doctor feels are necessary.

There are many factors that can cause depression, from a traumatic experience to the death of a loved one or even the loss of a job. While massage will not bring a loved one back or find you a new job, it will allow you to free your mind of any negative thoughts. Sometimes, when your mind becomes clear, you can think about your circumstances, come up with a game plan and execute that game plan to fix or ease what has caused your depression.

Even surgical facilities are beginning to use massage therapy for their patients. Anxiety is very common in patients about to undergo a surgical procedure, no matter how routine. Many facilities nationwide are using these services to offer patients a 15 minute massage to help ease their fears and anxiety about their upcoming procedure. This has been proven to reduce anxiety going into surgery, which also reduces the risk for complications such as hemorrhage or stroke. This is a simple, effective and inexpensive way to ease the anxiety level of surgical patients.

Massage therapy has been proven to help your mental health. It allows you to free your mind of your negative thoughts while relieving the pain that can add to anxiety. This is one way that many people are finding relief without the use of medications.

While you should always talk to a doctor about medications to help ease your mental afflictions, you should also discuss with him/her about incorporating massage therapy in your treatment. You should return for more than one massage since most depression and anxiety issues cannot be cured in just one treatment. This is one type of therapy where, if you continue it regularly, you will continue to feel relief.

Yours in Good Health,
Eugene Wood
Certified Massage Therapist
NYC-Massage.com