Monday 9 January 2023


Massage is “not an indulgence”! Massage doesn’t just make muscles and our fascia feel better, it makes them heal faster and stronger!


Massage is a hands-on sensory (touch) and mechano (movement) based Therapy and using hands-on techniques creates positive stimulation to our soft tissues.

Recent research (1) proves that Massage improves healing and recovery after an injury, operation or DOMS (as delayed onset muscle soreness is microlesions in the fascia & muscles).


Mechnotherapy

Importantly applying mechanotherapy - whether this be Massage, Myofascial Release, stretching or even self-care foam rollers or massage guns:
  • increases the removal of immune cells (which are present because it’s our bodies natural response to injury)
  • increases the release of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) from the muscles which helps the process of muscle fibre regeneration and hence healing and proper function.


By moving and loading the soft tissues differently Massage creates different types of stimuli to the brain restoring proper function and can bring increased interoception (self-awareness of how your body is) and proprioception (our body’s innate ability to sense and adapt to it’s location, movement and actions). 


Sensory Therapy

The sensory therapy of Massage, both from touch and movement, positively influences the sensory receptors of the nervous system and this includes the nociceptors which are specialised neurons which are stimulated by mechanical stress or noxious chemical and thermal stimuli and send these messages of pain/danger to the brain for processing. 

These receptors respond positively to gentle and considerate touch, strokes, vibration, sheer and sustained and repetitive loading that could result in a reduction and modulation of our pain experience. It can reduce muscle guarding and give us a chance to feel better, brighter, confidence to move more and help ourselves.


So, Massage can speed up healing and recovery 
This is true for any soft tissue injury - from sports incident, feeling heavy and tired from a heavy training load or the DOMS post a heavy workout. Or post operatively, post Pregnancy or breaking the cycle of constant pain.

In addition, there is there are many benefits of relaxing to the power of touch and taking the time for you.

Any questions let me know.

Nicky  Holbrook
January 2023



References:
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