5 Great Benefits of Massage for Tight Muscles
Do your muscles get tight, sore, or even painful sometimes? Massage for problem tight muscles can provide great relief and be a bonus to your body’s healing process. With the right strokes and techniques from a qualified professional, massage can help. It helps by loosening up cells, increases the movement of fluids through muscles, reduces adhesion between tissues and bones, and provides relief from muscle pain. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the top five benefits of massage for tight muscles. Read on to find out how massage can help you achieve more comfort and relaxation.
1) How Massage Works for Tight Muscles
Friction from gentle and medium-depth massage strokes, like effleurage and petrissage, warms up muscle tissues. This in turn allows fresh fluids (blood and clean lymph) to flow into them. This fresh fluid carries oxygen and nutrients that promote cell repair and recovery. Additionally, the pressure from massage strokes helps break down any adhesion between tissues and between muscle and bones. This leads to more flexibility and easier movement. When looking for stiff muscle solutions, massage therapy can be an effective option.
2) Increased Range of Motion and Flexibility
Massage is a good solution for stiff muscles because loosening them up helps both your range of motion and flexibility. If you’re an athlete or have an active lifestyle, loosening up your muscles can help prevent injuries and improve your performance. Even if you are not that active, massage for painful muscles can be a great way to relieve tension, reduce soreness, and improve overall mobility. By using gentle strokes, the therapist can loosen tight muscles and fascia, helping to increase the range of motion and flexibility in your joints. Not only can this make you feel more comfortable, but it can also allow you to perform better in all physical activities.
3) Pain Reduction
Field T. et al (2007), Miozzo A. et al (2016) and many other studies tell us massage is proven to reduce pain and this will be of benefit to everyone. Massage for painful muscles can be especially helpful for those with chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia. By applying pressure to trigger points, massage can help alleviate discomfort and ease tension. Additionally, loosening tight muscles can reduce the likelihood of developing muscle knots and spasms, which can also contribute to pain. While there are many other stiff muscle solutions out there, massage offers a natural and non-invasive option for those seeking relief from muscle pain. Overall, the pain reduction benefits of massage can greatly improve one’s quality of life and allow them to move and function with less discomfort.
4) Improved Circulation
Improved circulation is one of the many benefits of massage especially on tight muscles. Warmth and pressure from massage treatment will increase your blood and lymph circulation, allowing for more nutrients and oxygen to be delivered to your muscles. This is vital for recovery after exercise reducing the potential of muscle soreness. If you’re someone who struggles with stiff muscles, regular massage therapy can help you keep muscles supple and flexible. Also, it can provide immediate relief by increasing blood flow to any soft tissue area which helps reduce potential inflammation. With the increased circulation that massage provides, your body will be better equipped to deal with everyday stressors and injuries. Overall, massage is an effective way to loosen tight muscles and improve circulation for better health and well-being.
5) Stress and Anxiety Relief
Tightness and pain in your muscles can cause stress and massage can help soothe this too. Additionally, stress can cause muscles to tense up, creating more discomfort. Massage is a relaxing solution that helps loosen tightness, reduce tension, and promote relaxation. When you receive a massage for muscle pain, your body releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers. Billhult A. and Määttä S (2009) say that massage can reduces anxiety and stress levels. So, next time you feel stress tension building up, remember that massage is one of the best solutions available to help relieve it. You can also improve your overall well-being with this therapy.
References:
Billhult A. and Määttä S (2009) Light pressure massage for patients with severe anxiety [online] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1744388108000972
Field T. et al (2007) Massage therapy research [online] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S027322970500033X
Miozzo A. et al (2016) Massage therapy reduces pain and anxiety after cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials [online] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405587516300324
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