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Hands on manipulation for healing is probably older than any other healing tradition. The oldest written records of massage go back 4000 years to China, but of course, it is much older than that. Touch and the laying on of hands are human tendancies that seem to be in our genetic makeup. Physicians and healers of all forms, and from all cultures, have used hands on manipulation throughout history as sn integral part of health care practice.
Massage includes a number of disciplines which share the use of pressure, friction and strain upon the muscles and joints of the body for therapeutic physical responses.
Ther is massage for preventative general health; relaxation; pampering or 'beautification'; relaxation; rehabilitation (recovering from injury); sports massage; massage as an adjunt to medical, chiropractic or osteopathic treatment; and massage for personal psychological transformation.
Swedish Massage (a proper name, not a reference to Sweden) is by far the most predominant example of traditional European massage and is the most commonly used method of massage.
It was developed by Per Henrik Ling in Sweden in the 1830s and uses a system of long gliding strokes, kneading and friction techniques on the more superficial layers of muscles.
It is designed primarily to relax muscles by applying pressure to them against deeper muscles and bones, and rubbing in the same direction as the flow of blood returning to the heart.
Swedish massage can relax muscles, increase circulation, remove metabolic waste products, help the recipient obtain a feeling of connectedness and achieve a better awareness of their body and the way they use and position it.
Whether you are a world class athlete, weekend warrior, or just out for the occasional jog after a brutal day at work; sports massage can help you attain your goals. As the benefits of massage/muscle therapy have become more evident, athletes at all levels have embraced it as a means to help them increase their conditioning, performance, and avoid serious injury.
A sports massage session is usually briefer and more intense than a general full body massage. In most cases the therapist will focus on the particular muscles most stressed by your activity. The goal is to ease any chronic muscular problems and work out potential problem areas before they become more serious and interfere with training and performance.
Sports massage uses a number of deep tissue massage techniques to alleviate aches, pains and strains. Neuromuscular techniques apply direct local presure to specific areas of muscles to relieve knots (trigger points) and so relieve pain, alleviate muscle spasms and cramping. Frictions use movements across the grain of the muscles to release chronic patterns of muscular tension which build up through repetetive actions over time. Myofascial release involves the application of gentle traction, pressures and positioning to evaluate and treat restrictions in the body's muscle and fascia; relieving tension from both physical and emotional trauma and assisting in the reduction of chronic pain or physical dysfunction.
Sports massage is not just for sports and fitness enthusiasts; techniques are widely effective in treating both acute and chronic work related injuries, stress and muscular tension.
A regular sports massage will:
Sports massage can be employed by sports competitors of all ages and abilities.
Pre
event massage is used to loosen muscles prior to the activity.
Along with stretching, it will help make sure that muscles are warmed up and
ready to go. It can also help calm pre-competition jitters; allowing the athlete
to better focus on the event.
Post
event massage
can help to minimise pain and discomfort, prevent stiffness and return muscles
to their normal state more quickly after the event.
As a general rule; if massage being offered at an event - take it up.