The Benefits of Regular Massage

We all know that a massage is a nice way to reduce stress and relax, but did you know that frequent and regular bodywork can effect positive changes in the body that go far beyond simple stress reduction?

Research shows that in response to massage, specific chemical changes cascade throughout the body creating enormous benefits for acute and chronic disorders:

• Asthmatics show better pulmonary function and increased airflow.
• Those with high blood pressure demonstrate lower diastolic pressure, anxiety and stress hormones.
• Premenstrual Syndrome sufferers have decreased water retention and cramping.
• Preterm infants have improved weight gain.

In addition, regularly scheduled therapeutic massage has been shown to be an effective treatment for reducing pain and discomfort from:

• Sports-related soreness
• Back pain
• Arthritis
• Osteoarthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Post-surgical pain and tension
• Migraines

But perhaps you don't suffer from any of the above conditions and you enjoy a warm bath and a glass of wine as relaxing way to reduce your stress. Does that mean there are no benefits from massage for you? Of course it doesn't.

Frequent massage therapy and bodywork has also been proven to:

• Boost the immune system
• Release endorphins
• Reduce headache frequency
• Increase circulation
• Improve concentration
• Reduce fatigue
• Increase joint flexibility
• Improve range of motion
• Ease medication dependence
• Exercise weak and/or atrophied muscles
• Promote tissue regeneration (reducing scar tissue)
• Reduce spasms and cramping
• Assist labor for expectant mothers (and reduce maternity hospital stays)
• Help athletes prepare for and recover from strenuous work-outs

These incredible benefits of massage are doubly powerful when taken in regular "doses."

As the researchers of the Touch Institute from the University of Miami say, "The more massage you get, the more benefits you reap." And we hope to see you reaping these benefits soon. Give us call or visit our website for more information.

Golf Stretches

 

 

 

It’s safe to say that there are a ton of injuries that occur in golf. Whether an individual ends up with back problems, pulls a muscle during the golf swing or anything else, it’s usually because they didn’t do any golf stretches before playing. Oh, and if you think simply placing a club between your arms and behind your back is enough, think again.

Just like any other sport, the better you warm up your muscles with golf stretches, the easier it will be to make each hit. In fact, the next time you go out and don’t stretch, keep track of any discomforts you feel throughout your round. When you go out again, stretch before you play and you will definitely notice the difference. In the meantime, we’re going to give you a few options to help you get started.

Bend-overs

Since the back is one of the most common injury areas amongst golfers, it’s wise to do some bend-overs. It’s as easy as spreading your legs a bit and trying to touch the ground. Granted, most of us can’t even come close to touching it, but you will still be able to stretch those muscles.

 

Push-Lifts

 

Another way to work on the back is by lying on your stomach and just pushing up the front half of your body. You will notice pressure on the lower back area. If you can utilize both of these golf stretches you can loosen up your back for those twists and turns throughout the round. Plus, afterwards the area won’t be as sore.

Knee Tucks

Your hamstrings are going to be utilized a lot throughout a round, so it’s important to stretch those out. While walking the course will help, doing a few knee tucks will allow them to stretch a bit more. While you’re standing, just try to bring your knee as high up as you can, then hold the position.

When you bring it back down, don’t forget to do the other one. Taking the time to do this will allow you more balance throughout your swings, and allow you to shift your weight accordingly. These golf stretches will be a major piece to your overall score.

Neck Pulls

Most people forget about how important it is to stretch the neck. So we thought we would add it in here today. Just stand tall and take your right hand and pull your head as far to the right as you can. Hold the position for anywhere from 10-15 seconds, then release. You should do this in all directions (North, South, East, and West).

You will find that your golf swing doesn’t feel nearly as uncomfortable, especially in your backswing. Plus, if you provide golf stretches in each direction, this will protrude down into your backbone and shoulder area. It’s one of the most overlooked golf stretches out there, but it makes a huge difference.

There are many other golf stretches to choose from, but these are a big part to different aspects of the game. Our recommendation is to do them before you even drive to the course. Loosening up before getting into the car will make you feel a lot better getting out. Plus, while you’re at the course you can use some of the normal golf stretches everyone else does…without the embarrassment.

More Benefits Of Massage - Changes Gene Expression and Reduces Inflammation

What’s the News: If you’ve ever been told been that a massage is good for “releasing toxins”—or to sound more scientific, “lactic acid”—from your muscles, then you’ve been told wrong. Turns out muscle cells do like a good massage, but it has nothing to do with lactic acid.
In the first study on the cellular effects of massage post-exercise, researchers found that massage bolsters chemical signals reducing inflammation and promoting repair of muscle cells.
How the Heck:

• Strenuous exercise actually tears your muscle fibers; that’s why an intense workout can leave you sore for days. (Don’t worry—it’s normal and it generally heals fine.) The researchers wanted to study how massage affects this muscle damage, so they made 11 healthy young men cycle to the point of exhaustion.
• Then, finally, relief! Sort of. One leg on each man was randomly chosen for a 10-minute massage. Unfortunately more pain was then in store for these volunteers. A tissue sample was taken from the quadriceps muscle (often known simply as “quad”) of each leg 10 minutes and 2.5 hours after the massage.
• Researchers looked at the level of different mRNA, or messenger RNA, transcripts in these tissue samples. mRNA carries the information for building proteins in the cell, so the level of a particular mRNA molecule can tell you how much of its corresponding protein is being made.
• Compared to unmassaged muscle cells, the tissue from massaged legs had different levels of two key proteins: less NFkB and more PGC-1alpha. Lowering NFkB levels reduces inflammation and increasing PGC-1alpha levels leads to the creation of more mitochondria that generate energy for cell growth, so both these massage-induced changes are good news for healing muscle cells.

What’s the Context:

• Massage is one of the most common forms of “alternative” medicine, and it’s been proven to reduce pain. Before this paper though, there was surprisingly little science on how massage actually works. And this study might finally kill the lactic acid myth that has persisted for so long.

Reference: Justin D. Crane et al. “Massage Therapy Attenuates Inflammatory Signaling After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage.” Science Translational Medicine, published 1 February 2012. DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3002882

Research Supports Healing Benefits of Massage

Finally, there is evidence that the massage industry can sink its teeth into regarding the efficacy of massage reported in the Feb 1, 2012 journal Science Translational Medicine. Antecdotally, massage has been said to help reduce muscle soreness, improve blood flow, and speed recovery of muscles following exercise. And now there is finally proof about what everybody has been saying all along.
The key is cytokines, a cellular substance present in the inflammatory process. Massage therapy has been found to inhibit cytokine production and increase the production of mitochondria in muscle cells. This is a huge finding involving the link between massage and pain reduction.