Services
Massage Therapy
Massage is the assessment of the soft tissue and joints of the body and the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissue and joints by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function, or relieve pain (Massage Therapy Act, 1991).
For thousands of years, literature from all over the world has mentioned kneading,
pressing, anointing or rubbing as a healing practice. As a profession, massage has
existed for some time. In many countries today it is a regulated health care profession
and a component of training for health care practitioners such as athletic therapists,
physiotherapists and chiropractors.
The effects of massage are physiological and psychological. Research has shown that physiological effects include pain control, increased circulation and decreased blood pressure, improved lymphatic flow, improved respiratory function and increased immune system function. Psychologically, massage can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
Benefits of Massage Therapy
- Enhances race preparation
- Improves circulation and joint mobility to keep muscles warm and loose
- Sharpens muscles to get them race ready
- Releases toxins to reduce any restrictions
- Increases alertness and mental clarity
- Increases energy
- Enhances post workout and race recovery
- Flushes waste and toxins from muscles leading to faster recovery time and faster muscle healing
- Promotes healthy muscle tone
- Helps reduce adhesions
- Realigns muscles
- Helps reduce post workout and race stiffness
- Increases oxygenated blood floor
to muscles
- Treatment of soft tissue injuries
- Improves resting length of muscles
- Increases range of motion
- Reduces scar tissue and adhesions to encourage realignment and increased blood flow
- Decreases pain
- Decreases muscle spasm
- Reduces trigger points and fascial restrictions
- Injury prevention
- Decreased Pain
- Improved respiratory function
- Triathletes are prone to short, overworked chest muscles. Cycling for long periods of time is a major cause. This can lead to a rounded shoulder and forward head posture and creates stress on the shoulder girdle and ribcage. The result is that the diaphragm and ribcage can’t expand completely and optimal breathing is impaired. The ability to use oxygen is decreased and performance is impaired. Trigger points and fascia restrictions leading to pain are also likely
- As a result of the shortened chest muscles, the muscles of the back become long and weak. This can lead to dysfunction which increases the risk of injury and impairs performance.
- By reducing restrictions in the chest muscles and strengthening muscles of the back,
mobility of the rib cage and shoulder girdle are improved, breathing is improved,
increased ability to uptake and use oxygen is attained, and performance is enhanced.
Injury potential is also reduced
- Decreased stress
- Studies of on job massage and job related stress have shown that massage reduces saliva levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. Subjects of the study reported feeling more alert and this was supported by an EEG study that showed brain waves consistent with increased alertness. After the massage, the subjects were also able to solve computerized problems in half the time with 50% fewer errors.
