WHO NEEDS BODY WORK?

Massage therapy and bodywork provides numerous therapeutic benefits for health, fitness and mental well-being. Massage helps improve the body's circulation, increase joint flexibility, reduce mental and physical fatigue and stress, promote faster healing of injured muscular tissue, improve posture, and reduce blood pressure. Massage and bodywork is also known to promote better sleep, improve concentration, reduce anxiety and create an overall sense of well-being.

Not only does massage feel good, help you relax, improve your range of motion and relax your muscles, it can also enhance your overall health and well-being.

There are medical conditions that would make massage therapy or bodywork inadvisable. That's why it's imperative that before you begin your session, you complete a health questionnaire. Our therapists and bodyworkers are licensed to be up-to-date on medical conditions that should not receive this type of therapy.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF MASSAGE | BODYWORK?

Massage provides relief to people of all ages—from infants to seniors—and from all walks of life—the weekend or competitive athlete to the home gardener or overstressed, overworked executive.

Massage therapy addresses a variety of health conditions, the most prevalent being stress-related tension, which, experts believe, accounts for 80%-90% of disease. Massage has been proven beneficial in treating cancer-related fatigue, sleep disorders, high blood pressure, diabetes, low back pain, immunity suppression, spinal cord injury, autism, post-operative surgery, age-related disorders, infertility, eating disorders, smoking cessation, and depression, to name just a few. Here’s why:

Bodywork offers a drug-free, non-invasive and humanistic approach based on the body’s natural ability to heal itself. Massage has many physiological effects, such as:

* Increasing circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
* Stimulating the lymph system, the body’s natural defense, against toxic invaders. For example, in breast cancer patients, massage has been shown to increase the cells that fight cancer.
* Relaxing and softening injured and overused muscles.
* Reducing spasms and cramping.
* Increasing joint flexibility.
* Reducing recovery time for strenuous workouts and eliminating subsequent pains of the athlete at any level.
* Releasing endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller. For this reason, massage is being incorporated into treatment for chronic illness, injury and recovery from surgery to control and relieve pain.
* Reducing post-surgery adhesions and edema and reducing and realigning scar tissue after healing has occurred.
* Improving range of motion and decreasing discomfort for patients with low back pain.
* Relieving pain for migraine sufferers and decreasing the need for medication.
* Providing exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reducing shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
* Contributing to shorter labor and reduced tearing for expectant mothers, as well as lessening the need for medication, minimizing depression and anxiety, and shortening hospital stays.

WHAT TO EXPECT

This is your massage. You need to be completely comfortable to obtain the maximum benefit of your massage.

Your massage will take place in a quiet and professional setting. You may be clothed or unclothed, that is up to you. Your Bodyworker is committed to professionalism and you may discuss any concerns you have prior to your appointment.

The intensity of your massage, again, requires your input. You will be asked during your session if you are comfortable, too light, too intense, etc.

Your massage will last 30-60 minutes, depending on what you have scheduled. A full body massage will require 60 minutes and a partial massage may only require 30 minutes.

After your massage, you should feel very relaxed. Some experience freedom from long-term aches developed from tension or repetitive activity. Some feel energized and a heightened body awareness that could last for several days.

It is important that you drink plenty of water after your massage. Working your muscles stirs up the toxins that have settled in. Water will flush out the toxins and also give you the best chance of not being sore the next day.

MASSAGE THERAPY| BODYWORK CAN HELP WITH ...

STRESS
Massage is one of the best known remedies for stress. Reducing stress gives you more energy, improves your outlook on life and in the process reduces your likelihood of injury and illness. Massage can also relieve symptoms of conditions that are aggravated by anxiety such as asthma or insomnia. Because it relieves stress, massage is an excellent supportive therapy for people in physchological counseling or treatment for addiction.

PAINFUL OR TIGHT MUSCLES
Massage can relieve many types of muscle tightness, from a short-term muscle cramp to a habitually clenched jaw or tight shoulders. Some massage techniques release tension directly by strecthcing and kneading your muscles and their connective tissue coverings or fascia. Other techniques work less directly, but quite powerfully, by stimulating your nervous system to allow your muscles to relax.

DELAYED MUSCLE SORENESS
After vigorous exercise, a buildup of wast products in your muscles can leave you feeling tired and sore. Massage increases circulation, which removes waste products and brings in helathy nutrients.

INJURIES
Massage can help heal injuries such as tendinitis that develop over time, as well as ligament sprains or muscle strains caused by and accident. See more about that in our ACCIDENT section. Massage reduces inflammation by increasing circulation, which removes waste products and brings nutrition to injured cells. Certain massage techniques cna limit scar formation in new injuries.

PREVENTION OF NEW INJURIES
By relieving chronic tension, massage can help prevent injuries that might be caused by stressing unbalanced muscle groups or by favoring or forcing a painful, restricted area.

PAIN OR RESTRICTION IN JOINTS
Massage works directly on your joints to improve circulation, stimulate production of natural lubrication, and relieve pain from conditions such as osteoarthritis.

POSTURE
Massage releases restrictions in muscles, joints and surrounding fascia, freeing your body to return to a more natural posture. Massage can also relieve the contracted muscles and pain cuased by abnormal spinal curvatures such as scoliosis.

FLUID RETENTION
Massage increases your circulation which in turn drains tissues of excess fluid caused by recent injury, surgery or pregnancy.