Benefits of Massage Therapy

There are many positive aspects to receiving massage therapy on an ongoing basis, and with the busy and hectic lives we lead on a daily basis, we can all benefit from this therapeutic treatment. At the Lakeside student massage therapy clinic, we offer a safe environment for students to hone their skills under the watchful guidance of clinic instructors.

Immune System Benefits

Research shows that massage therapy strengthens the immune system in the following ways:

• Relieve physical and mental stress: by decreasing muscle tension in the back, shoulder, and neck muscles
• Improve sleep quality: by relieving stress and aiding in relaxation
• Nurture a general sense of well being by increasing body awareness and improving posture through massage
• Psychological benefits: the one-on-one interaction of massage reduces anxiety, depression, and stress. Mental clarity and alertness are enhanced

The Physiological Benefits of Massage Therapy

Massage therapy relieves tension in your muscles; many people use it for relaxation and to reduce muscle soreness.

• Hasten recovery: massage can speed recovery from exercise or injury by promoting healthy tissue
• Increased flexibility: massage assists in restoring joint mobility by reducing the restrictions of the soft tissue surrounding the joint.
• Maintain healthy muscle tissue: oxygenation of muscle tissue is increased by massage, due to increased blood flow, keeping it healthy
• Reduces pain: massage can become a component of long term pain management by reducing muscle spasms and reducing edema, and also by the flushing out of metabolic build up in tissue
• Lowers blood pressure: massage increases blood flow to treated areas, and may have a systemic effect by reducing the heart rate and blood pressure
• Massage can be used to treat: headaches, migraines, adhesions, muscle spasm, myositis, bursitis, fibrositis, tendonitis, and myofascial trigger points