Muscle Massage
by David Gentle
The natural therapeutic benefits of massage for helping promote vigorous
health, improving circulation and banishing tension, have been known and
practised for over three thousand years. Massage helps improve a whole range
of ailments and conditions from fatigue, tension, neuralgia, common
headaches, sciatica and the multitude of symptoms usually termed as general
aches and pains. The relaxing effect of a good massage, banishes muscular
tension and fatigue, being far more beneficial and effective than
tranquillizers, and also more enjoyable.
The Chinese first developed massage as a healing art, which became recognized for its physical and mental benefits in the pre-Christian era by the renowned Greek and Roman physicians, with that most famous Roman of all, Julius Caesar having massage administered daily. Early Grecian athletes paid great attention to massage as part of their training routines. In the early nineteenth century Dr. P. H. Ling elaborated the World renowned Swedish System of massage, based on a combination of the best of all earlier methods. This system is made of basically three special movements, i.e. Effleurage, being light stroking gentle movements, used to soothe nerves and improve circulation, with flowing hand movements.
Next is Petrissage, a kneading action, used to help relax tense contracted muscles by lightly pinching skin between thumb and fingers, also by holding the skin so that it rolls out from under the thumb, and lastly there is Tapoement, a slapping and tapping movement, usually with cupped hands, lightly hitting with fists and flat hands, often with chopping actions using the side of the hands. All three of these actions assist in stimulating the nervous system and helping tone and relax the muscles.
Every leading hospital combines massage with exercise in its physiotherapy treatments, especially in attempting to aid nervous ailments, diseases of circulation, and muscular spasms. There are of course medical conditions that do not respond to massage, i.e. areas of infection, inflammation or phlebitis, etc. nor should you rub or use friction on varicose veins or upon warts, moles, or similar skin eruptions. Neither does massage burn up fat or calories, as some articles or advertisements claim. Only exercise will do this, there is no passive way of losing excess fat. To lose weight, you must simply take in less calories than you need to make the body use its store up reserves. Massages greatest value is as a relaxant, and is therefore a superb aid to recovery from exhaustion or strain, be it mental or physical exertion.
Massage helps accelerate the flow of blood and lymph through the system aiding the circulation locally to some noticeable extent. In early experiments the eminent scientist Dr. J.H. Kellog found an increase from three to seven percent in the red blood cells and from forty to eighty percent increase in white blood corpuscles, after the application of a good body massage. This increased blood count lasted from one to two hours, being brought about by the liver and spleen releasing into the circulation the extra corpuscles.
Increased circulation brought about by massage manipulations helps remove fatigue products in the muscles, more readily eliminating waste products like lactic acid and carbon dioxide. Scientifically controlled experiments carried out by early researchers Mass and Maggiora demonstrated that massage is of value in increasing physical endurance and also in the recovery from muscular fatigue.
In an experiment using an instrument called an Ergograph which was designed to measure the work done by muscles, a subject lifted almost twice the amount of weight in an endurance test after first having massaged the muscles he intended using in the trial. Recovery was also improved with massage under tested condition. Adepts of massage also claim its benefits for aiding respiration and digestion. Manipulations in the abdominal area are claimed to stimulate the nerves which control the abdominal area of the viscera, improving circulation and glandular activity, encouraging an increased secretion of digestive juices. Peristaltic activity is stimulated helping in both assimilation and elimination. Massage in the abdominal region over the colon is a useful aid in the treatment of constipation. Early American Indians always treated their common stomach aches by laying down on the ground and rolling backwards and forwards across their abdomen, a large stone, in other words, a 'do it yourself massage'.
To obtain the numerous benefits massage has to offer, the best course of action is to visit, or have visit you, at your home or gym, a Qualified masseur. The other alternative is to practise a limited version of self massage, before and after exercise, or when you need to relax. You need privacy and warmth, {after a bath is a good ideal and some light natural oil, available from most Health Food Stores or Chemists. The oil is to aid in the smoothing and kneading of the muscles. Do not over oil the hands, just a slight touch of oil warmed in the hands before you commence. The basic principle is to work the movements toward the heart or against the body's natural circulation. From feet upwards, it goes like this ...
Rotate your feet and ankles in all directions, then using your thumb, press into the ball of the foot, then the heel and down the sole. Continue rubbing and stroking upwards paying attention to the calves, kneading and chopping lightly the relaxed muscles. Work along your thighs, again kneading and stroking, working your way to the lower back and a real seat of tension. Next beginning at the coccyx or tail bone, work your way along and upwards as far as you can reach, massaging each vertebra. Now change direction and recommence starting from the scalp, spreading the fingers, attempt to move the skin on the head in small gentle circular motions. Work your way downward along the back of the neck, which is the other site of most tension. And using the technique termed Petrissage knead the thick and often overt tense neck muscles until you can feel the glow of restored circulation.
Continue with opposite hands, pinching and rubbing from the fingers along the forearm and the upper arms. Finally to finish off the benefits of the session, allow yourself ten minutes complete relaxation on your favourite couch, dreaming no doubt of the day you will walk off with ALL THE TOP TROPHIES.
Muscle Muscle © Copyright by David Gentle All Rights Reserved