Benefits of regular massage therapy
Benefits of Regular Massage Therapy
Routine massage therapy isn’t something reserved for athletes or those going through rehabilitation. It’s something more people need to incorporate into their lives.
Key takeaways:
The benefits of massage are often linked to access, which is limited for many groups.
Science has broadly and continually validated the anecdotal benefits of massage therapy.
Helping people realize the benefits of massage starts by enabling more equitable access.
Robotics and automation promises to bring about more equitable access.
The concept of regular massage is something we often reserve for professional athletes or those we deem wealthy enough to afford regular pampering. However, the benefits of regular massage therapy are something everyone can take advantage of—from those managing chronic pain to those concerned with building and maintaining a strong baseline for wellness. It starts by realizing that massage isn’t necessarily a luxury; rather, it’s an investment in foundational health.
The benefits of massage therapy are ubiquitous. They’re attainable by every person, subject to their access to a qualified massage therapist—or, in the future, a well-programmed massage robot. Regular massage has preventive, recuperative and performance-enhancing benefits, all rooted in a combination of blood flow stimulation, myofascial release and stress relief.
Put simply: regular massage has the power to help anyone achieve a higher quality of life, and to promote wellness in often-overlooked capacities—especially in relation to other holistic wellness efforts.
The science-backed benefits of massage
Massage therapy has existed for thousands of years, with anecdotal evidence to support it throughout the ages. Today, we’re fortunate enough to have the scientific capacity to validate these time-honored anecdotal claims with quantitative, data-backed evidence. Indeed, the benefits of regular massage therapy have been measured across numerous studies—and today, we can say with confidence that it’s a proven healing practice.
Here's a selection of evidence-based claims that not only validate the therapeutic benefits of regular massage, but also serve to imply the universality of these benefits across all people—not just athletes or those who can afford to pamper themselves.
Improved athletic performance. The reason massage is commonly associated with athletics is largely because of its roles in reducing injury, improving rehabilitation, raising the bar for performance and conditioning the body. There are, quite literally, hundreds of studies that exemplify the benefits of regular massage for athletes of all calibers, across all phases of training and recovery. As a result, regular massage is frequently positioned alongside purposeful conditioning, sleep and nutrition as a crucial variable in athletic success.
Improved circulation, energy and alertness. Blood oxygenation and the ability of the body to circulate that blood efficiently plays a crucial part in bolstering energy and alertness. Regular massage is proven to improve energy and alertness by reducing instances of vasoconstriction, improving sleep quality and reducing blood pressure. Those seeking regular massage promote better vascular health that leads to improved
Improved immune function and fortitude. Immune function is typically linked to stress levels. Therefore, massage has been extensively studied for its ability to reduce stress and thereby improve immune function and fortitude. Other studies suggest the specific effect of targeted massage to increase the immune response. Still other studies link improved immunity to better wellness baselines, which are the product of regular massage.
Reduced depression, anxiety and confusion. Mental health has manifestations in a person’s physical wellbeing, and massage therapy proves the inverse. Regular massage has been linked to alleviated depressive symptoms, and exploratory studies have linked it to other neurobiological benefits associated with reductions in anxiety and confusion. There’s a strong parasympathetic response between regular massage therapy and the influence it has on mood, mental clarity and contextualized thinking.
Reduced heart rate and blood pressure. Massage’s benefits on the cardiovascular system are some of the most well-researched and studied. It has documented benefits for prehypertensive patients, as well as those already suffering from high blood pressure. The ability of regular massage to soothe individuals contributes to a lower resting heart rate, which is critical in reduction and management of both systolic and diastolic pressure.
Reduced pain and chronic pain management. Chronic pain is a rising epidemic—one that many clinicians are combatting by referring patients to regular massage therapy. Studies confirm massage’s ability to reduce and manage acute pain, as well as manage quality of life symptoms associated with chronic pain over extended periods. Massage is also wholly noninvasive, which distinguishes it from the symptoms associated with many long-term clinical drugs aimed at pain management.
Reduced stress and increased relaxation. While relaxation and stress are difficult to quantify, science has nevertheless measured and proven the improvement of these negative variables in those who receive regular therapeutic massage. For instance, regular massage is proven to increase sleep quality, reduce anxious heart rate and improve overall mood.
It’s important to note that these benefits encompass both additive and subtractive variables—bolstering the body’s natural processes while suppressing unwanted responses. This combination of improvement and reduction serves to balance overall homeostasis and raise the bar for foundational wellness.