| Massage Therapy--More Than a Luxury |
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by Rick Smith, MS, LMT, NCTMB
Everyone knows that a massage feels good. It’s relaxing, stress reducing and
certainly helps with muscle aches and pain. However, it’s much more than a ‘luxury’ as
was once thought. In fact, massage therapy, as it’s known today, is the oldest and
most traditional form of health care known to man. Massage was documented in China
and India over five thousand years ago and, along with the use of herbs, is man’s
oldest approach to medical care.
The last two decades have seen a tremendous growth in massage therapy. In fact, it’s
the leading form of treatment in the Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
field. It’s estimated that over 16,000 massage therapists practice today in Illinois alone,
with another thousand entering the field each year. Besides its popularity as a stress
and pain relieving modality, what other benefits can be expected from receiving
regular massage therapy?
Massage therapy helps increase the effectiveness of the lymphatic, circulatory and
digestive and waste elimination systems. Massage therapy helps our largest organ
system, the skin, stay supple and elastic. It helps injured muscles recover faster from
injury or overuse, reduces the negative effects of scar tissue in muscles, helps soften
and stretch connective tissue, increases joint mobility, reduces fascial constrictions,
improves posture and gait, and relieves the effects of common maladies such as
backache, neck and shoulder pain, headache and repetitive use injury.
When you decide to seek out the right massage therapist for you, look for “LMT”
(Licensed Massage Therapist) after their name. It will insure you that the professional
is not only well trained, but has undergone an extensive background check and meets
on-going educational requirements. Then select the professional who seems to meet
your individual requirements.
Rick Smith, MS, LMT, Nationally Certified Massage Therapist and Massage
Instructor (NCTMB). Rick has been a massage therapist for ten years and has been
teaching massage for almost five years.
certainly helps with muscle aches and pain. However, it’s much more than a ‘luxury’ as
was once thought. In fact, massage therapy, as it’s known today, is the oldest and
most traditional form of health care known to man. Massage was documented in China
and India over five thousand years ago and, along with the use of herbs, is man’s
oldest approach to medical care.
The last two decades have seen a tremendous growth in massage therapy. In fact, it’s
the leading form of treatment in the Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
field. It’s estimated that over 16,000 massage therapists practice today in Illinois alone,
with another thousand entering the field each year. Besides its popularity as a stress
and pain relieving modality, what other benefits can be expected from receiving
regular massage therapy?
Massage therapy helps increase the effectiveness of the lymphatic, circulatory and
digestive and waste elimination systems. Massage therapy helps our largest organ
system, the skin, stay supple and elastic. It helps injured muscles recover faster from
injury or overuse, reduces the negative effects of scar tissue in muscles, helps soften
and stretch connective tissue, increases joint mobility, reduces fascial constrictions,
improves posture and gait, and relieves the effects of common maladies such as
backache, neck and shoulder pain, headache and repetitive use injury.
When you decide to seek out the right massage therapist for you, look for “LMT”
(Licensed Massage Therapist) after their name. It will insure you that the professional
is not only well trained, but has undergone an extensive background check and meets
on-going educational requirements. Then select the professional who seems to meet
your individual requirements.
Rick Smith, MS, LMT, Nationally Certified Massage Therapist and Massage
Instructor (NCTMB). Rick has been a massage therapist for ten years and has been
teaching massage for almost five years.