What Is Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy is the practice of soft tissue manipulation with physical, functional and sometimes psychological purposes and goals. Massage therapy is the most widely used complementary and alternative practice in the United States. Massage has been practiced in most cultures, both Eastern and Western, throughout human history, and was one of the earliest tools that people used to try to relieve pain.
How It Helps
It is a form of manual therapy that includes holding, moving, and applying pressure to the muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia. Massages relieve pain from musculoskeletal injuries, reduces stress, enhances relaxation, decreases feeling of anxiety and depression and improves overall well being.
One of the immediate benefits of massage is a feeling of deep relaxation and calm. This occurs because massage prompts the release of endorphins – the brain chemicals that produce feelings of wellbeing.