When Massage Therapy treatments are provided by a Registered Massage Therapist there are a lot of benefits for a large variety of conditions. Massage therapy can enhance your overall well-being. It can help with a number of musculoskeletal conditions associated with stress, overuse injuries, persistent pain issues, and as preventative care.

Major benefits seen are:

Those who have interacted with me, likely know I am a huge advocate for foam rolling. I personally have found it far more beneficial than just stretching; particularly for chronicly tight muscles. Recently, I had seen a post on social media discussing this study: “Expert Consensus on the Contraindications and Cautions of Foam Rolling-An International Delphi Study”.

I immediately clicked the link to the study, since it’s always good to be at the tip-top of new knowledge. It did not take long for my curiosity to be taken over by frustration.

Many people find themselves hesitate to try Massage Therapy. Whether it’s through a registered or licensed practitioner or even at spa or on vacation. If you are one of those people, or know someone, I hope this helps calm some anxieties.

I’d first like to start off by saying that MOST people that provide massage therapy (particularly health care professionals) are not judging you in anyway. We are looking past your exterior to try to figure out what is occurring below your skin to make you feel pain, decrease your range of motion or whatever other issue you are experiencing. If you feel judged or uncomfortable you have the right to stop or modify your treatment at any time — even before it begins. And if you experience these feelings try a different practitioner or new location.

Now, let’s move on to my list of common fears that I hear:

Following a diet or eating plan is not just about having willpower. Way too often we are hardwired to believe that the main factor you need to stay focused and stay on track is willpower.

The real message that should relayed is to get to a healthy body weight and maintain it, has nothing to do with ‘willpower’. People who maintain a great figure year round do not depend on this every single day. Instead, they have made their behaviors a habit. This does not require daily energy and becomes part of who they are. No thought necessary. It’s just part of their everyday life, just like how coffee-drinkers wake up and the first thing in their day is to pour a fresh cup.

There are two popular styles of massage therapy, both of which have a place in your everyday life: (1) Relaxation massage, which is generally used when one is feeling stressed from work or family life, or overwhelmed by a hectic schedule and is often what people receive when they participate in a “spa day”; and (2) Therapeutic aka Deep Tissue massage, which is used to help people work through and heal from injuries, conditions, and dysfunctions. Despite their differences, both types of massage therapy can elicit an emotional response.