Why you should get a massage if you have no pain: Thoughts on Prevention
/As an experienced provider of deep tissue and sports massage in the Orlando, Florida area I work with A LOT of people that are in pain.
- Back Pain
- Shoulder Pain
- Neck Pain
- And every other Pain you can imagine
The majority of massages I provide are for helping someone who is in pain. Whether I am loosening tight musculature surrounding an injury, working out "knots" or increasing range of motion, people call me when they are hurting.
That is great and I feel so lucky I get to be a part of their healing journey. A good deep tissue massage can help alleviate many pain symptoms and over time can play a part in eliminating chronic pain.
I feel part of my job is to educate the public. This is done through self-care strategies you can do to help prevent and alleviate pain symptoms.
One of the best strategies is to make massage a regular part of your routine.
- If you are feeling great, that is a Great time to get a deep tissue massage.
- There are no immediate pain symptoms to address.
- The massage can reach deeper structures faster because you are not extra sensitive or sore due to pain.
- More corrective massage techniques can be applied at a core level in order to prevent injuries and pain symptoms from returning.
When you are experiencing pain, we must focus the massage on relieving the pain your are experiencing before addressing the true cause. If you come for a massage when you are injury and pain free, the massage therapist can focus on the root cause of the problem.
The main population whom takes advantage of massage on a regular basis, whether they are in pain or not, is athletes. They make deep tissue and sports massage an integral part of their training and health care regimen. By doing this, they are able to prevent potential injuries by keeping their range of motion fluid and full.
A regular massage can also address potential injuries before the injury happens. Many times I provide a deep tissue massage to someone in the Orlando area, I find extreme muscular tension in an area the client does not feel any discomfort. Usually, this is the same area the client feels pain if they wait until the symptoms occur to get their massage. I have addressed the restricted musculature and prevented the client from feeling the pain they normally feel. Excellent!
There are two main reasons I hear why someone does not incorporate a deep massage into their routine.
- I forgot to call you until the pain brought my attention to the fact I needed a good Deep Massage.
- I don't have the money to do massage on a regular basis.
These are both valid reasons. I fall victim to them myself from time to time. Lets discuss these reasons and see if there are any solutions to be had.
For #1, the answer can be fairly easy. If you have a massage therapist you like, then schedule your next massage at the end of your current one. Many people schedule their next deep tissue or sports massage immediately following their appointment. If the appointment is for 1-2 weeks away, I do a reminder call or text the day before. If the appointment is for more than 2 weeks away, I do a quick reminder 1 week before their sports massage appointment, and then another reminder the day before their massage. I find the reminders are an integral part in helping my clients stay on schedule with their appointments.
For #2, the answer is trickier and loaded with emotion. Just telling someone to prioritize their body and health instead of some other expense is not the way to go. I won't do that to you. I have had hard spots where massage is the last thing I want to spend money on. And some months I do not get a massage, while others I get one every week. If you have the ability to set aside some money for massage therapy, that is wonderful. You do not need to do a massage 1-2 times per week to make a change in your body. As long as you get a massage at least once per month you are doing more for your body and health then you can imagine. At that monthly appointment, mostly current "issues" will be addressed. That one Deep Tissue massage per month will eventually set your body's baseline. Instead of having a large amount of tension, built upon another large amount of tension, and so on and so on; you will get that mountain of tension broken down every month.
The trick is to find a therapist who is skilled at deep tissue massage with a good knowledge and experience base. The skill and experience of your massage therapist plays directly relates to the quality of your massage. I have found 1 hour of high quality massage therapy can equal or exceed 4 hours of lower quality massage. This is most applicable when applied to injuries, deep tissue massage and sports massage. Relaxation or spa massages take skill, but nowhere near the skill, experience and knowledge that injury rehabilitation and prevention massage techniques take.
Do your best to prevent your injuries and pain with regular massage therapy. I'll leave you with this wonderful old saying by wonderfully wise man.
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
If you're in the Central Florida area and want to get some great deep tissue massage or sports massage for yourself or traveling team or performance company get in touch with me through the Contact page and set something up.
Have a Great Day!
-Michael Ames, LMT
Deep Tissue & Sports Massage Specialist