By Lillian Khanna
Starting a fitness regimen or maintaining an active lifestyle can take a toll on the body, often resulting in muscle soreness, tension, and pain with your everyday movements. Recovery looks different for everyone, though. That’s where massage therapy comes in—a valuable tool not just for athletes, but for anyone engaging in regular physical activity looking for a tool that doesn’t include more weight and movement. David Hess, LMT CPT, massage therapist for Florida Atlantic University Athletics, lets us in on this preventive and corrective practice.
According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, massage therapy involves “manipulating the soft tissues of the body” in many areas of the body including low-back pain, neck and shoulder pain, osteoarthritis of the knee and even headaches. Pain inflicted by gym weights or the weight of life presents itself the same in the human body which is why massage therapy is so versatile. Hess says that the “increased circulation brings nutrients to the tissue and assists in the removal of waste materials” in the body.
The benefits of massage therapy are well-documented and widely recognized. For gym-goers and athletes, massages help in reducing “muscle hypertonicity and adhesions to restore length and function” Hess states, which is fundamental for performance enhancement and injury prevention. But not all of us are athletes.
“The benefits are the same whether you’re a weekend warrior or a professional athlete…but we also see non-athletic injuries as well. Auto accidents, falls, repetitive movements and stress disorders. All of which can be treated with different variations of massage therapy.”
Except massage therapy doesn’t always have to be in response to an injury. Hess would consider massage therapy both preventative and corrective. “Although all injuries can’t be completely avoided, some can be prevented. Treatment to a dysfunctionally tight muscle can restore it to its normal length and decrease the chances of a more serious injury.”
Office workers, for instance, benefit from massage therapy to alleviate tension from prolonged sitting, while individuals recovering from surgery may find it aids in reducing scar tissue and enhancing mobility.
Hess adds that it’s equally as important knowing how to find a qualified massage therapist as much as it is knowing the benefits of the practice. “All massage therapists in Florida need to be licensed and that license number has to be visible in all their advertisements. The license number will look like MA#. You can even look up a therapist’s license number on the Department Of Health website (floridahealthe.gov). A therapist should carry liability insurance.”
Lastly, Hess stresses that you will get the best results if you know what modality of massage therapy you need. You wouldn’t go to a therapist who specializes in cupping and neuromuscular practices when you need lymphatic drainage or reflexology. You can find more information on different modalities using online resources.
Hess is currently accepting new clients at his Wellington, Florida office. Appointments can be made by visiting www.hesssportsmassage.com.
