The wellness industry has boomed over the last 200 years. From the Victorians ‘taking the waters’ in places like Bath to online retailers promoting LED masks and holistic supplements; it can be hard to know what’s truly beneficial and what is not as well as what you actually need.
While this topic is too broad and too niche to discuss every wellness practice in depth, today we will briefly touch on the topic of massage. Looking at the very surface of massage as a wellness we will touch on the benefits, the drawbacks, what it can do, what it can’t do, and relaxation massage vs. remedial massage.
What are the Benefits of Massage?
Massage has been proven to provide a number of psychological and physiological benefits1. From improving circulation and flexibility, improving sleep and muscle recovery, to decreasing muscle stiffness and joint inflammation; massage has been show throughout many studies to provide physical benefit. Additionally, psychological benefit has also been studied extensively. It is now widely accepted that massage lowers stress and anxiety, improves mood, increases energy, and overall improves feelings of health and wellness2.
While there are many other claims made about the healing ability of massage it is important to critically review the practitioner’s qualifications and the type of massage therapy they are offering when determining if their service is likely to truly perform the benefit they promise.
Remedial massage therapists train extensively in Australian compared to beauty therapist or massage therapists. It is important to understand that while a massage or beauty therapist has been trained to perform relaxation massage, they are not provided the same training to diagnose or correct musculoskeletal injuries or abnormalities. For diagnosis or a formal corrective treatment plan, clients should seek out the advice from a doctor, physiotherapist, or at the very least a remedial massage therapist.
This is not to lessen or overlook the benefit that relaxation massage therapists can provide. Many are trained to provide deep tissue techniques which are excellent in reducing muscle pain and strain, improve muscle recovery after exercise, and improve healing to previously injured areas. Furthermore, massage therapists, beauty therapists, and spa therapists are much more likely to offer relaxation massage with a target on psychological benefit. It is important to differentiate based on your own needs.
Benefits of massage are also contingent upon a client’s ability to follow aftercare instructions and implement lifestyle changes where necessary.
Where muscle injury or discomfort has arisen due to a repetitive motion or task, overexertion, or from physically demanding work it is unlikely that massage can definitively provide benefit if the damaging task is not reduced or stopped. An example if that someone with poor posture cannot correct the pain associated with this by using massage alone; the client must actively take steps to improve their posture as well as receiving massage.
Similarly, client’s who receive massage for stress relief but do not actively work to reduce avenues of stress will not find long-lasting relief.
For those seeking short term relief from both physical and emotional discomfort massage is a great option.
What are the drawbacks of massage?
As discussed above, massage cannot be used as a standalone treatment to improve or alleviate conditions, it must be used as part of a broader treatment plan.
Massage has also been heralded as a holistic treatment that can improve the function of internal organs, reduce risk for future complications, and provide an overall reduction in health complaints. These claims have not been substantiated. While this is not to say that these claims are explicitly untrue, there is not concrete evidence as yet.
Massage may also prove to be uncomfortable. Depending on the type of massage, practitioner technique, and tolerance of the client, massage may not be an exceptionally enjoyable treatment for some. It is important to talk with your practitioner prior to your treatment to understand what you should expect. It is also important to communicate with your practitioner to ensure they are aware of your expectations, tolerances, and previous experiences. For clients that do not enjoy physical touch or prolonged treatment massage is not an ideal option.
Massage can also be a costly treatment for some. While it is possible to perform massage on a timeline that suits the client, some treatments do require a minimum number of treatments per month. Additionally, depending on the type of massage that the client is seeking, prices will vary widely. Remedial massage is known to be the more costly of massage therapy options, however this may be offset by a health fund rebate. (This is important to check prior to receiving treatment though, as not all remedial massage therapists are HICAPS registered). Similarly, relaxation massage therapy can range from simple relaxation treatments to more extensive (and costly) aromatherapy relaxation massage. Deciding on your treatment goal and budget will help you choose your massage therapist, treatment, and frequency.
For practitioners, as our understanding of massage as a wellness treatment continues to expand it is important to maintain honesty and transparency with our clients. While it can be difficult to turn away clients who are seeking unrealistic outcomes, it is a necessary step to maintaining the trust that our clients as a whole place in us.
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