5 Reasons Why You Need A Massage!
Have you ever gone for a massage? Did you know that we offer massage therapy out of our physiotherapy clinic, MOMENTUM Physical Therapy, located in Okotoks?
If you have had a massage before, you likely rave about the experience and how you felt afterwards. People LOVE taking care of themselves with massages!
If you haven’t had a massage treatment before, you are missing out! Often, massage therapy used as an effective way to deal with an old injury, a postural problem or headaches. Of course, it’s also know just as being an excellent way to provide stress relief.
Before we go any further, let me introduce myself. My name is Stephen Uhrbach and I am the owner, and lead physical therapist, at MOMENTUM Physical Therapy & Sports Rehab in Okotoks. Today I wanted to talk to YOU about massage therapy. At our physiotherapy clinic in Okotoks, our Physical Therapists and Massage Therapists work very closely with each other to help people like you recover from an injury, move better, and relieve stress. Today, we are going to go over the Top 5 Reasons That You Should Try Massage Therapy, and how our registered massage therapists at MOMENTUM Physical Therapy in Okotoks can help you!
Now, let’s get back to talking about Massage Therapy and why it’s awesome!
what is massage therapy?
Massage therapy is a form of hands on therapy that has been used for centuries to promote health and well-being. Massage therapists use various techniques to help loosen a bodies muscular system to provide physical and emotional relief from an injury, postural problems, or stress. Massage therapists achieve this by using their hands, as well as with various tools and techniques like cups (cupping) or hot stones.
Are all massage therapists the same?
Massage therapy is a powerful tool used to help people heal and relax, but not all massage therapists come with the same level of training or experience. When you are looking for a massage therapist, look for the the designation of ‘RMT 2200 hours’ (or more!). These massage therapists have extensive formal training in practice as ‘Registered Massage Therapists’. At MOMENTUM Physical Therapy in Okotoks, our massage therapy team are all the highly trained, 2200 hour, registered massage therapists - so you can rest assured that you’ll be receiving a great massage from any of them!
Registered Massage Therapists are also typically the only type of massage therapy that extended health benefits will cover. So if the massage therapist that you are seeing is not a ‘RMT” (Registered Massage Therapist) you will be ineligible to use your health benefits to cover the cost. Here at MOMENTUM Physical Therapy we are happy to let you know that we are able to direct bill most insurance companies for coverage of your massage therapy sessions. Check out our benefits page here to see if your benefit company allows us to directly submit expenses on your behalf.
Aren’t massages just something to do when on a vacation?
Absolutely not! Although you can get a massage on the beach (which truly does sound wonderful!), massages come in all sorts of styles. They can be light and relaxing (like in a spa) or deep and intense (to relieve deep aches, pains, and tensions). Massage therapists are trained to adjust their pressure and techniques based on your individual preferences and needs. When you attend your massage, the massage therapist will take some time to get to know what you are looking for and will tailor your massage session to your needs.
Okay, so are you ready for MOMENTUM Physical Therapy’s ‘Top 5 Reasons Why You Should Get A Massage’? Let’s dive into that below!
5 Reasons Why You Need A Massage
1. Stress Relief
Massage therapy is a great way to reduce stress and tension in the body. Have you had a long day at the office? Maybe the kids have been driving you CRAZY!! Need a break from the relatives who are visiting for Christmas?
Tension and stress can turn into tightness and build up in the muscles in your neck, shoulders, lower back, and hips. Massage therapy is an excellent way to de-stress, relax, and push this physical stress out of your body. Most people who are looking for stress relief opt for a relaxation massage with some pin pointed deep tissue relief in targeted areas like the neck and shoulders.
If you feel like the the stress of life has thrown a load on your shoulders, try a massage to see if you can get some relief!
2. Pain Relief
Massage therapy can help to reduce pain and discomfort in the body. Have you been involved in a car accident and are healing from whiplash? Or have a pinched a nerve in your back? Perhaps you hurt your shoulder throwing a snowball or baseball?
Anytime the body gets injured, the muscles around the injury site will go into a “spasm” state to try and protect the healing muscle, ligament or joint. This spasm will cause pain and can manifest as soreness, headaches, or stiffens. As the body heals, it doesn’t always naturally relax that painful spasm.
Massage therapy can be an effective tool to help loosen up the protective muscle spasm and reduce your pain. Once the pain reduces, you can start to get back to your normal life and routine. If you are dealing with some pain after sustaining an injury, try a massage to see if the pain will settle.
3. Improved Movement
Massage therapy can help to improve the flexibility in the body. Injuries and poor posture can lead to tightened and shortened muscles. When muscles shorten, they limit the amount of movement in the body. This causes tightness and inflexibility.
Along with stretching and exercise, massage therapy is an effective tool to help unwind and loosen tightened muscles to regain movement in your neck, shoulders, hips or back.
If you are generally feeling stiff and looking for a way to try and physically loosen up, trying a deeper massage targeting your tight spots is likely a solution to your stiffness.
4. Improved Sleep
Massage therapy has been shown to help improve sleep quality. Sleep is an important part of everyday life. As we all know, if you don’t sleep well, you don’t feel or function well. There are many things that contribute to overall sleep quality, and massage therapy can help address a number of reasons that you might be struggling with sleep.
Stress and tension can keep you up at night. Pain can wake you from a deep slumber. Tightness can make it difficult to get comfortable on your mattress or pillow. If any of these factors are making it difficult for you to sleep, I would recommend that you try massage therapy to improve your sleep quality. Just tell your therapist that you are having difficult sleeping (and why you think that is), and they can tailor your session to help relieve the reasons for your sleeping issues.
5. Improved Overall Health
Massage therapy can help to improve overall health and continued well-being. Many people use massage therapy as part of their self maintenance routine of self care.
Consistently reducing stress, reducing pain, improving movement, and maintaining sleep quality can have profound effects on your overall health and wellness.
If you are looking to improve your quality of life, consider adding monthly maintenance massages to your health routine. You won’t be disappointed!
This list of ‘5 Reasons Why You Should Get a Massage’ really just begin to scratch the surface on the benefits of seeing a registered massage therapist. If you are looking to reduce low back pain, neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, hip pain, or leg pain, massage therapy is a powerful tool to employ.
As a bonus - did you know that most people have benefits that cover the cost of massage therapy that they never actually use? That is right - many people have extended health care benefits that will cover their massage therapy. You might be able to access all the benefits that we just covered at no additional cost to you.
If you are looking to give massage therapy a try - either to tackle some stress, stiffness, pain OR to simply add to your self care routine - call MOMENTUM Physical Therapy today to connect with one of our awesome and highly trained massage therapists. You can reach us at 403-982-5600 or by clicking HERE and booking online.
We look forward to seeing you here at MOMENTUM Physical Therapy soon!
So, about that massage…
Don’t keep thinking about whether you would benefit from a massage or not, because if you’re wondering, you will definitely benefit!
When you’re ready, our Registered Massage Therapists, here at MOMENTUM Physical Therapy- in Okotoks, would be more then thrilled to lend you a hand or two! Give us a call today at 403-982-5600 to get booked in with one of our awesome therapists. Or feel free to book your massage online HERE!
We’re here for you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the purpose of massage therapy?
Massage therapy is a form of hands on therapy performed by well-educated, Registered Massage Therapists. Massage therapists help their clients reduce stress, reduce pain, improve movement, improve circulation, and improving overall health by loosening tightened muscles and fascia in the body.
How does massage therapy work?
Massage therapists loosen muscle and fascia by applying pressure and stretches to the muscular and fascial system of the body. They use their hands and elbows, as well as tools like cups and hot stones, to help loosen your tight and sore muscles.
Is massage therapy painful?
There are different types of massages. Some massages involve applying deep pressure to targeted muscles, while other massages are gentle and used to reduce stress and tension. Massage therapy shouldn’t be painful, but the pressure that is used will be tailored to your needs and can have varying levels of discomfort. Let your massage therapist know if you are looking for a deeper, more intense massage or a lighter and more relaxing massage.
What are some common injuries that massage therapy can help?
Shoulder strain
Rotator cuff strains
Shoulder bursitis
Sports injuries
Headaches and neck injuries
Back pain
Sciatica
Tennis elbow
Do I need a doctor’s referral to see a massage therapist?
No, there is no requirement in Alberta to have a doctor’s referral in order to seek treatment from a Registered Massage Therapist. This means that you can call us here at MOMENTUM Physical Therapy at any time and book in to see one of our amazing massage therapists. It is recommended that you confirm with your extended health benefits providers that no referral is required for reimbursement though as every benefit plan is different.
Meet our Registered Massage Therapists:
Momentum Physical Therapy, located in Okotoks, Alberta, is ‘Here for YOU’.
If you are experiencing shoulder pain, have a back injury, or you just want to learn more about how massage therapy and physiotherapy can help heal your pain, don’t delay and call MOMENTUM Physical Therapy today. You can reach registered physiotherapists and massage therapists at MOMENTUM by calling 403-982-5600. We look forward to helping you feel you best again.