
Massage is perhaps one of the oldest healing traditions. Many ancient peoples – including the Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese and Indians – were convinced of the therapeutic properties of massage and used it to treat a variety of ailments.
Massage therapy is the practice of kneading or manipulating a person’s muscles and other soft tissue in order to improve their wellbeing or health. It is a form of manual therapy that includes holding, moving, and applying pressure to the muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia.
The term ‘massage therapy’ is used to describe a wide variety of techniques that vary in the way touch, pressure and the intensity of the treatment is applied.
Research indicates that massage is effective in managing:
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- subacute/chronic low back pain
- delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
- anxiety
- stress
- soft tissue injuries
- high blood pressure
It can also be effectively used to support people with:
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- a chronic disease
- a life threatening illness such as cancer.