Most if not all cultures have their own  manual therapies, they vary from soft techniques like myo-fascial release right through to strong deep tissue methods like Rolfing.

To rub a part of your body that is hurting is an instinctual reaction. Most if not all forms of massage aid the circulation of blood through your muscles, muscles should only be rigid if you are using them because your blood transports oxygen and nutrients to your muscle cells which act as fuel for muscle action. Your blood also takes away waste products such as lactic acid  from your muscles after your muscle uses (metabolises) them like a car’s exhaust pipe takes the gases of spent fuel away from it’s engine. Post massage nausea occasionally happens if you have a large toxin build up in your muscles.

In principle it is quite simple and straight forward, when you get a cramp for instance from doing something unusually strenuous you suffer from a build up of metabolites (cellular waste) such as lactic acid. Your venuous (de-oxygenated) blood vessels cannot expel these toxins fast enough from your muscle tissue. Sometimes a mineral shortage in your bloodsteam can upset the normal chemical balance in your blood (homeostasis) which may  cause cramping.

As we get older scar tissue and plaque can also build up in your muscles which can interfere with the circulation of blood through your muscles which can cause discomfort, weakness and stiffness. Lack of appropriate regular exercise, dehydration, poor posture, stress and poor diet can  negatively effect normal muscular activity and sensation. Massage can atleast temporarily give relief to sore muscles from these causes.

A less than ideal introduction to massage might totally put you off going again, maybe they went too hard  or perhaps they went too soft and you found it ineffectual. Sometimes it feels fine at the time but you felt like a car hit you afterwards. I have have massages that fall in all three categories, it has been my experience that the massages that felt good at the time but sore afterwards, a couple of days later freed my movement up very well and was worth having.

Everybody has their own pressure tolerances. Sometimes you might be able to comfortably soak up the pressure in one part of your body but find other places more sensitive. Many (myself included) find their calf muscles much more sensitive to massage. Massage therapists will usually ask you to let them know if it is too hard, (I do with everyone I see) they will be able to work within your tolerances much faster if you do this.

Sometimes it takes a few treatments to get the pressure just right, it is invariably easier to give a good satisfying massage to clients I have worked on numerous times. If it has been a long time since you had a massage or you have never had one before soreness afterwards is more common.

Freeing yourself of muscular pain is great but to restore freedom of movement is even better, it usually takes more visits to the massage therapist to feel like you are moving properly again than it does for the pain to go away. The maintenance of normal movement becomes increasingly important as we age, it gets harder and harder to remain living independently as your body stiffens.

Getting regular therapeutic massage helps keep your body moving and feeling young.