Massage and Body Image

How much time do you spend thinking about your body? Are the thoughts positive or negative?

Body image can be affected by tangible physical factors. In her book, Transforming Body Image (The Crossing Press, 1985), Dr. Marcia Hutchinson suggests body image has little to do with the physical body. “Image and reality are separate,” she says. And if body image is a product of the imagination, Hutchinson proposes that it can also
be changed using the imagination.

The way we experience our physical self on the mental plane can become habitual and may generate habitual patterns of muscle tension. Since regularly scheduled massage positively affects body and mind, massage can help us release physical and mental patterns of tension, enhancing our ability to experience our bodies (regardless of their shape or size) in a more positive way.

In Body Image: A Handbook of Theory, Research, and Clinical Practice
(The Guilford Press, 2004), massage therapy is named as a somatic (bodily) approach that is helpful in positively affecting body image “by helping the client reconnect to the body in a very concrete manner.”

Regular massage encourages an awareness of the body just as it enhances our ability to relax. During massage, we can experience the sensation of touch in a non-hreatening way.

“Our experience of touch forms an important foundation for our sense of self,” writes Thomas Pruzinsky in Body Images: Development, Deviance, and Change (The Guilford Press, 1990). Since touch is a powerful method of communication, “a change in one’s sense of self may be facilitated through therapeutic touch.”

Hutchinson suggests an exercise called “imaginal massage,” in which we visualize a massage occurring, with the healing hands of the therapist as a means of accepting our own bodies. This mind exercise can also be utilized during massage sessions. Imagine the affirmative energy in the therapist’s hands transferring to your body.

A comfortable, professional relationship with a massage therapist allows us the opportunity to experience our bodies as acceptable. Caring touch communicates safety and approval, boosting self-esteem and inner peace.

“Healing is about learning, so trust your body’s signals and find out what works for you,” writes Susan Mumford in Healing Massage (CICO, 2007). Then ask your massage therapist for what is most helpful to you.

“Your body is … a wonderfully intricate interaction with everything around you,” writes Dr. Eugene T. Gendlin in Focusing (The Guilford Press, 1998). “Your ody ‘knows’ the whole of each of your situations—vastly more aspects of it than you can think. There is a kind of bodily awareness that profoundly influences our lives and that can help us reach personal goals.”

Learning to accept the body (and its messages) is a continuous, lifelong journey and regular massage is a way to practice body reverence. Utilize bodywork sessions to nurture the connection between your body and mind and experience complete acceptance of yourself exactly as you are.

Your Massage Session - Vocalize Your Needs

When a massage therapist’s hands touch the skin, the effect reaches down to the muscles and ligaments,and then positively influences the circulatory, lymphatic, and nervous systems. Healing touch, a sensitive style of communication, speaks safety and comfort. “The beauty of massage lies in it being such a simple, direct form of human contact,” says Susan Mumford in The New Complete Guide to Massage (Penguin Group, 2006).

Massage is a safe therapeutic art, considered by many to be a vehicle for mental, physical, and emotional health. People seek massage for myriad reasons—from simple relaxation to addressing muscular injuries. An intuitive therapist is likely to pick up many clues about your needs from an intake interview before the session, and even by the way you sit, talk, and walk. The written and verbal information you provide and the questions you ask are also crucial for a successful bodywork session. Mention particular issues you’d like to have addressed and feel free to ask about the
techniques being used in your session.

Inform your therapist of short- or long-term medical conditions. Massage is used cautiously, or not at all, in some situations. For example, massage is generally avoided when a person has fever, open wounds, or certain skin disorders. People with long-term medical conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, or osteoporosis, should seek a doctor’s advice before massage. With medical supervision, a trained bodyworker often helps ease long-term pain and stress, usually with gentle strokes and personalized techniques.

During the session, vocalize your needs as they arise. If the room is too warm or cold, say so. Herbal and aromatherapeutic oils add healing benefits to massage. Tell your therapist if you are sensitive to an herb or essential oil, if you’d like him or her to use more (or less) massage oil, or if you don’t care for an oil’s scent.

What if you feel pain during massage? In Massage: Mind and Body (DK Publishing, 2003), Larry Costa says we must “distinguish between comfortable and uncomfortable pain.” When working on sensitive areas of your body, the therapist will begin slowly then move toward deep-tissue work. “You may experience some discomfort to begin with, but this should diminish after a few minutes as the muscles relax,” Costa says. This is comfortable pain. “Pain that causes you to wince, cry out, or tense up is probably not doing you any good.” Ask your therapist for less or more pressure, depending on your needs.

“The healing touch of massage is one of the best gifts you can gives your body,” writes Esme Floyd in Body Massage (Carlton Books, 2004). Touch, a basic human impulse, soothes the body and relaxes the mind, promoting physical and mental wellbeing. Massage sessions provide a safe space for you to relax, reflect, and feel comfortable in your own skin.

Massage Etiquette

Massage therapy is a partnership—a relationship that feels intrinsically personal. In this joint venture, there’s a mutual energy exchange that requires rofessionalism and respect by both parties. What should you expect from your massage therapist and what is expected of you? Here are a few answers.

What if i’m late? - For you and your therapist, rules of common courtesy apply. The appointment should start, and end, on time. Arrive for your session a
few minutes early, especially if you prefer to splash water on your face or sponge off tired feet. Promptness guarantees you’ll receive your full appointment. If a traffic snare causes you to arrive late, expect the session to still end at the appointed time. Other clients are likely scheduled after you. If you must cancel an appointment, call 24 hours in advance. Check with your therapist about fees incurred for missed or cancelled appointments.

What time of day is best? - Some massage aficionados clamor for morning appointments that energize. Others discover an evening massage dissolves the day’s stress. Massage can be a stimulating beginning, a midday respite, or a relaxing end to your day. Avoid massage after a heavy meal, and skip alcoholic beverages before, during, and after massage.

What should i do during the massage? - Breathe. Therapists pace their strokes alongside your breath or breathe with you. “Massage helps clear the cobwebs in your head,” says licensed massage therapist (LMT) Kathyleen voice your needs—on room temperature or the pressure exerted on that tender shoulder. But also get comfortable with silence. Stillness multiplies the restorative benefits of massage.

Should I tip? “I don’t count on tips as part of my income,” Seward ays. “I’m grateful they’re getting the bodywork. A tip is a gift, and it’s appreciated. It’s not a requirement.” If you feel you’ve received excellent service and you’d like to tip, 15–20 percent is a good guideline.

What if i laugh or cry? Exhilaration, exhaustion, giddiness, and tears are all natural responses to massage. You may experience intensely creative thoughts;the solution to a long-unsolved problem may dawn. “Emotional outbursts are common,” Seward says. “It’s a high compliment, if I created the space for my client to let go.”

How can i compliment my therapist? - Fall asleep during massage, refer
friends to your therapist, or tell your therapist the session passed too quickly. “It’s rewarding when a client leaves the massage saying, ‘When is your next open appointment?’” says Kimberly Reiter, an LMT in New Albany, Indiana. Returning regularly for massage is the best compliment a client can give.

What is it Exactly

Massage is one of the oldest healing arts: Chinese records dating back 3,000 years document its use; the ancient Hindus, Persians and Egyptians applied forms of massage for many ailments; and Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems. Today, the benefits of massage are varied and far-reaching. As an accepted part of many physical rehabilitation programs, massage therapy has also proven beneficial for many chronic conditions, including low back pain, arthritis, bursitis, fatigue, high blood pressure, diabetes, immunity suppression, infertility, smoking cessation, depression, and more. And, as many millions will attest, massage also helps relieve the stress and tension of everyday living that can lead to disease and illness.

So What Is It Exactly?
Massage, bodywork and somatic therapies are defined as the application of various techniques to the muscular structure and soft tissues of the human body. Specifically:

Massage: The application of soft-tissue manipulation techniques to the body, generally intended to reduce stress and fatigue while improving circulation. The many variations of massage account for several different techniques.

Bodywork: Various forms of touch therapies that may use manipulation, movement, and/or repatterning to affect structural changes to the body.

Somatic: Meaning “of the body.” Many times this term is used to denote a body/mind or whole-body approach as distinguished from a physiology-only or environmental perspective.

There are more than 250 variations of massage, bodywork, and somatic therapies and many practitioners utilize multiple techniques. The application of these techniques may include, but is not limited to, stroking, kneading, tapping, compression, vibration, rocking, friction, and pressure to the muscular structure or soft tissues of the human body. This may also include non-forceful passive or active movement and/or application of techniques intended to affect the energetic systems of the body. The use of oils, lotions, and powders may also be included to reduce friction on the skin.

Please note: Massage, bodywork and somatic therapies specifically exclude diagnosis, prescription, manipulation or adjustments of the human skeletal structure, or any other service, procedure or therapy which requires a license to practice orthopedics, physical therapy, podiatry, chiropractic, osteopathy, psychotherapy, acupuncture, or any other profession or branch of medicine.

Will My Insurance Cover It?
The services of a bodywork professional may be covered by health insurance when prescribed by a chiropractor or osteopath. Therapies provided as part of a prescribed treatment by a physician or registered physical therapist are often covered.

Hot Stone Massage

For those of you who have never experienced a Hot Stone Massage, now is your chance. I will extend the special price of $45.00 through the end of November, 2009 if you book an appointment for Monday or Wend.

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Ease Into Movement

From our first venture into the school gymnasium as kids, we’ve been taught to stretch. As adults, stretching is as common a morning routine as brushing our teeth or combing our hair.

Mind-body fitness expert Anat Baniel wants us to know how to move and stretch carefully and start our day out right. Baniel, author of
Move Into Life: The Nine Essentials for Lifelong Vitality (Harmony Books, 2009), believes excessive stretching is an activity that is contrary to the health and longevity of our muscles.

“Muscles are meant to contract and relax,” she says. “Stretching them puts stress on them and rips muscle fibers, forcing them to constantly repair themselves after each time you stretch. Your body’s movement shouldn’t cause repeated damage. It should be more harmonious and flow naturally.”

Baniel says her method of stretching actually increases flexibility and motion without damaging muscles. Follow these simple steps:

1. Stand up, spread your feet comfortably, gently bend down, and let your hands move toward your feet. Notice how far you go, without forcing, and come back to standing.

2. Stand, spread your legs comfortably, bend your knees a little, and put your right hand just above your right knee, on your thigh. Put your left hand just above your left knee. Then lean on your legs with the weight of your upper body resting on your hands. Begin to round your back and at the same time pull your belly in; look down at
your belly. Then gently arch your back, push your belly out, lift your head, and look up. Repeat process.

3. Come back to standing, bend forward, and take your hands down toward your feet, as in Step 1. Is there some change already?

4. Now stand with feet apart, and knees bent a little; this time lean with both hands on your left leg, just above the knee as before. Gently and slowly round your back and look down, then arch your back, free the belly muscles (push them out), and
look up. Go back and forth four or five times. Then stand and rest for a moment. Feel how you stand.

5. Repeat Step 4, this time leaning with both hands on your right knee.

6. Stand up with your feet spread comfortably and bend down. Can you can bend more easily and further than before? Are your toes closer to your hands? “They should be,”
Baniel says, “because the variations provided by this exercise supplied your brain the information it needed to figure out how to let go of tight muscles and tendons.”
Baniel’s approach to vital, creative, and energetic life is based not only on the all-important regimens of diet,exercise, and stress management, but upon providing the brain with what it requires for us to grow, evolve, and thrive as individuals.

Karrie Osborn is contributing editor for
Massage & Bodywork magazine.

Massage Means Less Stress, More Math

I do not think there is anyone who would be reading this blog and would not agree that stress is a major problem in modern society, and that massage is a great way to get rid of it. However, if you are one of those people, please let me refer you to some introductory resources from the Web for you to look at:

- Go to Google.com

- Type in “massage” + “Stress”

- Read about how massage has been proven to combat stress (and much more) from sites such as:

o The Mayo Clinic

o WebMD

o The Touch Institute

o And many more credible, trusted organizations

While you are at the last source I mentioned – The Touch Institute – navigate a couple of links into the Web page (click “TRI Research”, then “Adult Massage Studies”) and you’ll see (listed second) a paper from the International Journal of Neuroscience that studied the effects of massage on stress and anxiety.

Not only did this study demonstrate that massage can reduce stress, but it also gave specific examples of the tangible benefits that come to people when they are relieved of the burden of stress.

For the study, one group of participants was given chair massage two times per week over a five-week period. Another group of participants was made to sit down in a massage chair, but was not given massage. Instead they were simply told to “relax” on their own and given an amount of time in which they could relax. Before the study began all participants were given an Electroencephalography (EEG) to monitor their brain patterns.

The EEGs conducted after the five-week period showed that while both groups had increased levels of relaxation, the group that received massage had brain activity that showed enhanced alertness, lower levels of anxiety, and lower levels of job stress. The control group that did not receive the massage either did not experience these benefits, or experienced them on a lower level.

As for actual, tangible manifestations of the massages’ effectiveness: The study had all participants do a series of math computations, both before and after the five-week period; of course, the participants who had received massage all showed improved accuracy and speed on their math problems, while the control group did not.