One of the (many) things I love about massage, is that it can be used to support you in almost anything you choose to do. At this time of year you might be deciding to embark on a new physical challenge, such as taking up yoga, cycling to work some days, or training for an event. Whether something specific or wanting to become generally more active, massage is a brilliant tool to help you achieve the results you want.
As a newcomer to The Massage Centre, I’m already impressed by the sense of motivation and enthusiasm, particularly where health is concerned, that radiates from the therapists and clients at TMC. It’s a great example of how your massage therapist can become a strong ally to you when pursuing your goals.
In the eight years I’ve practised massage with people at varying levels of different sports, I’ve come to appreciate the fascinating process involved in supporting them in reaching their goals. This involves getting to know them as a person, what they do, what they want to be able to do, what has limited them in the past, and how to optimise the time they are prepared to put in to achieve maximum results.
A perfect example is Tony*. When Tony first came to me he was in his early fifties and was living an inactive life, working long hours at a desk, and barely making time for lunch, often eating in front of his computer. He felt he had become stuck in a rut and was ready to make a change. He was experiencing headaches and chronic neck and shoulder tension, as well as lower back pain and low energy levels. He had a long way to go but was prepared to put in the work to get himself feeling well, and needed encouragement and direction, alongside regular hands-on treatments.
For the first few sessions we worked together to discover the areas which had become short and immobile through years of sitting hunched at his computer. We found and began to treat trigger points (painful nodules within tight areas of muscle fibres which often radiate pain to other parts of the body), especially in his upper back and shoulders, hips and the back of his legs.
Alongside his weekly massages, he began to introduce the stretches I recommended into his daily routine. He also began to understand the importance of making time to rest during the day, and to eat proper, healthy meals. He quickly began to feel relief, and over the course of his treatments his headaches vanished, his moods and energy levels improved, and he took up badminton and jogging. The more improvement he felt, the more he was motivated to continue and improve his wellbeing.
Eventually Tony decided to train for a 10k charity run, which he completed successfully. As a therapist, this has been one of my greatest experiences. To see the change that Tony has been able to bring into his life; from being unhealthy and frustrated, to energetic and well in mind and body is truly inspiring. He now comes for monthly massages to maintain the balance and flexibility that massage helped him to gain.
These are the kind of results that we as therapists love to help you achieve. This Spring, let us help you set and reach some new goals. Big or small, we can help you get there!
