Full body massage encourages blood flow throughout the body
Do you have cold hands & or cold feet. Do you experience numbness or pain in your extremities. This could be related to poor blood circulation. One of the major benefits of massage therapy is improved blood circulation.
The heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. The hands & feet are farthest from the heart & the last to get nourished. Lack of nourished, warm blood causes the cold &/or numbing sensations.
Cyclists quite often suffer from these sensations during & after long rides. This is due to the amount of nourished blood diminishes over time as the body is exerted leaving the extremities neglected of proper blood flow. The ongoing pressure on the feet are contributing factors as well.
Age, injury, illness, obesity, & a sedentary lifestyle are factors that lead to poor circulation. Roadblocks known as myofascial adhesions are created over time that inhibit proper blood flow. The areas most affected are extremities of the body.
A full body massage can work immediate wonders for improved blood circulation & eventually alleviate the circulation issues completely. Techniques such as effluerage, pettrisage, tapotement, vibrations, acupressure, & stretching can make rapid improvements in blood circulation to the extremities. By massaging throughout the body, blood flow is encouraged. You can visually see this during massage therapy. Hyperemia, blood flow to the surface of the skin causing redness, is quite often present during & after massage.
Reflexology in the hands & feet can alleviate euric & lactic acid buildup relieving chronic pain in the extremities. Lactic & euric acid buildup in the feet can also be a precursor to Gout. Many diabetics get relief with a focus on foot reflexology during a full body massage.
Often clients request an hour with work on one area of the body such as the back. The overall benefits are greater by doing a full body massage with focus on the area of concern. Blood flow is a major rationale for this line of thinking. Remember, invest in your health & the returns are bountiful.
Comments
You might want to try Mother Earth Pillows(R) SPABoots for those cold feet during a massage... and for home use!. I designed them so they can be slipped on rather than 'fitting a foot into it' making it excellent for the massage session... and slipping your feet into at the end of the day. The Flax inserts are generously filled, aromatic with dried herbs and baffeled loosely so all the flax doesn't shift to the toes. Excellent for Fibro folks, poor circulation or loved ones in Hospice. Karen, RN, LMT, NCTMB
www.MotherEarthPillows.com
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