MSN Life & Style

12 May 2008

Massage: necessity or luxury?

by Shannon Kilgore

Going for a massage is an unnecessary luxury that should be reserved for special occasions, right? Wrong, as Shannon Kilgore found out when she turned to the treatment to nurse a back injury.

It is a common misconception that massages are simply a luxurious way to escape from reality and stress with the help of scented candles and aromatic oils. I admit that until recently, I too had bought into this stereotype. As a student, I find it hard to justify spending what little cash I have on such an expensive treat. And as my father always put it, I really had nothing to be that stressed out about since I hadn’t yet made the crossover into the big bad world.

What I had never considered however, was the possibility of how massage could help me with a sports related injury. My never-ending aching shoulders come from eight years of being a competitive synchronized swimmer. I was in great shape; strong, flexible and toned. A few years down the road however, I have learned that, when it comes to flexibility, too much is not necessarily a good thing. My doctor told me about a year ago I have what is called “instability” in my shoulder’s, which basically means my shoulders like to separate from the socket slightly. Needless to say, while not too serious, it still causes some pain and discomfort.

I usually suffer in silence as a martyr to athleticism. But a few weeks ago, I think I finally may have complained one too many times to my editor and he finally snapped, ordering me to get a massage. While I had been in physical therapy to improve my injury, I had never really considered introducing massage as a pain relieving method.

I made my way to Pure Massage in Fulham, London, for my first ever shoulder/upper back massage. The staff there made me feel incredibly relaxed and welcome (you get a lovely cup of herbal tea in arrival) and I was provided with great insights into the benefits of massage I had been completely ignorant to.

Pure Massage owner, Beata Aleksandrowicz, “does not associate massage with pampering.” In fact, she believes that “massage, from its inception was intended as a healing art.” And healing it may very well be with its ability to help improve circulation and blood flow to the muscles, release pain reducing endorphins, improve breathing patterns and even strengthen the immune system.

All of these things sounded great in theory, but what did this mean for me and my dysfunctional shoulders?

My therapist told me after my phenomenal 45 minute massage that I had an incredible amount of stress and tension in the form of knots built up in my shoulders and upper back. Muscle tension? Knots? I had never really considered the idea that perhaps shoulder instability wasn’t my only problem. All I knew after walking out of the massage was that after only one session I felt two inches taller, and in a lot less discomfort than went I went in.

Now I was a bit confused. Could there be some connection between my sports related injury and my lifestyle now? Yes, as it turns out. After conducting some post massage research, I learned that tension built up in our muscles can lead to injury and pain due to the stress it places on our joints, tendons and muscles.

And then I had an epiphany: perhaps the past few years of my discomfort and incessant complaining was actually made worse from something I could have controlled! The hours I’ve spent sitting in front of a computer screen, lugging groceries, being stressed and even the positions I was sleeping in could have contributed to the large amount of tension knots in my muscles. When I think of how much I could have been contributing to my discomfort, it almost makes me sick.

I will freely admit that after this experience I have traded in my old, narrow-minded views of massage for the benefits it can have not only on athletes, but anyone suffering from muscle or joint pain. Tension from everyday stresses can add to existing injuries, or even increase susceptibility to them. Athletes or anyone participating in physical activity should really consider massage to prevent or help lessen the pain of injury. And while I may no longer be spending four hours a day training in a pool, allowing tension to build in my shoulders can be just as harmful. I just wish my next appointment was sooner.

» Read original article at msn uk