4 Great Reasons for a Man to Get a Massage

Who doesn’t love a massage? We all know that massages feel blissful, but in addition, massages have been shown to have a myriad of proven health benefits as well. And women seem to be the ones benefiting the most.

According to a survey sponsored by the American Massage Therapy Association, women get massages more often than men.  43% of women have had a massage in the last five years compared to only 25% of men. However men’s usage of massage is increasing, according to the same survey, which show that 17% of men had a massage in the last 12 months compared to only 12% last year.

This is good news…because while the health benefits of massage are universal, certain benefits may be of interest to men in particular.

Athletic Performance

There’s a reason professional sports teams often keep massage therapists on their payroll! According to the American Massage Therapy Association, massage acts to improve performance, reduce pain, prevent injury, encourage focus and shorten recovery time. “Musculotendinous” massages target muscle-tendon junctions, and a 2010 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that even a 30-second mini- massage improved range of motion. You can try it out: Find where your muscle meets the tendon just behind and above your knee, and rub the spot with your thumb.

Massage affects the cardiovascular system as well.  It dilates blood vessels, which enables the blood to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and speeds up the removal of waste products and toxins. The increased blood circulation helps to relieve muscle tension, reduce soreness and make for a faster recovery.  The relaxed muscles experience an increase in range of motion and flexibility. Both of those benefits lead to better athletic performance.

Lower-Back Pain
Massage techniques trigger an endorphin release that raises your threshold for pain. And that might help people with various types of lower-back pain according to a 2009 study in the journal Spine.

Two important muscles, the quadratus lumborum and the gluteus medius, play a big role in causing low back pain. Isolating and massaging these muscles can alleviate pain.

High Blood Pressure
A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that after people had deep-tissue massage for 45 to 60 minutes, their blood pressure fell by an average of 10.4 mm systolic, and 5.3 diastolic.

In a University of South Florida study of high blood pressure patients, those who got 10-minute massages three times a week for three weeks lowered their higher number by 11 points.

Anxiety and Depression

Massage therapy relieves depression and anxiety by affecting the body’s biochemistry. In studies conducted by the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, which included 500 men, women, and children with anxiety or depression problems, researchers measured the stress hormone, Cortisol, in participants before and immediately after massage. The study found that the therapy lowered levels by up to 53%.  The massages also increased neurotransmitters, serotonin and dopamine which helps reduce depression.

If you are interested in adding massage to your health regimen, you can book an appointment today.