Massage Therapy – An Important Part of Your Physical Therapy Regimen Available Near Lakewood, NJ
Like many people, you might think of massage therapy as an indulgence—something you would perhaps treat yourself to while visiting a luxurious resort or spa. However, due to its numerous health benefits, massage therapy is often used in clinical settings as well. The experienced sports medicine specialists at Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute (AOSMI) near Lakewood, New Jersey, frequently use massage therapy to complement physical therapy. In fact, we view soft tissue manipulation as an essential part of health care.
How Massage Promotes Healing & General Well-Being
For many patients who participate in physical therapy to regain their strength, flexibility, balance, and range of motion following an injury or surgery, pain presents a challenging obstacle to progress. Therapeutic massage can be very beneficial in that regard. Specifically, in addition to relieving stress and promoting relaxation, customized massage therapy can affect muscle tissue on a molecular level, activating molecules that reduce painful inflammation and promote cellular growth. For these reasons, the orthopedic specialists at AOSMI often incorporate massage therapy into treatment plans for chronic pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia, sciatica, whiplash, and other musculoskeletal conditions.
Clinical Massage Therapy Treatments
The trained and certified massage therapists at AOSMI offer several types of treatments, including:
- Swedish massage – Performed to relax the entire body by boosting blood circulation, this classic massage technique involves using long, gliding strokes combined with light, rhythmic taps on the outermost layer of muscle.
- Pre- or post-physical therapy massage – These brief, body-part-specific sessions are geared toward warming up muscles that will be targeted during physical therapy or flushing out metabolic waste that built up in muscles used during exercise.
- Deep tissue massage – The techniques used for deep tissue massage are similar to those used for Swedish massage. However, when performing deep tissue massage, a therapist will apply more intense and sustained pressure, often using his or her fingertips, knuckles, forearms, or elbows to target the inner layers of muscle and connective tissues.
If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of massage therapy and how it can enhance the effects of physical therapy, contact Advanced Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute today to request an appointment at our sports injury clinic near Lakewood, NJ.
