Why massage in the work place?

Obviously I am a firm believer of massage in the workplace, so I will start by acknowledging my bias on the topic.  What people may not know is that during the many years working in IT, I suffered from a verity of neck and shoulder issues.  This lead me to go to see a GP, chiropractor, osteopath and masseur.  While they all helped, what was most beneficial to me was regular seated acupressure neck & shoulder massage which helped me nip the tension and the problems in the bud.

We all know getting a massage feels great. Once your massages starts, the nerve cells in your skin send messages to your brain to release feel-good endorphins .  As a result stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline begin to decrease and the other all effect is to boost your mood and give you a natural high.  On a physical level the tension and tightness in the muscles begin to release.

This means your awareness shifts so your mind and body can function better.  Researches find your mind gets de-cluttered helping you to think more clearly, improve your alertness which leads to improve performance.

So why not book a massage see>> http://vitalitytherapy.co.uk/booking

Related Posts

  • Why does slumping at your desk contribute to lower back pain?

    We all know that we should maintain good posture when sitting rather than slumping (poor posture) to avoid lower back pain, but why? The human spine is an upright bendy column and in someone with good posture it’s an S shape.  With perfect posture a straight line can be drawn through the ear, the tip of the shoulder, the front of the knee joint and the back of the ankle. The spine is made of 24 vertebrae or segments.  If we look at the S shape it consist of the cervical lordosis which is the arch in the neck, this is followed by the thoracic kyphosis which is an arch in the chest in the opposite direction, this is then followed by the lumbar arch or lumbar lordosis which is the hollow in the lower back. Perfect lumbar lordosis (or perfect arch in your lower back) helps

    • Ensure the correct distribution of your body weight
    • Allows your lower back to bow forwards slightly when walking to absorb the impact during walking
    The lumbar lordosis lessens when we are sitting as our pelvises tip backwards on to the sitting bones and increases when we stand.   This explains why some people with lower back pain feel worse when sitting and better when standing.  Furthermore sitting for long periods of time in a slumped “C” shaped posture, changes our weight distribution through our spine, compressing the lumbar vertebra which often leads to lower back pain. So what is good sitting posture? When seated, keep these tips in mind:
    • Choose a chair that allows you to rest both feet flat on the floor while keeping your knees level with your hips. If necessary, prop up your feet with a footstool or other support.
    • Sit back in your chair. If the chair doesn't support your lower back's curve, place a rolled towel or small pillow behind your lower back.
    • Stretch the top of your head toward the ceiling, and tuck your chin in slightly.
    • Keep your upper back and neck comfortably straight.
    • Keep your shoulders relaxed — not elevated, rounded or pulled backward.

    Remember

    Although good posture should be natural, you might feel wooden or stiff at first if you are used to slumping rather than sitting up straight.  The key is to practice good posture all the time, and be extra vigilant when you are really concentrating, getting tired or its late in the day. You can make improvements at any age. Stretching and core strengthening exercises can help, too. And if you have got lower back pain, why not try massage.  

  • Is a 15 minute Neck & Shoulder Massage beneficial?

    Fifteen minutes is a very short space of time, so I am often asked by potential clients if they will receive any benefits from such a short massage. Well the good news is that you do receive benefits, and its not just me saying that, or the subjective experience of other clients there is scientific evidence too.

    • In 1996 Shulman, K.R. & Jones, G.E. in the Journal of Applied   Behavioural Science, looked at the effectiveness of chair massage in reducing anxiety in an organisation. An on-site chair massage therapy program was provided to reduce anxiety levels of 18 employees in a downsizing organization. 15 control group s participated in break therapy. Subjects’ stress levels were measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, which was administered twice during pretest, post-test, and delayed post-test to achieve stable measures. The study concluded that significant reductions in anxiety levels were found for the massage group. 1
    • In 1996 Field, Ironson, Pickens et al. in the International Journal of Neuroscience concluded that chair massage therapy offers benefits in not just alleviating the physiological effects of anxiety, but also in improving mental alertness.2
    • In 1997 Cady et al. in Perceptual & Motor Skills evaluated the effectiveness of a 15 minute chair massage on reducing stress as indicated by blood pressure. 52 employed participants' blood pressures were measured before and after a 15 minute massage at work. Analysis showed a significant reduction in participants' systolic and diastolic blood pressure after receiving the massage. High Blood pressure is associated with anxiety and stress, this study supports the conclusion that chair massage is relaxing and reduces stress. 3
    There is solid scientific evidence of the benefits of a 15 minute seated acupressure massage, so why not book now. References
    1. KR Shulman and GE Jones, 1996, The effectiveness of massage therapy intervention on reducing anxiety in the work place, Journal of Applied Behavioural Science (32), p160 – 173
    2. Field T; lronson G; Scafjdi F; Nawrocki T; Goncalves A; Burman I; Pickens J; Fox N; Schanberg S; Kuhn C, Sep 1996, Massage Therapy Reduces Anxiety and Enhances EEG Pattern of Alertness and Math Computations, The International Journal of Neuroscience, 86 (3-4) p197-205Read More: http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00207459608986710
    3. Cady SH and Jones GE, Feb 1997, Massage therapy as a workplace intervention for reduction of stress, Perceptual & Motor Skills, (1) p157- 158Read More: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9132704
     

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