Massage Therapy For Seniors
There are countless seniors that benefit greatly from massage therapy. Many tell me, “Now why would I need that; I am retired, I don’t have the stress of raising a family or working everyday?” True, but ask yourselves, how is your quality of life? Do you hear yourself saying, “Oh, I just have the usual aches and pains that come with getting older” I, myself, can remember hearing my grandparents say this to me all the time. Why do we accept that statement as fact? We are living much longer than past generations; why shouldn’t we feel better as well? We need to ask ourselves “what can we do to improve our quality of life?” as your ‘The Golden Years’ should be golden, NOT frozen with stiffness and pain.
Regular massage therapy can help:
- Relieve tense muscles
- Increase mobility and flexibility
- Pain relief
- Reduce anxiety, tension and stress
- Improve circulation
Muscle stiffness can keep you away from doing the activities you enjoy as well as from participating in various social events. Use of a cane or walker, which is necessary for some, can, over time, cause muscle tension and muscle imbalances. Your massage therapist will work with you to establish a treatment plan geared to your individual needs and goals. There may be necessary modifications made to cater to your health conditions and the the type of medication you are taking; for example, blood thinners. Therefore, it is essential that you fully disclose your health history to your massage therapist, to help establish a safe and effective treatment plan just for you.
Working with a massage therapist can help you to remain limber and provide gentle stretches that will keep you flexible and improve your overall range of motion. Massage therapy also helps seniors stay more in tune with their bodies and create awareness on how to move. Balance, agility and movement all improve when you undergo massages on a regular basis, which means you may end up having improved coordination and be less likely to take a fall. This in turn helps provide an improved attitude that will leave you more open to participating in everyday life without fear of injury.
Contact Hands on Therapy Don Mills today to help you keep these years as golden as possible.
Written by Sarah Moir R.M.T.