The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Greg Burkett

TheRecordLive

Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being.

Massage involves acting on and manipulating the body with pressure – structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving – tension, motion, or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids.

Other then just creating a fantastic feeling from total relaxation, massages can be theraputic. From pulled muscles, tight muscles, nerve issues to major medicial problems, massages can be a good way to go.

However the person obtaining the massage needs to be aware that all massage providers arent the same. Just like doctors there are good ones and ones that don’t do as good of a job.

Much of it can be interpersonal, relying upon communication from you to the person performing the massage, and their abality to read your body.

It is a good idea to seek out references from friends or colleagues of a massage therapist they have used. The down side is that if they don’t do it properly, they can hurt you. Not just with a sore muscle or two, but with a longer lasting issue.

For those reasons, as you can see, a person needs to know what he or she is doing as they are manipulating all of your body including your nerves, tendons, muscles, and stuff you do not want improperly manipulated.

When you arrive to a professionl massage person they will have you fill out a basic release form including any prior health problems and what you are seeking to gain from the expierence of that session.

There are no less then 80 different massage styles or types of recognized massage. Most of them create an expierence for you and are great. Otheres are theraputic.

When you go to the private room the massage person will have you dress (or undress) comfortably getting under a towel or a sheet. IE: a full body relaxation massage will have you fully undressed or in your underwear with a towel over you. An upper body muscle relaxation can leave you with your clothing on from the waist down and with you lying on top of the sheet.

They have special soft music to set the mood of relaxation for you. The lights are somewhat dimmed but not dark.

Generally if you are just obtaining an upper body relaxation massage, 30 min is all you really need, however an hour, generally not needed, will make you feel really good. A full body massage does require a full hour. Be careful standing up. Take your time as your blood pressure may need time to rebalance.

Now after its over you should feel great !! ---- And not sore.

The downside of many massage people is that most of them have an additional product that they are trying to peddle (I mean suggest its value and benefits in a personalized fashion). For whatever it is, it is supposed to make you feel better then you did when you were a child. After they have been successful in making you feel totally relaxed, their salesmanship powers are in full force. Not like a high pressure used car salesman, but no-the-less a sales pitch of a more low key.

Not that all of them will do that, or that all of the products are modern day snake oil as many products do have some degree of benefit, they are additional profit builders for them as if $60.00 plus an hour isn’t enough.

There are mobile massage people as well. They will come to your place of business with a massage chair for an upper body massage or bring a table to your place of preference for a full massage. For this convience, if you can find a mobile massage person, they may charge an additional travel charge for this. Be prepared, due to the perceived risk factor, to answer some addition questions as well.

A massage is a very good and affordable therapeutic tool if you have a good massage person. They can cure lots of aches and pains and provide a better quality of life for you.

Keep in mind however, if you have an issue it may come back in a day. Muscle has memory and in many cases it is necessary to have 4 – 6 massages in a short time frame to effect long-term results. (When they tell you this it will sound like a sales pitch, but this one has truth to it)

If that’s the case, the massage person will target the area with more work done in the affected area. It is still necessary though to do all areas for a proper balance.

Greg Burkett, “Greg the Trainer”, is a fitness advisor is the Orange County area. For additional information you may contact him at 409-550-0777 or go to http://www.gregthetrainer.com.

Target tissues may include HYPERLINK

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle" o "Muscle" muscles, HYPERLINK

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendons" o "Tendons" tendons, HYPERLINK

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligaments" o "Ligaments" ligaments,

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascia" fascia, HYPERLINK

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin" skin, HYPERLINK

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joints" o "Joints" joints, or other

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Connective_tissue" connective

tissue, as well as HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lymphatic" o

"Lymphatic" lymphatic vessels, or organs of the HYPERLINK

"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrointestinal_system" o

"Gastrointestinal system" gastrointestinal system. Massage can be

applied with the HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand" o "Hand"

hands, HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finger" o "Finger"

fingers, HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elbow" o "Elbow"

elbows, HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knee" o "Knee" knees,

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forearm" forearm, and feet.