Between July 2013 and July 2014, nearly 15% of American adults received at least one massage for medical or health related reasons like pain management, soreness, injury rehabilitation, or overall wellness. Massages are becoming an increasingly popular leisure activity, with many Americans going several times per month to get a massage. Getting a therapeutic massage can help maintain an active, healthy life thanks to the numerous benefits of massage.
Pain Relief
Nearly 92% of Americans believe that deep tissue massage therapy can help to reduce and manage pain. As of July 2014, over 54 million American adults had discussed therapeutic massages with their doctors over the previous year to help manage pain. Chiropractic offices frequently refer patients for medical massage therapy with 13% of patients receiving referrals at least once per week and another 24% receiving referrals for several times per month.
Relaxation
A massage helps to reduce stress and tension accumulated over the work week. Nearly 23% of those who received a massage from July 2013 to July 2014 did so to relax and reduce stress. Although this could be dismissed as a perk rather than a benefit, those who lead active, busy lives could benefit mentally from the release of tension gained from massage therapy.
Healthier Mind and Body
In general, there are several benefits gained from a therapeutic massage that, when combined, add up to an overall improvement of health for mind and body alike. The International Journal of Preventive Medicine found that massage therapy can help patients to control blood pressure for pre-hypertensive women. The study found that the patient’s blood pressure was lowered for up to 72 hours following the massage. Millions of Americans already look to massage therapy to help improve their quality of life; what do you have to lose other than stress and knots in your back?