Overall Physiological Effects of Massage:

• Increases metabolism, hastens healing, relaxes muscles, and relieves spasms and cramps.
• Increases circulation by mechanically moving fluids.
• Effective pain management for arthritis, neuritis and neuralgia, labor and delivery, sciatica, headaches, whiplash and the like.
• Offers both mechanical and reflexive effects.
• Improves overall health of skin due to increased blood circulation.
• Improves overall health of the body due to stimulation of muscular, glandular, and vascular activities.

Massage and the Muscular System:

• Encourages nutrition and development of the muscular system by stimulating its circulation, nerve supply, and cellular activity.
• Blood passes 3x more rapidly through muscles being massaged than muscles at rest.
• Muscles fatigued by work or exercise will be more quickly restored by massage than by passive rest of the same duration.
• Promotes faster healing of injured muscles with less scarring and connective tissue adhesions.
• Increases range of motion (ROM) in joints affected by tissue injury, inflammation, muscle tension, or strain.

Massage and the Nervous System

Stimulating massage techniques:

• Friction helps stimulate nerves
• Tapotement for less than 30 seconds excites nerve centers and helps tone
• Vibration for less than 30 seconds helps tone and stimulate peripheral nerves

Sedative Techniques:

• Tapotement for more than 30 seconds has a relaxing effect
• Vibration for more than 30 seconds also has a relaxing effect

Massage and the Circulatory System:

• Light stroking produces fast though temporary dilation of capillaries; deep stroking causes more lasting dilation and flushing of massaged area
• Light percussion for less than 30 seconds temporarily contracts blood vessels and more than 30 seconds relaxes them
• Friction speeds blood flow through superficial veins, increases permeability of capillary beds, and increases flow of interstitial fluid, creating a healthier environment for the cells.
• Petrissage stimulates blood flow through deeper arteries and veins.
• Friction, effleurage and petrissage stimulate lymph circulation

Effects of Massage on the Mind:

• Relieves fatigue
• Reduces anxiety and tension
• Calms or stimulates the nervous system (depends on what you do)
• Relaxes the whole organism and contributes to a feeling of well-being