Deep Tissue Massage with Robert Byrnes - Part I

[Blademasta989]

damn, i gues it didnt save my first three points.

1: massage increases blood flow.

2: As a psychologist major in my 3rd year i cant discount the role the phyche plays in any physiological treatment. Perception influencing reality, is what its called. Literally what you think about a topic influences how that topic affects you. If you think massage heals you, it very well may.

3: Friction from the constant rubbing creates heat. Heat on muscles is well documented as a healing aid.

[Blademasta989]

the same idea is found in stretching, heat wraps, long warm baths, ect.

[Subfightr]

does stuff actually get 'stirred up"? So many people speak of vague things like "toxins". While I can understand the philosophy behind it, especially with the nice explanation you gave, do we know if this is true or not?

Im in massage school and I find so many of the statements so very hard to believe. So much of it when actually scientifically tested has turned out to be false. Heck even things I thought for sure are true like the whole lactic acid thing, turns out not to be so.

Thanks

[Blademasta989]

muscles burn certain sugars when yhour brain sends electrical signals to move this way or that. One of the byproducts of this consuming of sugar is a toxin. it is normally carried away by the blood and filtered out and diuscarded, but some will always remain. one of the huge benefits of massage is that it encourages large amounts of blood flow without actually using any of your own sugars. increased blood flow = increased carrying away of the toxic byproduct.

[Subfightr]

@Blademasta989 Hi blade, thank you for replying. I appreciate it. What you had to say sounds all well and good, do you know where I can find such statements in scientific journals? I cant even find proper science articles backing up the statement that massage increases blood flow :(

[Blademasta989]

Fortunately, i can prove that point, at least, without medical journals. Think about this. When you give someone a massage, their skin turns red. it turns red because there is increased blood flow, just like swelling. i'll find medical proof of the other benefits, published by reliable sources, and get back to you.

[Blademasta989]

Seems to be alot more criticism thani thought of the profession and of the medical benefits than i thought. the arguments i see center mostly around the huge difference between individual therapists and the great level of difference in training, from a few months to 3 years. and yes, during my short research alot of bullshit claims presented themselves. But, heres what i drew from my browsing both sides of the question:

[Blademasta989]

4: increased blood flow to an area means increased healing speed. This, again, is well documented, because every time you injure a muscle, your body reacts by swelling the area with surplus nutrient enriched blood.

Note that none of these points need to be backed up with scientific research, because they are readily observable in everyday life. The finer points therapists claim are apperantly still being researched, but again you cannot discount the psychological role.

[Subfightr]

@Blademasta989 Wonderful. I appreciate the time and effort you put into this. I fully agree with you that the psyche plays a major role. I suppose I wanted to be more than a placebo effect, and to some aspect I suppose we are more than just that. I thought the same as you regarding not needing to test the blood flow hypothesis. Yet in researching Lactic acid I found studies stating that massage does not increase blood flow. But I think thats in the larger vessels, it must increase blood flow to

[Subfightr]

@Subfightr the smaller blood vessels, at least enough to create hyperemia.

Take care blade :) And congrats on your psychology major.