Does Massage Affect Muscle Growth?

There is a very simple answer to the common bodybuilder question, "Will getting regular massages increase my muscle size and tone". The answer...

Expecting to go for a massage and walk out with increased muscle mass is just outright unrealistic. Gains take intense workouts, proper nutrition, a high intake of protein, and a very specific lifestyle. There is no specific link (at least that I've found in any scientific research or articles) that proves a massage will directly affect the size of ones muscles. BUT the key word there is DIRECTLY. It's the INDIRECT effects of massage that are going to be an aid in your path to gaining muscle. Let's get started on some short explanations of how.

Increased Circulation
One of the biggest effects of massage is an increase in blood circulation throughout the body. Let's break it down a little more. Blood is the carrier system for TONS of necessary products in your body such as oxygen, carbon dioxide and other metabolic wastes or toxins (to be filtered), nutrients, minerals, hormones, and immune response chemicals. So, when blood is circulating more efficiently it means that each muscle and joint is going to remove metabolic waste product efficiently, and they are going to get an ample amount of all the goodies they need to function at their best!

Decreased Pain and Speedy Recovery
Massage acts as the oldest, most natural pain reliever and inflammation reducer in the world! How does this relate to bodybuilding? A study was done that put 11 men through a tough-to-finish intense workout that would normally make an athlete sore and stiff for a few days. After each workout, the men had a 10 minute Swedish massage done to only one leg so that the differences could be measured (using gene-profiling techniques to look for chemical changes in the muscle cell). They found two main differences between the legs. The first difference was that massage quickly activated the gene in the muscle that decreases inflammation, which is one of the main causes of post-workout pain! Ice baths have been highly recommended for this as well, but studies have also shown that they can block and delay muscle repair and growth (BOOO!). The next difference was...

More Mitochondria!
General rule of thumb- the more mitochondria in a muscle cell, the fitter it is. Mitochondria are the powerhouse of the cell, the organelle that uses oxygen and broken down food products to generate energy. When you workout you increase the mitochondria because your muscle needs more energy due to the excess of work, and pairing massage along with training, you are aiding this process!

Improving Muscle Tone
This goes hand-in-hand with the circulation discussion. Damaged or tight muscles do not hold blood well, therefore not utilizing the oxygen being supplied to it, and consequently diminish muscle tone. To help improve your muscle tone, you'll want to get out any knots, trigger points, and tight areas, as well as rid of any scar tissue that is prohibiting proper blood flow to the muscle (Extra benefit: it will increase your range of motion too!). Once this is done, techniques that aid in the circulation of blood could be used to promote the distribution of oxygen to this newly healthy tissue!

Like I said before, the only way to make gains is to train hard, eat properly, take in the correct amount of protein, and follow a specific lifestyle. What massage will do is maximize the effects of your hard work and be a fantastic aid in your bodybuilding journey!

So the final answer...

Directly- NO
Indirectly- YES

I hope this answered some of your questions! If you have any questions or suggestions for subjects you want me to write about, please feel free to e-mail me at rmtsammy@gmail.com . And don't forget to check out my website www.romanormt.weebly.com !


HAVE A HAPPY WORKOUT:)

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In the spirit of October, Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought it would be a great idea to bring up a topic that not too many people seem to know about.

 Breast massage.

For those women who have never heard of it, it could be terrifying like it was for me before having had it done while attending college for massage therapy, but for those who have needed it or just wanted to keep up with breast health, they know the amazing benefits and how fantastic it is for you. Not every Massage Therapist knows how to perform this treatment, and it is not a very common treatment solely based on the facts that not many women know it exists and due to westernized culture making it seem that massaging a woman's breasts is so taboo. I figured this is the perfect time to preach about the benefits of breast massage treatments, who it is useful for, and how it is performed.

Now, for the benefits. Let me just say that the first and most useful for every woman is that it decreases the swelling and pain during menstruation. Yes, you know, when you can't really even wear a bra because it feels like you're getting a constant purple nurple? This with, weirdly enough, a frozen cabbage leaf, wow, what a life saver. That's a great one just because every woman experiences it. More benefits of breast massage include:

Appearance

• keeps the breast firm and prevents sagging
• stimulates circulation which is essential in keeping breast tissue healthy
• breaks up benign cysts
• strengthens chest muscles, and builds resiliency in the ligaments (which in turn will keep the breasts lifted and prevent sagging)

Therapeutic 

• has an analgesic effect, which reduces pain and swelling, eases soreness in the tissue, and relaxes tense chest wall muscles (menstruation, pregnancy, etc.)
• reduces appearance and promotes healthy scarring from any surgeries (removal, reduction, enhancements, etc) [side note- healthy scarring is a scar that is moveable and not 'stuck' to any other tissue, which could cause further musculoskeletal issues]
• discomfort and rehabilitation from cancer treatments

Internal Health

• flushes out toxins from the body's lymphatic system (because toxins interfere with healthy circulation in the breast, a build up could increase a woman's chances of developing cancer)
• eliminates harmful waste, allowing nutrient rich blood to circulate
• relieves blocked milk ducts

Prevention 

• with self-massage or one by an RMT, it is the only way to feel for abnormalities, which if found early, could decrease chances of cancer, or increase the chances of beating it
• produces oxytocin, which plays an important role in breast cancer prevention

Breast massage treatments are great for EVERY woman! Like any physical or manual therapy though, I would talk your doctor prior to treatment if you are a high-risk pregnancy case, have mastitis, or are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. 

I'll give you a little information about how it is done. When performed by an RMT, you should receive a separate consent form. It will tell you pretty much what I've said in this post. When it comes to draping, each breast will be undraped separately working on one at a time. The nipple and areola WILL NOT BE TOUCHED! This is one of the number one rules as the massage therapist. It is the most sensitive area if the breast, and should NEVER be included in the massage. The techniques are not aggressive (especially if breast implants are present), unless needed on the pectoral is muscles or intercostal muscles and ligaments. The techniques are otherwise all gentle.

I found a link for an easy way to do home care self breast massage, so check this out!
http://www.bodymechanics.net/subpages/breast.html

Breast massage is nothing to be scared of. It is a great way to keep your breast tissue healthy and functioning properly. With a lot of things in life, you'll never know unless you try. So come by for a massage, and even if it is not for a breast massage treatment, don't be afraid to ask about it and how it could benefit you or someone you know. We are all trained professionals and no question is a stupid question. We completely understand that it is a sensitive subject. I'll be the first to admit it! I would have NEVER gotten one if I hadn't learned the benefits and been able to ask as much as I needed to! Don't let your shyness or the unknown keep you from keeping yourself healthy. In the name of Breast Cancer Awareness month, go get a breast massage, or at least inquire!

I hope this was helpful to all! Enjoy your day, and stay healthy and well!

Samantha Romano, RMT

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Sports season is just around the corner!

Finally, the snow is melting and spring is HOPEFULLY on its way. Not that I have anything against winter, but lets be honest, it's been way too long this year.

With the warmer weather coming up, outdoor sports comes with it. Soccer, baseball, football, rugby, basketball, even indoor sports such as swimming, gymnastics, and volleyball begin to participate in competitions. These athletes have been training to perfect their sport and position in order to perform at their best. So besides training and working out, how can they have their body in its optimal condition for performance?

Surprise, Sports Massage!
Sports Massage treatments can be used pre-event AND post-event.

Pre-event: This is a really fast-paced, 5 minute full body treatment. Clothing is usually left on because this treatment is done right before the athlete goes off to perform. It uses techniques such as rocking, shaking, rhythmic mobilizations, and very quick light kneading/broad compressions. The whole point of this treatment is to get the blood flowing, and provide your body and all of its tissues with a wake up call and energy boost. The outcome is your body and mind feeling fully awakened, with your body feeling very light, loose, and limber. Basically, the perfect type of treatment before sporting event.

Post-Event: This treatment can take a little longer, up to about 10 minutes. It's a slower paced, slightly deeper treatment. The techniques used are the same as the pre-event, but much slower and with more of a rhythm to let the muscle unwind after putting all that stress on it. Again, clothing is usually left on and this treatment is done right after the athlete performs. The point of this treatment is  to let the muscles cool down without keeping to tense, which would lead to increased muscle resting tension (which is what most people receive treatment). It also is a preventative of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) and if you're an athlete or gym rat, you definitely know what a pain it can be...especially on leg day.

(I just thought that was hilarious...but definitely needed in all parking lots lol!)

So massage therapy is not just for relaxation, or setting aside 30-60 minutes for yourself. It is used by plenty of sports teams and athletes before and after they perform, right on site, in order to prepare the body for optimal performance. I recommend every athlete try it out to feel the difference for yourself.


If there's any questions you have or want me to research or write about a specific topic just lave a comment, or e-mail me at rmtsammy@gmail.com .

Thanks for checking this out guys:)! Have a great week and enjoy the warming weather!

Pull out the welcome mat..With Anxiety and Depression

I've been meaning to start a blog for a while, but somehow never got around to actually doing it (probably because of my addiction to TLC, StumbleUpon, and an added touch of laziness on my spare time). I guess I should start with a little intro, yes?

I'm Sam, a brand new RMT in Ontario. I graduated in November of 2012 and am working as a full time Registered Massage Therapist. I started all this because I love helping others, and what better way to help than to heal any pain or stress that I can?

About a week ago, I got the RMTAO (Registered Massage Therapist Association of Ontario) seasonal magazine, and the topic of the season is anxiety and depression. Of course we learned the amazing benefits that massage therapy has on these issues while in school, but unfortunately that's pretty much all the people who know. I've talked to many people about it, and I'd say over half of them were surprised, yet understood that massage could help with anxiety and depression. 

Massage therapy is definitely not only for physical ailments, in fact, the biggest documented effect of massage is that it reduces anxiety in adults and children. It has actually been proven that it has very similar effects on a person as psychotherapy does. There are a few theories on HOW the physiological effects of massage reduces anxiety:

1. Massage reduces cortisol(stress hormone) levels 
2. It reduces sympathetic nervous system(fight or flight) activity. As a little lesson, the counter-nervous system to this one is the parasympathetic nervous system(rest and digest). Heres how to remember which one is which: when you're stressed or in danger- sympathetic NS is firing. When you're relaxing or sleeping- parasympathetic NS is firing
3. It alters serotonin(regulates mood, appetite, sleep, muscle contractions, memory and learning) and dopamine(affects emotions, movement, sensation of pleasure and pain) levels in the brain
4. This last one is a bit of a read because you need to hear the study done in order to really understand how this could actually be a theory on how this would help reduce anxiety and/or depression. So here's a brief synopsis of the study done:

The effect: massage improves posture, and the feedback from the body in results of better posture make it harder to be anxious (I told you it's a bit off if you hear it without the study).

The study: 2 groups of people were brought in. Group 1 was told to sit with good straight posture with their eyes closed, while Group 2 was told to sit slouched with their eyes closed. Each group was asked to think of a positive memory, and then a negative memory. Group 1 reported that the positive memory was much more vivid and easier to think of than the negative.

Massage therapy is obviously not as highly researched as medications and such are, but why not? It is such a natural way to ease emotional, mental, and physical ailments all at once, with the worst side-effect of a relaxtion based treatment being that you need to drink water and re-hydrate. So why is medication still usually the first-line treatment of choice?

Try this..have someone calmly and gently place their hand on your shoulder for a few minutes. Take a few deep breathes in and out (the both of you) while your eyes close, not paying attention to the stresses of your day, but just feeling the hand and clearing your mind.

Hope this works for you:) definitely does for me!