When most people think of massage, they think of it as something they do as a treat for themselves or for fun. However, while it can be a relaxing treat, massage can also be a very powerful healing modality if it is done appropriately.
Benefits
In the proper hands, massage can be particularly useful to
Specialized training needed
While a massage can do a lot of good when used appropriately, typical massage therapist training can be inadequate for treating people with health problems. According to Dr. Vladimir Bokarius, MD, a professor and published expert on manual therapy and myofascial release,
"Ironically, the typical massage techniques used by most therapists will exacerbate, rather than improve, muscle soreness and injuries. Patients feel better temporarily due to endorphine release, however, once the endorphines wear off, many of them find they are typically more sore and have less range of motion than before their massage. This is not a fault of massage, it is a fault of improper technique."
With the proper techniques, a massage therapist can be an incredible asset to your overall health and well-being. However, this requires highly specialized training.
Precautions and quality control
At LCIM, we are extremely careful about quality control. Our therapists have had specialized training in the areas they treat and they work very closely with our doctors. In addition, all of our therapists are tested to ensure that they do not have hepatitis, HIV/AIDS or TB. They are also checked by our physician (Dr. Shinobu Kaneko, MD) to ensure they do not have any warts or other potentially communicable skin lesions on their hands.