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To massage or not to massage, that is not a question

By Magdeline Lee

A good rub on the shoulders and kneading of the back never fails to perk up our tired bodies. And that is the effect of a good massage that we all enjoy. However, research has shown that the benefits of massage are no longer limited to pure relaxation.  Increasingly, studies have proven that massage therapy is able to aid in the recovery of injuries for athletes as well as other wide-ranging effects such as lifting patients from depression and to increase alertness.

There are many forms of massage therapy to cater to each specific need. Sports therapists at rehabilitation centres often use a combination of techniques to treat athlete’s injuries. However, if you are looking for another form of massage, one can opt for the more common reflexology where the practitioner rubs and massages the soles of the feet which helps to increase circulation. Reflexology is also believed to be able to detect illnesses in different parts of our body as indicated by the sore spots.  As the popularity of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) grows in Singapore, do try the traditional Chinese zhi ya massage as well. Zhi ya massage involves placing physical pressure on acupuncture points on the surface of the body, and it serves to increase circulation by bringing the yin and yang in our body back into balance.

Other medical benefits of massage therapy include lowering the risk of heart diseases and high blood pressure. In fact, massage is even claimed to have helped ease the pain of the cancer patients. And such sentiments are echoed by Ren Ci Hospital, where a TCM oncology centre was set up in 2006 providing among its other services, massage therapy.

Massage therapy such as reflexology and zhi ya massage are available in the heartlands clinics as well as hospitals where it is usually part of physiotherapy. However, as a note of caution, do ensure that the massage therapist attending to you is certified and trained in the area of massage therapy he provides. All genuine practitioners of TCM and related therapy are certified too. Do take one of the weekends to try the massage therapy if you have missed our free massage on Come and Play Day 2007!

References
1. Massage. (2007, April 22, 21:59). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopaedia. Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massage_therapy#Chinese_Tui_Na_massage

2. Massage Research, Massage Magazine. (n.d.) Retrieved April 22, 2007, from http://www.massagemag.com/Magazine/research.php

3. Massage Center of Bellevue. (n.d.). Types of Massage [Photograph]. Retrieved April 24, 2007, from http://www.steinbergsite.com/typesofmassage.html