If I stretch more, will that mean I don’t need massage?
Many of my clients give me a slightly guilty look when they talk about a tight muscle that has been bothering them. “I haven’t been stretching enough”, is said as if it is a confession. I am not here to make anyone feel guilty. Massage is about meeting the body where it is right now, not about punishment or scalding. For some, the connection between stretching and muscle release or reduced pain is obvious. For others, not so much. So what’s the deal, if you stretch more, will that mean you don’t need massage?
A healthy muscle is a long and strong muscle. Meaning, if the muscle tissue is capable of maximum elasticity and expansion, and maximum contraction, that muscle has every chance of optimum health. Put simply, the muscle’s range of motion (ROM) is balanced with the muscle’s strength. However, each muscle in your body does not exist in a void. Groups of muscles enable us to function. Different groups of muscles are for different purposes, and there are different types of muscle tissue. For example, the muscle tissue that controls your bladder is going to be made up very differently to the quadriceps muscles in your thighs. Deeper muscles that are located closer to bone are typically built for stability and endurance. Such as, your pelvic floor muscles. Bigger muscles, closer to your skin, are built for explosive and dynamic movement. Such as, the trapezius muscle in your shoulder enables arm lifting actions. Despite these differences in make and purpose, it remains true with all muscle: a healthy muscle is a long and strong muscle.
So, how does stretching facilitate this? Stretching is the practice of moving or holding a muscle or muscle group in an extended position. There are many stretching methods and philosophies but generally speaking, done regularly and in a relaxed fashion, the muscle tissue will gradually become accustomed to the range of extension you are practicing and this range will increase. For many, this practice does enable chronic muscle tension (caused by posture or injury) to release and be healthier.
However, stretching does not necessarily negate the need for massage. Often, if one’s range of motion in a particular area is limited, then stretching may be difficult, even painful. Aside from the decrease in motivation this would likely cause, it also makes it difficult to experience muscular release. It may also create strain in other areas of the body that are having to compensate to facilitate the stretch. Massage enables blood flow to be brought to the tight muscles, without other muscles having to be put under pressure. Massage relaxes the nervous system and can enable the brain to let go of tissue it may be used to holding tension in. Massage may also provide the oppurtunity for tissue that is difficult to reach in a stretch to be released.
Overall, the best practice in my opinion is to stretch and have massages regularly. Stretching can be done from home or in the gym and massage sessions can be as regular as weekly (I offer remedial massage and weekly is a frequency I only recommend for severe and short term periods of muscle tissue work). Stretching, like massage, is another great tool that, when used correctly, can aid in better overall help for you and your muscles.
