With as much time as we spend clacking away on our computers or tapping away on our smartphones, it’s no wonder if you feel like you have stiff little hooks for hands. Repetitive motion causes damage to your hands over time. Hand massage can help loosen up the muscles in your hands and keep them healthy (so that you can keep texting, typing and tweeting away). Massage, in general, has a whole host of health benefits and many of these apply to massaging such a focused area of the body, like your hands. Everyone can benefit from a good massage, but hand massage is especially beneficial for office workers, who are most likely to spend many hours a day typing or doing other repetitive tasks. Manual laborers can also benefit, as they work with their hands on a daily basis and may have muscle stiffness, soreness or injuries. Hand massage can help with:
Stiff joints and poor circulation – Massage helps new, oxygen-rich blood flowing to your muscles, which can help with stiff and sore joints, tendons, ligaments and connective tissues. As you age, your hands may become arthritic, and massage can help ease some of the pain and stiffness associated with that. If you suffer from the circulatory condition called Raynaud’s phenomenon, a condition caused by a contracting blood vessel which results in decreased blood flow to the fingers and toes, massage has been shown to stop an attack once it starts. Blood flow is also critical for healing the body after an injury, so if you’ve previously sprained, broken or had surgery on your hand, massage can help you heal.
Pain – If you have a previous injury like a sprain or a break, or if you suffer from carpal tunnel, massage can help alleviate the pain of your injury. Because massage can reduce scar tissue and adhesions and loosens tight muscles, massage may also help improve your range of motion in your fingers after an injury or surgery.
Sleeplessness – Massage aids in relaxation and helps you achieve a deeper sleep. Even a short, focused massage like a hand massage can give you these relaxation benefits and help you catch a few extra zs.
Headaches – How could massaging your hands possibly help with your headache? There are reflexology points in your hands that correspond to different spots in your head. Applying light pressure to these points during a hand massage can actually help with headaches.
Carpal tunnel syndrome – With all the repetitive motion we do between computers, tablets and smartphones, more and more people are coming down with carpal tunnel syndrome. It can range from mild to severe enough to require surgical correction. Regular massage can help aid with the pain of carpal tunnel and may keep it from progressing.
Trigger finger – Trigger finger occurs when you have a limited range of motion in your fingers due to a tendon issue. When you try to extend or retract your finger, it will catch or lock up. Massage can help “unlock” your trigger finger.
Would you like more information on how massage can help alleviate pain and tension in the hands? Contact Medical Massage Specialties. We’d be happy to provide you with details and recommendations.
