Written By Graham H

© Trusted Touch Therapies

As the cold weather begins, the temperature starts to fall and the barometric pressure takes a dive south, all of our bodies faces some unique challenges during the winter months, especially as you get older and recovery times for muscle injuries and overuse get longer. 

Lower back pain, in particular, is a common injury culprit in the winter as you can overdo it to keep the winter weight down or  accidentally slipping and falling on ice covered pavements. In fact, research indicates that 70-85% of the people will experience lower back pain at some point. Lower back pain is thought by many to be one of the most common and costly musculoskeletal problem in modern society. 

Luckily, research supports that massage therapy can minimise pain, while increasing recovery speed. Massage specifically is beneficial for patients with subacute (lasting four to 12 weeks) and chronic (lasting longer than 12 weeks) non-specific low-back pain, especially when combined with stretching and strengthening exercises. (Furlan AD, Imamura M, Dryden T, Irvin E. Massage for low-back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008) 

A variety of academic reviews conducted by various universities revealed that massage therapy has helped to reduce pain and  more rapidly improve muscle function than traditional medical care, in people with chronic low-back pain. 

Back pain is a health problem that affects many people from mild discomfort to almost debilitating pain. Back pain is the most common medical condition for which people use complementary and alternative medicine practices, such as massage therapy. 

Whether you are preparing yourself for family fun winter activities or recovering from a wintertime sports injury or accident, therapeutic massage sessions combined with a consistent stretching regimen should be your go-to strategy for minimising aches and pains this winter season. 

Contact us for more information and to book a massage this winter. 

Written By Graham H

© Trusted Touch Therapies