Nancy Plagman RN, LMT
◊ Offering many massage techniques
◊ Over 10 years experience
◊ Serving Des Moines area
◊ Phone (515) 971-7991
What's the big deal about massage?
And why are so many people including it in their budget?
Here are a few reasons why:
- Relaxed muscles are less prone to injury.
- Massage increases circulation.
- It decreases stress and the lowers the fight-or-flight response.
- Massage stimulates the endorphins to promote mental health.
- Relieves muscle soreness and stiffness.
Massage is not just a "treat" you occasionally give to yourself. Massage is a part of living a healthy life style. It is part of your wellness program. The relaxed body is able to stay in balance, promoting an over-all physical and mental state of wellbeing.
Massage therapist have a scope of practice, as do nurses, social workers, doctors. In Iowa all massage therapist are licensed. We are required to have continuing education units and renew our licenses every 2 years. Therapists work with clients in a safe, non-sexual environment that respects the client's self-determined outcome for the session.
Swedish Massage is the scientific art and system of assessment and manual application to the superficial soft tissue and the structures that lie within. The superficial tissue includes the skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia (cellular sheathing that separate tissues). Manual application can be done by using the hand, foot, knee, arm, elbow, and the forearm through the systematic external application of touch, stroking (effleurage), friction, vibration, percussion, kneading (petrissage), stretching, compression, or passive and active joint movements within the normal physiologic range of motion.
Also included in this definition are the adjunctive external applications of water, heat, and cold, which, when systematically applied can normalize and improve muscle tone, promote relaxation, and stimulate circulation. These applied therapies have additional effects on the respiratory and nervous systems and the subtle interactions between all body systems.
Dr. John Yates writes in his book The Physician’s Guide to Therapeutic Massage, that there are four areas of basic physiologic effect on the body during a massage: the neuromuscular, connective tissue, circulatory, and autonomic nervous system.
Neuromuscular effect is the interaction between the control of the muscles by the nervous system and the response of the muscles to these signals. Proprioceptors in the tissues receive and transmit information regarding muscle tension, static tone, degree of stretch, joint position, and speed of movement. Hyperactivity of the proprioceptors results in a tense or spastic muscle, accompanied by hypo-activity of opposing groups of muscles. Massage substitutes different neurological stimulation through lengthening and stretching of muscles and connective tissue and assists in balancing these signals.
Connective Tissue: The effect of massage is that it provides space and mobile stability in connective tissue, as opposed to dysfunctional joint or soft tissue area, which may be stuck and restricted or hyper mobile. This is accomplished through mechanical compression, sustained pulling and elongation of the connective tissue, as well as friction methods. Such therapy might be applied when connective tissue gets stuck after an inflammatory process causing adhesions and limiting range of motion.
Circulatory Enhancement: The basic types of circulation include arterial, venous, lymphatic, respiration and cerebral spinal. These systems are dependent on the pumping action of the skeletal muscles as they contract and relax. Massage and other forms of bodywork mimic and assist the pumping action of the muscle and respiratory pump.
Autonomic Nervous System: This system is best known for regulation of the sympathetic fight⁄flight⁄fear response and the parasympathetic relaxation response, these two responses work together to maintain homeostasis. Bodywork and massage primarily use mechanical stimulation to affect the ANS. Massage can produce changes in mood and excitement levels, and can induce feelings of general well-being and comfort.
Reflexology in the bodywork community is understood as the stimulation of areas beneath the skin to improve the function of the whole body or of specific body areas that are away from the site of stimulation. Reflexology is based on a theory that certain points on the feet or the hand effect other body organs and areas. Foot reflexology is the most popular.
I also believe that reflexology, or massage and tissue manipulation of the feet are good because they stimulate the circulation, nerves, and reflexes in the feet. I believe it helps people to be more aware of their feet and decreases incidents of falls. As gentle message of the feet is done, the feet usually become warm and pink.
Working with reflexology points on the feet can also help with constipation.
Lymphatic Drainage: This is a specific therapeutic method that affects the lymph system, the vessels, ducts, and the nodes. Lymphatic massage stimulates the flow of lymph mechanically with very light pressure on the surface of the skin tracing the lymphatic routes. All massage, in general, affects the lymph system. This is more specific. It can be used to decrease edema.
Craniosacral Massage®: This is done fully clothed, lying on your back. This is deeply relaxing. It addresses the rhythm of the cerebral spinal fluid circulating around the spinal column and the brain. It is helpful with headaches and overall balanced function of the body.
Myofacial Release: This is a slow stretching process, which allows for more mobility all over the body. The facia is a webbing structure that helps hold all structures of the body in place. When there is a restriction in the facia, it effects all of the body. Due to trauma and inflammation there is a sticking together of the fasia, which restricts movement. This therapy helps release those areas and allows freer movement.
Pregnancy Massage®: Massage is an important comfort measure during your pregnancy. It helps relieve muscle soreness as your body is making changes. I also teach infant massage to parents. It's a great way to bond with your baby!
Chair Massage: One of the services I offer is corporate chair massage for your employees. Massage in the work place helps people relax and focus so they can stay to task. The focus of a 10-minute chair massage is the back, shoulders, neck, arms and hands and is done fully clothed sitting in a special chair, designed specifically for this kind of massage. I will bring the chair and appropriate music with me to your place of business. All I need when I come is a small quiet room.
Zero Balancing® (ZB) is a hands-on body-mind system of therapy that balances the relationship of energy and structure within the bones and tissues of the body. ZB uses energy movement to integrate Western medical science with Eastern energy healing traditions into an original, practical and coherent bodywork skill. Based on principles of nature, ZB promotes internal balance and harmony through the use of informed, skilled touch. Many people initially seek Zero Balancing to relieve symptoms but continue receiving sessions as their quality of life improves.
Gift Certificates are available. Call 515-971-7991. Don't forget your loved ones on those special days. Give a gift to promote good health. What better way to show someone that they are loved? Give them something that not only feels good, but is good for them!
History of Massage
Massage probably began when cave dwellers rubbed their bruises. Massage is one of the most natural and instinctive means of relieving pain and discomfort. When a person has sore, aching muscles, abdominal pains, or a bruise or wound, it is an instinctive impulse to touch and rub that part of the body to obtain relief.
Touch, as a method of healing, appears to have developed from multiple cultural origins. Therapeutic massage has strong root in Chinese folk medicine. It has many aspects in common with other healing traditions, such as Indian herbal medicine and Persian medicine.
It is believed that the art of massage was first mentioned in writing about 2000 BC and has been written about extensively in manuscripts and books since about 500 BC. Egyptian, Persian and Japanese historic medical literature is full of references to massage. The texts of the Grecian physician Hippocrates, considered to be the founder of western medicine, advocate massage and gymnastic exercise for health.
Throughout history, many different systems and supporting theories for the management of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction have come and gone but the endurance of massage has been amazing. Modern scientific research has of course changed the understanding and philosophy of massage theory and on going research will continue to define the physical effects of therapeutic massage application. However, scientific thinking of today has provided validation for massage as an important adjunct to medicine and well-being.
Current trends suggest increasing popularity of massage and body related therapies for stress reduction and chronic musculoskeletal problems. The Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School is conducting on-going research in these areas today.
Massage is considered an important part of manual medicine, which consists of the use of the hands in treatment of injury and disease. Its therapeutic value is gained from natural changes it generates in soft tissue and structure, as opposed to more radical and invasive treatments of surgery and pharmaceuticals. Manual medicine stands independently among the medical arts today as well as being the foundation for osteopathy, chiropractic practice, and physical therapy.
8527 University Avenue, Clive, Iowa 50325, phone 515-971-7991;
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Page Revised - March 2, 2009