03/11/2025
Let’s Talk About What Massage REALLY Does 💆♀️
The Myths ❌
“Massage improves flexibility long term” Nope. Any flexibility gains are temporary and neurological – your nervous system relaxing, not tissues changing.
“Flexibility makes you perform better” Actually, excessive flexibility can be detrimental to performance, especially for power athletes and runners. Your body needs the right amount of stiffness to generate force.
“Massage speeds up recovery” No evidence for this. Your body heals on its own timeline.
What Massage ACTUALLY Does ✅
🧠 Pain Relief - Activates your body’s natural pain-relief systems. Real, measurable effect.
😌 Stress Reduction - Lowers cortisol, activates your parasympathetic nervous system. Not just “feeling relaxed” – actual physiological change.
🔄 Body Awareness - Helps you tune into tension patterns and areas needing attention.
💪 Psychological Recovery - Feeling cared for and supported genuinely contributes to better outcomes.
🎯 Complement to Active Treatment - When combined with proper rehab and strength training, massage is a valuable tool – just not a magic bullet.
The EDPT Difference
We follow the research, not the marketing.
Georgia’s massage treatments complement your active rehabilitation programme. They help you feel better, manage pain, and reduce stress – and that’s valuable enough without exaggerated claims.
The honest truth: Massage won’t permanently change your flexibility or speed up healing. But it WILL help you feel better, manage pain, and support your recovery when combined with evidence-based treatment.
Want massage as part of a proper, evidence-based plan?
📞 01297 598605
📧 info@eastdevonphysicaltherapy.co.uk
Because you deserve practitioners who tell you the truth. 💪
