Summer is the season for outdoor activities, family vacations, and enjoying the sunshine. However, the heat and increased physical activity can sometimes lead to muscle soreness, dehydration, and other health issues. In this blog, we’ll explore common summer-related issues and how massage therapy can help alleviate them, ensuring you stay active and healthy all season long.

1. Muscle Soreness from Increased Activity

Summer often means more physical activity, whether it’s hiking, swimming, or playing sports. This can lead to muscle soreness and stiffness.

How Massage Helps:

• • Improves Blood Circulation: Massage enhances blood flow to the muscles, speeding up recovery and reducing soreness.
  • Relieves Tension: Targeted massage techniques can help release muscle knots and tension, promoting relaxation.
  • Enhances Flexibility: Regular massage therapy can improve flexibility, reducing the risk of injuries.

At Matthews Massage and Wellness we can further assist your goals by adding stretching or cupping therapy to your massage session, reducing muscle soreness and tension.

2. Dehydration and Heat Exhaustion

High temperatures increase the risk of dehydration and heat exhaustion, especially during vigorous activities.

How Massage Helps:

• • Hydration Support: Massage can stimulate the lymphatic system, helping the body manage fluids more efficiently.
  • Cooling Effect: Techniques such as cold stone massage can provide a cooling effect, helping to lower body temperature.
  • Relaxation: Massage promotes relaxation, which can help prevent the stress and fatigue associated with heat exhaustion.

Receiving massage on a regular basis can help prevent dehydration by promoting a balanced blood flow to your muscles and help regulate the lymphatic system, which supports overall hydration and nutrient distribution throughout the body.

3. Lower Back Pain from Travel

Long car rides or flights can result in lower back pain and stiffness.

How Massage Helps:

• • Alleviates Pain: Deep tissue massage targets the deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue, providing relief from chronic pain.
  • Improves Posture: Regular massage can help improve posture, reducing the strain on the lower back.
  • Increases Mobility: By loosening tight muscles, massage therapy can improve overall mobility and comfort during travel.

Being in a seated position for long periods of time shortens the front body line (flexors of the body).  When you stand up and those muscle are still shortened it can put strain on the low back. We can help open up those shortened muscle patterns and alleviate the strain the shortened muscles put on those back muscles.

4. Foot Pain from Summer Footwear

Sandals and flip-flops, while comfortable, often lack proper support, leading to foot pain.

How Massage Helps:

• • Relieves Foot Pain: Reflexology and foot massage can alleviate pain and discomfort from wearing unsupportive footwear.
  • Reduces Swelling: Massage can reduce swelling and improve circulation in the feet and ankles.
  • Promotes Relaxation: A foot massage can be incredibly relaxing, relieving stress and tension accumulated from long periods of standing or walking.

We can help alleviate the foot pain that accompanies extended use of summer footwear.  Without the proper supportive footwear the muscles in our feet and ankles work overtime to support and balance our bodies.  This will eventually cause problems all the way up the chain of the body into the pelvis, low back and into the neck. These imbalances in the muscles can be addressed during your massage. We would highly recommend just limiting the time you wear these types of footwear; but we know how cute they are…so…

Conclusion

We here at Matthews Massage and Wellness would love to help you have a healthy and safe summer. Regular massages are a valuable tool for injury prevention, rehabilitation of old injuries and general wellness.  From relieving muscle soreness to improving hydration and skin health, regular massages can help you stay active and enjoy all the activities that summer has to offer. Remember to stay hydrated, wear proper sun protection, and listen to your body’s needs to make the most of this vibrant season.