How Massage Therapy Can Help Alleviate Work-Stress and Muscle Tension

Thursday, September 15, 2022

Annalisa Mazza

A unique offering through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Campus Recreation Department is Massage Therapy Program. Through this program, students, university employees and community members can choose from a variety of different massage options that can be scheduled at both the Campus Recreation Center on City Campus and the Recreation and Wellness Center on East Campus.

Phanomvan Pongdara, the Assistant Coordinator of the Massage Therapy Program, was gracious enough to take the time to answer some questions about how massage therapy can help employees alleviate stress and muscle aches.

What are some of the common issues that you see when you have clients who are seated for most of the day and working behind a computer?

Some of the common issues that I see in clients who sit for the majority of the day and work behind the computer are lower back pain (due to poor posture), neck and shoulder, wrist & hand tensions.

What about for clients who are standing or moving around?

Clients that stand all day tend to have cramps in the legs. If they have poor posture standing this will also result in lower back, neck and shoulder tensions. For the ones that move around, depends on what they do all day; is it repetitive, lifting?

Beyond physical, what are some of the other benefits clients gain from massage therapy sessions?

Beyond physical, here are some of the benefits clients gain from massage: pain relief, stress relief, increase circulation, boost immunity, lowers blood pressure, relaxes the mind, flushes bodily toxins, regulates blood sugars, helps with anxiety and stress, helps the body recover faster.

Are there any habits that employees who are sedentary throughout their day should try and implement to help combat the common issues that you see? What about those who stand?

I would advise employees to stretch often, taking a couple minutes to stretch out and reposition themselves. Same goes for the ones who stand. Learning Qigong or body mechanics will help them move throughout their day in the correct posture.

How does massage therapy help combat issues of stress, anxiety, and/or depression?

Massage can help combat issues like stress, anxiety and depression by releasing tension and toxins that are stored in the muscles throughout the day, decreases fight-or-flight response, lowering blood pressure and heart rate, becoming mindful and present.

What other information would you want to share with our university employees?

What I truly see most is the mental health issues... most clients cannot relax, they are not present, which causes stress and anxiety which results with tensions in the body. Also, incorrect breathing or emotional breathing (breathing in the chest) causes stress and anxiety. When we have controlled breathing along with correct body mechanics, we are present and more aware of how our body responds to situations. Stresses at work can cause muscle tension which results in anxiety and circles back to muscle tension, the mental stress can cause depression.

For more information on the Massage Therapy program or to book your appointment, visit the program website at https://crec.unl.edu/massage .

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