subject: Chair Massage: Ease Aches Faster [print this page] Are you stressed? Do you dread returning to work having had a nice relaxing weekend? Even though you are happy to have a job, it can be awfully stressful in the workplace. You wish for some sort of relief from all of this (short of a two-week vacation to Hawaii!) Some offices have a solution to this! They are allowing everything from on-site child-care, in-house pharmacies to naps. Now, what's more than this is chair massage. It is a relative low-cost way to help employees get through the day, and is far less expensive than other employee benefits.
If you are new to massage, here's something you should know. It is not a great new cure, no, this art has been practiced throughout the world. Chinese records dating back 3,000 years document its use; the ancient Hindus, Persians and Egyptians applied forms of massage for many ailments; and even Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems. So, how is this cure practiced? Well, there are a variety of methods, over 250 to be precise. Some include tapping, kneading, vibration, rocking, applying pressure to muscles, stroking and compression! Massage is the manipulation of superficial layers of muscle and connective tissue. This is done to enhance function and promote relaxation and well-being.
The art of massage became popular in the US in the 1800's. It had a surge of popularity until the 1930's and 40's. When modern medicine came to the forefront, the art of massage therapy became discounted as lesser than. Suddenly, it became popular again in the 1960's and 1970's when nurses began to use it to relieve pain in patients. It again gained credibility when, in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta it was used as core medical service. Are you convinced? Do you want what's good enough for an Olympian?
A company can hire therapists to come to their business. They will come at any time of day, weekdays or weekends. These can be offered to employees to help them relax, or can be offered as an incentive for performance. There are many benefits such as a boost to the immune system which leads to fewer absences, a decrease in stress, while improving blood circulation, as well as relieving that muscle pain that can come from sitting at a desk while being on a computer all day. It can relieve headaches, lower blood pressure and improve thinking skills. And these advantages are scientifically proven!
Productivity decreases when the pain is up. We all dream of ergonomically designed offices, but that is not always the case. Muscles tighten up as we sit in our cubicles. This causes stress and impedes blood and lymph flow through the system. Employers benefit from chair massage as there is a decrease in workers compensation complaints, as well as fewer absentees. If we keep our workers pain free and relaxed, we will get increased productivity. Maybe if offices provide chair massages, our American workers would be better off. As a mother of 3, surely this can help me too!
