Therapeutic massage, what you need to know when going for a massage. How often can you do a back massage? The best time for a massage

From birth, the child needs careful care. An important role in this case is played by massage procedures, especially those performed by the mother.

Massage for the purpose of treatment should be carried out by a specialist, since an inexperienced person can harm the baby.

Let's consider at what age a baby can and should be massaged. We will also dwell on the beneficial properties of such procedures.

What is its use?

Massage procedures for infants are carried out to improve health. Depending on the purpose, they are divided into the following types:

Medicinal. It can be prescribed by specialists such as a neurologist, surgeon or orthopedist. Massage therapy is designed to address a specific health problem.
Correctional. This type of massage is designed to strengthen the positive results of treatment procedures. It helps prevent the recurrence of a certain disease. Corrective massage is prescribed by the attending physician. To carry out procedures, you must contact a qualified massage therapist.
Prophylactic. Such procedures can be carried out independently at home. Preventive massages strengthen the muscle corset, promote the proper development of the body, and also increase immunity.

Properly performed massage has many beneficial properties, namely:

Massage treatments at home can be combined with children's songs and rhymes. This will make the process more interesting and comfortable for the baby.

How many months can you start with?

Massage procedures should be carried out on infants for preventive purposes from the very first month of birth. Depending on the age of the baby, massage is done with the aim of achieving the following goals:

Up to three months. At this age, almost every baby experiences muscle hypertonicity. Massage in this case helps to relax them.
Up to 4 months. During this period, the infant's hypertonicity disappears. The procedures are aimed at strengthening the muscles of the upper and lower extremities. Finger massage helps improve fine motor skills, as well as prevent speech problems.
From six months. At this age, the child should be able to roll over and sit up on his own. At six months, a massage for a baby is aimed at strengthening the back and abdominal muscles.
By 9 months. During this period, the child begins to make independent attempts to walk. Massage exercises in this case are aimed at strengthening muscles throughout the body.
By 1 year. Procedures at this age are necessary to normalize coordination of movements. It is better to conduct them in a playful way, since the child becomes bored of lying down, as at an early age.

Attention! If a new mother doubts her massage abilities, it is better to consult a specialist! A professional massage therapist will perform the procedure painlessly, with maximum benefit for the baby.

When and what time is best?

Before performing massage exercises, for maximum effectiveness, you must adhere to the following rules:

You should also remember to remove rings, bracelets and other jewelry before massage. This will help avoid injury to the baby's skin.

How often can the procedure be performed for a baby?

In order for the exercises to give maximum results, you need to do them daily. The number of procedures should be 1-2 times a day. It all depends on the individual developmental characteristics of the baby, as well as on the purpose of the massage.

Watch a video from an orthopedic doctor about newborn massage:

Conclusion

Learning the simplest massage techniques for infants will not be difficult for any mother. Therefore, every woman should undergo such training. After all, this is an auxiliary component of the timely growth and development of the baby from birth.

Before answering the question of how often you can and should get a massage, you need to figure out what kind of procedure this is - massage. Why does massage have a therapeutic and preventive effect? During a massage, the blood supply to the massaged muscles improves, and the rate of metabolic processes in the internal organs of a person increases. All this leads to the patient beginning to feel lightness and cheerfulness in the body. In addition, during a massage, a larger amount of biologically active substances with a morphine-like effect are released into the blood. These substances block pain, which leads to feelings of physical pleasure and a surge of strength.

It should be remembered that massage can be professional or non-professional. In the latter case, pain may occur during the procedure and bruises on the body after it. Slight (!) soreness is allowed only when massaging tense or injured muscles. Unfortunately, due to the unprofessionalism of the massage therapist and the painful sensations during the procedure, many patients avoid regular massage sessions.

Perhaps the most common question that a massage therapist hears is how often can massage sessions be performed and how often should massage courses be taken? It is almost impossible to answer these questions unambiguously. Everything is very individual and requires more detailed discussion.

So, what is the frequency of massage sessions within one course? It all depends on the goals and objectives of the massage course, as well as on a number of other nuances. If the massage is preventive, then it should not be done too often, since the body should be comfortable and not difficult to get used to the changes after the massage and to physical contact with the massage therapist. Therefore, this massage is done once or twice a week.

If the massage is therapeutic, then the degree of pain must be taken into account. It is better to do therapeutic massage every other day in cases where the pain, although severe, is not a contraindication to massage. Then the body will not be overloaded with constant pain. If the pain is aching, then massage can be done daily or even twice a day. This will help the body “forget” the problem and cope with the symptoms. Anti-cellulite massage is best done every other day if the massage therapist uses only one direction of influence or one technique. Using different techniques and techniques, massage can be done daily.

A relaxing massage is performed once or twice a week.

Now let's look at the frequency of massage courses. If the patient has chronic diseases, then the massage, which is done for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, can be repeated twice a year. If chronic diseases have worsened, then three or four courses of massage are carried out per year.

Anti-cellulite massage is done as needed, and relaxation massage is not done in courses at all.

Self-massage on a fitness roller

So, we can say with confidence that how often to massage is decided individually in each specific case. Everything is taken into account: the person’s health status, the type of massage, the tolerability of the sessions. There is an opinion among massage therapists that massage is like food - you don’t need to first “starve” and then “eat your fill.” You need to “eat” fully and regularly. A therapeutic massage done even once a week will give good results.

Cosmetic facial massage, which is aimed at slowing down the aging process of the skin, is done several times a year in cycles. Moreover, cycles are planned for each patient individually. If you follow the recommendations of cosmetologists, then cosmetic massage should be done at least twice a year. First, the facial skin is cleansed, then a massage product is applied and a massage is performed for thirty minutes. Then the facial skin is cleansed again, and a cream or mask is applied - this is a cosmetic facial massage. To keep your face always young you will need.

As for back massage, although it increases metabolic processes in the body and improves blood circulation, this massage must be treated with special attention. A back massage should only be performed by a specialist - only in this case will this procedure bring benefits and not harm your health.

The main thing is to be attentive to yourself and listen to the sensations in your body. If you are not sure that this type of massage will benefit you, it is better to consult another specialist.

Treatises have been written about the benefits of massage. And massage for newborns is a must! After nine months of embryonic, almost motionless existence, it is still difficult for the baby to adapt to our world. Therefore, mother’s affectionate hands, stroking and patting the baby, help him overcome the stressful state during adaptation. Tactile sensations bring joy and play an important role in communication between infants and their parents.

Benefits of massage

Massage for a newborn involves special techniques to influence internal organs. Massage techniques have been known to healers since time immemorial. Through stroking, pressing, rubbing, pinching, and vibration, a professional massage therapist affects deep tissues throughout the body. Acting on receptors of the skin, muscles, and reflex points, the specialist transmits irritation to the central nervous system. As a result, tone increases or relaxes, and the functioning of body systems improves. That is, through touching the skin, massage affects the entire body.

This is especially beneficial for infants, because it activates physical, sensory, auditory, and speech development. Coordination of movements and the inclinations of attention are stimulated, sleep is normalized and blood circulation improves.

In a baby up to a month old, the sensitive analyzers have not yet fully matured, but the skin analyzer has already appeared. Therefore, mother’s touch generates movements and joyful emotions.

Who can

Before talking about who can have a massage, it should be noted that there are preventive, therapeutic and therapeutic-prophylactic massages.

Mom can learn to do preventive massage herself. The visiting nurse will show you the basics during the first visit to the baby.

Prophylactic is prescribed to all infants who have no contraindications to it. This massage is often done by parents themselves at home. So, if your child is healthy and cheerful, then in the first year of life the observing doctor will definitely prescribe a daily massage.

Therapeutic and therapeutic-prophylactic massages are performed on the child by a professional massage therapist as prescribed by the doctor. These massages are aimed at relieving specific health problems.

When to perform the procedure

It is very important to consider when to massage. Procedures should be carried out in the first half of the day - from 8 to 15.00. It is advisable an hour after feeding so that the baby digests what he has eaten. It is not recommended to massage on an empty stomach, as the baby will be capricious. Procedures are carried out only if the baby is in a good mood. If he is dissatisfied, whims, or cries, the massage is canceled.

Contraindications

In some cases, massage is contraindicated for children. For example, in the following conditions:

high temperature;
gastrointestinal disorders;
acute respiratory diseases and infections;
skin inflammations;
rickets;
hernias (umbilical, inguinal);

Before you start

Before starting the session, ventilate and warm the room to a comfortable warm temperature, because the baby will be naked.
Prepare a flat horizontal surface, cover it with a diaper or blanket.
If one of the parents is going to do a massage at home, then you should remove all jewelry from your hands, wash them thoroughly, trim and file your nails.

Make sure you do everything possible to avoid injuring your baby during the procedures.

How many times should I do it?

For babies up to one year old, massage is done 4 times - every 3rd month. This is explained simply: during the designated periods of a child’s life, a qualitative leap in his development occurs. Massage helps to consolidate new skills and abilities.

How to massage a newborn

Up to three months

Until the baby is 1 month old, massage is not recommended.

At 1.5-2 months the easiest and gentlest procedure is done. You need to start a massage for a newborn by stroking the arms, fingers, legs, back, and tummy. The movements are light, soft, without the use of force or pressure.

Up to 3 months, the simplest and most gentle massage is done: the baby’s feet, tummy and back are massaged

Slowly, with a speed of lymph movement of 2 cm/sec. follow the massage lines from the tips of your toes to your head.

Palms, feet and fingers are stroked and gently kneaded, thereby stimulating reflexes and calming the child.
Stroking the tummy clockwise helps digestion.
The back is massaged at a distance of 1 cm from the spine.

Avoid the area of the heart, liver, lymph nodes in the armpits and under the knees.

It is advisable to carry out massage procedures at a set time for five minutes. During the session, talk quietly to the baby, hum songs, read simple rhymes. At the end of each procedure, gently praise the baby.

After 3-4 months

Massage for a newborn baby of 3 months of age can be complicated. Rubbing and kneading movements are added, and light pats cause babies to hum joyfully. Now the session duration increases by several minutes. If the baby loves these procedures, then over time they can be increased to half an hour.

For babies 3-4 months old, the massage becomes more complicated: now the arms, legs, neck, tummy, back, chest, ears, etc. are massaged. Gymnastics and various exercises are also added

Hands and feet

The massage begins with the arms and legs. First, all the fingers on the hands are massaged, the fists are unclenched and clenched, and the wrists are gently rubbed. The armpits are not involved.

Let's move on to the legs: massage the feet, fingers, and go up to the groin. Do not put pressure on your knees, otherwise you may damage your joints. It is not recommended to massage the area under the knees and inner thighs.

Tummy

We massage the child's tummy by stroking it clockwise. From the midline of the tummy, we smooth the body with sliding movements of the hands (one up, the other down), not reaching the groin area.

Rib cage

The chest at 3-4 months is still very fragile, so we massage the baby by gently stroking the hand from the sternum to the shoulders, then to the sides, without touching the mammary glands.

Neck

The neck of a baby up to a year is massaged when he lies on his tummy. Lightly stroke from the upper vertebra to the shoulders, from the back of the head to the back. If at this time the baby raises or turns his head, stop the massage.

Back

Massage your child’s back not along the spine, but along it with the backs of your hands. Directions – along and to the sides. Then the butt is stroked from the hips to the tailbone.

Another exercise: when the baby is lying on each side, run your finger along the spine from the pelvis to the neck. Not along the spine, but along it, pressing lightly with your finger. This causes back extension and training of the back muscles.

Head

The baby's head is massaged very carefully, carefully, without touching the fontanelle. Along with the head, lightly run your fingers over the ears.

Pull-ups

When the baby learns to hold its head, hone your grasping skills. From a lying position, have him grab your index fingers and stretch them to sit up.

Baby steps

Lift the child by the armpits, tilt him slightly forward so that his legs rest against a horizontal surface. Watch how the little man begins to tread his feet and take small steps.

Head down

When your baby is lying on his tummy, gently lift him upside down by his hips. This causes a rush of blood to the head. If the child is uncomfortable, do not repeat the exercise.

Gymnastics

Massage for newborns in the third month is enhanced by chest gymnastics, which helps strengthen the muscle corset.

Exercises while lying on your back:

cross your arms and spread them apart;
box with handles;
pull them up and down;
knees together and apart,
roll from side to side.

A 3-month-old baby should be placed on his tummy. This stimulates digestion, removes gases faster, which prevents colic.

Tummy turn

After massaging the abdomen and chest, we teach the baby to turn from his back to his tummy.

Draw your baby's attention to a bright toy and place it on his side, repeating the exercises on both sides. Let the baby reach for the toy.

6-9 month

General massage after the sixth month changes and becomes more complicated due to the fact that the baby has grown up and already knows a lot. Now he is learning to crawl and coordinate his movements. The session time is extended.

The massage is done using old techniques, but new ones are added. The procedure begins with a massage of the arms, legs, and feet. Next comes active exercises.

We're crawling

When your 6th month baby is lying on his tummy, place his favorite toy in front of him. Then, gradually moving him away and encouraging him, invite him to take the toy. If the surface is hard enough, the little one will stretch and crawl after the toy.

It's time to learn to crawl (at the same time this is a useful exercise for the muscles). A toy will help you with this. Place it in front of the baby at some distance, and the baby will try to reach it. At some point he will definitely crawl

Let's get on our feet

The exercise is called “walking with the baby.” The point of the exercise is to teach the child to maintain balance. First we hold the baby by two hands, then by one. Hands should be at shoulder level or below.

In order for the baby to learn to walk faster, parents need to lead him first by two hands, and then by one

9th – 12th month

Starting from the ninth month, gymnastics becomes more difficult. Now permitted are exercises such as raising legs from a lying position, squats, bending forward from a standing position, and even bending over and turning to reach a bright toy.

Ball

When working out at home, it is very good to use a massage ball. When asked about what age it is best for babies to use a ball, we answer: “From the 2nd month.”

While your baby is small, simply bounce him on the ball on his tummy.
Ride your three-month-old on his side and back.
A six-month-old baby is placed on a ball and placed on his legs.
And at 9-10 months the child can take steps, holding the ball with his hands.

The ball can also be used for massage. To do this, the baby is placed on top of the ball on his tummy and rocked

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, a massage for a baby will be effectively and correctly performed by a professional massage therapist, but if the mother masters a simple technique of how to massage a newborn and works with the baby herself, then this will bring more joy and pleasure from communicating with each other.

Main topics: medical therapeutic massage, how and where massage is done, general therapeutic massage, how often to do massage, therapeutic massage, how to do a massage, how to do a therapeutic massage.

If you are going to your first massage session, then you will definitely have worries and many questions. But don’t worry or worry ahead of time. To help you relax and forget about anxiety, let's consider a few frequently troubling questions:

What type of massage do I need most?

There is a very wide variety of massages. But the most popular massage is Swedish, as it perfectly relaxes all muscles and has a therapeutic effect. An equally popular type of massage is deep. It affects all muscles of the body, including the smallest ones. Thai massage, stone therapy and hot stone massage are also in demand. If you want an individual approach, it is better to choose a special massage. This is a sports massage or massage for pregnant women.

What to consider when choosing a massage therapist?

Firstly, the massage therapist must be a specialist with a medical education. If you find a massage therapist through an advertisement, ask about his experience in this field and pay attention to the presence of a diploma of secondary specialized or higher education. In addition, if you have cancer, or, you should select a massage therapist who has a special technique. After all, if this is a real professional, he will definitely inquire about the state of your health, listen carefully to all complaints about your ailments and will patiently listen to your wishes and answer your questions.

When is the best time to have a massage?

Before going for a massage, make time in your schedule to attend this important procedure. It is not recommended to go for a massage immediately after lunch or before eating. A massage after which you will not eat for at least some time will bring more benefits.

Will massage help get rid of diseases?

Experiments have shown that massage helps reduce stress in those suffering from cancer and Parkinson's disease. In general, massage has a very wide therapeutic spectrum. It helps lower blood pressure and eliminate headaches, also helps relieve stress and has a great healing effect.

Do I need to undress completely before a massage or not?

It is not necessary to undress completely. You can take off the clothes you think necessary. But the fact is that through clothing the massage effect is much less. To do this, there is a screen in the office behind which you can undress and put your things there. There will be a terry towel on the couch and, to keep you warm, the massage therapist will cover the part of the body that he is not working on with a terry towel.

Is it possible that massage can cause pain?

In theory, massage should not cause pain. But, if you experience such unpleasant sensations during the massage, you need to tell a specialist about it. A massage should bring a feeling of relaxation and pleasure, not pain. You don't have to endure it if you're in pain. Massage may be sensitive at times, but never painful.

Is it necessary to talk during the procedure?

This is up to your choice, because all people are different. Some people like to listen to music and remain silent, enjoying the procedure, while others, on the contrary, try to start a light dialogue. In any case, you should inform your massage therapist about your preferences. And regardless of whether you are talkative or not, be sure to tell the specialist if you feel cold, painful, uncomfortable, hot, or even if you don’t like the music that is playing.

What if I fall asleep during the massage?

After a massage, feeling relaxed is a completely normal reaction. Sometimes this feeling can last for a day. But this is a healthy relaxation, as if you had taken a walk in the fresh air or come out of the steam room. This is due to an increase in endorphin and serotonin in the body.

And you don’t have to expect that after visiting one procedure your back pain or chronic pain will disappear. Because massage is only part of the treatment, which will give positive results.

Massage treatments have many purposes. They are carried out to relax and relieve fatigue, increase muscle tone, for medicinal and cosmetic purposes. The types differ not only in the method of elaboration, but also in the use of additional accessories, special oils and intensity. Efficiency depends not only on the skill of the master to perform the procedure, but also on the correctly selected course, frequency and duration of sessions.

The duration of the massage is affected by:

Purpose and type of procedure;
Local or general study;
Individual tolerance;
The condition and age of the patient;

Availability of special indications or recommendations of a doctor, cosmetologist, physiotherapist. Any type of massage is aimed at achieving relaxation, improving blood circulation, restoring strength, reducing body volume, increasing muscle tone and improving overall human health.

The session makes it possible to monitor the state of the circulatory system, the functioning of internal organs, emotional and hormonal levels.

The benefits of the procedures are:

Dilation of blood vessels and capillaries, which leads to free blood flow and normalization of pressure;
Relaxation of the muscles of the neck, back, legs, arms;
Relaxation of internal organs;
Improving the functioning of the lymphatic system;

Increasing joint mobility. Massage will help maintain the flexibility of the spine and increase the elasticity of the ligaments.

Regular sessions promote rapid recovery from musculoskeletal diseases and help cope with stress, chronic fatigue and depression.

Contraindications

There are many indications for the procedures - age-related skin changes, stretch marks, cellulite, blood and heart diseases, etc. But there are also contraindications in which sessions are prohibited. These include:

Oncology;
Diabetes;
Hypertension 3 degrees;
Blood diseases characterized by poor clotting;
Thrombophlebitis, etc.

There are also temporary contraindications or restrictions - this is a temporary disease or condition of the client during which massage is impossible. This could be pregnancy, alcohol intoxication, an infectious disease, chronic diseases in the acute stage, or elevated body temperature. Another group of restrictions are local contraindications: psoriasis, the presence of warts or skin lesions in the area of treatment, enlarged lymph nodes.

Types of massage

All procedures are divided into several categories depending on their purpose. The first is treatment sessions. They facilitate the treatment of chronic diseases, relieve pain, muscle spasms, and restore mobility of joints and ligaments. Combined with therapeutic procedures. Treatment sessions are prescribed during the rehabilitation period and are carried out under the supervision of doctors.

The second category includes hygienic or preventive massage. Its goal is to maintain health and good condition of the body, increase overall tone, and strengthen the immune system. Doctors recommend combining hygienic massage courses and diet, sports activities, and contrast showers.

The third group is cosmetic procedures. They are aimed at improving skin condition, reducing body volume, and reducing wrinkles. Cosmetic massages also include an anti-cellulite complex.

The fourth group includes sports massage, which is used before and after training, during competitions, to restore muscles after injuries. It differs from other types in its deeper development of muscle tissue. Sports massage is a restorative type. It is prescribed for recovery after injuries and operations, to relieve fatigue and relaxation.

The fifth category includes acupressure techniques. During the session, certain points on the body are worked on, which are responsible for the functioning of internal organs and systems. After the massage, there is an improvement in overall mood and well-being, strengthening of the immune system, and restoration of strength.

Regularity of sessions

The duration of any procedure necessarily takes into account the patient’s health status and the age of the pathology being treated.

The doctor decides how many times a therapeutic massage can be done, depending on the test results, the pain syndrome or lack thereof, and the tolerability of the procedures. For aching and mild pain, sessions are carried out daily or 2 times a day. In other cases, massaging is recommended to be performed no more often than once every 3-4 days. The duration depends on the area of study:

The masseur massages the lower back for about 7-10 minutes;
The rib area is worked for about 15-20 minutes;
The entire back should be massaged for at least 60 minutes;
Legs and arms - from 25 to 45 minutes.

For cervical osteochondrosis, treatment lasts no more than 10 minutes.

Anti-cellulite sessions depend on the technique in their duration: if the massage therapist works with only 1 technique, the procedure is repeated after 24 hours. If the methods are different, then sessions can be carried out daily.

The regularity of sports massage depends on the purpose. Training is carried out daily or once every 2 days, and its duration is selected according to the person’s weight. Typically the processing time is 35-70 minutes. When conducting a session in a bathhouse or sauna, the massage time is reduced to 20-30 minutes. The required number of restorative or preliminary massage procedures is determined by experts in this field, based on the condition of the muscle tissue, level of load, diet, and weight of the athlete.

How long a cosmetic massage lasts depends on the area of treatment. The area around the eyes is massaged for no more than 3 minutes, and the entire face, neck and décolleté - up to 65 minutes. The effect is cumulative and persists during a course of 10-15 sessions. It is recommended to repeat professional cosmetic massage courses no more than 2 times a year. Home treatments to maintain healthy skin can be done daily.

For infants, general strengthening sessions begin in a month or two.

How long does a massage take:

First session - up to 5 minutes;
A month after the start of the sessions - 15 minutes;
After 6 months - 25 minutes.

The duration of procedures for children along with gymnastics should not exceed 45 minutes.

Course duration

How long a massage course lasts depends on the type and purpose of the procedure, purpose, indications and tolerance. The duration of the treatment course is determined depending on the type of disease, and the average number of procedures in one course is from 10 to 25. During the sessions, the massage therapist acts only on the problem area.

Intensive therapeutic therapy is carried out every other day and in courses, repeated every 2-3 weeks until positive dynamics are achieved. A course of intensive or healing massage usually consists of 15-20 sessions, between which it is recommended to carry out single procedures to maintain the effect.

How many massage sessions you need to do to lose weight depends on the amount of excess weight and the condition of your skin. Anti-cellulite massage usually consists of 10-15 sessions, with a break of 10-14 days between courses. Cosmetic massage, which is performed for preventive purposes, can be performed daily. Intensive anti-aging therapy consists of 7-15 procedures, which are carried out every 1-4 days. If the massage therapist uses different practices, the frequency of sessions changes.

Oriental and acupuncture massages, performed for recovery, relaxation and prevention, can be visited as far as possible and desired. If sessions are needed to eliminate the disease, improve the condition of the skin and health, then a course of 10-15 procedures is recommended. The frequency is chosen by the specialist and depends on individual indications.

Massage is a comprehensive treatment aimed at improving physical and emotional health.

How many times you can massage a day or a week depends on many factors: the type of massage technique and doctor’s indications, health status, receptivity and sensitivity of the skin. During sessions, the master focuses on sensations: first, they warm up the skin and muscle tissue. In the middle of the session, the movements should be more intense, and at the end - soft and deep.

With the help of massage you can solve health problems, lose weight, improve the condition of your skin and hair. Procedures are prescribed for the prevention and treatment of joint and heart diseases, to improve nerve conduction, for recovery after operations and injuries, for the formation of new muscle relief and facial contours. Sessions help to cope even with infertility - the main thing is to adhere to the prescribed course and the recommended frequency of procedures.