It’s important for people of all ages to take care of their mind and body, but it’s especially crucial as you age. For those aged 60 or older, it’s common to experience age-related muscle mass loss, known as sarcopenia. This condition can affect your strength, mobility, balance and overall health. By exercising at least 10 to 15 minutes per day, you can help reduce your risk of losing muscle mass and slowly build up your daily movement. 

However, introducing physical activity can be challenging if you experience muscle pain and stiffness. Massage therapy can help reduce muscle tension and empower you with more mobility and comfort to improve a sedentary lifestyle.

Benefits of Massage for Older Adults 

Your body relies on healthy muscles to protect your bones and allow you to move with a full range of motion. Muscle tension causes your muscles to tighten up around painful areas, but this can potentially result in a pinched nerve. Fortunately, massage therapy provides many benefits that can help relax your muscles and reduce painful contractions or spasms. 

1. Reduced Muscle and Joint Pain 

As you age, your muscles may become harder, tighter or more rigid. This can be exacerbated if you are generally inactive on a daily basis. Tight muscles may accompany stiff joints, which can make physical activity even more difficult. Massage can help soothe and soften your muscles and decrease discomfort. 

Applying light pressure helps your muscles loosen up and encourages oxygen and blood flow to the area. When your muscles are less tight around your joints, you may notice smoother movements and less aches. This means you can pursue new physical activities like pickleball and more!

2. Improved Posture 

Poor posture from sedentary behavior, misaligned hips or working conditions can result in a variety of conditions, including poor balance, muscle weakness and chronic pain. Massage therapy can help correct postural imbalances by releasing built-up muscle tension. By addressing muscular stiffness throughout the body, your limbs may be better able to support upright posture. Relaxing tight muscles also improves muscular balance, which is crucial for maintaining proper posture and alignment. Massages can also enhance your body awareness, enabling you to actively correct your posture.

3. Reduced Stress

Picture someone giving you a massage. You likely envision a peaceful environment and no stress as the aches and pains are gently kneaded from your limbs. After all, massages are known for feeling good! 

Massage therapy can trigger significant relaxation in your mind and body. Simply releasing knots and providing physical relief can be very rejuvenating. Massages can also provide stress relief by reducing the stress hormones in the body, such as cortisol, and releasing oxytocin, which creates a sense of calm and reduces anxiety. 

4. Improved Sleep 

When you’re tense or in pain, it can often lead to sleep disturbances. Perhaps you often get up in the middle of the night to stretch your aching muscles or stay up late waiting to feel relaxed enough to fall asleep. With regular massage therapy, you can help reduce throbbing, chronic pain and promote more restful sleep. 

Because massage improves relaxation and reduces stress, it acts as a natural sleep aid. Massage therapy is intended to help calm the body, which can induce deeper sleep and better quality sleep for older adults. 

5. Enhanced Flexibility and Mobility 

Tense, rigid muscles can limit your ability to move freely and easily, which can make it challenging to perform everyday tasks. Massage therapy targets muscle tension and hard tissues around the joints to allow for a wider range of motion. As a result, your movements may be smoother and less painful. 

Regular massages can also help improve your balance, which can often be affected by muscle stiffness. The more relaxed your muscles are, the more flexible they are. Massage therapy can also be a great way to build up your endurance and physical activity. If you want to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, you can start with at-home exercises or yoga to experience your improved mobility in real time.

6. Increased Circulation 

Poor circulation can cause a range of health issues, such as swelling, numbness, cold extremities and blood clotting. Massage therapy focuses on manipulating soft tissue to reduce muscle strain and encourage blood flow and oxygen into the limbs. 

Gentle pressure and strokes help increase circulation and stimulate your lymphatic system, which is responsible for removing excess fluid and waste from the body. When your muscles receive fresh blood and oxygen, it can further enhance your mobility. 

How to Release Tension and Stiffness at Home

The benefits of massage therapy are heavily intertwined, meaning you may experience many improvements in your overall physical health and mobility. Luckily, you can receive these benefits on your own time with at-home treatments. 

Self-massage tools are convenient and user-friendly, providing the power of a professional massage therapist in a handheld device. The Myobuddy® Pro 2 Massager features strong vibrations, percussive therapy and frictional heat to effectively target any body part. This massager can be used daily to help with muscle tension, aches, pains and stress relief. 

Experience the Rewards of Self-Massage Tools for Muscle Tension

Muscle tension or pain requires prompt attention, otherwise, it can impact your mobility, sleep and quality of life. With Myobuddy, you can get a deep, relaxing massage whenever and wherever you need it. Self-massage tools put the power in your hands. Check out our massagers online and learn how they work!