Do you receive massage therapy on a regular basis? Massage therapy has a host of benefits including but not limited to: reducing Muscle Rigidity, improving circulation, eliminating harmful toxins from the body, increasing range of motion, improving skin vitality, and more. The toxins that are built up in the body that need to be eliminated are lactic acid build up. This is caused from muscle hypertonicity within the body that causes insult to the muscles. Typically, the bones surrounding these muscles are misaligned known as a spinal subluxation. A spinal subluxation is defined as, less than a complete dislocation of a joint that causes nervous system interference. When there is no interference to the body then the body can function at 100% of the optimal capacity. It is very important to drink a large amount of water following a massage in order to flush out the waste products built up. As a general rule of thumb, every individual should be drinking half of their body weight in ounces of water per day. More should be consumed when physical activity is performed. This is because you typically sweat a lot of water out when you exercise. If someone is clinically dehydrated this means that their muscles, joints, ligaments, and discs are more than likely rigid because your body gives water to the crucial organs first then whatever is leftover then it gives to your muscles, joints, and ligaments.
Treatment
Muscle Rigidity can be helped through massage therapy, chiropractic care, physical therapy, and exercise. In addition, a sauna or steam room may also help with rigid muscles. This will also help the body eliminate any impurities or imperfections as well. Moist heat can help to calm down a spastic muscle while cold therapy can help to decrease the viscosity within the muscle tissue. When applying cold therapy to any area it should be done for at least twenty minutes on and at least sixty minutes off and then repeated as often as necessary. When applying moist heat to an area apply for ten minutes in duration then take it off. Do not use a dry heating pad that you plug into a wall because this seems to only further dehydrate the muscles tissue and causing more Muscle Rigidity. In acute phases, the first 72 hours it is important to utilize ice therapy. In the sub-acute phase you can use contrast therapy alternating moist heat and cold therapy and in the chronic stage moist heat should be used to relax the muscle tissue.
