Massage and the Circulatory System
When the average person thinks about the impact of massage on the blood system, it is commonly accepted that massage “increases” circulation. This statement is both true and untrue depending on how you define the results you see during and after massage.
Let’s start by establishing that the body’s blood system is a closed system, meaning it has more or less a fixed volume. While the body does create more blood to replace lost amounts, it is designed to cap at a certain level so as not to overwhelm the body.
In terms of massage, increased circulation could mean that it gathers more blood to a certain area. Because most massage modalities are a form of friction, this is a common effect. When that blood is brought to the area being worked, it is being borrowed from another area of the body. Therefore you can say that yes, circulation to a specific site is increased, but the overall volume of blood will not be affected.
Another interpretation of increased circulation would be shown in the speed at which blood moves through the body. In order for this reaction to occur, the heart rate would need to be increased. In general, massage slows the heart rate meaning the conditions for this change would not be met.
During circulation, the blood has two jobs - carry nutrients and oxygen to the body and remove cellar waste from the body. These two jobs are key factors in the healing process. Just because massage does not have a direct impact on the blood system itself, it’s still an important part of the equation during a massage. Massage activates this system in localized areas to facilitate relaxation and healing.
While the blood system is responsible for moving fluid in the body, the lymphatic system is responsible for balancing those bodily fluids. When blood rushes into and out of vessels throughout the body, the walls of those vessels expand and allow trace amounts of fluid to pass out into the interstitial areas. (The space just under the dermal layer, but outside of the fascia that binds all muscle tissues together.) When this space fills up, the lymph vessels open and absorb the fluid. It is then passed through the lymph vessels to the lymph nodes where waste is scrubbed out in small increments until it reaches the terminus, a place under the clavicle where the lymph vessels connect to the blood vessels to send the cleansed fluid back to the heart.
This system is designed to function all in its own, but can be influenced by massage. The aforementioned lymph vessels are attached to the deepest dermal layer by very thin string-like tissues. As the skin is manipulated, these tissues are tugged and allow the lymph vessels to open wider, thereby absorbing increased amounts of fluid. The larger amount of fluid entering the system creates a need for the system to empty faster. In this way, massage does increase lymph movement in the body in an indirect way.
Manual Lymph Drainage, while not strictly massage, is a modality designed to more directly influence this body system. This form of body work utilizes specific hand positions and movements to encourage the interstitial fluid to flow more quickly towards the terminus.
The circulatory system is vital to every other system in the body. Massage can manipulate this system to promote maximum benefit to the client on the table. One of the aspects of the circulatory system that can be influenced by massage is blood pressure.
Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. This is measured with two numbers. The top number of a blood pressure reading is your systolic blood pressure - the rate at which blood moves through the vessels when your heart beats. A typical range for this reading is 120-140. If your number is higher than this, your blood is exerting a potentially dangerous amount of pressure against your artery walls during each heart contraction causing a condition known as hypertension. The bottom number is your diastolic blood pressure. This is the pressure in the blood vessels in between heartbeats. A normal diastolic number is lower than 80.
It is commonly accepted that massage lowers one’s blood pressure – and to a certain extent that is true. Light, general massage techniques help to lower cortisol levels and boost the oxytocin hormone. Mobilization of the skin, connective tissue and muscle tissue during massage stimulates receptors that send messages of relaxation to the central nervous system. These reflexes cause vasodilation, resulting in decreased blood pressure and heart rate.
Another, potentially more dangerous physiological effects of massage is blood circulation augmentation. Massage frees tissue congestion by moving stagnant blood out of a tightened area and flooding it with new, fresh blood. An increase in blood circulation can increase intravascular pressure, making intense massage an issue for those with uncontrolled blood pressure. This result is more common in more intense forms of massage such as deep pressure work or trigger point therapy. These types of bodywork often seek to increase the stress response with the goal of tipping the scales and forcing the system to relax.
Because massage influences the body in so many unique ways, it is important to consult a doctor before receiving bodywork if irregular blood pressure is an issue for you. Medication may be a necessary intervention in addition to homeopathic remedies like massage.
