ATP 322 MECHANICAL MODALITIES ESSAY
Massage therapy is a widely practiced technique used to promote relaxation and provide various benefits to individuals. It has been shown to enhance sports performance, reduce anxiety, and have positive effects on medical conditions. Among the different types of massages, effleurage is a specific form of massage therapy that focuses on relaxation, increasing blood flow, and stimulating the lymphatic system.
By employing upward strokes, effleurage promotes improved blood circulation and circulation back to the heart. One condition that effleurage massage can effectively address is anxiety, which affects a significant percentage of adults (Parekh, 2017). By inducing relaxation, effleurage massage helps alleviate anxiety symptoms. This gentle technique raises body temperature and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, facilitating the release of feel-good hormones (ManchesterPhysio, n.d.).
ATP 322 MECHANICAL MODALITIES ESSAY
Effleurage massage can also be beneficial for patients with cancer as a nonpharmacologic approach to reducing adverse reactions to chemotherapy. It has been found to lower heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension in cancer patients. By providing a hand massage to avoid direct pressure on the cancerous site, effleurage massage helps patients relax and experience greater comfort during their chemotherapy treatments (Gensic et al., 2017).
In conclusion, effleurage massage is an effective therapeutic technique for promoting relaxation, enhancing blood and venous circulation, and reducing anxiety. It offers potential benefits for individuals seeking relaxation, athletes aiming to optimize performance, and patients managing various medical conditions. ATP 322 MECHANICAL MODALITIES ESSAY
References:
Gensic, K. R., Schneider, K., Zimmaro, L. A., Duffecy, J., & Keimig, C. (2017). Nonpharmacologic
adjunctive interventions for anxiety in patients with cancer: A systematic review. Oncology Nursing Forum, 44(4), 415-432.
https://doi.org/10.1188/17.ONF.415-432
ManchesterPhysio. (n.d.). Effleurage massage. Retrieved from
https://www.manchesterphysio.co.uk/treatments/massage/effleurage-massage.php
Parekh, R. (2017). Anxiety disorders. In J. E. Blacker, J. D. Bremner, P. D. Cowen, R. G. Klein, & D. C.
Stein (Eds.), The Maudsley prescribing guidelines in psychiatry (13th ed., pp. 412-429). John Wiley & Sons.
