Massage for People With Disabilities
Massage is brilliant for all bodies for so many reasons! But in this blog I want to talk about why massage can be so powerful for people with disabilities.
Whilst I was finishing my massage training at the end of 2021 and during the first 6 months of starting my business, I worked on the bank team as a support worker for adults with learning disabilities living in residential care homes. This was a rewarding experience where I had the opportunity to see how the care sector works; I got to meet brilliant and inspiring people that work tirelessly for others and I also got to know more about disability.
After I completed my massage training I began to provide massages in the care homes for some of the residents and have seen first hand the effects that massage can have on people with disabilities.
Firstly, massage provides physical touch
Remember in lockdown when we were encouraged to hug someone in our household for 30 seconds? That’s because hugging and other forms of physical touch cause your brain to release oxytocin, known as the "bonding hormone." This stimulates the release of other feel-good hormones, such as dopamine and serotonin, while reducing stress hormones, such as cortisol and norepinephrine. These neurochemical changes make you feel happier and less stressed. Research suggests that being touched can also lower your heart rate and blood pressure, lessen depression and anxiety, boost your immune system, and even relieve pain (www.dignityhealth.org).
In my experience as a support worker, people who live in a residential setting away from family may not get a lot of physical touch, so massage can be a brilliant way to increase this in a safe environment.
Massage improves muscle tone, range of movement, circulation and flexibility
For people with disabilities who aren't able to/don’t enjoy exercise, muscles can atrophy (this is when the muscle wastes or thins). Therefore massage can provide movement and stretching in a passive way - it feels great for the client and keeps them limber whilst they’re relaxing at the same time! It also increases circulation which ensures that blood and oxygen continuously flow throughout the body, allowing every organ to function properly. It helps to heal wounds faster, it helps vital organs such as the brain and heart healthy and it even gives you a healthy glowing complexion!
Massage is relaxing
Relaxing in front of the TV or with a book is great, but it’s important to have different forms of relaxation and self-care in a person's day to day. Massage can be a really positive form of relaxation that doesn’t involve screens and the subsequent over stimulation. For individuals with learning disabilities who find daily tasks challenging and stressful (for example people with autism who find things like bright lights or loud noises overwhelming, stressful or uncomfortable or get anxious or upset about unfamiliar situations and social events) massage can encourage the nervous system to settle and provides proprioceptive input which can help regulate the sensory system, as well as promoting connection in a non-verbal way (www.nhs.uk).
Physical checks and monitoring
On a very practical level, massage is a great way to check a person’s body. When I’m massaging my clients , I’m constantly on the lookout for anything new that might be a concern that my client may not be aware of, for example varicose veins, lumps, bumps and bruises, rashes, new or changing moles or skin irritations. This is even more important for people with disabilities who may not be able to check this themselves.
So, all in all massage is a lovely activity that promotes human connection - supporting physical and mental wellbeing - something we could all do with a little more of…