Guest Blogger: Raquel writes about massage therapy

I’m Raquel Roetto L.M.T. (Licensed Massage Therapist). I have been practicing therapeutic massage since 1997 after graduating from the Myotherapy College of Utah in Salt Lake City, UT. I have an office in my Nampa, ID home and also provide seated chair massage in local businesses (some of which I’ve been in for nearly 15 years). My favorite reason to do massage is to make someone feel better and I do that through therapeutic massage as well as relaxing massage, depending on what you need.  My specialties include Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Reflexology and Pre and Postnatal Massage.

 

Beyond R & R

About 20 years ago as I was trying to decide what to be when I grew up, I was working as a teller at a bank. I got to know some of my customers pretty well as they came in on a regular basis. There was this guy who came in every week or so with a stack of checks to deposit. One day I happened to notice “massage therapy” written on the memo line of one of the checks. That piqued my curiosity because I had been raised in a family that utilized massage. My Grandma Roetto was a massage therapist/reflexologist. My parents would go to her for a “treatment” whenever they had back or muscle pain. I remember as a youth Grandma rubbing my feet and particularly my big toes to relieve headaches, which I had often. I don’t ever remember using the term massage and didn’t realize that it was such a common practice.  My grandma had apprenticed and learned hands-on techniques to help people feel better. She had many faithful clients who came to her regularly, even in her later years. Well you can imagine how excited I was to learn you could go to school to become a massage therapist.  I was enrolled within a few weeks and that began what has been a rewarding career.

In my years as a massage therapist I’ve focused my efforts beyond the standard “R and R.” Although massage is a great way to rest and relax, there are far better R’s to consider.

Recovery: massage allows the body to recover more quickly from vigorous exercise and competitive sports, by increasing circulation and relaxing muscles. Massage is also a necessity while recovering from sports related injuries and heavy training schedules.

Relief: massage offers relief from many ailments including stress, muscle tension, pain, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, sciatica, TMJ, insomnia and many others. Massage is also a great way to treat emotional issues such as depression, anger, anxiety and grief by increasing the “feel good” hormones.

Reduce: massage reduces the intensity of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after activity. It reduces inflammation and keeps joints limber. Massage reduces healing time and will have you back at play sooner. Massage reduces viral and bacterial illnesses by enhancing immune function.

Restore: massage, in a nutshell, is a great way to restore health and well-being both physically and/or emotionally. There are not many treatment plans available that are as beneficial as massage therapy. Many positive changes will be felt with regular 15 minute massages.

The Mayo Clinic’s web page on massage states:

 “Brush aside any thoughts that massage is only a feel-good way to indulge or pamper yourself. To the contrary, massage can be a powerful tool to help you take charge of your health and well-being, whether you have a specific health condition or are just looking for another stress reliever.”

I might add that massage therapy is beneficial for people of all ages from pre-term infants to elderly persons.  While there are some contraindications to massage, most therapy sessions can be customized for anyone.

So, find yourself a therapist that is educated and trained properly and carries the credentials your state requires. Someone that has experience and can provide you with the treatment plan you need. You’ll want someone you are comfortable with and that you can communicate with. Not every massage therapist is created equal and you deserve the best. Go out and get yourself some R & R & R & R and . . .

Raquel

If you are interested in more information or in getting a massage you may contact Raquel at 208.841.4831 or raquelroetto@aol.com.

 Mention this blog post for a $10 discount on your first full-body massage.

 

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Happy Running!