Which Body System Does Massage Affect the MOST?

When I was first hired as a massage educator, the school I worked for required us to take the MBLEx. See when I went to massage school, you didn’t need a license to work. You barely needed to prove you had education. I saw many job listings that said “will train”. However, between then and the time I became an educator myself, the career field had changed. Our law required massage therapists to prove they had at least 500 hrs of education from a licensed school, various other identity requirements, and take the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam. The law had a grandfather clause though, allowing those of us who had gone to school (or others who could prove through tax returns they’ve worked as a therapist for at least 5 years) were allowed to get our license without having to take that test.

Here I was, 3 years later, taking the test anyways. I agree with the importance of having your instructor know what the test is like that they are literally training you for. My experience taking it was pretty uneventful, however one question stuck in my mind.

Now, I will admit I am a little nervous to tell you what the question was. The test has a part where they make you agree to never disclose your questions. I did forget most of the answers. Hopefully that helps (sorry FSMTB!)

“What body system does massage have the greatest effect on?”

I remember that Respiratory System and Digestive System were two of the red herrings, and I think Circulatory System was also on there, but I do remember sitting back, crossing my arms like a brat, and thinking “well, truthfully none of them.”

You see, I was deep in my cynical skepticism. I had been through 18 months of massage school, only to get out and start researching myself, reading actual research articles, and learning a lot of what I was taught just wasn’t factual. We don’t move or release toxins through massage. We don’t increase systemic blood flow. We barely increase blood flow deeper than the dermis. There is little evidence for trigger points or adhesions, let alone for them being the cause of someone’s pain. I learnt about the nervous system, the brain, and how pain works in the body. I learned how chronic pain works in the body. I learned all of the social, mental, and emotional things that went into creating the experience of pain, and how muscle function was a small part of that.

I began to see the human body as a human person, with all their complexities lying just below the surface. I began to interact with the system that controls every other system: The Nervous System. I began to work with massage as primarily a nervous system regulator.

When I engage with tissue, I’m engaging with the nervous system receptors that lie in the dermis and the superficial layers of the body. Those nerves dive deep into the body, send information up and down it and to the brain, where the brain has to decide what to do with the information I’m inputting. The state of the mind when receiving bodywork plays a huge role in the results. If the client feel unsafe, the brain is not going to feel safe enough to release tension from the muscles. Your brain’s first and primary job is to keep you alive. Staying alive does not depend on facts, it depends on what has kept you alive up to this point. The brain uses your past experiences and your beliefs to give you the experience of whatever is going to keep you alive longer. Pain is an amazing way to get your attention to a certain area, to get you to stop or pause, and get you to take care of the painful situation. The experience of pain happens when the brain believes there is actual or potential tissue damage. There’s a risk that damage is happening, so we have to set off alarm bells to whatever volume will help you listen. If your muscles are yelling at you, I guarantee it’s because a whisper didn’t help.

When the nervous system is calm, relaxed, and feels safe enough, it will allow change. When your brain believes the change is beneficial, it will allow it and work to keep it. As massage therapists, we are in the perfect situation to really help people’s bodies process these complicated experiences like stress, discomfort, muscle tension and fatigue. Downregulating the nervous system allows blood and oxygen to flow more easily to your internal organs, which allows them to function easier. Oxytocin from touch helps combat Cortisol and negate the harmful effects it can have on your cardiovascular system. Decreasing blood pressure, increasing respiration all help you sleep better, which helps every system of your body including your brain. Activating proprioceptors can help your brain map your body out better and give you a fuller idea of your identity and appreciation for every inch. Massage can improve body image, decrease anxiety, improve oxygen and nutrient exchange in the tissues, and help you feel more connected to the people around you.

What body system does massage affect the most? Nervous System, hands down.