👉Top Reasons Kids Benefit From Massages

Have you ever wondered why a kid would get a massage? Or maybe if your child would benefit from massage therapy?

One of the most common questions I get as a Certified Pediatric Massage Therapist is why a kid would need a massage. My answer? Just like adults pursue massage and manual therapy for a variety of reasons, so would kids and teens! I’ll focus on a few basics in this article and dive deeper in the future with citations.

Top Reasons for Kids Getting Massage

• Injuries and accidents
  
  Sprains and strains and pains, oh my! I see kids coming in for pain relief and injury rehabilitation/resolution from all sorts of injuries including, sports-related incidents, whiplash, ankle sprains, surgeries, muscle strains, tendonitis and tendinosis, and slips and falls.
  
  
• Stress Relief
  
  Kids and teens can experience stress and anxiety just like adults can. Juggling the demands of school, after-school activities, a quickly changing world, social media and the Internet, and friends and peer groups is a lot! Massage supports the release of oxytocin in the body, which is a chemical that is calming and can promote lowering cortisol.
  
  
• Pain and Tight Muscles
  
  Maybe the pain is diagnosed, like fibromyalgia or muscle spasms from an underlying condition. Perhaps it is related to a tongue tie, posture, or stress. Pain is an unpleasant experience that I do not believe anyone has to “just deal with.” I have a variety of advanced manual therapy techniques to pull from to figure out what may be happening and to help the body relax, cope, and heal.
  
  
• Sensory Processing
  
  I see children who have been diagnosed with conditions that may impact their sensitivity and sensory processing capabilities. Some children are sensory seeking and some are sensory avoiding. A session will look different for each child and we focus on finding ways to work with the body and nervous system to provide the right inputs and balance.
  
  
• Immune and Digestion Support
  
  Using manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) techniques to work with the lymphatic system can have a positive impact on immune system function as well as being incredibly relaxing. It puts the body into a parasympathetic state, which many of us need help with! This could look like help supporting constipation or bowel habits, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, sinus congestion, and general wellness.
  
  
  

There are more benefits and reasons than I’ve been able to list! In the future I will add in a post with the research citations I’ve gathered because who doesn’t love some good evidence-based material.

I hope this sparks your curiosity and opens a new world of options for your child if you are looking for support for their health and well-being.

Massage is not a substitute for proper medical care. As always, please check with your child’s medical provider if you have questions about your child’s health. There are times to avoid massage, such as during fever or active illness, medical emergency like a broken bone or concussion, or significant unexplained health changes. Nothing in this post is intended to be medical advice or taken as such.