Achieving higher levels of health often means using various pieces of fitness-related equipment like weights, cardio machines, and any other exercise device imaginable. However, there is another piece of equipment that offers a lot of health benefits even though you’re not likely to break a sweat using it, and that is a massage stick.
A massage stick is a rod or pole that is typically between one and two feet long which is specially designed to help you massage your own muscles. So what types of health benefits does it offer?
- Pain relief. If you’re struggling with pain related to tight and tense muscles, a massage stick can help loosen them, providing you fairly quick relief. The way it does this is by increasing circulation to the affected area and also by triggering the release of your body’s natural pain killers. Research has also found that massage is good for helping to ease some chronic painful health conditions such as plantar fasciitis, sciatica, tennis elbow, and more.
- Greater flexibility. Because the massage stick helps increase circulation and loosen soft tissues, the end result is greater mobility of the massaged area. This benefits you both inside the gym and out since movement is necessary in all areas of life.
- Better eating habits. In an interview with WebMD, Dr. Tiffany Field, director of the Touch Research Institute, shared that massage helps with “depressive disorders such as ones that involve addiction like eating disorders.” This makes using a massage stick in conjunction with a diet and exercise program a great way to potentially help you create and keep better eating habits.
And since a massage stick is relatively inexpensive, you won’t burden your budget with regular spa visits that can really add up in costs.
Do you have a massage stick? If so, what types of benefits have you noticed? Comment below!
