Photo Credit: Thomas Hafeneth
Massage is one of the fastest-growing complementary therapies around the world. Like any other treatment, diabetic massage has several potential benefits and side effects for people with this diagnosis. Some studies show that it has a positive impact on blood glucose levels and symptoms of diabetic neuropathy. In fact, one group study found that when parents gave a full-body nightly massage to their diabetic children, the children’s glucose levels dropped from an average of 158 to 117 mg / dL within one month.
Diabetes massage relaxes the muscles and calms the mind, thus reducing the physical and mental ailments associated with diabetic symptoms.
What Are Common Complications of Diabetes?
According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 1 out of 3 diabetics over the age of 50 will suffer from peripheral arterial disease (PAD). PAD occurs when the blood vessels in the legs are narrowed and blocked by fatty deposits, and the blood flow to the feet is decreased. This can result in an alarming number of consequences, ranging from foot ulcers to amputation. Therefore, it is critical for people with diabetes to ensure that the blood flow to their legs is regulated.
Can Diabetics Use Massage Chairs with Foot Massagers?
Massage products—from recliners with foot-and-calf massagers, to targeted foot-and-calf relief solutions—can serve as an incredibly useful tool for patients with diabetes seeking to increase blood flow in their legs and swollen feet. The Figure-Eight® Technology in many Human Touch® products delivers an advanced technique that emulates those used by a professional masseuse, and this technique increases the blood flow between the legs and torso.
Benefits of Foot Massage for Diabetics
Massage has been shown to drop glucose levels, which can help to prevent hyperglycemia in diabetics. According to Healthline.com, hyperglycemia can cause eye damage, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, nerve damage (neuropathy), skin and gum infections, joint problems and even can result in a diabetic coma. Helping to relax your body will assist in lowering your glucose levels, which can prevent these types of hyperglycemic ailments.
Another benefit of diabetes massage is the increase in flexibility as the muscles are loosened. High blood sugar can result in the thickening of connective tissue, and massage will increase the mobility and elasticity of that tissue. As the muscles, tendons and ligaments are relaxed, patients will find an increase in motion and flexibility in the joints, therefore improving their quality of life. Thus, a foot massager for diabetics is a great way to increase flexibility and mobility in their feet. Diabetics also often have restricted blood flow in their feet, which massage can help increase.
Important Precautions of Massage for People with Diabetes
All of these benefits of massage should be noted by anyone suffering from diabetes. However, if you are diabetic, you need to consider a few important factors when seeking the therapy.
As with any type of physical therapy, you need to consult your physician before beginning massage therapy. It’s a great option for anyone seeking stress and pain relief, but people with diabetes need to be aware of fluctuations in their blood sugar levels at all times. Diabetics especially need to monitor their glucose levels after such therapy. They may not need as much insulin as they normally do after a massage.
It is also important for diabetics to avoid massage in an area where they inject insulin. Pressure in this area may influence the way that their body absorbs the shot and therefore alter their intake. This is one of the things professional athletes suffering from diabetes especially need to be mindful of.
Are Foot Massagers Good for Diabetics with Neuropathy?
As a final recommendation, diabetics should be cautious when assessing the pressure levels and heat options from any massage service, whether from a masseuse, a chair or with a foot massager. Those who want to try foot massage for diabetic neuropathy need to consult with a healthcare professional and also do their own research to determine if the massage technique or heating levels are ideal for a person of their body type and sensitivity levels.
Human Touch recently connected with Hiram Eugene, a former NFL free safety for the Oakland Raiders. He was signed in 2006, and played for six seasons before a dislocated hip forced him to retire early from his NFL career.
Though he was able to have surgery on his hip, his pain continued to resonate from that - as well as many other - injuries resulting from playing professional football. After an intensive regimen of both physical therapy and pain management medication, he finally found a more manageable form of relief in the Human Touch Ascent Series Novo massage chair. He has been kind enough to invite us along for his journey to recovery. Here, you can read Hiram’s first-hand account of how he’s using his Novo to feel his best:
My NFL career started in 2006 as an undrafted free agent with the Oakland Raiders, where I played Free Safety during my tenure. My career lasted until 2012 with a career - ending injury, due to a left hip dislocation.
As most players in the NFL I have had numerous injuries. I suffered from hamstring pulls, both ankle sprains, a torn Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) on the left knee, left calf muscle pull, a torn Pectoral muscle on right arm, a hyperextended left elbow, jammed right hip, stingers (which resulted in me having the thoracic outlet syndrome), an L5 and S1 disassociation in my lower back, and lastly what ended my career which is a dislocated left hip.
Enduring these numerous injuries, I am mostly affected by tightness/stiffness/soreness in my lower back, joint tightness/soreness in left hip, and stiffness/tingling/inflammation/numbness in my neck.
My attraction to the Novo massage chair was that it really does have the touch of human hands giving you a firm massage, and it also has a recliner mode that helps you relax while you receive that massage.
I have been able to use my Novo massage chair 3-5 times a week, depending on my daily schedule. I usually try to get into the chair in the early afternoon, and if possible at night before bed. One particularly helpful way I’ve begun to use the chair is after a hot tub bath, since it helps me to find a more peaceful sleep. I mostly sit down, and put the auto-massage program to the cloud touch/manual knead with percussion and heat, and I love the foot and calf massage.
I have been seeing a doctor for pain medicine, muscle relaxers, and anti-inflammatory medicines. I was also attending physical therapy two times the week and seeing a massage therapist and acupuncturist once a week. However, using my Novo regularly has decreased my pain levels and given me a little better mobility. With better mobility I don't have to take my medications as often, and the combined heat with low back massage generates blood flow which allows me to get a little more done throughout the day.
Hopefully this progress continues, so that I can cut even further back on my pain medication and decrease my need for physical therapy. I will continue to use my Novo massage chair regularly, and update you on my progress!
Fibromyalgia, a chronic musculoskeletal condition, affects nearly five million Americans and significantly more women are likely to suffer from the disease than men. The main symptom of it is experiencing pain throughout the entire body, as well as tension headaches, fatigue, stiffness and sleep disorders. Still, the cause of fibromyalgia is still unknown. As a result, those who suffer from it often have anxiety if they will find long-term pain relief.
In 1990, researchers at the American College of Rheumatology identified 18 fibromyalgia pressure points, a.k.a. tender points, that are still used to help therapists diagnose patients with this disease. People feel the tension in their skeletal muscles and in the connective muscle tissue of their body. This tension decreases fibromyalgia patients’ muscle elasticity and affects their arterial blood supply. This activates someone’s pain receptors and results in chronic pain that may not be caused by anything apparent. As a result, treating pain for fibromyalgia sufferers is difficult. The root cause of what leads to experiencing symptoms often is unknown.
The pain of fibromyalgia is only a start to the endless cycle of issues that affect a person’s central nervous system’s release of serotonin. Because of problems with releasing serotonin, patience has an increased likelihood of depression and/or mood swings. Suffering from fibromyalgia also affects the ability to achieve quality rest, which prevents the body from being able to repair itself and can further increase a patient’s depression and exhaust the body, mind and spirit.
Massage Therapy for Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia has no direct cure. However, several treatments are available to alleviate someone’s symptoms. One of the best treatments is for fibromyalgia sufferers to receive is massage therapy. Such therapy helps people get calf pain relief, decreases their stress hormones, and increases their serotonin level. With these benefits, it improves the overall sense of well-being. Special fibromyalgia massage therapy techniques also help to relax the body in order to achieve quality sleep, so the body can repair itself and start fresh for the following day. Once the body has reached homeostasis following a night of quality rest, someone can have both the mental and physical energy to address challenges throughout the next day.
Fibromyalgia and Massage Types
The best massage techniques for fibromyalgia patients combine kneading, pressure, stretching and heat. These techniques will loosen up the parts of the body that are tight and will increase someone’s mobility, allowing them to take on more physical tasks. Good techniques for fibromyalgia also increase circulation and help the body to clear out toxins within the muscles. Recommended forms of massage for fibromyalgia include:
• Swedish massage
• Passive stretching
• Sports massage
Massage Chair Benefits for Fibromyalgia Patients
Massage chairs make an excellent option for those suffering from fibromyalgia as they are the most cost-effective method for people who require regular, long-term therapy. They also make a great choice because of the convenience and availability for the user to take advantage of professional-grade therapy at any time of day, for as long as they like, and without having to leave the comfort of their home.
Some of the best massage chairs for fibromyalgia patients include:
• Super Novo massage chair
• Novo XT2 massage chair
• ZeroG 5.0 massage chair
• WholeBody® 7.1 massage chair
• iJOY® Total Massage
Massage Constraints for Fibromyalgia Patients
Those with fibromyalgia should consult their physician prior to receiving any massage therapy. They also should receive only gentle-pressure massages because their muscles can be sensitive. Once you’ve consulted a therapist and picked a necessary therapy option, make sure to avoid deep-tissue work due to its pressure intensity and muscle overstretching through the treatment process.
Patients also should stick to short sessions. Otherwise, they take a risk to feel unwanted pain after the treatment. The goal is to make your muscles relax and make them more pliable, not to make you hurt.
Massage Benefits for Fibromyalgia Patients
Here are the advantages of fibromyalgia massage therapy techniques:
1) Relaxation to improve sleep. Evening sessions help patients improve their sleep quality at night, thereby allowing the body to recover faster.
2) Improving muscle tone. Massage therapy helps to strengthen the lax muscles and restore the strength and vitality of the client’s body.
3) Improving mental clarity. Relaxation sessions help raise health awareness and reduce mental stress for patients.
4) Elimination of headaches. Improving blood flow to the brain helps alleviate the physical source of headaches for patients. In addition, having such pain relief helps to keep the patient’s mind in a healthier space.
Human Touch was recently able to donate a massage chair to Peyton White, who lives in Texas. Peyton and his mother, Lynne, plan to conduct a study to determine the effects that a massage chair will have on Peyton’s Autism, including regular updates from Peyton where he will discuss the results from his perspective. We are excited to follow along with Peyton on his journey, and invite you to join us with his updates as well! Here is an excerpt from Peyton’s latest post:
A couple weeks ago, I got a new Human Touch massage chair. It helps me reduce anxiety, get rid of muscle soreness and have better sleep at night. When I sleep better, it helps me with my autism, as I don’t stress as much. When I do stress, I sit in the chair, and it helps me calm down. I use the massage chair about 2 or 3 times a day. My favorite parts of the massage chair are using foot and calf and rolling and kneading which really makes me relax to help me become confident. While I’m sitting and relaxing on the massage chair, I can study my notes when I’m worried about a quiz or test so that I’ll do better at it. Whenever I’m stressed or need a better sleep, I sit on the massage chair for 15-25 minutes. I just wanted to tell you how awesome and comfortable my chair is and how much it is already helping me.
Read Peyton’s Full Blog Post Here.
We’re pleased to share this post from Peyton White, who is conducting a research study on the effects that his Human Touch massage chair has on his Autism. This original post can be found on his blog here. Being Autistic sometimes I have trouble sleeping, and that isn’t good. The Reason why sleeping is important is because it helps you be healthier and increase your brain function to positively think and learn. It also helps prevent heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. When having little sleep, people feel less positive and can have a rough day at school or work. Having 2 or 3 hours of sleep is never a good thing to do at night, especially when you have to focus. When having too much sleep, it can also increase the risk of having heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure. Having proper sleep actually helps people do well in sports, quizzes, math and music and more. A short period of sleeping is called a nap, many people take something called a “power nap” during the day. Naps also help people become healthy and increase their brain function. The difference between sleep and nap are that sleep is for nighttime and people usually spend 8-11 hours of sleeping and nap is usually for daytime and people spend at least 30-90 minutes of napping. Why am I telling you all of this? Because sleep is very important for me, so I can focus better. When I focus, I learn better and have fewer meltdowns. Every day and night, I sit in my massage chair to help me calm down, it helps me have good sleep at night and do well on my schoolwork. I did very well on my final quizzes after I sat in my massage chair and studied my notes before I took my final tests. When I relax I make better eye contact, speak well and become more aware, as well as get a good night’s sleep. Before I go to bed, I watch something on TV in the media room and sit in my massage chair to relax. I turn on the programs and sometimes have the lights off a bit, turn on the massage chair and relax. This helps me get ready for bed and allows me to sleep sound. I love having this massage chair as it is helping me in so many ways.
Back-to-School is a busy, exciting time for most families. It means new friends, new teachers, and new schedules for all. It also means that kids are exposed to a lot of new ideas, activities, and… germs. And while we can’t monitor their every move during school hours (they have to grow up sometime, right?), we can do a few things to ensure that they don’t suffer too much through Cold Season.
Keep Them Well While They’re Away.
One of the most important things you can do is to teach your children how to properly wash their hands. According to Web MD, only 33% of female middle and high school students use soap when they wash their hands. That number drops to a frightening 8% of boys in the same age group. Yikes! Most illnesses are contracted when kids get germs on their hands and then touch their eyes or nose, so teach them that they are best off just avoiding contact with these parts of their face unless they’ve cleaned their hands first. Instill healthy habits by teaching them to wash their hands for approximately 20 seconds, and make sure that they always, always, always wash their hands before they eat food. Using hand sanitizer is another way to help your children avoid school-time illnesses. Kids older than 6 years old can be allowed to use sanitizer to keep hands free of germs, though visible dirt should still be cleaned off with soap. Some schools provide sanitizer for their students, while others may even allow kids to bring a travel-sized sanitizer. Find what is permitted or provided at your child’s school. Your child should also know the proper way to cough or sneeze- into his or her elbow crease. Doing this keeps germs off their hands, which helps to stop germs in their tracks.
Get Involved.
Another way to help keep your child well is to help his or her school to maintain a germ-free environment. Some schools struggle to afford wellness products for their classrooms, so get involved by offering to donate tissues, hand sanitizer, soap, or anti-bacterial wipes. This also helps you to engage with the administration on what is being done to keep kids healthy, and opens the conversation to allow further discussion on how parents can help make their kids’ schools clean and safe.
Do Your Part.
Of course, keeping your child healthy at home is the primary way to keep them well. Make sure that they get enough vitamins, sleep, and exercise to maintain a healthy immune system. Keeping your home free of dust and mold are also critical to keep everyone healthy. And it goes without saying that keeping YOURSELF well is important. Running yourself ragged and having too much stress on your own body will not only increase the likelihood of you becoming sick yourself, but also impair you from giving 100% of your chicken soup-making, VapoRub™-soothing, bedtime-cuddling self.
Long Beach, CA –Human Touch®, the U.S. market leader of innovative massage chairs, Perfect Chair® Recliners, and other wellness solutions, has announced plans to place its ZeroG® 5.0 Massage Chairs in select Massage Envy franchised locations across the country.
Also, as a commitment to helping massage therapists recover after providing a Wellness Massage service, they will be encouraged to use the chairs, as well as Human Touch Reflex6 Foot and Calf Massagers installed in break rooms, to rest and rejuvenate between appointments.
Members and guests also can use the chairs free of charge, complementing the hands-on care therapists provide. The chairs will offer therapeutic seating in select Massage Envy franchised locations’ tranquility room, so clients can begin to relax before their appointment or extend the benefits of massage after their service.
“Regular massage helps us take care of our bodies with proven, lasting effects,” said Beth Stiller, Chief Commercial Officer of Massage Envy. “This new program with Human Touch is especially important for therapists, who are compassionate caregivers, and who also need to take care of themselves. We believe the chairs will enhance the Massage Envy experience, and give therapists, members and guests another way to include massage in well-rounded health and wellness routine.”
Massage Envy franchise owners can also sell discounted Human Touch massage products directly to their members for in-home use. These home sessions have been shown to enhance the benefits of regular, professional massage therapy sessions.
“Our new partnership with Massage Envy serves as a way to enhance their members’ massage therapy sessions and the value of their membership,” said David Wood, CEO of Human Touch. “Studies show that a large number of clients already enjoy the benefits of combining chair massage with professional massage. We’re confident that Massage Envy members will discover these same results, allowing them to maximize their potential and feel their best.”
Rejuvenate with the ZeroG 5.0 Massage Chair
The ZeroG 5.0 massage chair provides a remarkable full-body massage using Human Touch Technology® specifically designed to enhance the way you feel. The Smart 3D FlexGlide® massage engine simulates the expert techniques of massage professionals to help restore your body and leave you relaxed and ready to live life to its fullest. Take a seat, recline to zero-gravity, and simply point to where you need relief on the revolutionary BodyMap PRO® remote. Other features include four auto-massage programs, a foot and calf massager, and soothing lumbar heat technology. Enjoy these impressive features bundled into the most modern massage chair designed for any luxury living space.
Soothe your Soles with the Reflex6 Foot and Calf Massager
The Reflex6 Foot and Calf Massager delivers a remarkably life-like massage that emulates the expert hands and techniques of highly trained massage therapists. It massages the calves in an upward, rolling or wave-like fashion, using a patented CirQlation® technology developed by Human Touch that incorporates proprietary mechanics to drive its robotic actuators. The Reflex6 also offers an on-board console, patented Warm Air Technology®, and adjustable tilt for relief from multiple angles.
About Human Touch
Human Touch is the leading provider of high-quality, innovative lifestyle products, massage chairs, and experiences that have been delivering indispensable, life-changing benefits to an ever-growing number of consumers for more than 35 years. Human Touch has been making people feel better by developing state-of-the-art massage products containing patented massage systems that replicate the hands and techniques used by massage professionals, thereby helping to reduce pain and stress caused by today’s hectic lifestyle. Products are available at fine furniture stores, back care specialty stores, and mass-market retailers across the U.S., through international retailers and distributors in more than 40 countries, and online at www.humantouch.com.
About Massage Envy
Massage Envy, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, is a national franchisor, and through its franchise locations, is the leading provider of therapeutic massage and skincare services. With its membership model, Massage Envy believes total body care is an integral part of everyone’s well-being journey. The Massage Envy franchise system is, collectively, the largest employer of massage therapists and estheticians, with more than 25,000 dedicated professionals that provide best-in-class service to over 1.65 million members. Founded in 2002, Massage Envy has more than 1,100 franchise locations in 49 states that have together delivered more than 100 million massages and facials. The company was recently ranked by Forbes as the No. 1 Best Franchise with an initial investment of $500,001 and up. For more information, visit www.MassageEnvy.com, or follow us on Twitter @MassageEnvy and Facebook www.facebook.com/MassageEnvy.