Therapeutic Massage
Meet Raven McElwee, Licensed Massage Therapist
I graduated from Eastern Michigan University in 1994 with a BS in Exercise Science. While attending college, I played on the EMU Division One fastpitch softball team. I received my license in therapeutic massage therapy from the Dayton School of Medical Massage in 1999.
I have worked on all different types of people for many years. I enjoy using various massage techniques to reduce muscle tension and stiffness. The use of massage promotes faster healing of soft tissue and reduces pain and swelling. Recently, I have been working with collegiate athletes performing pre/post and recovery massages. Let me show you how massage can help your muscles and your mind.
Your soft tissues and you:
Your muscles are made up of many small, thin fibers that contract on command, working together to mobilize your muscle groups. These muscles are attached to your bones by connective tissues, called tendons, enabling them to move your body parts. Your bones are then connected by tough bands of connective tissue, called ligaments, for added stability. Your ligaments are covered by yet another connective tissue called fascia. All of these connective tissues can be referred to as “soft tissues.”
Soft tissues help in mobilizing your joints and give your body the strength it needs to perform tasks. Your soft tissues provide you with the ability to do many things; however, they also limit you from pushing yourself too far – even if that’s your intention. These can be damaged by certain stresses, especially those caused by the repeated actions within different activities and form a tear in the tendon can lead you with a significant amount of swelling and inflammation. Many individuals also experience sprains, which is caused by a ligament stretching farther than intended.
These injuries may occur in response to a multitude of reasons – but they can also occur if muscles simply are too tight and pushed beyond the muscle’s capabilities. Therapeutic massage can help with this, as it loosens up the muscles, and may even prevent some of these injuries from occurring in the future. Contact us in Columbus and Westerville, OH today!