Massage Therapy for Resilient Kids

Massage Therapy
Written By Lindsay Olver

Written by Lindsay Olver | December 13, 2020

Resilience = your ability to bounce back from life’s difficulties

Stressors impact children just as they do adults and I have often heard, “what do kids have to be stressed about?” 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone including children. Our kids have not been able to play with friends or hug grandparents, their activities have been cancelled, and their learning environments have drastically changed. From what I have seen with my own kids and hearing from other parents is that our kids are extremely resilient! They have handled this year incredibly well, but they have also been negatively impacted. Overscheduled extracurricular activities, family problems, peer pressure, and academic pressure are a few other things that cause children to feel stressed. Kids can experience stress in the forms of insomnia, behavioral changes, and digestive disturbances.

Literature review on pediatric massage suggests massage therapy has positive outcomes on many pediatric conditions such as chronic pain, illness, depression, anxiety, adhd, or injury. I have been asked if kids can receive massage and they absolutely can. I think it is important from a young age for kids to learn different ways to take care of their physical and mental bodies. As a parent I know how much energy kids have and how important physical activity is. I also notice how overstimulated they can become from their surrounding environment and that they function better after having time to slow down too. Massage can be an excellent tool to help children reduce stress.

Touch is essential to our health and children often reach out for touch as naturally as they do for food and water (Vanderbilt, 2015). Kids can experience the same benefits as adults from massage therapy such as reduced cortisol levels, improved circulation and flexibility, reduced pain, improved mental clarity, and an overall increased sense of well-being. In one study, hand and foot massages were given to children hospitalized on a pediatric intensive care unit. During the massage, parasympathetic activity increased by 75% (Field, 2019). In our current world where we are discouraged from coming within 6 feet of another human, therapeutic touch may be more important than ever for our children. Massage therapy helps create a comforting sense of security and trust and it can also help children learn how to listen to their own bodies so they can build a sense of security within themselves.

Kids are already incredibly resilient but that does not mean that they do not struggle. Children are intelligent, intuitive beings that are directly impacted by their environments. If we can continue sharing tools to support our kids’ resilience, they are more likely to grow to become resilient adults!

Lindsay Olver

Registered Massage Therapist

Yoga Instructor

Meditation Practitioner


References
Field, T. (2019, June 6). Pediatric Massage Therapy: A Narrative Review. US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6617372/

Vanderbilt, S. (2015). Children and Massage. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. https://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/children-and-massage

Lindsay Olver

In 2011, Lindsay graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Major in Psychology. During her time at the U of S Lindsay competed as a Huskie in the sport of wrestling. She also represented Canada at the Junior World Championships in 2008, where she placed 10th.

Throughout her time in university, Lindsay also established a regular yoga practice which led to her eventually completing Joos Yoga’s 200hr yoga teacher program. She developed a passion for yoga and meditation and had a keen interest in all aspects of how the body works.

In 2016, Lindsay graduated from the Professional Institute of Massage Therapy 2200 hour Advanced Massage Therapy program with Great Distinction. She provides relaxation, deep tissue/therapeutic, pre/post-natal, and aromatherapy massage. Lindsay enjoys treating a diverse range of clients and conditions. Through her experiences in sport, yoga and meditation, Lindsay utilizes different aspects of her toolbox to provide her clients with an individualized well-rounded treatment.

Aside from her work as a massage therapist, Lindsay is a mom of two, loves spending time with her family, reading, and drinking tea!

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