What Is Touch for Health Therapy?

Changes are part of our lives that we can't stop or alter in the course we want them to be. The same goes with our health, it degenerates as we grow older each day. The more we age, the more it becomes prone to all sorts of sickness and diseases. Our vessel also becomes fragile and weak as the days goes by. However, we can slow down the process and fight off illness with massage therapy.

Touch for health is one therapy that is known as a therapeutic massage that uses muscle manipulation by testing to find weak muscles. It is known as a branch of applied kinesiology designed for ordinary people to understand and implement on their family and friends. The techniques used in this type of massage therapy are quite simple and easy to learn, understand, and practice. Touch for health uses combined knowledge and elements found in Western medicine, bodywork, and traditional Chinese medicine. All of these components are blended to form a basic type of therapeutic massage that can be utilized and enjoyed by anyone who needs to have treatment. The therapy doesn't require the learner to be knowledgeable in physical therapy in order to understand the techniques.

The technique uses muscle testing on the affected areas to assess and search for weak muscle groups. The practitioner then works on the strong muscles surrounding the fragile ones in the goal of strengthening and regaining their optimum condition. Muscle testing is constantly performed during the massage therapy in order to get a good idea of the progress of the massage therapy.

Its history can be traced to Dr. George Goodheart's discovery on the effect and benefits when certain muscles were massaged. He noticed changes in the weak and affected muscles whenever he conducts massage works on the strong muscles connected to the frail ones. This led to the development of the system known today as applied kinesiology.

The idea though wasn't complete, not until Dr. Goodheart worked with John Thie who was also a chiropractor. Both were diligent and determined in developing a technique using the idea of applied kinesiology on a simpler level that can be understood and learned by everyone. Their goal was to create a massage therapy method that can be practiced and conducted by individuals without proper training and education on physical therapy. Later on, this systematic approach in therapeutic massage education was successfully developed and became known as the new kinesiology Touch for Health.

The therapy session usually begins with the client lying down or sitting on somewhere comfortable and relaxing as the practitioner starts with the evaluation of the muscles. Although it can also be done while standing, most patients prefer to sit down or lay down to avoid discomfort. The therapy doesn't require the use for massage oil, thus the need for undressing is also unnecessary in a touch for health therapy session. The benefits of this therapy are all similar to those of applied kinesiology as it is only a branch of the therapeutic massage.