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CHAIR MASSAGE
(also suitable for Workplace)
Do you have Shoulders like Boulders?
(see below for workplace case study results and information on how regular Chair Massage can help your business)
Just sit there and let your stresses float away! A real opportunity to ‘Chill Out’.
Seated massage through light clothing on a specialist massage chair (no oil is used) is ideal for anyone who spends a lot of time at a computer, desk or driving. The whole back, shoulders, neck and arms are massaged – the main areas where clients report aches, pains, tension and tightness. This therapy takes approximately half an hour, including time for review and feedback with the Client. Many private clients enjoy the convenience of this massage and find incredibly effective.
This massage is gentle, yet deep and effective. Often the Practitioner will use the soft part of the forearm to perform the massage, which means the pressure is spread over a larger area, and more weight can be used without the Client feeling any discomfort. Tension is literally squashed out of the muscles in a painless way.
Massage releases stress-reducing endorphins and other mood enhancing chemicals within the body, which can make one feel more positive and give a feeling of well-being.
Advantages:
 Can be done anywhere - accessible
Client remains clothed
Simple and effective
Short duration of session
Holistic impact (physical and psychological benefits)
Can increase alertness and effectiveness at work
Can reduce anxiety levels
Can lift mood
Can lower blood pressure
Can aid sleep
Can reduce pain
Can improve circulation
Can enhance relaxation, well being and vitality
A great maintenance and preventative treatment
Muscle-based - releases and loosens muscles and structural tension so energy can flow freely
SHOULDERS LIKE BOULDERS ?!?!
Two Chamber Members Get Together for a Massage Case Study
It is true that many of us can identify with the ‘shoulders like boulders’ feeling? The detrimental effects of stress and back/neck/shoulder problems on health and well-being are well-known. They affect our work and can result in absence. Indeed, recent ‘chamber’ magazines have included features on stress and back health.
Local company, Webasto Product UK Limited recently teamed up with fellow Chamber Member and Holistic Therapist, Hayley Drakes, and her associate, Tracy Murphy from Sheffield, to undertake a case study on Workplace Seated / Chair Massage. The aim was to provide evidence of the benefits of massage.
Judging by the positive feedback, all 12 participants experienced benefits and appreciated receiving massage in the workplace and kindly gave permission for findings and photos to be published. Nine participants had not previously experienced any form of massage at all.
The massages took place monthly, over 3 months, and 34 massages were given in total. The ‘chair’ is easy to set up anywhere as it is portable and the massage is done through clothing.
Here are just a few of the many quotes from staff taking part, following their massages:
 More energy
Lighter and looser
Shoulders don’t feel like boulders anymore
Happy and smiley
More refreshed
Great feeling of well-being
Vibrant and alert
Wonderful – really look forward to it
Had a better night’s sleep
Felt amazing
Could run a marathon
Headache lifted
Feel like on holiday
Calm and tranquil and relaxed
Pain in between shoulders gone
Walking taller
Life back in me
Relaxed and refreshed
Very light and floaty in body
Very enjoyable
Stress levels felt to go down and overall mood improved
If you’d like to experience some of these feelings – get a massage!
Specific areas were measured and a summary of the % of Clients who experienced improvement is shown in the graph below. Clients reported improvements of up to 60% in some areas!
Other interesting findings were:
77.5% said massage as part of an employment package would encourage them to stay or seek employment with that company.
71% felt massage could prevent absenteeism.
74% thought monthly was the ideal frequency for massage.
If massage was offered in the workplace, most employees would prefer the employer to pay, but 67% would be prepared to contribute towards the treatment, whereas only 32% would be willing to pay the full cost.
A detailed report was produced and further information on this can be provided if required.
Ideal for the Workplace
Incorporate in your STRESS REDUCTION PROGRAMME
Sessions of chair massages can be booked for a minimum of 6 clients per session.
Use Chair Massage as a staff incentive? For example, as a reward for targets met or after completion of a successful Year End.
Massage used to be common in just big city companies, but now many forward-thinking companies are recognising the benefits of offering staff a regular massage.
Massage can:
Reduce stress and anxiety
Reduce back/neck/shoulder problems - great maintenance and/or preventative treatment
Reduce absenteeism and associated costs
Motivate staff, encourage staff loyalty and improve morale – Massage is a tangible way in which staff can feel valued at work
Improve work performance
Aid recruitment and retention of staff
SOME FACTS AND FIGURES:
The two main causes of absenteeism are stress and musculo-skeletal disorders (eg. back, neck, shoulder problems).
(Health and Safety Executive - www.hse.gov.uk/statistics)
Massage can help most musculo-skeletal problems and alleviates stress.
STRESS is thought to be the cause of up to 80% of common ailments. so alleviating it can have a positive effect on physical health.
Massage reduces workplace stress by 30%
(Shulman K A & Jones G E, The Effectiveness of Massage Therapy Intervention on Reducing Anxiety in the Workplace - Journal of Applied Behavioural Science Vol 32 Pt II pp 160-173)
(Source for points below: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics)
1 in 5 people are stressed at work
In 2004/5 an estimated 2.0 million people suffered from ill health they thought was work-related. Around three quarters of the cases were musculoskeletal disorders (eg. upper limb or back problems) or stress, depression or anxiety.
Each year between 2002 and 2004, an estimated 23,000 new cases of occupational or work related illness were seen by specialist doctors who reported to The Health and Occupation Reporting (THOR) surveillance scheme. As with self-reported cases, mental ill health and musculoskeletal disorders were the most common types of illness, accounting for just under two thirds of the total.
The total number of working days lost in 2004/5 due to ill health was 28.4 million. This can be broken down into 11.6 million due to Musculoskeletal disorders and 12.8 million due to stress, depression or anxiety.
Maurice Fuller, Managing Director, CMF Consultancy Services Ltd, Doncaster www.cmfconsultancy.com
“As a company our staff take advantage of the services offered by Hayley Drakes and find the sessions very beneficial and her style of operation very professional. As an Executive and Management Coach I have no hesitation in recommending to our clients the benefits of taking on board the corporate services offered by Hayley.”
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Dr Julia Burne, Chestnut House Surgery, Thorne, Doncaster
“Our reception and nursing staff are always under pressure – there often isn’t time to deal with one task fully before having to attend to the next one. They manage to cope with this pressure – appearing pleasant, unflustered and competent. As employers we do not always remember to acknowledge how much stress the staff absorb – and offering the team a massage on a regular basis seems to be a very practical way of both recognising the problem – and trying to do something about it. All the staff appreciate the experience and the sense of being valued and, as their employer, I feel it has enhanced the team spirit within the surgery.”
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Sarah Barsby, Marketing Manager, Intastop Ltd, Doncaster
“Our company has taken advantage of the services offered by Hayley, we found her approach professional. Staff have said they felt much better afterwards with a more positive mental attitude and overall energy levels improved. We look forward to more sessions.”
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