Work stations are often built to accommodate equipment, not different body shapes and sizes. Society demands performance, but workers don't get the needed warm-up time before activities. Deadlines, traffic, air quality and many other factors lead to physical and mental stresses that eventually become evident as physical pain. Massage therapy seeks to address some of these symptoms. Historical and current research documents the diverse physiological effects of massage, many of which are due to the movement of the therapist's hands over the body, physically stretching the muscles, encouraging circulation, inhibiting muscle spasm, and sedating or stimulating the nerves to ease pain or promote function as necessary.
Many effects are equally preventive in nature.
When muscles are loose and circulation is sufficient, the result is better health and less chance of injury or dysfunction. Some other effects are not well understood, such as decreased anxiety following treatment. Some physical and psychological effects may be due to the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers.