The Science of Spas

May 2007 Special Sections

While spa treatments such as massage and hydrotherapy have been around for thousands of years, we’ve only recently begun to understand the scientific reasons for their effectiveness. We talked to experts at Twin Cities spas about why these age-old remedies are still so beneficial today.

While some may think of a day at the spa as an indulgence, the treatments found at today’s spas were once considered a necessary part of health maintenance, and many people relied on them the way we do modern medicine. In ancient Rome, people staved off aches and pains by regularly bathing in therapeutic mineral waters generated by natural hot springs; gymnasiums in the golden age of Greece also incorporated hydrotherapy as well as massage; and the Chinese have treated ailments with acupuncture for thousands of years. Ever wondered why these age-old methods for maintaining and restoring health and a sense of well-being are still prevalent today? We looked into some of the most popular treatments offered at Twin Cities day spas to find out the science behind why they work.

The Healing Touch
Feel guilty when you splurge on the occasional massage? You shouldn’t, according to studies by The Touch Research Institute in Miami (TRI), which is part of the University of Miami School of Medicine. TRI collaborated with researchers from several other universities to study the health benefits of massage therapy. During the course of more than one hundred studies, TRI discovered that massage diminished pain in fibromyalgia patients, increased pulmonary function in asthma patients, decreased glucose levels in diabetes, and boosted immune responses in a variety of diseases from HIV to cancer—just to name a few of their findings.

Many of the benefits of massage seem to stem from stress reduction. “During a massage, there’s often a decrease in stress hormones like cortisol, which is released during periods of anxiety, and an increase in levels of serotonin,” says Jodi Graham, massage therapist at Simonson’s Spa, which has several locations in the Twin Cities. This is significant because low levels of the hormone serotonin have been associated with clinical depression and other mood disorders.

Diane Cook, co-owner of The Day Spa in Edina, says that, in terms of stress reduction, massage is one of the most beneficial spa treatments for long-term health and well-being.

Cook has witnessed the tangible benefits of massage, in combination with physical therapy, in her own son, who had a stroke last year at the age of thirty-two. “The massage is helping to keep his hand active, and it also helps with the emotional stress of his treatment,” Cook says.

Terry Clements, director of wellness at Solimar Spa in Eagan, explains how massage works directly on muscle groups that are injured or tight. “Massage increases circulation to the muscle, which brings oxygen to the muscle, which in turn brings healing.” Most people are aware that we need oxygen to breathe, but it’s also essential in healing bodily tissues like skin, muscle, and bone. Poor circulation in muscle tissue or skin can stagnate oxygen flow, which is where massage can help.

The pressure administered during a massage also removes lactic acid build-up, which is a toxin left over in contracting muscles. “Your muscles have naturally occurring toxins as a by-product of movement, and if you’re not drinking enough water, excess toxins can settle into the muscles, making them tighter and, therefore, more prone to injury or pain,” Graham says.

Tight muscles are also the culprit in many sports-related injuries, which is why regular massages are a must for many athletes. If there’s a sports injury, massage helps break down scar tissue, gets blood flowing to the muscles, and gets you back to balance and symmetry, says Stephanie Olson, massage therapist at The Marsh in Minnetonka. Even those of us who rarely step on a treadmill can be prone to muscle strain from repetitive-stress disorders from typing on a BlackBerry or lifting one too many grocery bags. “People don’t realize how tight their muscles are, and massage can be an injury-preventative measure,” Olson says. “It’s really a form of ‘passive exercise’ because the touch is very stimulating.”

Your Best Foot Forward
For many Minnesotans, pedicures are the ultimate luxury to be indulged in only in the spring and summer months when feet are visible. But foot care has year-round benefits that can’t be underestimated—especially for those who spend a lot of time on their feet. Pedicures are much more than a change of polish. The warmth of the water, the movement of the whirlpool jets, and the stimulation of the foot rub and exfoliation all work together to revive tired and sore feet by increasing circulation.

Practitioners of reflexology, a form of massage that concentrates on the feet, believe feet contain many pressure points that can increase overall health if stimulated. For example, there are thousands of nerve endings in the feet, and reflexologists say that stimulating nerves that correspond to specific organs in the body can help resolve imbalances in afflicted areas.

“Reflexology is the belief that each part of the foot is connected to other parts of the body,” Cook says. “For example, one area on the bottom of the foot might effect your kidney or liver or lymph nodes.”

More Than Skin Deep
Skincare has become a focus of many spas as people have begun to realize that it’s important to keep the surface of the body healthy, too. Just as in a massage, stimulating facial skin increases oxygenation, which helps skin to heal and regenerate itself. “Skin is the largest organ on the body, and it takes in nutrients,” Clements says. Exfoliation, which is part of most body treatments, helps enable this process. “Exfoliation brings oxygen to the skin, and oxygen in turn brings more nutrients to the skin,” Clements says.

At Solimar, aromatherapy oils (such as lavender, eucalyptus, and camphor) are incorporated into the body scrub to enhance the client’s mood during the experience while also helping to moisturize and condition the skin. For example, Clements says the smell of lavender helps calm and relax a person while eucalyptus and camphor relieve muscle tension.

For more intense hydration and detoxification, Clements recommends a body wrap, which has health benefits that go well beyond great-looking skin. Clements says Solimar Spa’s hydrating aloe wrap helps the body produce more endorphins as a result of the body’s response to the relaxation effect of the wrap and the massage. To give an analogy of how this works, Clements adds that endorphins are the same stress-reducing hormones that are produced when you go running or meditate.

Hydrotherapy is another whole-body skin treatment that goes well beyond the surface. “Our hydrotherapy soak is a really slow, introductory detox,” Clements says. “The jets work up to your back and then back down for lymphatic drainage.” The pressure from the jets stimulates lymph nodes to help them do their job of fighting off infections and cleansing the body. The warmth and movement of the water helps relieve sore muscles, and Clements says the deeply relaxing experience also helps many of her clients sleep better.