Maia’s Discovery of Massage as an Athlete

Aloha!

My name is Maia, and I wanted to share a bit about my journey as an athlete, and how Seven Senses Spa has opened my eyes to new ways to benefit my body.

Since I was three years old, dance has been at the forefront of my mind. Expressing myself through movement has always been my sweet escape from reality. Growing up as an athlete though, there isn’t much room for rest or recuperation in between dance’s strenuous activity. Because of this, I have repeatedly found myself over the years in immense pain caused by dance. After facing every possible injury, from my neck to my aching feet and toes, I have learned about my many deeply rooted issues that I am happy to say are solvable.

For one thing, injuries are mostly caused by an existing problem in another area of your body. I would try to solve my body’s problems on my own, but I truly did not know where to begin. Of course everything in the human body is connected, but it is much more intrinsically connected than I knew. One of my worst injuries, which was in my ankle, was caused by a tightness in my calf. The pain in my ankle was ongoing for about two years, and it took the reigns over my daily life. I would turn down opportunities to hike, go to the beach, or even just walk short distances. I was missing out on life, and when I realized this I knew it was time to get real help. And the only way to fix the surface issue I was having was to start at the root of it all, which was my tight muscles.

I started seeing a physical therapist, as well as a movement coach. Learning about balancing strength with my flexibility was extremely eye opening. I also learned that my body was daily addressing its own problems, in the forms of compensation in the wrong muscles, and a use of joints instead of muscles.

As well as strengthening, what I definitely needed was help in loosening and stretching my tight muscles. After trying to understand all the nuances of my body alone, I found out about massage and its benefits through becoming hired as a receptionist at Seven Senses Spa.

Massage is an amazing way to experience healing in a new way. It is an utterly different experience trying to work out your own kinks, compared to having a professional really understand exactly what your body needs. When I am getting a sports massage at Seven Senses Spa with Tricia, I feel that my body is really understood and cared for, even when I am not caring for it myself. I can tell Tricia all the several pains I need taken care of, and she works through them with just the right amount of pressure.

After my massages finish, I feel so much tension and chronic pain leave my body. All the tight muscles that were clenched and bound together feel a sense of release. Tricia has specifically helped me with tightness in my calves, arches, glutes, and my neck and shoulders. After only a few sessions with her, I found my body’s range in flexibility and stretching bounce back because of the work she had done. 

However, what I have learned about this particular spa is that every masseuse has their own special touch. All of them have something of value to bring to the table. Having a quick injury massage between my dance rehearsals has definitely been my saving grace. Being an athlete, I have learned that massages are really the healthiest bet for my aches and pains.

Something I have taken away from my experience in having constant injuries, is that my body’s condition is absolutely in my control. I used to blame my body for the pain I would feel, but I should have been blaming myself for not prioritizing my physical health. While I regret going so many years without properly addressing my pain, I am thankful that I can now say loudly and proudly that I am taking care of my body, and I am now injury free.

I hope I have inspired you to put your body’s health first, and to love your body instead of making it your enemy. 

-Maia Kawaguchi