Therapeutic Massage Techniques Can Address Health Issues and Make You Feel Good Too!
When you think about therapeutic massage techniques, what ideas come to mind?
These days massage therapy is being used more and more as a way to get healthy.
Trained body workers offer many therapeutic massage techniques designed to get specific results. Let’s look at some of them to see which would be a good fit for you.
Our Hours:
Monday – Sunday: 8:00 am – 9:00 pm
We include free cupping with every one hour massage!
If you’ve had a therapeutic massage treatment before, then you are familiar with at least one massage technique, that is, whichever one your therapist used. Some of us are referred to seek massage therapy by a physician or chiropractor, often in order to correct or ease a new or existing problem.
For example if you have recently been in a car accident and are being treated for whiplash. You may find yourself in the office a therapist trained to administer deep tissue massage. Or if you are on vacation and the resort you stay at offers spa services, chances are that you received a relaxation massage.
Let’s talk about what deep tissue and relaxation massage means:
Deep Tissue Massage Techniques
Deep tissue is not a specific massage technique, rather it refers to a group of therapeutic massage techniques that reach deep into your muscles, and in some cases joints. Usually the deep massage techniques will be applied with little or no creams or oils, and only to the source of pain, or the problem areas.
Following are a few of the most popular deep tissue massage techniques:
• Sports Massage – A sports massage is designed to get immediate results. It uses very deep pressure to specific muscles and joints. It address injuries and tension.
• Shiatsu – Shiatsu is deep pressure applied along certain energy paths and points in the body. It releases tension at these points and allows the body to release all over.
• Myofascial Release – The goal of this technique is to release the connective tissues, muscles, and joints. This can be used to treat chronic pain. The pressure used varies depending on which type of tissue is being treated. There are myofascial massage techniques that are applied with soft pressure as well (but this deep tissue section is not about those).
• Trigger Point Therapy – This uses very very deep pressure to target specific points in muscles and joints where tension is the worst. You might think of these tension points as knots, although they can be buried deep within a tissue or under other muscles. Often you will notice immediate relief.
Relaxation Massage Techniques
Relaxation massage is not a specific massage technique either, rather it is a way to describe any therapeutic massage technique that relaxes you without getting painfully deep. Often these techniques use creams or oils, and are applied to large areas of the body, or to the entire body, as opposed to the deep tissue techniques, which tend to address small focus areas. I talked about those in the section above.
Following are some popular relaxation massage techniques:
• Swedish Full Body Massage – As the name implies, this massage technique is often applied to the entire body, except for the private areas, which therapists should always leave draped with a towel or sheet. There are two types of strokes; long flowing compression strokes, and shorter, kneading and squishing strokes. The pressure will vary from light to heavy depending on what you request and your therapist’s personal strength.
• Reflexology – This technique is applied to the feet, ankles, and sometimes lower leg. Pressure and strokes are applied to specific energy lines and points along the bottom, sides, and top of feet, as well as the ankles. These points are massaged and encourage the movement of stuck energy and the release of tension throughout the rest of the body.
• Lymphatic Drainage – This technique applies pressure that feels light, but affects the flow of fluids in your body. It targets the circulation systems in the body, strengthening circulation and your immune system. If you tend to retain water in your body, this technique can relieve that.
• Facial Massage – This technique focuses on the face, head, and neck. It softens muscles and skin, and encourages circulation. Often the use of aromatherapy oils enhances the effects of the massage.
• Hot Stone Therapy – This technique applies heated stones to certain points and areas of the body. The therapist will put stones on your body and allow them to rest there while other areas are worked with oils and such. Sometimes the stones may feel too warm for you, be sure to tell your therapist if this is the case.
