Do you struggle with persistent fatigue, achy muscles, or mounting stress? These are telltale signs that your body might be craving the therapeutic touch of a professional massage. This physical therapy form has been a reliable refuge for those seeking respite from discomfort and pain for centuries.
Everyday stress and physical activity can cause muscle tension as the body responds to stressors by tightening muscles as a protective mechanism. Persistent muscle tension can manifest as tightness, pain, and a reduced range of motion, often leading to discomfort and impaired daily functioning.
Certain skin conditions, such as open wounds, burns, rashes, or contagious skin infections (like impetigo or fungal infections), should not be treated with massage. Even non-contagious skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema may be aggravated by massage if not handled carefully.
These are areas of the body where deep, sustained pressure should be avoided because of the structures that lie beneath. Those areas are the anterior and posterior triangles of the neck, suprasternal notch, sternum, axilla, spinal column, umbilical area, inguinal triangle, popliteal fossa, and the antecubital fossa.
These include direct manipulation of the spine, the front of the neck, and any visibly injured or inflamed areas.
The back is one of the most requested areas in any massage. It's where many people carry stress, tension, and discomfort from sitting, standing, or physical activity. Therapists focus on the upper, middle, and lower back to release tightness and improve mobility. The neck and shoulders are another high-tension zone.
An acute injury is a sudden, sharp, traumatic injury that causes pain. Typically the result of an impact or trauma such as a fall, strain, sprain or collision. Massage shouldn't be performed on the injured site because it encourages circulation and can increase swelling during the body's initial response to injury.
Releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good and diminish pain. If you have real aches or pains, the morphine-like effect from the endorphins works by blocking pain signals from the brain causing a decrease in discomfort.
When your muscles are tight or tense, it can lead to discomfort, pain, or even limited mobility. Massages help to relieve this tension by stretching and kneading the muscle fibers, promoting relaxation and flexibility.
1. Slow down when you need to. Speed up when you don't need to slow down.
During your massage, your therapist will typically begin by massaging your back and shoulders; for this, you'll need to be laying down comfortably on your stomach. Then, the therapist will massage your legs and feet, (and your glutes if this has been agreed to) before proceeding to massage the arms.
A full-body massage usually includes your arms, legs, hands and feet, your neck and back, your stomach and buttocks. The area around the breasts is usually massaged but not the breasts themselves.
This massage is about you and it's important that you feel comfortable. For some people that means leaving some clothing on. For others, it means taking it (mostly) all off. There is no right or wrong, this is your massage.
Deep tissue massage should not be performed on clients that have fragility issues, skin conditions, or problems with blood flow such as: A blood clotting disorder. Increased risk of injury, such as bone fractures. Nerve injury.
The survey results are in and the back took top position as the most favourite part of the body to be massaged followed by the shoulders. Then feet coming in at third surprisingly took preference over the neck at fourth, followed by head/face, legs, arms and hands as the least favourite.
Swedish massage is arguably considered the most popular massage type, appearing on a majority of spa menus worldwide. This Western massage utilizes the following techniques—effleurage (stroking), friction (rubbing), petrissage (kneading) and tapotement (rhythmic choppings)—for a truly relaxing spa treatment experience.