Massage
by GOPALA KRISHNA
10 years of
COMBINED EXPERIENCE
i have the know-how you need.
Massage is the manipulation of the body's soft tissues. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet, or a device. A person professionally trained to give massages is traditionally known as a masseur (male) or a masseuse (female).
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clients are treated while lying on a massage table, sitting in a massage chair, or lying on a mat on the floor. There are many different modalities in the massage industry including but not limited to: Swedish, deep tissue, structural integration, trigger point, manual lymphatic drainage, sports massage, Thai massage, and medical-massage.
Your body's pretty good at letting you know it needs a massage—if only it could also tell you what type of massage it would most benefit from. If you're new to massage or have never ventured past your normal Swedish session, it might be confusing to navigate all the different types of massage out there. Luckily, we're here to help you decipher the many different styles and benefits of massage so you can book the one that's best for you.
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Swedish Massage
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This relaxation-focused form of massage is what most people think of first when they think about massage. Therapists use a sequence of long, gliding strokes, kneads, and circular motions to help ease shallow tension in the muscles. Aromatherapy may be added to enhance relaxation.
Benefit:
Besides helping to relax the muscles and ease superficial tension, Swedish massage may also help boost circulation throughout the body.
Try it if:
you're new to massage or you're looking to relieve light to moderate tension in your back and shoulders.
Deep-Tissue Massage
As it's name suggests, deep-tissue massage aims to relieve tension in the deeper layers of muscle tissue and fascia. As such, it uses more intense kneading techniques than Swedish.
Benefits:
Deep-tissue massage is ideal for releasing chronic tension and may also help improve range of motion.
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Try it if:
you suffer from chronic aches and pains or want more pressure than classic Swedish massage offers.
Sports Massage
Specifically designed with athletes in mind, sports massage is a variation on Swedish massage that aims to address aches caused by repetitive motion and help active people make a quicker recovery from stress and injury.
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Benefits:
Quicker workout recovery times, better range of motion, and improved performance are just a few of the benefits reported by those who receive regular sports massages.
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Try it if: you play sports or frequently work out and want to keep your body in top condition.
Prenatal Massage
This massage style aims to relieve pregnancy pains for expecting mothers. Instead of lying on her back, the client will either recline on her side or use a massage table with a hole cut in it that allows her to recline on her stomach.
Benefits:
Reduces pain brought on by pregnancy, and also may help with depression, insomnia, and anxiety.
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Try it if:
your pregnancy is causing you significant lower back pain (just make sure to check with your doctor first).