What is Massage Therapy?
Massage Therapy is the manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons and ligaments) to enhance health and well-being. Massage is part of the healthcare web; serving patients to reduce stress, relax muscles, rehabilitate injuries, reduce pain, and promote wellness. Therapists are here to listen to you and your body, and provide compassionate physical care. Massage combines science and art in an intuitive way that treats the whole body. Therapists do this by knowing their anatomy, knowing about illnesses and injuries, knowing the precautions of the body, and then weaving together a session that should leave you feeling “heard” and calm.
Massage Modalities:
Swedish
Common relaxation massage known for its flexibility from light and gentle, to more vigorous and deep strokes. General classifications and terminology include: long, sweeping strokes (effleurage), muscle kneading and rolling (petrissage), friction with fingers and knuckles, and rhythmic tapping (tapotement)
Deep Tissue
Many of the same strokes as Swedish, with the addition of using more knuckles and elbows onto specific trouble points. This deeper pressure is to aid in the breakdown of scar tissue that has built up to the point of causing you pain.
Shiatsu
An ancient technique from Japan meaning “finger pressure”. Combines gentle stretches with finger pressure along meridians to fix imbalances in flow of energy in the body.
Trigger Point
Even more specific deep tissue. “Trigger points” are tight muscle fiber clusters within the muscle or the bigger muscle group. These spots and cause referred pain to other areas of the body. Trigger point therapy can alleviate pain through cycles of isolated pressure and release.
Thai Massage
An invigorating massage where the therapist moves you through yoga-like stretches using their hands, feet, knees, legs, and even whole body to stretch you, apply pressure to your muscles and loosen joints. Typically done on a floor mat.
Chair Massage
Focus on the back, neck, and arms in a public setting fully clothed. Helping people be introduced to massage, providing a break while busy at work, and relieving stress in a short period of time.
Prenatal (Pregnancy) Massage
Massage that will aid in preparation for birth. Can be performed in a side-lying position. Works to relieve pregnancy discomfort such as back and hip aches, leg cramps, headaches, encourages blood and lymph circulation, and relax nervous tension caused by hormonal changes.
Cupping
An ancient Chinese technique using small cups on the skin to act as suction devices. Goal is to disperse, break up stagnation and congestion of blood and energy. Cupping is the inverse of massage-it uses gentle pressure to pull muscles upwards.
Sports Massage
Combination of many modalities that concentrate on the areas related to your sport. The focus is on mobilizing joints and stretching muscles.
Myofacial Release
A technique that involves gentle sustained pressure to the skin; typically without lotion, to ease through layers of the body, top to bottom, working to ultimately provide movement and glide between the bodies layers.