12 Minutes

Edited & clinically reviewed by SENSES Team
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You have likely heard about the therapeutic benefits of massage treatment. In truth, there is a large body of medical data that strongly advocates the use of massage treatment for mental and physical wellness. 

Aside from the “healing” component, people frequently overlook the numerous ways massage therapy can improve performance for sportsmen and those who need to maintain top shape to execute their skill sets.

This ancient technique can also assist injured people in recovering and getting back on track. For instance, Swedish massage, one of the most popular forms of therapy, simply attempts to provide a full-body relaxing effect for strained muscles and minds. 

As registered licensed professionals, massage therapists have the ability to improve the lives of our clients in a variety of ways.

Learn the basic strokes. A Swedish massage is the most prevalent type of massage. It employs four distinct strokes to calm and repair the muscles. All four techniques are used in a full-body massage:

A smooth stroke that releases and relaxes soft muscular tissue is termed effleurage. Your hands and fingers should simply glide over the body’s surface.

Petrissage is a technique for relieving muscle tension that involves rolling the muscle under your hands.

Friction is the application of deep movements with consistent pressure to induce tissues to brush against each other and increase circulation.

Tapotement is a staccato tap performed with the hands’ sides or heels.

Concentrate on the muscles, not the bones. The key to giving a massage is to work the muscles in the shoulders, neck, feet, legs, arms, and back using your hands. Identify the soft, fleshy muscles with a light touch, then massage them with your hands. Never put pressure on someone’s bones, particularly the tailbone and spine. If you’re unsure whether an area is made of bone or muscle, stroke it gently and lightly before moving on to the next section.

Massage gently. You should not give the appearance that you are in a hurry to the individual you are massaging. Working too rapidly renders the massage session less soothing and less effective; you can’t properly massage the tissues if you move quickly across the surface of the body rather than taking the time to delve deeper.

Massage using smooth, even strokes rather than fast, jerky actions.

Divide the overall massage time evenly among the parts of the body being massaged. For instance, if the massage is scheduled to last an hour, spend 20 minutes on the shoulders and back, 10 minutes on the arms, 10 minutes on the legs, 10 minutes on the neck, and 10 minutes on the feet.

Communicate with the individual receiving the massage. Inquire about which muscles are tense or tight. Encourage them to let you know if the massage is uncomfortable or painful in any way, and respect their choice throughout this delicate process.

While most people are aware of a few of the key advantages of receiving a massage, the range of what this traditional bodywork can achieve is fairly long. The important themes are summarized below, and they cover not just well-known kinds of massage to help the human mind and body, but also numerous ways you may not have heard of.

Each technique of treatment (referred to as a “modality” by massage therapists) is described briefly. Even if you won’t be giving every form in your business, it’s crucial to understand what each one provides for customers.

Familiarize yourself with the list and consider whether specific treatment modalities would be appropriate for the type of practice you want to establish. Remember that most practitioners provide three or more types of massage therapy, but some have expertise in just one, such as sports, Swedish, or chair massage:

Relaxation or Swedish Massage

By far the most prevalent type of massage is provided and requested in health centers and private offices. Swedish massage is a full-body technique that gently caresses muscles, rubs the skin, and relaxes a tired, achy body.

Deep Tissue

This massage style employs more pressure than other types of massage. It is mostly for customers who have chronic pain, injuries, or balance issues. Deep tissue Swedish is a more severe style of Swedish that combines slower strokes with a fuller finger, and deeper pressure.

Sports Massage

Based on the client, this method serves two primary functions. It can be utilized to make muscles more flexible and aid in the recovery of injured muscles ready to compete at a higher level. Many “weekend athletes” require body healing therapeutic massage to support their bodies and biological systems in the repetitive injuries caused by their strenuous activities.

Seated or Chair Massage

Seated treatment, sometimes known as “corporate massage,” is a completely clothed approach for relieving everyday strain in the back, neck, and arms. It is essentially a “disguised” kind of Swedish massage performed while the customer is seated in a customized chair.

The Trigger Point

Trigger points help persons with muscle discomfort and chronic injury-related diseases by activating small locations inside the tissue to relieve soreness in other areas.

Thai Massage

Thai massage, unlike the other items on this list, is a combination of aided stretching, yoga, and massage methods. Customers are completely clothed and work on a carpet rather than a table. Thai massage therapy is growing increasingly popular as individuals seek more “active” sorts of massage therapy.

Prenatal

This is a particular treatment for expecting women who want relief from common pains and aches that occur in the months leading up to delivery. Consider it a softer form of Swedish massage, although it has its own variety of guidelines and practices.

When an expert, licensed therapist first interacts with a client, they decide which modalities are suitable for that individual depending on the client’s goals and needs. A hot rock massage or a Swedish massage, for instance, are both very calming experiences that can help you reduce stress and eliminate toxins from your body. If you have fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, or a restricted range of motion, neuromuscular training with trigger-point massage may be beneficial. If you are an athlete looking to achieve top performance, sports massage can assist you in recovering from overexertion and avoiding injury.

Shiatsu is a type of Eastern acupressure that targets the body’s meridians, relaxes muscles, promotes energy flow, and is beneficial for stress and exhaustion. Thai bodywork focuses on loosening tight muscles; reflexology uses mild pressure on the feet and hands to help balance internal biological systems, and polarity and craniosacral therapy assist in rebalancing the body’s energy fields. There are numerous techniques to healing massage therapy that helps in managing a wide range of acute and chronic issues. Having so many options is advantageous since different ways work for different individuals.

Massage is not about self-indulgence; it is about self-care. Relaxation promotes physical and emotional healing. Making a moment to settle into your body, breathe deeply, and reduce your anxiety levels should be part of everyone’s preventive health care.

Massage therapy is and should always be about mental and physical health and wellness in a safe setting. This involves a comfortable setting before, during, and after the massage, together with privacy while changing your dress and the ability to remove only what is necessary for the massage.

Preliminary Details

Your therapist will be asking you basic questions to identify your overall health and fitness objectives.

The massage therapist will examine your physical health, medical records, stress levels, general lifestyle, medications, and any areas of physical discomfort that may impact the results of your massage therapy.

This information will assist the massage therapist in structuring the session to meet your health and wellbeing objectives.

Privacy

You will be told to remove clothes to your degree of comfort prior to your massage.

While you undress, the practitioner will leave the room. Remove only the amount you are comfy with.

Lie down on the massage table, beneath the provided towel or sheet, which will conceal your entire body save the area being massaged.

Chair massages, which are frequently provided in workplaces and public places are an exception. A massage chair that has been carefully created allows you to lean forward and cushions the front of your body. You remain fully clothed, and no lotion or oil is applied. Seated massages usually last between 10 and 30 minutes.

Environment

Music could be played. Inform your massage therapist if music distracts you. The same is true when speaking during your session.

Throughout your consultation, your therapist should evaluate the pressure and comfort. Inform your massage therapist if you are uncomfortable at any point.

The massage table is upholstered and may have additional cushions or attachments, like a face cradle that allows you to lie face down without having to turn your head or neck.

Massage Therapy Session

Massage therapists frequently apply oil or lotion. If you are allergic to lotions or oils, inform your massage therapist ahead of time.

If you are getting a hot stone massage, ensure you are satisfied with the warmth of the stones, and always let the massage therapist know if you are not.

Based on your requirements, the therapist will either massage the entire body (excluding the private areas) or simply certain areas that require attention, like very tense muscles.

Remember to take normal breaths.

Table massages often take 30 to 90 minutes.

Following your massage, the therapist will let you  rise slowly and dress in private.

Tipping is appreciated but not needed in some situations to reward exceptional service.

Following Up

Massage treatment provides cumulative advantages, so collaborate with your therapist to create a strategy that meets your health and wellbeing objectives.

Furthermore, you can expect:

  • Respect, kindness, professionalism, secrecy, and decency are shared by you and the massage therapist.
  • Being adequately draped with a sheet, blanket, or towel with only the massaged region uncovered
  • A qualified professional massage therapist who practices within their scope of practice.
  • Ethically and within the boundaries of their practice. Expect them to be members of a professional body with an ethical code.
  • A discussion of your medical issues and your expectations prior to the massage.
  • The ability to pose inquiries to the therapist and receive expert responses
  • The right to select whether discussion, music, or silence will be present throughout the massage.
  • Before beginning the massage, a description of the nature and procedures of the massage.
  • The freedom to consent to the therapeutic massage techniques and methods being utilized, including the amount of manual pressure, and the option to request pressure adjustments at any point throughout the massage.
  • The right to terminate a massage and to denounce any inappropriate behavior.

Aside from knowing the many types of massage therapy, it’s also important to understand the advantages of body healing therapeutic massage. All of the different approaches will assist you in providing relaxation and healing to your clients. Every “body” is unique, but after a few months of practice, you will see a pattern in how people react to your treatment approach.

Above all, when you tell folks you’re a massage therapist, they’ll usually question you about the advantages of massage therapy. Prepare to enlighten them on this critical subject because they are essentially asking why they should employ you as their masseuse/masseur. If you desire to appear fancier on your business card, use “masseur” for a male massage therapist and “masseuse” for a female practitioner.

Massage Is More Than Just Physical Healing

The beauty of massage treatment is that it impacts much more than just the physical anatomy; it also has a great impact on our mental and emotional states. In what aspects does massage heals, empower, sharpens, and strengthen the body and mind? To put it another way, what are the main reasons people seek out therapists on a routine basis?

Massage treatment can be beneficial to clients. Some of the benefits include whole-body pain reduction, increased circulation, stress relief, immune boost, blood pressure regulation, improved flexibility and posture, emotional, physical, and mental relaxation, and faster injury recovery.

Pain Relief Across The Board

This is the most commonly cited advantage of massage therapy. Massage has the ability to provide general pain control to the entire body, whether such pain is moderate or persistent, the result of an injury or ordinary activities. The massage therapist uses precise pressure to help customers relax and achieve both long and short-term pain management.

Stress Reduction

During a full-body massage, many clients fall asleep. A typical session can be that relaxed. Massage, on the other hand, provides long-term stress reduction. People who get massages on a regular basis are more capable of dealing with stress, have less of it, and are overall happier. When someone gets a massage treatment once a month, for instance, the brain learns to secrete pain-killing endorphins into the circulation on a regular basis, resulting in a long-lasting effect that helps reduce typical kinds of emotional stress.

Increased Circulation And Blood Pressure Management

Improved blood circulation is one of the most well-known advantages of massage. Massage treatment helps lower blood pressure and enhance many of the body’s critical processes by activating the muscles and skin, eliminating waste materials from the system, and overall boosting the effectiveness of blood flow.

Improves Immunity

When the lymphatic system is in fine condition, the body is better positioned to fight off flu, colds, and other illnesses. Massage stimulates the passage of fluid within the lymph system, which enhances the immune system in the majority of people. Individuals who get a massage on a regular basis have fewer colds, diseases, and infective illnesses of all types.

Increases Flexibility And Posture

Sports and Swedish massage can both assist in enhancing overall flexibility and posture. Some people seek massage just for these reasons. Massage, when combined with a regular stretching program, helps many individuals keep muscles pain-free and permits for a broader range of motion in the limbs and the torso.

Helps Emotional, Physical, And Mental Relaxation.

Massage has the capacity to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. This indicates that the emotions, like the physical body, receive alleviation. Meditation,  tai chi, yoga, and deep belly breathing can all provide this effect. Massage kneading motions provide physical relaxation, and the combined impact can often ease the mind by quashing unpleasant thoughts.

Improves Recovery From Injury

Massage therapy is commonly prescribed by doctors for injured patients because it helps restore circulation, improve posture, relax muscles, promote flexibility, and stimulate the immune system. Massage reduces recovery time for the majority of significant injuries.

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