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Massage Therapy:
The Good,
The
Better, The Best
Massage therapy isn’t only an enjoyable way to
work out kinks, cramps and stresses – it’s also therapeutically beneficial
for improving circulation, enhancing muscle tone, aiding digestion, and
boosting your immune system. Massage therapy is considered to be a holistic
remedy, meaning that it benefits a variety of muscles, organs, and
functions beyond just the body part that is being massaged. Common types of massage
include Swedish, sports, deep-tissue, shiatsu, and reflexology.
Swedish massage
may arguably be the most widely used and best known type of massage. With
the intent of relaxing the body, Swedish massage combines long, flowing
movements and focuses on improving blood flow while eliminating tension in
your muscles. Trained massage therapists use a combination of five strokes
to achieve maximum benefit.
Effleurage is the practice of using
the fingertips
to stroke from the base of your head to the base of your spine. It’s used
by massage therapists to become familiar with their patient’s body and
reactions. Petrissage is accomplished by gently lifting the muscles away from
the bones
while rolling and squeezing, to enhance circulation. The third type
of stroke is applying friction – deep circular motions to break down knots
and improve flexibility. Tapotement, the technique most commonly associated
with Swedish massage, is when your massage therapist uses her hands to
relieve tension by drumming on your back or limbs. Finally, your massage
therapist will use a vibrating or shaking motion on various parts of your
body to further enhance circulation.
Another common
form of massage therapy is a sports massage. A vigorous form of therapy
that targets specific muscle groups and joints, sports massages are useful
for healing sports-related injuries, or preventing them from occurring at
all. Most beneficial for enhancing range of motion and flexibility, sports
massage is a great option for the non-sports minded, as well, and can also
help reduce your recovery time between workouts when you are first
beginning a new exercise regimen.
Deep-tissue
massage is beneficial if you are seeking to improve your posture and overall
muscle tone. In this form of therapy, your therapist will work to create
overall relaxation in your body so that she can access the deepest layers of
tissue within your body. A not uncommon side affect of deep tissue
massage (also known as myofascial release, pressure point massage, or structural
integration) is emotional release. Because emotions are processed within
the deepest tissues of the body, a massage that reaches those points may
result in a variety of emotions coming to the surface all at once. A
good therapist will also guide you through these emotions with the goal of
extreme relaxation.
Shiatsu, a type
of Eastern massage, is the application of pressure from your therapist’s
thumbs along the meridians of your body. Combining theories drawn from
acupuncture and acupressure, shiatsu is effective in balancing energy within
your body. A great stress reliever, shiatsu is also efficient in
alleviating fatigue, muscle and joint pain and headaches.
Another common
type of massage therapy is reflexology. Reflexology connects points within
your feet to all the organs in your body. By applying pressure to these
points, the overall function of various organs can be improved. Another
form of Eastern massage, reflexology can be used to aid in recovery to a
specific organ, or to help improve your overall health.
No matter which type of massage you choose to
suit your specific goals or ailments, a therapy is available to provide a solution. Whether you are looking for
a release from muscle soreness and pain through Swedish, deep-tissue, or
shiatsu forms of massage, enhanced flexibility and muscle tone through a
sports massage, or improved overall health through reflexology, enjoy and
relax!
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