Pamper Yourself To Wellness With Massage

Learn the very best, and most effective strokes and massage therapy techniques for relaxation, injury prevention or recovery.

Styles of massage are designed and tailored for practitioners and recipients, to effect the most beneficial results.

Massage therapy techniques are the different methods used to manipulate muscles and soft tissue to gain a positive result.

Whatever the outcome, the aim is to relax, invigorate or aid recovery from sickness or injury.

Many of the massage therapy techniques differ both in stroke and pressure applied during the restorative work of the practitioner.

The main stream of Western massage therapy techniques fall into two categories.

Therapeutic massage

Not only is this type of massage a pleasant way to relax and help the body with its own healing processes, it also helps to prevent muscle tightness, which can be a cause of pain or discomfort.

2. Remedial massage is the massage therapy technique most often applied after muscle injury has occurred. It helps the muscles recover from damage acquired during sports, domestic or work- related accident or trauma.

Both these massage therapy techniques have many different styles.

The best known, or most famous style, is Swedish massage, also known as Ling massage. The massage therapy techniques employed are a variation of the five main strokes.

Effleurage:

Petrissage: - kneading and compression, to increase blood circulation and clear toxins from muscle tissue.

Friction: - the most penetrating stroke, which breaks down adhesions (knots) in the muscles.

Tapotement: - a chopping action which releases tension in the muscles.

Vibration / Shaking: - Boosts blood circulation and improves the power of the muscles.

One way or another, most of the Western massage therapy techniques incorporate some, or all, of these strokes and movements.
When babies or elderly people are treated, a specialized massage therapy technique is essential because of the fragile or delicate nature of their muscle tissue. Some practitioners specialize in one of these styles of massage.

Eastern massage therapy techniques are structured around principles and beliefs that differ from the Western massage styles. This doesn’t make them better, worse, less or more popular… just different. A few of the Eastern styles of massage include:

Shiatsu,

Thai massage, taught and practised in Thailand for about 2,500 years, and

Tui Na, a Chinese style of massage, dating back to the Ming dynasty.

Recently, more massage therapy techniques have been added to the list, one of which is... Stone therapy, which utilises both hot and cold stones to bring about the feeling of deep relaxation and wellbeing.
Music is often incorporated into a treatment session to enhance the result and prolong the effect of the massage.

We recommend that you try some of the various styles of massage, and also try different practitioners with the style you like, or from which you receive the most benefit. You will be pleasantly surprised by the results you can achieve by trying a few different massage therapy techniques.