By definition, massage is the manipulation of target soft tissues like the skin, muscles,tendons, ligaments, joints, lymphatic vessels as well as gastrointestinal organs. Both natural body parts like the hands, fingers, elbows, forearms and feet as well as mechanical devices like rollers are used in the manipulation, with the goal of bringing about physical, physiological, and psychological benefits. Amongst more well-known techniques used in Western wellness spas are the so-called Swedish massage and the deep tissue massage.
Swedish Massage
In numerous spas across North America and Europe, Swedish massage is the most popular technique. Usually, only the superficial layers of soft tissues are targeted using gliding and kneading strokes as well as friction techniques. The emphasis is towards the direction of the heart to stimulate blood circulation through the manipulation of said soft tissues.
And speaking of techniques, Swedish masseuses employ the following strokes to bring about a full body massage from start to finish:
* Effleurage starts the massage with flowing and gliding strokes that spreads the oil over the body and warms up the skin and muscles while letting the recipient become familiar with the hands of the masseuse.
* Petrissage lifts, rolls and kneads the tissues, which promotes better circulation and relaxes tense muscles.
* Pinpoint pressure provides for special focus on tense spots in the muscles through the application of sufficient pressure using fingers and thumb.
* Deep friction is characterized by small circular strokes that slightly press on the deeper muscles made tense by stress and exercise.
* Skin rolling aims to lift the skin away from the underlying tissues, thus, enhancing both skin tone and circulation.
* Tapotement is simply percussion or tapping that mimic karate chops on the body. The purpose is to enhance the feelings of vitality.
* Fingertip brushing ends the session, which is usually done with just the tips of the fingers lightly grazing over the body.
As can be expected, the benefits of Swedish massage include a general sense of relaxation, relief of muscle tension, and enhancement of circulation and joint motion. In some instances, it is also used as a form of physical therapy.
As a recipient, you can either remain in your underwear or be completely naked. It must be emphasized, however, that only the part being massaged is exposed while the rest of the body will be covered in a light sheet.
Deep Tissue Massage
Where Swedish massage focuses on the superficial layers of tissues, deep tissue massage focuses on the realignment of the deeper layers of the connective tissues, muscles and joints. And unlike Swedish massage, it is an excellent therapy for chronically contracted muscles like low back pain, sore shoulders and stiff neck. Keep in mind, however, that the motions used in deep tissue massage are very similar to Swedish massage. The difference lies in the tempo, depth and strength of the strokes as well as in the areas being massaged, with deep tissue massage concentrating on specific points of pain, tension and soreness instead of the whole body.
The purpose for the greater depth and strength of the strokes along with a slower tempo is to physically break down the muscle adhesions. To do this, your body will be subjected to direct deep friction and pressure, which are applied across the grain of your muscles. As such, you might feel pain during the massage and for a few days after the session. This is normal as long as the pain and discomfort is within your tolerance level. Otherwise, you must tell your masseuse so that adjustments can be made.
Deep tissue massage, as previously implied, is not for relaxation purposes but for healing purposes. Among the disorders that can benefit from it are chronic pains associated with osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, limited joint mobility, repetitive stress injury and recovery from various sports injuries, to name a few.
As beneficial as deep tissue massage is, certain people should never have it performed because of the risks of injury involved. You should not undergo this massage technique immediately after surgery and chemotherapy/radiation, if you have unhealed and open wounds, skin bruises and inflammations, and contagious skin diseases, among others. If you are pregnant or suffering from osteoarthritis or have heart disease, you must consult with your doctor before availing of deep
tissue massage.
Whatever your choice in massage technique, you must discuss your present conditions with your masseuse. This way, he/she knows of your physiological issues and can then make necessary adjustments.
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