Deriving from the French word, meaning the “friction of kneading,” massage is a wonderful form of working or acting on the body with pressure using various techniques to obtain different benefits for the body and mind. During your post-holiday stress release, it can be a great way to sort of take a step back and relax. The following are the five most popular types of massage that can assist you with your post-holiday calm down routine.
- Swedish – This is the single most common form of the art in the United States, and is also what most people are referring to when they mention, “massage therapy” as a generalized term. It is very gentle and relaxing, while being a good choice for a first-timer to get acclimated to a new routine of relaxation.
- Aromatherapy – Think of this option as a way of customizing a Swedish massage with the addition of a selected scent to accompany the therapy. Often times the scent is selected based on what the massage recipient is hoping to accomplish with the therapy, whether it is to release stress or for other conditions that have an emotional attachment.
- Deep Tissue – Massage therapy that has a more physically therapeutic effect perhaps than any. The massage therapist will usually apply slower stroke techniques across the grain of the muscle to achieve a beneficial effect for chronically tired, sore, or injured muscles. Sometimes this form of massage therapy can involve a recovery period of a day or two of soreness, but is often the best medicine for the people who need it.
- Sports Massage – Geared more towards preventing injury and increasing athletic potential, you don’t need to be a professional athlete to reap the benefits from this type of massage. You just need to be physically active. Generally, a good sports massage involves faster strokes and a stretching routine to help loosen the muscles and increase flexibility.
- Prenatal – More and more pregnant women are citing the benefits of prenatal massage to increase their comfort level during pregnancy. This session can be customized to suit the recipients needs to reduce stress, decrease swelling, relieve aches and pains, and reduce anxiety and depression.
The preceding list is just a quick selection of five choices for effective massage therapy; many more exist, including: reflexology, shiatsu, hot stone, and more. Call your local licensed massage therapist today to make the selection that will be best for your individual needs, and start reaping the rewards of this effective therapy immediately.
