Posted on October 15, 2007 in Massage Basics
There have been many developments in the field of massage therapy and these have contributed to the enhanced image of massage being therapeutic and holistic in nature. So many types of massage therapy are developed. And, some of the main types of massage therapies are covered here.
Acupressure
This therapy is a type of massage involving the use of finger pressure on specific points along the body and is widely used in the treatment of ailments like tension, stress and arthritis.
Amma Therapy
It is basically a system of bodywork therapy in which traditional oriental medical principles for evaluating imbalances in the energetic system are used. This type of massage therapy is aimed at restoring and maintaining health through treatment of the physical body, bio energy and emotions.
Aromatherapy Massage
This therapy utilizes essential oils for curative and rejuvenating effects and has its fragrant roots in ancient Egypt, mystical India and the Far East. Its goal is to simply provide a means to reduce stress and tension, energize the body and soothe emotions by clearing the mind in a peaceful environment.
Feldenkrais system of bodywork
It is a type of massage therapy that was specially designed to improve posture, movement and breathing. It follows principles of re-learning by recognizing and breaking improper habits of movement.
Hot Stone Massage
It is a type of massage that was founded 5000 years ago and is based on the ancient healing tradition of Indian Ayurveda. This requires warm stones to be strategically placed on the body of the massage subject and gentle manipulation of these on the part of the masseuse. The light strokes using hot stones is believed to invigorate this universal life force within the human body.
Infant Massage
This therapy refers to the type of massage, which is the preserve of babies and usually taught to new mothers as a way of connecting with their newborn.
Medical or Clinical massage
This therapy is a type of healing associated with the dysfunction of the soft tissue or limited range of joint-motions. Mostly extended post-injury and as soon as the extent of damage is assessed, it is aimed at expediting recovery time.
Reflexology
It is a healing technique used in massage and is based on the principle of using points and reflex zones of the hands and feet. These are believed to correspond to internal and external pathways of the body and reflexology techniques supposed to increase blood circulation, decrease stress levels, enhance the digestive system and improve functioning of the nervous system.
Rolfing
This therapy requires intense manipulation of the fascia and is aimed at restoring the body’s natural alignment. It may take several sessions to achieve the desired result, with an average of ten sessions and treatment focusing on different parts of the body.
Shiatsu
This therapy massage requires rhythmic pressing of acupressure points for short periods and involves the use of thumbs, believed to exert firmer pressure.
Swedish massage
This therapy is the most common type of massage therapy and combines a wide range of motions like soothing, kneading strokes to warm up the body and rolling and squeezing of specific muscle groups to relieve soreness as lactic acid is eliminated.
