Massage therapy

Contents
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
Massage Therapy.............................................................................................................................1
Tipes and methods of massage........................................................................................................2
Active release tehnique................................................................................................................2
Acupressure.................................................................................................................................2
Aromatherapy massage................................................................................................................3
Ashiatsu massage.........................................................................................................................3
Ayurvedic massage......................................................................................................................4
Biodynamic massage...................................................................................................................4
Deep tissue massage....................................................................................................................4
Hot stone massage.......................................................................................................................5
Lymphatic drainage.....................................................................................................................5
Myofascial release.......................................................................................................................5
Reflexology..................................................................................................................................6
Sports massage.............................................................................................................................6
Shiatsu massage...........................................................................................................................6
Thai massage...............................................................................................................................7
Traditional Chinese massage.......................................................................................................8
Trigger point therapy...................................................................................................................8
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................9
 Massage Therapy
Massage Therapy is one of the most effective soft tissue therapies and is often the perfect
complement to chiropractic and physiotherapy treatments. It has a long history in cultures around
the world. Today, people use many different types of massage therapy for a variety of health-
related purposes. Massage therapy is often considered part of complementary and alternative
medicine.
Massage work and act on the body with pressure. Techniques are commonly applied with hands,
fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, feet, or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the
treatment of body stress or pain. People who are professionally trained to give massages were
traditionally known as masseurs or masseuses, but the term massage therapist has been
promoted.
In professional settings, clients are treated while lying on a massage table, sitting in a massage
chair, or lying on a mat on the floor. In amateur settings, a general purpose surface like a bed or
the floor is more common. Aquatic massage and bodywork is performed with recipients
submersed or floating in a warm-water therapy pool.

picture 1 - massage therapy

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 Tipes and methods of massage
The term “massage therapy” includes many techniques, and the type of massage given usually
depends on your needs and physical condition. A lot of the scientific research on massage
therapy is preliminary or conflicting, but much of the evidence points toward beneficial effects
on pain and other symptoms associated with a number of different conditions. Much of the
evidence suggests that these effects are short term and that people need to keep getting massages
for the benefits to continue.
There are many different styles of massage: active release technique ART, acupressure,
aromatherapy massage, ashiatsu, ayurvedic massage, biodynamic massage, craniosacral therapy,
deep tissue massage, hot stone massage, lymphatic drainage, medical massage, myofascial
release, reflexology, sports massage, shiatsu, thai massage, traditional Chinese massage, trigger
point therapy, and other…

Active release tehnique

Active release technique is a form of deep tissue manipulation developed and patented by P.
Michael Leahy a doctor of chiropractic medicine. in which specified techniques are used to
release soft tissue adhesions. The goal is to restore normal mobility and “glide” between
muscular tissue and nerves. ART is used to treat symptoms with muscles, tendons, ligaments,
fascia and nerves.

Acupressure
The role of acupressure has been paramount in traditional Chinese medicine for more than 2000
years, and the fact that it is still in use. The word is made from Latin: acus "needle" and pressure.
It's an alternative medicine technique similar in principle to acupuncture. It is based on the
concept of life energy which flows through "meridians" in the body. In treatment, physical
pressure is applied to acupuncture points with the aim of clearing blockages in those meridians.
Pressure may be applied by fingers, palm, elbow, toes or with various devices.

picture 2 - acupressure

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Aromatherapy massage
Aromatherapy uses essential oils that are thought to have healing properties. There are several
ways of applying the oils, including adding the oils to your bath, or inhaling them, but the most
popular and effective is through massage. These oils are the concentrated essences taken from
the flowers, fruit, seeds, leaves and bark of certain plants.
Aromatherapy massage not only has powerful physical, emotional and mental effects but it is
also described as a great relaxing and rejuvenating experience. The benefits of aromatherapy
massage affect a wide range of health conditions of nervous, circulatory, lymphatic, immune and
muscular systems. It's a pleasant method for mental clarity, relaxation, stress and headaches
alleviation.
Once the oils are blended together the massage can begin. It can be a full body massage, taking
in the back, chest, arms, legs, head and stomach, or a simple back massage or even a facial
beauty massage. The oil is applied in long sweeping strokes which warm the skin and muscles
and prepare the body for deep tissue massage. Once the muscles are warmed, the masseur will
continue with deeper massage, rolling and squeezing the skin and underlying muscles between
the hands. Again, this should not be painful, but deeply relaxing.

picture 3 - Aromatherapy essential oils

Ashiatsu massage
Ashiatsu is a Japanese word. The root word "ashi" wich means foot and "atsu" wich means
pressure, so together they symbolize "foot pressure". Ashiatsu dates back as far as the 12th
century and was associated with Keralite foot massage called “Chavutti Thirummal”. It has roots
in the Far East, utilizing techniques thousands of years old. Basic approaches to ashiatsu are now
practiced around the world.
The person was prone on a mat and the body was covered in special oils, the practitioner would
grab a rope overhead for balance while performing ritualistic massage with bare feet. The
technique was given in conjunction with following the energy lines, similar to Thai massage. It
was performed with the foot sliding quickly from one end of the body to the other. Therapist uses
strong effleurage strokes with their feet that glide over shoulders, back and legs with deep to
subtle pressure. Correct application provides deep relaxation and stimulates the lymphatic system
of the body. The slow, consistent pressure relax the nervous system while the long, fluid strokes
stretch and elongate even the tightest muscles, without 'muscling' them into submission.

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Ayurvedic massage
Ayurveda is an ancient lifestyle practice which originated in India and it’s one of the oldest
system of wellbeing to man. The word represents “knowledge of life”. The practice of Ayurveda
is a holistic way of living that encompasses not just ayurvedic massage, but also medicine, diet,
yoga, meditation and herbal remedies. The general belief is that everything in the universe,
including human beings, are made up of five elements: space, air, fire, water and earth. These
combine to create three bio-physical forces called “doshas”,within the human body and are
called “vata” (air and space), “pitta” (fire and water) and “kapha” (water and earth). Everyone
inherits a unique mix of the three “doshas”, although one is usually more dominant. It is the
balance of these, which governs our physical and emotional health. In ayurevedic massage
masseuse use different techniques including tapping, kneading and squeezing as well
as traditional massage strokes. Also they use warmed oil that contains therapeutic
herbs, which, when the oil soaks into the skin, will help to detoxify the body. It's helpful if
the person on treatment leave the oil on their skin for as long as possible after the
massage.

Biodynamic massage
Biodynamic massage is a complementary therapy developed by Gerda Boyesen in Norway in the
1950s. It’s an intentional and attentional use of touch which can facilitate a very immediate and
evocative quickening of parts of the self that have been numbed, buried. It directly affects the
autonomic nervous system, known in body psychotherapy by the more archaic term
“vegetative”, a word derived from the Latin language which means to quicken, animate, or bring
to life. A smell can rapidly re-awaken a deep bodily sense of oneself and a set of feelings and
memories. In a similar way touch has the capacity to ground an individual in their body, deepen
self-awareness, and evoke a whole range of associations. Using biodynamic massage in
psychotherapy creates the potential – and the attendant challenges – of enhancing the client’s
embodied sense of themselves in relationship to others and the world. Biodynamic massage is a
complete treatment in itself and some people enjoy the relaxing and pleasurable experience of
this approach without ever entering a psychotherapeutic process. The full range of biodynamic
massage methods, or a selection, can also be used within a psychotherapy process, according to
the needs of the client at any time.

Deep tissue massage

Deep tissue massage uses firm pressure and slow strokes to reach deeper layers of muscle and
fascia, that mean the connective tissue wich surrounding muscles. It is used for chronic aches
and pains and contracted areas such as stiff neck and upper back, lower back pain, leg muscle
tightness, and pain in shoulders. It's used to break up scar tissue and physically break down
muscle "knots" or adhesions that can disrupt circulation and cause pain, limited range of motion,
and inflammation. At the beginning of the massage, lighter pressure is generally applied to warm
up and prep the muscles. After the warming up therapist mostly use “stripping” (deep, gliding
pressure along the length of the muscle fibers using the elbow, forearm, knuckles, and thumbs)
and “friction” (pressure applied across the grain of a muscle to release adhesions and realign
tissue fibers).

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Hot stone massage
A hot stone massage is a type of massage therapy. It’s used to relax and ease tense muscles and
damaged soft tissues throughout your body. It's massage where the therapist uses smooth, heated
stones as an extension of their own hands, or by placing them on the body. The heat can be both
deeply relaxing and help warm up tight muscles so the therapist can work more deeply, more
quickly. Hot stones warmed by fire were used by Native Americans to treat aching muscles, but
the modern revival of hot stones in massage is generally credited to Mary Nelson from Tucson,
Arizona. The stones are usually made of basalt, a type of volcanic rock that retains heat.
According to the University of New Hampshire Health Services, hot massage stones are heated
to between 130 and 145 degrees. Stones may be placed: along the spine, on the stomach, on the
chest, on the face, on the palms,on the feet and toes.

picture 4 - hot stone massage

Lymphatic drainage
Lymphatic drainage is a technique used to gently work and stimulate the lymphatic system, to
assist in reduction of localized swelling. It's a technique which help you to move extra fluid that
may have built up in your body through your lymph vessels. The lymphatic system is a network
of slow moving vessels in the body that carries cellular waste toward the heart, to be filtered and
removed. Lymph also carries lymphocytes, and other immune system agents. Manual lymphatic
drainage claims to improve waste removal and immune function. These massages are not as
popular as other types of massage but they provide numerous health benefits. Can help you if
you suffer from swelling, tenderness, infections, hormone imbalances, fatigue, lupus, and
depression and anxiety.

Myofascial release
Myofascial release is an alternative medicine therapy that claims to treat skeletal muscle
immobility and pain by relaxing contracted muscles, improving blood and lymphatic circulation,
and stimulating the stretch reflex in muscles. There are a number of conditions and symptoms
that myofascial release therapy addresses. It's a safe and very effective hands-on technique that
involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the myofascial connective tissue restrictions to
eliminate pain and restore motion. This essential “time element” has to do with the viscous flow
and the piezoelectric phenomenon: a low load - gentle pressure applied slowly will allow a
viscoelastic medium fascia to elongate.

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Reflexology
Reflexology is an alternative therapeutic treatment based on the idea that areas of the feet, hands,
and ears are connected to other areas of the body. This technique is originated in China and
which was also known to the Ancient Egyptians. It is believed that energy runs through the body
in channels known as meridians and that massage of the feet stimulates these energy channels,
promoting healing and relaxation. Every part of the foot corresponds to an area of the body, and
massage of the feet stimulates the corresponding part of the body so that receiving a reflexology
massage is regarded as the equivalent of a full body massage. It's an alternative medicine
involving the application of pressure to the feet and hands with specific thumb, finger, and hand
techniques without the use of oil or lotion. It is based on a pseudoscientific system of zones and
reflex areas that purportedly reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands, with the premise
that such work effects a physical change to the body.

Picture 5 - foot reflexology chart

Sports massage
Sports massage is a type of massage technique that focuses on treating soft tissue aches, pain and
injuries that are associated with recreational activities. Massage can reduce muscle stiffness and
improve relaxation by reducing heart rate and blood pressure. This therapy is geared toward
athletes of every kind, from world-class professionals to weekend joggers. Sports massage has
antecedents in earlier periods of history. The ancient Greeks and Romans combined massage
and exercise in their athletic training. Various Asian cultures also developed forms of massage
for dancers and for students of martial arts . As a formal practice, however, sports massage began
in the Soviet Union and communist bloc countries in the 1960s. Soviet teams were the first to
have a massage therapist travel with them and work on their athletes on a regular and ongoing
basis. Over time the benefits of sports massage became accepted, and sports massage became a
part of the training regimen, first of professional athletes, then of college and amateur athletes.

picture 6 - sport massage

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Shiatsu massage
This is a traditional hands-on Japanese ‘healing therapy’ originating from the Japanese amma
therapeutic massage. Shiatsu massage therapy relies on the use the fingers, thumbs and palm to
apply pressure to various areas of the body’s surface to help heal common ailments and
conditions, and correct imbalances in the body. Pressure applied to points on the body promotes
energy flow and corrects disharmonies throughout the patient's body. In addition to being a
deeply relaxing experience, Shiatsu helps relieve stress, treat pain and illness, and contributes to
a patient's overall health and wellbeing. This massage therapy uses techniques similar to those
found in other treatment methods such as osteopathy, lymphatic drainage and physiotherapy.
Shiatsu techniques include massages with fingers, thumbs, feet and palms, assisted stretching,
and joint manipulation and mobilization. To examine a patient, a shiatsu practitioner
uses palpation and, sometimes, pulse diagnosis.

picture 7 - shiatsu massage

Thai massage
Thai Massage is an ancient form of massage thought to have been developed by Buddhist monks
in Thailand 2,500 years ago. It combines acupressure, Indian ayurvedic principles, and assisted
yoga postures. Also it uses passive stretching and gentle pressure along the body’s energy lines to
increase flexibility, relieve muscle and joint tension and balance the body’s energy systems. No
lotions or oils are applied, and you remain fully clothed for the session. Some centers may
modify traditional Thai massage to be performed on a table due to regulations, space limitations
or for patients who are unable to get up and down from the floor easily. The therapist is also on
the mat and moves your body into various stretches and positions, without any work on your
part. This is why it is sometimes called "lazy man's yoga". Thai massage can be both relaxing
and energizing, so it is a good choice if you want to be active after your massage.

picture 8 - Thai massage

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Traditional Chinese massage
Chinese massage is the name for a massage therapies practiced within traditional Chinese
medicine . In traditional Chinese practice, massage is one of the fundamental treatment
modalities, along with dietary regulation, herbal medicine, acupuncture, and therapeutic exercise.
Ancient Chinese experts and practitioners believe that energy in the body has to flow
continuously to help an individual to relieve stress and prevent diseases. There are two kinds of
traditional Chinese massage: the "Tui na" and the "Zhi Ya." The techniques between the two
differ, but people will experience renewed strength and vigor after a session lasting at least 30
minutes. Chinese massage has become widely used around the globe. It's closely related to
acupuncture and focuses on channels or energy points that will effectively transport and guide
blood and energy, or "qi," throughout the body. The aim is to achieve balance to protect the
person against different types of infection and maintain the optimum function of all organs.
When the channels are impeded or blocked, the person experiences pain and is prone to health
problems. The masseuse can identify which pathways are blocked and need pressure. Regular
massage sessions boost immunity and prevent the body from developing degenerative diseases,
which usually involve the muscles, internal organs and bones.

Trigger point therapy

Myofascial trigger points, also known as trigger points, are described as hyperirritable spots in
the fascia surrounding skeletal muscle. Trigger points refer to areas beneath the skin where the
muscles have bound together in a way which can reduce the range of motion, cause pain and
lower power output. These points can also cause pain elsewhere in the body which is referred to
as referral pain. This massage therapy involves a skilled masseuse finding and releasing these
areas of tightness by gradually applying pressure to the tight area in a systematic way, bringing
relief from discomfort arising from the site itself as well as referral pain. Myofascial “knots” as
an identifiable source of pain is most common among bodyworkers, physical therapists, and
chiropractors and osteopathic practitioners. Nonetheless, the concept of trigger points provides a
framework which may be used to help address certain musculoskeletal pain.

picture 9 - trigger point

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 Conclusion
Massage therapy dates back thousands of years. References to massage appear in writings from
ancient China, Japan, India, Arabic nations, Egypt, Greece and Rome. Massage became widely
used in Europe during the Renaissance. In the 1850s, two American physicians who had studied
in Sweden introduced massage therapy in the United States, where it became popular and was
promoted for a variety of health purposes. With scientific and technological advances in medical
treatment during the 1930s and 1940s, massage fell out of favor in the United States. Interest in
massage revived in the 1970s, especially among athletes.
People use massage for a variety of health-related purposes, including to relieve pain, rehabilitate
sports injuries, reduce stress, increase relaxation, address anxietyand depression, and aid general
wellness.

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