Massage has become an increasingly popular way for people to relieve tension and enjoy a relaxing retreat from life’s otherwise stressful activities. Massage can be an enjoyable experience for those who benefit from it, and it is also a great way to improve energy and motivation at work and at home.
But what type of massage should you get? If you go to a typical, legitimate massage spa or clinic, you will find scores of options on their list of services, some of which are obvious and others that are equally obscure. The two most popular types of massage (excluding sports injury related massage) are Swedish massage and Deep Tissue massage. So which will be of the most benefit to you?
First of all, massage should be a relaxing, enjoyable experience. If you try a particular type that causes pain or makes you uncomfortable, switch to something else until you find what works for you. Different people experience different reactions to massage, so it shouldn’t worry you if a treatment your friend recommended just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Swedish massage was developed in 1812 by a Swedish physiologist named Henri Peter Ling, who worked at the University of Stockholm. He wanted to create a relaxing form of massage that would increase circulation, ease tension and improve flexibility in patients.
Swedish massage incorprates five individual techniques, which are used together to create the maximum effect and benefit: long, smooth strokes; careful kneading of individual muscles; friction; hacking (tapping); and consistent vibration.
A common technique called “draping” is used in Swedish massage, which means that most of the body is covered by a sheet during the massage, and the sheet is moved as the massage therapist moves to a new section of the body. Swedish massage is meant to be a quiet, relaxing experience, and therapists often play soft music in the background while adminsitering the massage.
Reasons to request a Swedish Massage:
1. You have poor circulation, and you wish to improve it. The long, gentle strokes help to open circulation and increase blood flow to the extremities.
2. You are stressed about work or home life. Swedish massage is intended for relaxation and comfort, and will help to relieve stressors that affect you on a daily basis.
3. You have sensetive skin. Swedish massage is very gently, and will not abrade the skin or the muscles. It is not intended to “work out” kinks and knots, but to soothe them.
Deep Tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscles of the neck and back and in the connective tissue, called fascia. It is called “deep tissue” massage because it is aimed at the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles, and will invariably work out hard knots or adhesions that exist in those muscles.
Many of the same techniques used in Swedish massage are also implemented in Deep Tissue massage, but the pressure is usually more intense and focused. Rather than massaging the entire neck and back, Deep Tissue massage will usually be focused on problem areas and stiff muscles.
Deep Tissue massage is great for people who sit or stand in one position all day or who engage in physical activity on a regular basis. Muscles tend to compensate for one another, which can create an imbalance in the muscular structure of the body. Deep Tissue massage serves to ease the tension in over-compensating muscles and to alleviate stress on particular muscle groups.
Many people mistakenly believe that Deep Tissue massage should hurt, and that if the therapist applies more pressure, pain will be instantly relieved. In reality, Deep Tissue massage should not hurt, though it might be uncomfortable in comparison to Swedish massage. Massage therapists will always encourage you to say something if the pressure becomes to much to handle.
Reasons to request Deep Tissue Massage:
1. You experience chronic pain in a particular muscle group. This usually means that the muscles are over-compensating, and Deep Tissue massage can serve to overcome that.
2. You are consistently involved in heavy physical activity. Deep Tissue massage is designed to relieve tension and aches in muscles that might be overworked or strained.
3. You have sustained prior injuries that are still bothering you. Deep Tissue massage will help to promote the mending of those muscles and to work out any kinks or knots that have formed as a result of that injury.
