MASSAGE THERAPY

Swedish massage is the most common and best-known type of massage in the West. If it's your first time at the spa or you don't get massage very often, Swedish massage is the perfect place to start. Watch a video of a Swedish massage.

If you want deeper work and can tolerate more pressure, even some momentary discomfort to get relief from muscle stiffness and pain, it's better to book a deep tissue massage, which is another form of Swedish massage.

A deep tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity (such as athletes), and patients who have sustained physical injury. It is not uncommon for receivers of deep tissue massage to have their pain replaced with a new muscle ache for a day or two. Deep tissue work varies greatly.

The term “deep tissue” is often misused to identify a massage that is performed with sustained deep pressure. Deep tissue massage is a separate category of massage therapy, used to treat particular muscular-skeletal disorders and complaints and employs a dedicated set of techniques and strokes to achieve a measure of relief. It should not be confused with “deep pressure” massage, which is one that is performed with sustained strong, occasionally intense pressure throughout an entire full-body session, and that is not performed to address a specific complaint. Deep tissue massage is applied to both the superficial and deep layers of muscles, fascia, and other structures.

Sports Massage San Diego is used to enhance pre-event preparation, reduce recovery duration and achieve maximum performance during training or competition The particulars of the sports San Diego massage are specific to the athlete's sport and often focus on a specific areas of the body like knees or shoulders. Give the gift of peak performance and recovery to the athlete in your life.

A stone massage is a massage that uses smooth, flat, and heated rocks placed at key points on the body.

Generally the rocks used in a stone massage are basalt,[citation needed] which has high heat retention qualities. Stones are placed in water and heated to approximately 125 °F (52 °C)[citation needed] before placement on the body. The stones are usually placed on specific points on the back, but can be placed other places such as between the toes, or in the palms of the hands.

Pregnancy massage is a catch-all term for any hands-on massage during or after pregnancy. Massage while you're pregnant is also called prenatal massage. Massage in the few months after delivery is called postnatal massage.

A pregnancy massage typically lasts an hour. Some practitioners use a pregnancy massage table. That's a table designed to accommodate a woman's pregnant belly. Others use specially designed pillows called bolsters to position a woman comfortably on her side. This helps especially during the later stages of pregnancy. Lying on your side is often the most comfortable position for pregnancy massage.

Reflexology, or zone therapy, is an alternative medicine involving the physical act of applying pressure to the feet, hands, or ears with specific thumb, finger, and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion. It is based on what reflexologists claim to be a system of zones and reflex areas that they say reflect an image of the body on the feet and hands, with the premise that such work effects a physical change to the body. A 2009 systematic review of randomised controlled trials concludes that "The best evidence available to date does not demonstrate convincingly that reflexology is an effective treatment for any medical condition."

There is no consensus among reflexologists on how reflexology is supposed to work; a unifying theme is the idea that areas on the foot correspond to areas of the body, and that by manipulating these one can improve health through one's qi. Reflexologists divide the body into ten equal vertical zones, five on the right and five on the left. Concerns have been raised by medical professionals that treating potentially serious illnesses with reflexology, which has no proven efficacy, could delay the seeking of appropriate medical treatment.