healingways
due to edema. It’s important for expect- ant mothers to find a therapist trained in prenatal massage.
FEEL-GOOD MASSAGE
People’s Hands-Down Favorites by Rachel Mork
A
ccording to the American Mas- sage Therapy Association, 53 percent of those that seek out professional massages do it to manage and relieve stress. Healthcare profession- als recommend it as a way to support overall well-being, and its popularity continues to grow with some 38 million current U.S. massage enthusiasts. But which form of massage is best? It depends on our personal preferences as well as which benefits we need, which may change from time to time. Natural Awakenings asked several expert licensed massage therapists to distinguish among the most widely used massage therapies to help us make the right choice.
Swedish Massage “I’ve always wanted to create a bum- per sticker that says, ‘Massage Prevents Road Rage,’” quips Kris Richardson, of Kristine Richardson Massage Therapy, in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. She’s
witnessed firsthand how, “Anyone that feels stressed can benefit from a Swedish massage.” During 12 years in the busi- ness, she’s helped clients ranging from Navy Seals to athletes from the Admirals professional hockey team, of Norfolk, Virginia, and Brown University’s swim team, in Providence, Rhode Island. Swedish massage consists of long, gliding, gentle strokes on upper muscle layers, often abetted by kneading, pum- meling, brushing and tapping. Swed- ish massage is especially effective in improving circulation and relaxation; relieving muscle tension and back and neck pain; and decreasing stress. As the lymphatic system is stimulated, oxygen flow to muscles increases, resulting in a relaxed, almost dreamlike state. Prenatal Swedish massage is also popular among pregnant women. Therapists apply minimal pressure to reduce back pain and to encourage drainage of the excess fluid that may collect in the legs and lower extremities
Hot Stone Massage Hot stones enhance a Swedish or deep tissue massage through strategic place- ment of heated stones on the body to encourage the exchange of blood and lymph and provide ultimate relaxation of tense, tight muscles. Richardson par- ticularly suggests it to counter “mouse syndrome”—her term for the nagging discomfort people can get from perform- ing repetitive motions at a computer. Typically, the therapist first places a group of preheated stones on stubborn muscles, allowing the heat to penetrate knots, and then uses the stones to further massage muscles back to normal.
Deep Tissue Massage Nicole Russo, of Evolve Body Therapy Center, in Charlotte, North Carolina, is among America’s corps of therapists whose specialties include deep tis- sue massage. Nine years in, she has performed massage on sore pro foot- ball players with the Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steel- ers, as well as Cirque du Soleil artists. The primary goal of this style is to repair injured or overstressed muscles, which also leaves clients feeling bet- ter, sounder and more flexible. Russo advises, “Injuries are a result of uneven wear and tear, which results in pos- tural imbalances.” So she applies slow strokes, proven kneading techniques and directed pressure via fingers, thumbs or elbows to work muscles from end-to-end, where they are attached to bones, addressing postural distortions, inflammatory pain and stored emotion- al tensions to restore muscle health. Russo says deep tissue massage is usually targeted and intense, but, “It’s a massage that produces lasting results. My clients also often report that they don’t get headaches or backaches anymore.”
Shiatsu Massage
Shiatsu massage is designed to leave a client feeling, “clear, sparkling and ready to do the next thing,” says Dawn Grey Lapierre, of Intuitive Massage Therapy, in Santa Cruz, California. She describes the experience as active, rather than passive.
natural awakenings February 2013 17
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