How to Choose the Right Massage

What massage should I get?
Massage: Which type should you get.
How to choose the right type of massage.

With so many massage options being offered, how do you choose which one is best for you? The answer depends on what your body needs and what result you are looking for.

Are you stressed?
Do you have pain?
Are you injured?
Repetitive aches?

We take 4 of the most common types of massage: sports, remedial, swedish and relaxation and give you the low-down on what they are, the benefits and what they’re ideal for.

Sports Massage

A sports massage aims to enhance performance and help overworked muscles to recover quickly. It can focus on one or more areas.

Benefits

1. Relieving pain
2. Reducing muscle tension
3. Treating injuries such as shin splints, corked thighs and strains.
4. Preventing injuries
5. Draining away fatigue
6. Increase blood circulation
7. Relieving swelling
8. Treat injuries as a result of overuse or overexertion.

Ideal for: Injuries or pain as a result of exercise, if you’re increasing your training for an event e.g marathon, triathlon, ocean swim or regularly play sport.

Remedial Massage

A remedial massage encourages healing of injured soft tissue such as tendons, ligaments and muscles. It can be strong, shallow or deep. Techniques include kneading, friction, tapping, vibration, long strokes, percussion and shaking motions.

Benefits

1. Relieving muscular tensions and stiffness.
2. Separating fascia binding and tethering.
3. Improving the health of cells and repairing tissues.
4. Toning and relaxing muscles to increase joint flexibility.
5. Improving blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.

Ideal for: People who are suffering from headaches, a stiff neck, shoulder pain, RSI, sports injuries.

Swedish Massage

A swedish massage is a whole body therapeutic massage designed to relax the joints and muscles by applying pressure and rubbing in the same direction as the flow of blood returning to the heart.

The strokes of the Swedish massage replicate the movements of the circulatory system and often include a technique called Petrissage which is a kneading movement that can break up muscle adhesions and kinks. The strokes are firm yet gentle.

Benefits

1. Reduction of scar tissue.
2. Feeling of relaxation and overall well being.
3. Improved blood circulation, resulting in nourishment of the body tissues.
4. Stimulation of the lymphatic system, which carries away the waste products.

Ideal for: the relaxation of muscles and joints.

Relaxation Massage

A relaxation massage is ideal for stress relief as it has a gentle, smooth, flowing style.

Benefits

1. Stress reduction
2. Calming of the nervous system.
3. Increased energy and vitality.
4. Relief for tight muscles, and other aches and pains associated with stress.
5. Stimulation of the lymphatic system.
6. Improved blood circulation.

Ideal for: Stress relief and relaxation.

Some therapists combine the relaxation and swedish massage. Generally, the relaxation massage is purely for relaxation with a continuous flow style and the swedish massage incorporates techniques that will focus on areas where tightness and knots are present.

If you are unsure which massage is best for you, always speak to your therapist.

Greater West Physiotherapy offer sports, remedial, swedish and relaxation massages book in today and enjoy the benefits.