Massage is a therapeutic activity used for hundreds of years around the globe. In addition to the healing properties of massage, this procedure comes with certain preventive aspects that make it ideal for preservation and protection of our health. According to some statistics, there are more than 80 different types of massage. Obviously, each of them has unique characteristics and brings specific health benefits. In this article, we will focus on the four most popular types – Swedish, Deep Tissue, Hot Stone and Reflexology.
Swedish massage
This is one of the most popular types of massage in the western countries. This specific style relies on relatively long and smooth strokes, precise circular movements and kneading. The primary focus is put on the upper parts of muscles and practitioners use different kinds of massage oil or lotion. This is ideal for those who are new to massage, because unlike other styles, Swedish doesn’t create painful strokes. You can also use Swedish as a preparation for more intense types of massage that you may practice in the future.
Deep tissue massage
As the name suggests, deep tissue massage is focused on deeper layers of different groups of muscle. This is the main different between deep tissue and Swedish. As you have probably guessed, this is also a little bit painful massage, but it delivers great results. This style uses slower strokes mixed with friction methods in order to affect the deeper layers of our muscles. Many experts recommend deep tissue massage to people who are dealing with a muscle strain. In addition, many professional athletes use this massage when they are recovering or when they want to prevent sports injuries. Once you are done, you will need to perform intense exercises for a few days. This massage is good for people dealing with intense stress too.
Hot stone massage
This is a rare type of massage where the practitioner uses specific items in the process of massaging. Namely, they use smooth and heated stones by placing them on specific parts of the body. The main objective is to make energy and direct it towards specific areas on the body. The hot stones will loosen up tight muscles. This is another smooth massage that doesn’t cause pain. The heat is here to deliver increased level of comfort. In fact, people are so relaxed during this massage that some of them fall asleep.
Reflexology
Reflexology is based on a very old art based on the belief that there is a connection between every body part and certain points located on our feet. Many people call reflexology foot massage, but this is more than an ordinary foot massage. Reflexology may look simple, but the results are incredible. This type of message is especially useful for people who are standing on their feet all day long.
As we have already mentioned these are just some of the many types of massage and in order to find the one that suits you the best you may have to try a few of them.