Popular Styles of Massage Therapy

These Modalities Are Well-Liked By Bodywork Consumers

Oct 29, 2008

Consumers of massage can choose from a wide variety of massage and bodywork modalities and techniques for healing and relaxation.

Massage Therapy and Bodywork has a wide history ranging from thousands of years old to very modern modalities. The following are common forms of massage and bodywork that are seen on spa menus and in private practices around the world.

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage is an American term for classic, or traditional, therapeutic massage. This style of massage uses lotions or oils and, according to the American Massage Therapy Association, uses four strokes: effleurage, petrissage, friction and tapotement. Swedish massage was introduced by Per Heinrik Ling (1776-1839) in the early 1800s; Ling was from Sweden, hence the name.

Pregnancy Massage

Massage during pregnancy can have a profound effect on the mother in terms of relaxation, posture support and the reduction of prenatal side effects. Most professional massage therapists receive an introduction to prenatal massage in their core curriculum at massage school. Practitioners that specialize in pregnancy massage will have taken continuing education on the subject to advance their training.

Infant Massage

Infant massage started to gain popularity in the West by the 1980s. Today many American parents can take short courses on infant or baby massage at the YMCA, a hospital or birth center or through a community education program.

Sports Massage

This form of massage focuses on treating musculo-skeletal issues from sports-related activities as well as those that are very active for work – construction workers, mechanics and farmers to name a few. Sports massage may incorporate similar techniques to Swedish massage but will include more soft tissue techniques, stretching and deep tissue. Practitioners that specialize in Sports massage receive additional training to help athletes and workers function better through regular massage.

Shiatsu

Shiatsu has origins in Japan and is based on Traditional Oriental Medicine. The practitioner uses a mat on the floor instead of the traditional massage table for this session; the client is fully clothed wearing loose, comfortable clothing. A form of pressure point therapy, Shiatsu seeks to cause a response on internal organs and body functions by stimulating points on the skin with hand or arm pressure (such as a thumb or elbow).

Seated Massage aka Chair Massage

This form of massage is often brought to public locations: an office, a coffee shop, the farmer’s market and fairs. It is a fully-clothed massage administered by a massage therapist. Chair massage may include Swedish massage style techniques as well as acupressure or Shiatsu techniques. The session is typically 10-15 minutes long but can be lengthened depending on the contract the office has or how long the line is.

Thai Massage

Another fully-clothed modality, Thai massage is affectionately referred to as the “lazy man’s yoga.” Performed on a mat on the floor similar to Shiatsu massage, the Thai massage therapist will perform palm and thumb pressure techniques while stretching the client into yoga-like positions.

Hot Stone Massage

Popular in cold weather climates, Hot Stone Massage is a Swedish style massage with the incorporation of heated basalt stones. The stones' heat penetrates into deep layers of muscle and connective tissue and helps to relax tight areas of the body. In a Hot Stone Massage the massage therapist will use the heated stone as a natural extension of his hand when applying gliding techniques over the body. Larger stones are placed along the spine with the client is laying face down on the massage table.

The copyright of the article Popular Styles of Massage Therapy in Massage Techniques is owned by Amy Kreydin. Permission to republish Popular Styles of Massage Therapy in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.