If you’re new to the world of massage, you may not be familiar with the types of massages you could benefit from. There are three main massage techniques that you’ll find used by all of the pros, and they all serve different functions.
You’ll most often see the Swedish massage, the Deep Tissue massage, and the Sports massage offered at a professional massage studio near you. These are the most popular options that offer a variety of strokes and pressure. Take a closer look at these options and what they offer.
Deep Tissue
You’ve probably heard of a deep tissue massage because this style is so common for people that need help with a painful back or neck problem. This is a great option for correcting a painful knot because it gives specific attention to trouble areas in the body. The therapist will apply slow strokes with much pressure according to your needs.
This type of therapy is great for relieving an injury, sprain, or knot. It’s going to be less rhythmic and relaxing, but it’s going to aid you in recovering from more severe pains. Your therapist will apply more pressure to layers of muscle or tissue that needs to be worked on.
Your therapist may use a transverse friction method for a deep tissue massage. This method uses an oscillating pressure across the direction of the tissue fibers for a tendon or ligament injury that needs to be broken down.
Sports Massage
Similar to the deep tissue massage is a sports massage used for sports injuries. If you or someone in your family is an athlete, this massage can help with healing those sports injuries or muscle strains. There is a variety of approaches to the strokes used in sports massage depending on if you are getting a massage before, after, or during your sporting events.
It’s a great way to help athletes for their training. Your therapist will likely use trigger point techniques, relaxation techniques, and anti-fatigue massage on your muscles.
Swedish Massage
If you’ve ever heard of someone getting a massage recently, they were likely getting the Swedish massage, one of the most common relaxation methods that people often seek out. This type is much more rhythmic, in which your therapist will use longer and softer strokes to relax your muscles.
He or she will us tapping strokes, kneading, petrissage which is a type of squeezing or rolling after a gliding stroke, and friction with deep, circular movements to increase blood flow.
Your massage therapist will know the best massage technique depending on the reason for your appointment. They can also customize your massage to provide multiple techniques depending on your current needs and your body’s response. When you try to do it yourself or use an at-home device to relax your muscles, you don’t have the kind of control of a therapist in the pressure, the technique, or the trigger point. Your therapist is more likely to be able to pinpoint the source of the pain as well.
That’s a look at the types of massage and their benefits and the types of massage techniques that you may experience at your next massage.