6 Popular Types of Massage Therapy

Some experts have been continually researching to prove the benefits of massage, but some studies reveal that massage therapy is really good in the treatment of anxiety, fibromyalgia, headache, stress-induced insomnia, numbness, and sports injuries. Here are six of the most commonly used types of massage therapy:

Swedish massage. The primary objective of swedish massage is for relaxation. This technique is done by stroking the muscles in long gliding manner along the direction of blood going back to the heart. Not only does Swedish massage aim to give relaxation, but it can also boost the circulation of oxygen in the blood, provides detoxifying properties, and relieves tension in the muscles while improving their flexibility.

Reflexology. While it is also called as foot massage, reflexology actually does more than that. It is done by applying pressure on specific points on the foot that correspond to organs of the body. Reflexology provides optimum relaxation and soothing effect, just perfect for people who usually stand on their feet at work like the sales ladies.

Prenatal Massage. It is also known as pregnancy massage. Pregnancy involves a lot of extreme feelings due to hyperactivity of hormones. Majority of pregnant women experiences discomfort, soreness of different parts of the body particularly the back, hips, and feet. Since pregnant women cannot take most kinds of drugs, they really benefit from the natural benefits that they can get from massage therapy. Moreover, massage relieves stress and provides good blood circulation. It also minimizes the risk of pregnant women to get depressed, a common emotional problem during pregnancy.

Sports massage. This form of therapy is optimized for athletes to improve flexibility, endurance, reduce the risk of fatigue, boost athletic performance, and helps avoid sports injuries. Sports massage is best undertaken before every game or tournament. This massage therapy also reduces the recovery time of athletes after a game.

Shiatsu is a form of Japanese massage that is perfect for people who need good balance. It employs localized finger pressure in a rhythmic sequence on acupuncture meridians. While the pressure is firm, the effect is relaxing. Each point is applied firm pressure on for 2-8 seconds to improve sense of balance and replenish the energy flow.

Geriatric massage. This type of massage therapy focuses on the specific needs of the elderly. It involves passive stretching technique with the use of oil or lotion so that it can manipulate the skin and muscles of the patient without causing a lot of friction which may hurt the patient's sensitive skin or joints. This massage therapy relieves stress, anxiety, depression, and arthritic pains while increasing balance, flexibility, blood circulation, and joint mobility. It is also effective in improving body posture and in rejuvenating overall sense of wellness.

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