Thursday, March 8, 2012

Swedish Massage Therapy - Some Facts

By Owen Jones


Swedish massage therapy is the most common type of massage given in Europe and America, so if you have ever had a massage, it was probably a Swedish massage.

Swedish massage therapy is the most gentle of the full-body massages, which makes it perfect as a general massage therapy. It is usually performed with oil, which gives it its other name of oil massage.

It is such a gentle massage that you could have one several times a week, but it will revitalize and stimulate you. The massage therapist rubs oil into the skin with a firm, but quite light pressure in the direction of the blood flowing back to the heart. This takes some of the work load off the heart too.

The Swedish massage was deliberately developed in the 18th Century and so is occasionally known as the 'classic massage'. It was designed to relax the body by stimulating the flow of blood, but what they did not know then, was that this procedure assists remove lactic acid, uric acid and other natural waste materials from everyday living that build up in the joints every day.

Because of the way in which the massage is carried out, the body gets all the benefits of an increased circulation without the body having to work harder for it. This is like compound interest for the body - something for nothing and it simulates mild exercise like hiking.

Similar to walking, Swedish massage stretches the ligaments, tendons and muscles to keep them pliant and supple. This makes this kind of massage ideal for people who are bed-ridden or in a wheelchair.

The therapist might use the flats of the hands, the heals of the hands, the finger points or the knuckles to get the right pressure. There is frequently a little bending and stretching of the joints as well. Oil is rubbed into small fields of the body at a time as they are being massaged. This oil may ruin clothing, so many people take their massage in the nude.

If you or the masseur are not happy with this, you might wear a baggy t-shirt and shorts, your bathing costume or a towel. However, you can choose to have a masseur (male) or masseuse (female) therapist if you want.

A session is usually booked in half-hour blocks. Most people will have a one hour session (two blocks), but 90 minutes and two hours are popular as well. The massage is usually carried out in a private booth or room for total privacy. Once you are in that room, you can call the shots with regard to the severity of the massage. If it is too rough or not rough enough, only say.

Similarly, if you do not like the music or would prefer not have any music at all, just say so. In the same vein, therapists are only normal individuals, some are chatty, some tell jokes and some are quiet. If you want to talk, merely talk and if the therapist is talking too much, simply request a bit of peace and quiet.




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