Swedish Massage- Body Balance Spa massage modalities and techniques
As many of you already know, massage has several different styles and techniques. Some sources, such as the wikipedia website, report that massage has over 80 modalities. The different modalities range from different relaxation techniques to different types of therapeutic work.
I wanted to spend a little bit of the next few weeks covering some of the different techniques we use here at Body Balance Spa. In this blog post we’ll cover the most common of all modalities, the Swedish Massage.
Swedish Massage is by far the most common massage performed not only by our day spa, but across the world. This modality was developed in the early 1800s by a Swedish physiologist Henri Peter Ling.
Typically the Swedish Massage uses gliding strokes with the kneading of individual muscles. In order to help make the long, gliding movements used in a Swedish Massage oils or lotions are typically used. Clients will be covered by a sheet at all times to protect the their privacy. The sheet is moved while an area is worked and then recovered once the theapist moves to another area. This technique is referred to as draping.
Swedish Massage is typically used for relaxation and circulation purposes and not as a technique for therapuetic work. However, the health benefits of regular massage have been well-documented in numerous studies. This means periodic Swedish Massage has numerous helath benefits ranging from improved immune system to a reduction in anxiety.
The bottom-line is if you are looking for a relaxation massage that has health benefits and feels great then the Swedish Massage is probably right for you!
