Body Balance Massage Therapy and Day Spa serving Springfield, Missouri

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!

This is such a good deal I just had to let all of you know right away.

For a brief time this holiday we’ve decided to run one of the best gift certificate specials in Southwest Missouri. Simply purchase $100 or more in gift certificates and receive a free gift certificate for an express facial! You must reference this special offer during purchase to receive your free gift certificate. To view our other specials visit our other December specials.

Call us today at 417-732-9994 to order your gift certificates today.

With the holiday season upon us, I thought I’d share some tidbits from a recent study by the AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association). The study covered a variety of topics, but the question we’re addressing is who gives and receives the gift of massage?
Men are on the gift certificate wagon in a big way when it comes to giving the gift of massage to a spouse or significant other. When men give a massage gift certificate, 58% gave the gift certificate to a spouse and 32% gave the gift to a significant other.
Women are a little more likely to give massage as a gift. Approximately 1 out of 3 women in the survey gave massage as a gift. This is compared to 1 out 4 men giving massage gift certificates.
However, women are much less likely to give their spouses the gift certificates they purchase! Women gift certificates went to the spouse 28% of the time and to their significant other 14% of the time. A whopping 41% of gift certificates went to friends.
I found this information to be interesting and it certainly seems accurate based on our gift certificate sales at Body Balance Spa. However, the most important thing to remember is day spa gift certificates make the perfect gift for just about anybody. If you are looking for the perfect gift for the holidays give us a call at 417-732-9994 or visit our gift certificate page.

A recent study about why people get massage

I am sure you know why you incorporate massage as a regular part of your life. Have you ever wondered why others get massage? I know I have given this a lot of thought recently. My experience as a massage therapist has shown me that my clients come to me for one of three reasons.

1. Pampering- massage feels wonderful!
2. Mitigate pain- experiencing a particular problem and are looking for relief.
3. Health maintenance- they have read or heard about the numerous studies that prove regular massage contains an abundance of health benefits.

I recently read a study from the AMTA (American Massage Therapy Association) that seemed to validate my experience on why people come to Body Balance Spa to get a massage.

The study was a used a random sample of over 1,000 American adults and was conducted in July of 2007. The study reported the following:

One out of four people (25%) have had a massage in the last 12 months

Out of the 25% only 22% stated they participated in massage for pampering (the rest were for overall wellness and pain relief)

Over 30% of Americans have used massage for pain relief.

87% agree that massage therapy is an excellent way to mitigate pain.

85% stated that massage therapy was important for overall wellness.

Regardless of the reason, the overall trend appears to be more and more people are recognizing the benefits of periodic massage as part of their life. I know I get my regular massages because of the overall health reasons (ok, ok there is some pampering there too).  Drop me a line and let me know why you go to get massage, I’d like to know!