When we think of massage, most of us think of quiet music, a darkened room, and extreme relaxation. That said, relaxation is not required to enjoy a great massage.

We know relaxation is good for the body. But some massage is about treating pain or dysfunction, and the technique may require lots of feedback from you as the therapist works.

For example, in Active Isolated Stretching, a technique useful for relieving pain and treating many types of injuries, the client and therapist work together to target specific muscles and coordinate breathing with stretches. The client is actively involved in movement and stretching, and, without that collaboration, the technique would not be effective.

In Ashiatsu treatments, the therapist uses his or her feet and body weight (and bars attached to the ceiling) to provide very deep pressure. It’s important for the client to provide feedback about depth and sensation, so that the massage is both effective and safe.

There are plenty of benefits of massage that don’t require you to sink into a meditative state. Massage can be useful in reducing the thickness of scars and improving the elasticity of skin around them. Just 15 minutes of hand massage once a week may decrease pain and increase grip strength in people with arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. And massage
is a great tool to increase range of motion, …Click here for full Publication Body Sense – Fall 2014