Massage therapy is manual manipulation of soft body tissues (muscle, connective tissue, tendons, and ligaments) to enhance a person’s health and well-being. There are dozens of types of massage therapy methods (also called modalities).
People seek massage therapy for a variety of reasons – to reduce stress and anxiety, relax muscles, rehabilitate injuries, reduce pain, and promote overall health and wellness.
While there are several types of massage, two fundamental categories are:
- Rehabilitative massage – also known as deep tissue, medical, therapeutic or clinical massage; practiced in many settings like clinics, hospitals and chiropractic offices.
- Relaxation massage - also known as Swedish massage; practiced in settings like spas, wellness centers, and resorts.
Is massage therapy just for relaxation?
While it is a great way to promote relaxation, massage therapy is so much more. Massage helps manage pain, reduce stress, improve circulation, decrease muscle tension, ease breathing difficulties, lower blood pressure, reduce headaches, improve mobility, promote sleep, manage anxiety & depression, and helps improve your overall wellness.