The Massage Geek^® Blog

Here is a video about the history of chair massage. It is surprisingly fascinating!

Thanks to Mark at www.chairmassagecanada.com.

Mark also alerted me to this little tidbit:

FEASABILITY STUDY
The effect of chair massage on stress perception of hospital bedside nurses

Conclusion?
Incorporating chair massage into a nurse’s hospital shift is feasible and a 10 min session reduces the stress perception of the nurse more so than the standard “coffee break”.

Read more about the study here.
See Mark’s blog here.

A few weeks ago I posted a blog on the definition of massage and outlined what I thought to be the three overall categories of therapeutic massage based on desired outcome.  Well, after seeing Dara Torres with her trainers I had to create a new category.

So here is the new list:

Four Types of Therapeutic Massage

1. Relaxation Includes Swedish, Full-body, Fluff-n-buff, etc.
2. Corrective Includes Deep Tissue, Clinical, Medical, Orthopedic, etc.
3. Conditioning Includes Sports Massage, Resistance Stretching, etc.
4. Energetic Includes Shiatsu, Reiki, etc.

The new category is “conditioning.”  A Conditioning Massage is one that seeks to improve the texture, flexibility, and strength of healthy soft tissue with the overall goal of enhancing performance and endurance.

Wow!

The Olympics are so much fun to watch. I’m especially interested in the career of Dara Torres as she and I are the same age. The difference is that she has an exquisitely sculpted body. While I don’t. NBC aired a feature of Dara Torres receiving a massage and stretching routine from two trainers. It was waayyy different from a relaxation massage and different from the corrective massage that I do. Perhaps I will have to add a fourth category to my list of massage types.

Would the new category be Sports Massage? I just taught a class on Sports Massage and it didn’t include anything like what I saw being demonstrated. The trainers were literally mashing Dara’s muscles with their feet before some stretching. I did some research and discovered it actually is called “mashing” (!) and “resistance stretching.”

Currently, the type of corrective massage that I do is best suited for athletes who have chronic issues with old injuries. I do my share of mashing and it’s good stuff.  I sent an email to the trainer who developed the protocol, Bob Cooley, asking about training and certification in this method. I can’t wait to hear from him!

Here are some links and articles about this type of massage/stretching:

• Olympic Swimmer Credits Trainers With State Ties
• Dara’s current trainers
• Bob Cooley and his story
• The Today Show video
• Training Secrets of Dara Torres A great article with very practical tips for even the most modest athlete.
• Dara Reveals Her Secret Weapon This link was recommended by a reader of my blog.

I did a quick search on YouTube.com for Bob Cooley and also for Dara Torres.  Both searches resulted in a few good videos.

Are you an athlete undergoing intensive training in the Minneapolis area?  Would you be willing to let me practice this technique on you?  Send me an email!

Hey, now that is a GOOD question.  The short answer is that massage is the “manual manipulation of soft tissue.”  Soft tissue includes skin, muscle, tendon, fascia, and ligaments.  The manipulation can be performed with hands, feet, knees, elbows, or massage tools.  And you can do it to yourself or have someone else do it to you.  There are many different kinds of massage and different ways to categorize them.  One way to categorize the different forms of massage is by “intention” or “goal.”  Using this criteria, I have come up with three types of massage:

1. Relaxation
2. Corrective
3. Energetic

(side note: any of the three categories could use light pressure or deep pressure.)

“Relaxation” massage would include the type of pampering massage you might receive at a spa or salon, or the type you might give to your sweetie after a long day at work.  The intention is to calm the mind, soothe the nerves, and physically relax the entire body.  This type of massage could also be refered to as “full-body,” “Swedish,” or “fluff ‘n buff.”  Though I could talk at length about the accuracy of using those terms, I will take that up another time.  If you are looking for a relaxation massage therapist, those are the “code” words to look for.

“Corrective” massage has the intention of correcting a malfunction in the soft tissue that is causing pain or restriction of motion.   For example:  a knot, an adhesion, tendinitis, frozen shoulder, and many many many more examples.  This is the kind of massage that I specialize in.  “Code” words to look for include “deep tissue,” “sports,” “clinical,” “orthopedic,” or “medical” massage.  The pressure usually is very deep, but not always.  The treatment session will not be a “full body” experience.  This is the kind of massage that you want if you have a persistent knot, chronic pain, or want lasting relief from tension.

“Energetic” massage is intended to affect more than just the physical structures of the body. Examples include: Shiatsu and Reiki.  Some forms of energy work involve no touch at all.  Two examples are “Healing Touch”  (Why is it called Healing TOUCH when there is no touching? I don’t know!  Don’t get me started!) and medical Qi Gong.  In the healing community, these forms fall under the heading of “bodywork” and not “massage.”  However, if you intend to practice one of these modalities, your local government may still require that you have a massage license.

I suppose there is a fourth category:  “Sensual”

The intention of a “Sensual” massage is to arouse the senses.  This might be the kind of massage you give your sweetie after a romantic date.  This is also the kind that could get you arrested if you charge money for it.  This category includes “erotic,” “tantric,” “date,” or a “happy ending” massage.   Do NOT call me if you are looking for this kind of massage.  “Asian” massage or “Thai” style have unfortunately become code words for an erotic experience.  But there are legitimate forms of Asian and Thai massage.

Shiatsu is a traditional Japanese healing method. Shiatsu means “finger pressure.” Working through your clothing, I use palms, fingers, thumbs, knuckles, elbows, knees and my feet to work on acupuncture points and energy channels. It is a safe and effective therapy to balance the flow of Yin and Yang as they travel through your body.

On the surface, Shiatsu appears to be just another form of massage.  The only apparent difference is that it is performed through clothing and without any oil or lotion.  But it is really much more than that.  The intention is to work with the energy flow of the body, in addition to muscle and soft tissue.

Here is an article I wrote a few years ago:     what-is-shiatsu by Lynn K. Patricia

Shiatsu is also known as Shiatsu Amma and Shiatsu Anma.   It is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine, just like Acupuncture.  However, there is another form of Shiatsu called Namikoshi Shiatsu.  This form is based on basic anatomical structure.  In other words, the lines of pressure follow landmarks created by muscle and bone, not energetic meridians.

How do you know your Yin and Yang are out of balance?
If you have to ask…then they probably are.