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Swedish M
the Swedish massage focuses on targeting the surface layer of muscles and tissues through the processes like kneading, tapping, stretching, and bending of the joints. Swedish Massage aims at helping body relaxation, blood circulation, pain relief, and even joints mobilization. A study done in the Federal University of Sergipe Brazil showed that Swedish massage is beneficial to pregnant women, children, and infants as it helps improve nasal breathing in children, and improves adrenocortical hormones in infants. It also helps reduce lower-back pain for pregnant women. Doctors have also recommended this massage for disease prevention.
Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage is unlike Swedish massage, for it focuses on aligning deep layers of muscles and tissues by applying more pressure. This massage has is helpful in treating muscle problems, such as sore shoulders, stiff necks, back pains, and even injuries. Studies suggested that deep massage has clinical benefits for treating ankylosing spondylitis patients and also helped in the elimination of pain especially for arthritis patients that have been getting trouble sleeping. It also ensures they keep a relaxed state of mind and get better sleep.
Hot Stone Massage
This is one of the traditional therapeutic treatment methods that originated in China almost 2,000 years ago and is still popular and used by most therapists. It involves placing smooth, heated stones of varying size and weight on certain parts of the body. The stones are usually basalt stones, which are a type of volcanic rock that locks in heat. The method helps loosen tight muscles and balance energy centers in the body. Hot stone massage has proven to be beneficial for individuals that are experiencing muscle tension, stress, and insomnia, and also helped in boosting immunity, especially for cancer and patients living with HIV.
Intense Sports Massage
This massage is mostly used by athletes in promoting flexibility, preventing injuries, and quick recovery. It is one of the massage types that incorporate other massage types like Swedish and Deep massage. By involving methods like kneading, compression, gliding, and stretching of muscles. Sports massage has been beneficial to the overall performance of athletes by either increasing their performance level and or mental state performance. However, a 2018 study from the University of Montreal also concluded that sports massage happens to be the most effective method of reducing DOMS (Delayed-Onset muscle soreness) and perceived fatigue.
These 4 types of massage have been beneficial to individuals’ health and performance making them more appreciated and recommended even as an alternative to modern medicines and not just viewed as a luxury treatment.