March/April 2010 
Body Language
Wondering which massage is right for you? Our lowdown on top rubdowns will help you get your “kneads” in order
.
[By Dorothy Creamer]
There was a time when a massage was viewed as a frivolous luxury, indulged in only by celebrities and athletes and the absurdly wealthy. Most people overlooked its benefits as a viable method of therapy or rejuvenation.
Fortunately, the public mindset has shifted. Suzanne Olsen, founder of Fountains Day Spa in Alexandria, Virginia, began seeing the change 15 years ago. “My thinking is that as people traveled more, they stayed at resorts and would have massages,” she opines. “Eventually, the industry just started to take off.” Olsen, who hails from South Africa and trained at prestigious centers in London and Paris, has dedicated her life to the art of beauty therapy. Unlike her own lifelong interest in massage and the mind/body connection, she says the American public was slower to embrace it. “I could see that it would begin to permeate the culture eventually. It took a while, but once the interest started, it was a constant increase. People started to recognize the benefits of massage. In Europe I would be a lot busier using massage to take care of small medical issues. We haven’t gotten there yet in America.”
A New Attitude
Today, day spas around the nation are proving that they are not only sources of relaxation but also centers for wellness; a variety of massage treatments are available to soothe what ails you. “Our Massage philosophy is that massage should be both therapeutic and relaxing,” says Randy Gould of McLean Face and Body Spa in McLean, Virginia. “The techniques we use uphold this philosophy. We listen to our clients and take their direction regarding specific needs and the level of pressure to provide the most comfort and relief from pain and stress.”
Massage therapists are trained to meet with each client and ask a series of questions to decide which type of massage best fits a client’s needs. Explains Olsen, “We schedule a consultation first to ascertain what sort of troubles a client has been experiencing. Then we will choose a therapist that will be the most suitable to work on that issue. Some therapists are better at certain kinds of massages.”
The Rubdown Lowdown
Massage treatments can vary from spa to spa, and most spas will put a personalized spin on classic variations. At the McLean Face and Body Spa, the therapists often recommend blending several techniques into a single session to best meet a client’s needs. “If you want a relaxing Swedish massage, but have a particularly nagging ache or pain,” says Gould, “I can use trigger-point skills to help alleviate that.”.
This is the most common and probably the best-known massage. Therapists use oils and smooth, gliding strokes, perhaps coupled with such other moves as kneading, stretching, or tapping. Pressure can range from light to firm, depending on your preference. The Swedish massage is a popular option for those who have never had a massage before. Olsen recommends this kind of treatment to clients who are tense, agitated, or recovering from surgery.
For those who prefer more intensive work and a firmer touch, deep tissue massage is a favorite. As its name suggests, this treatment focuses on the deeper tissue structures of the muscle and connective tissue. It utilizes many similar components of the Swedish massage, but it is more focused as the therapist attempts to release chronic muscle tension.
This increasingly popular process combines massage with the use of heated rocks. A hot-stone massage begins as a basic Swedish massage; then the heated stones are incorporated into the procedure. Some therapists might leave the stones at specific pressure points (known as chakras) along the spine, hands, or stomach to increase the flow of energy through the body. Olsen explains that at Fountains Day Spa, Sedona river stones are used because they absorb and retain heat well, and are known for having a higher energy.
This Japanese form of massage calls upon the tenets of acupuncture. Using just the fingers (“shiatsu” actually means “finger pressure”), pressure is rhythmically placed on acupuncture meridians. The aim is to improve the flow of energy known as qi (pronounced “chee”) and thereby banish illness.
Also known as prenatal massage, this form of therapy is tailored to the needs of expectant mothers and has been found to reduce stress, relieve aches, diminish pain, and decrease swelling in the arms and legs. It is important to find a therapist who is certified in pregnancy massage, as proper positioning is imperative in order to ensure the safety of mother and baby.
More than merely a foot or hand massage, reflexology is a form of total bodywork. It is based on the theory that specific glands, organs, and other parts of the body are coordinated to reflex points on the hands and feet. This treatment involves applying specific pressure on different parts of the foot to address issues in other areas. The basic concept is that the foot represents the body: The big toe is the head; the ball of the foot reflects the heart and chest; the heel is connected to the lower back and intestines; and the arch corresponds to the liver, pancreas, and kidney. Olsen asserts that reflexology is particularly helpful in dealing with premenstrual syndrome. “It’s hard to massage the ovaries,” she points out, but it’s been proven that reflexology can cut down PMS symptoms by as much as 80 percent.”
The addition of pure organic essential oils to a massage is used to address the specific needs of a client. Oils are selected for having specific healing benefits; some are calming and stress reducing, while others are energizing or cleansing. During the massage, one or more essential oils are added to the massage lotion and are released into the air while being rubbed into your body.
Similar to shiatsu, the Thai massage aligns the energy of the body; the difference is that the therapist will move you into various poses similar to yoga. This form of therapy is more invigorating than other massages and is used to reduce stress, improve range of motion, and center the mind and body.
