What is Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy is the manipulation of soft body tissues, originally done by hand but given time instruments have been designed to help in that purpose.



We could say that it is a mixture between art and science; you have the skilled hands of the therapist applying his physiological knowledge to reach the desired parts of the muscle he/she is treating.

Massage Therapy Techniques

There are many different kinds of massage therapy techniques.



Most massage therapists apply a combination of techniques but others; the purists, just stick to a determined massage therapy technique. Massage is applied at different levels.



There is a shallow massage, with soft movements on the surface and a gentle touch and there is a deeper massage that applies more pressure so as to reach deeper levels of the muscle mass. These last ones might be a bit painful or uncomfortable at the first moment, but provide a better sensation and relief after all.

Benefits of Massage Therapy

There are several benefits of massage therapies, the most recognized ones are that these help to relax the muscles, stimulate the nerves, improve blood flow and induce to a mental state of relaxation.  There is no scientific proof that can exactly determine how massage therapy works, but there is empiric evidence of the benefits in the overall health of those whose regularly attend massage sessions.

Theories on Why Massage Therapy Works

There are different explanations or theories about how or why massage therapy works. Some people claim that massage dissolves calcium deposits on the muscles, but there is no objective confirmation of this so far. Another explanation is that massage therapy boosts overall health, as it provides mental relaxation and reduces stress. And there is a demonstrated fact that stress really has a harmful impact on our physical and mental health.

Case studies have shown that severely sick babies improved their health much more when they were receiving soft massage from their mothers than those who did not.

Common Uses of Massage Therapy

The most common uses of massage therapy are to help with muscle tension, reduce stress by promoting relaxation, lower back pain and headaches. Professional athletes generally have their own massage therapist who applies this therapy before work out or after a demanding sport or athletic session.  Other conditions use this technique as a complementary treatment, just to name a few we could mention bulimia, cystic fibrosis, asthma, autism, diabetes, eczema, and even infant depression.