03 Feb What Is The Difference Between Therapeutic And Relaxation Massage?
What is the difference between therapeutic and relaxation massage?
So you’ve booked yourself a massage. Therapeutic or relaxation? Or do you not know? Ask yourself this: “What do I feel?” Take note of the adjectives you use, because they’ll fall under one of two categories: physical or emotional. Both relate to your physiological state (how your body feels) yet stem from different places.
Feeling something physically, like an injury or restriction, can be more obvious for us to tune into. You can see the bruising or scar, you can feel the area is weakened in some way. Feeling something emotionally is often more difficult for us to take note of. Stress is the most common and easiest for us to acknowledge, and also the most vague. Where is the stress coming from? It could be sadness, busy lifestyle, high pressure situations, etc.
If you’re able to determine what your body is feeling, what you need, and where, then great! Read no further, you’ve got it figured out, see you at your next appointment.
If you’re still reading, we’ll continue…
Here are some key words for you think about: pain, discomfort, stiff, tight, injury, do any of these come to mind for you already? What about these words: stressed, busy, sick, depressed, sore… any of those sound familiar? While both lists are words we look for when listening to you describe what you are feeling, both lists will vary the treatment. The first list will relay to a more therapeutic treatment, while the second will be more relaxation.
So what actually happens in these treatments, how do they differ? Each treatment will start with similar techniques called General Swedish Massage. These are what we use to get you familiar with our touch and warm up the tissues. Techniques like kneading and stripping, using our palms for a broader stroke or our finger tips, thumbs, or elbows to get more targeted and specific. During a relaxation massage, we will stick with just these techniques and keep things at a medium-light pressure.
Other techniques we use are for more specific and therapeutic work. Ischemic compressions, pin and stretch, muscle approximation, golgi tendon organ release, or just deeper pressure are all just some to mention. These can possibly recreate some of your symptoms, and cause some discomfort for you in the moment, but are generally used to target things like trigger points (knots) and areas with tight or shortened muscles. You may also see us doing other techniques like cupping, Graston, rapid release, or active release. These techniques require special training, and not all Massage Therapists are able to perform each of them.
Therapeutic massage may vary slightly from a relaxation massage, but it’s important to know that your treatment doesn’t have to be one or the other. Everyone has different needs and treatment goals, we will often blend elements from each to personalize your care plan. If we find an area with knots or higher tension during your relaxation treatment, we will incorporate therapeutic techniques to work through those areas (with your consent, of course).
Overall, both styles of treatment compliment each other and we will assess which direction is best for you. Click here to book in at MYo Lab for a massage today!
We are always accepting new members who are ready to commit to their health and wellness journey. If you are ready to experience the MYo difference, book now so one of our team members can welcome you to the MYo Lab community!