Trying to figure out what type of massage you would like or need can often be a confusing minefield of exotic terminology. Swedish Massage. Shiatsu. Thai Massage. Indian Head Massage. Sports Massage. Hot/Cold Stone Massage. Aromatherapy Massage. It’s no wonder prospective clients sometimes struggle to understand exactly what they need.
In simple terms, massage is the physical manipulation of the body’s soft tissues. Practitioners of massage may study one or more individual styles of massage to be able to do this. For example, Swedish Massage is a style that involves long, flowing, often deep strokes. Shiatsu is a type of massage which may be carried out on a floor couch or low table to allow the practitioner to use their arms and legs within the massage. Aromatherapy Massage involves a lighter touch which conveys the benefits of essential oils, while Sports Massage will usually focus on preparing an athlete for an event, or helping to reduce the recovery time post-training.
Instead of focusing on the type of massage you would like, we ask prospective clients to consider what you would like to benefit from the most. The majority of clients use massage for one of the following reasons:
• Remedial – There is something wrong, and you would like to alleviate the symptoms. Those who suffer from chronic pain, such as sciatica or fibromyalgia, often find massage beneficial in helping them to manage their pain levels. Similarly, athletes who have injured themselves may benefit from massage to the muscles in and around the affected area, along with a stretching and strengthening plan to prevent similar injuries from happening in the future
• Relaxation – Maybe you’d like to de-stress, detox, or simply pamper yourself to improve your mood. Depending on how it’s done, massage can have a deep, calming effect on the body and mind, and help to promote relaxation. Of course, the opposite can be true as well; a very vigorous massage that involves a lot of percussive strokes can leave you feeling refreshed and energised. We offer both relaxing and energising massage, based on the individual client’s needs
• Preventative/Maintenance – Just as having your car serviced can help to catch problems before they arise, a regular session of massage can help to keep your body running smoothly. Your practitioner will often be able to feel any little ‘niggles’ (often called ‘knots’) that are forming in your soft tissue, and address these before they can fully manifest and affect your movement or cause you pain
Regardless of what type of massage you’re looking for, massage is a complementary therapy, which means it works alongside more traditional medical practice in helping the client to manage their pain or symptoms. If you have an acute or serious injury, or medical condition (or suspect you may have one), then you should first seek the advice of a healthcare professional. Massage is not a replacement for traditional healthcare.
At Willowtree Therapies we offer holistic massage, which encompasses all of the above bullet points. ‘Holistic’ means ‘dealing with the whole of something or someone and not just a part‘ (Cambridge Dictionary) or ‘relating to or concerned with wholes or with complete systems rather than with the analysis of, treatment of, or dissection into parts’ (Merriam Webster)
What this means is that we don’t just look at what’s causing you issues – we look at you as a whole and perform relevant diagnostic tests to assess the cause of your problems. We aim to treat causes, not symptoms, and therefore promote long-term recovery.
Our regular massage treatments can include MLD (Manual Lymphatic Drainage), MFR (Myofascial Release), Soft Tissue Release, Stretching Techniques and Dry Cupping Therapy.
Willowtree Therapies 