Bodywork and massage therapy has bloomed into a mainstream-recognized alternative treatment for pain and relaxation. Many healthy insurance companies now offer some form of coverage for it. The modalities offered under these therapies have grown and become more specialized. We’re going to take a walk through the varied garden of bodywork and massage treatments out there.
Massage and bodywork are similar but different. Massage focuses primarily on physically manipulating the skin, muscle and tissue of body with one’s hands. Bodywork, on the other hand, also includes an energetic component to the treatment, such as reiki or shiatsu. Most schools teaching massage incorporate bodywork ideology into their programs.
Years ago, I worked at a California spa and retreat center in the mountains of Lake County. They offered massage and something called Water Shiatsu (Watsu). I became fascinated with Watsu and was trained up to level 2. Through being in the healing environment of a place like this, I realized how much potential there was if these modalities were prevalent in our society. Done with respect, healthy boundaries, and goodwill, massage and bodywork truly help people heal. Let’s get started with our exploration of several forms of massage and bodywork.
Modalities Covered in This Post:
- Swedish Massage
- Aromatherapy
- Hot Stone Treatment
- Aquatic Bodywork Modalities
- Reiki Bodywork
Swedish Massage
One of the oldest western massage modalities (hello, 1830s!), Swedish massage is probably the most popular modalities. Tapping, long strokes of the skin surface, and kneading are used to bring blood flow and relief to injured or sore muscles and tissue. Using techniques like bending and stretching the limbs are also common in Swedish massage. There are five types of Swedish Massage:
Effleurlage
This refers to the quality of stroke in this massage style. It focuses on light to medium movements that bring blood flow to the heart, so a lot of upward motions following the shape of the body. Masseur’s use their hands, forearms, or elbows to get the right pressure for optimal blood flow. This allows your muscles to get warm and relaxed for other manipulations to come.
Pétrissage
With Petrissage, the masseur basically treats you like a pile of cookie dough, kneading, rolling, and squeezing your flesh for the purpose of muscle release, relaxation, and lymphatic drainage (which we’ll discuss below). Sounds painful but it’s actually really nice. Swedish massage doesn’t press super hard into your flesh (unless requesting a deep tissue, which is it’s own form of massage!) so it feels more like gentle rubbing and prodding. It’s quite nice!
Friction
Basically, friction means the masseur getting into those muscles and tissues more deeply but within the constraint of the hallmark of Swedish massage: always rounding out the pressure with strokes and movement. They can use their palms, knuckles, or forearms to smooth out parts of the body in a gentle manner. It is a more intense kind of pressure by the masseur but meant to give a deeper release in the recipient’s body.
Vibration
When a masseur uses vibration in Swedish massage, they are treating parts of your body like a wad of flesh to be shaken, kneaded, and pinched- but in a good way! The point is to release stress blockages and move the circulation in the body.
Tapotament
Tapotament is kind of what it sounds like: tapping. They rhythmically tap, or use hand-cupping methods, to stimulate circulation and blood flow. It cause relaxation because it helps to release patterns of held tension. However, it is considered a more energetic form of Swedish massage and some people don’t like it or find that it an be too intense.
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Aromatherapy Bodywork
Aromatherapy is traditionally an addition to a massage. A masseur uses calming, beautiful essential oils, such as lavender or cedarwood into their massage oil or a diffuser in the room. The scent creates an olfactory experience that helps relax, uplift, or soothe a patient. It boosts the mood of patients as well as deepen their state of relaxation. Usually, it costs more for an aromatherapy treatment. I never get a massage without one as it just makes the entire experience that much more rich. If I’m paying a lot for a massage, it might as well be the best!
Hot Stone Bodywork Treatment
Hot stone body work involves all the joys of a regular massage with the added touch of placing hot rocks onto such body parts that hold tension like your face, back, stomach, and extremities. It seems to have origins in ancient China. Now, typically, putting hot stones on your body doesn’t sound like something relaxing (Hello, have you ever accidentally touched a hot rock in a campsite fire?!).
But the stones used in hot stone bodywork are made of special volcanic rock called basalt, which retains heat and the masseur controls how warm they get, which is to a nice low-warmth radiance. This treatment aids in relaxation, sleep, and mobility.
Aquatic Bodywork Modalities
My favorite type of bodywork, aquatic bodywork is done in warm water. Two such modalities are floating and watsu. Let’s look at both.
Floating:
Typically done in pods or small water chambers (think the water version of an indoor suntan bed), you’re submerged up to your head in warm water, often treated with Epsom salts. There’s usually a calming colored light, such as blue, and sometimes soft music. It’s basically a sensory deprivation experience that may sound creepy if it wasn’t actually so relaxing. You have to not be Closter phobic!
Being in such a confined and warm environment helps you let go of mental stimulus and really unwind. The warm water and Epsom salts help soothe muscles. This modality is gaining popularity so Google one near you and try it out. It’s amazing!
Watsu
This is my all-time favorite bodywork and massage therapy. It stands for Water Shiatsu and is basically the ancient practice of Shiatsu adapted to water. Invented by Harold Dull, Watsu is a one-of-a-kind therapeutic treatment for physical and even emotional pain.
In Watsu, the client is held, stretched, and physically manipulated in warm water. The practitioner presses on Shiatsu pressure points throughout the session, releasing energetic blockages in the body. The person is in a dance of movement and stillness to offer the most meditative experience while still relieving physical tension. Watsu, though rare to find outside of the American west, big cities, and Europe, is a modality worth seeking out to experience at least once. The womb-like environment of warm water is like a magical element helping you to go deep and heal both physical and emotional stresses.
Reiki Bodywork
Reiki is an ancient Buddhist healing practice that was brought to the mainstream in the past 100 years by Mikao Usui. The word basically means “universal energy.” The concept behind it is that all things and beings are connected and thus one can use tapping into this greater life force to move and release, heal, and change, energy within oneself. It aims to balance an individual and offer peace and relaxation.
In a reiki session, the practitioner’s hands are hovering over various important energy centers in your body (sometimes they gently touch you). Using specific hand movements and positions, they channel energy into and out of your body, removing blockages and restoring balance. While little to no touch happens, you definitely feel the energetic exchange and come our of reiki feeling like you’ve experienced something pretty cool.
Invest in Your Healing with Bodywork
All of these techniques can have a healing effect on the body by promoting relaxation, reducing pain and tension, improving circulation, and restoring range of motion. Additionally, bodywork can aid in the healing of injuries, chronic conditions, and emotional or mental stress. The specific healing benefits of a particular bodywork technique will depend on the technique itself and the individual receiving the treatment. Taking the time to explore various bodywork modalities can help you turn inward and heal parts of yourself needing special attention. Enjoy the gift of bodywork!