Swedish Massage uses long gliding strokes in the direction of blood returning to the heart. Additional techniques include circular pressure applied by the hands and palms, firm kneading, percussion-like tapping, bending and stretching. This enhances the flow of blood to the heart, removes waste products (toxins) from the tissues, stretches ligaments and tendons, and improves range of motion. Swedish massage shortens recovery time from muscular strain by flushing the tissues of lactic acid and other metabolic wastes. Swedish massage also stimulates the skin and nervous system and soothes the nerves themselves at the same time. It reduces stress, both emotional and physical, and is suggested in a regular program for stress management

 

Deep Tissue

Deep tissue massage is used to release chronic patterns of muscular tension using slow strokes, direct pressure, or friction focused on the deeper layers of muscle tissue and fascia. It is applied with greater pressure and to deeper layers of muscle than Swedish Massage. The purpose is to "unstick" the fibers of a muscle while releasing deeply-held patterns of tension. Specific techniques are used to help reduce or eliminate chronic and acute pain, reduce scar tissue and adhesions, decrease inflammation, remove toxins, and speed up tissue healing.

Sports Massage

Sports massage uses techniques that are similar to both Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage, but are specially adapted to deal with the effects of athletic performance on the body, including the needs of athletes regarding training, performing, and recovery from injury. After an event, Sports massage is beneficial in speeding up injury recovery by minimizing scar tissue, removing adhesions, and restoring full pain-free range of motion. The primary technique used for this is deep transverse friction. Preventive Sports Massage is regular maintenance massage which uses specific strokes and stretches to increase endurance and flexibility in those muscles most used in a specific sport. The goal is to keep the muscle tissue most pliable to ensure peak performance and to reduce the risk of injury.

Neuromuscular

Neuromuscular Massage, also called Trigger Point Massage or Myotherapy, is a form of deep pressure massage applied specifically to individual muscles and knots to increase blood flow, release trigger points, relieve muscle spasms, and release pressure on nerves. Fingers or elbows are used to apply pressure for several seconds to trigger points (areas of localized muscle tension that refer pain to other parts of the body). Techniques are similar to Sports Massage in that it is deep and muscle specific, but the focus is on releasing trigger points, and therefore relieving chronic pain patterns

Reiki

Reiki is a healing practice that originated in Japan and is increasingly used in the States by health practitioners. Reiki is based on the idea that there is a universal (or source) energy that supports the body's innate healing abilities. Practitioners seek to access this energy, allowing it to flow to the body to facilitate healing. Reiki is used to unblock the emotional and spiritual blocks that cause illness and unease. During the session, the client is clothed and lying down or sitting comfortably. The practitioner's hands are placed lightly on or just above the person receiving treatment, using a series of twelve to fifteen different hand positions along the body. Each position is held for about two to five minutes. Reiki is used to reduce pain, decrease side effects of conventional medical treatment, and to promote overall health and well-being by facilitating the body's own healing response. Quite often, during and after receiving Reiki, there is a feeling of deep relaxation and ease experienced in both body and mind.