Professional Massage Therapy Services in Clearwater & Palm Harbor Fl

Specializing in the following therapeutic applications:

Massage is the manipulation of superficial and deeper layers of muscle and connective tissue to enhance function, aid in the healing process, and promote relaxation and well-being.[1][2] The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle" or from Latin massameaning "mass, dough",[3][4] cf. Greek verb μάσσω (massō) "to handle, touch, to work with the hands, to knead dough".[5] In distinction the ancient Greek word for massage was anatripsis,[6] and the Latin was frictio.

Massage involves acting on and manipulating the body with pressure – structured, unstructured, stationary, or moving – tension, motion, or vibration, done manually or with mechanical aids. Target tissues may include muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, skin, joints, or other connective tissue, as well as lymphatic vessels, or organs of the gastrointestinal system. Massage can be applied with the hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearm, and feet. There are over eighty different recognized massage modalities.[7] The most cited reasons for introducing massage as therapy have been client demand and perceived clinical effectiveness.[8]

In professional settings massage involves the client being treated while lying on a massage table, sitting in a massage chair, or lying on a mat on the floor. The massage subject may be fully or partly unclothed. Parts of the body may be covered with towels or sheets. Those who practice massage as a career are referred to as masseurs, masseuses, or, if certified, as massage therapists.

Swedish massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. The five basic strokes are effleurage (sliding or gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (cross fiber) and vibration/shaking.[9] Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint, stiffness and improving function in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee over a period of eight weeks.It has also been shown to be helpful in individuals with poor circulation.

NeuroMuscular Therapies (NMT) is a form of massage. It is distinguished from other types of massage in that a quasi-static pressure is applied to the skin with the aim of stimulating specific areas of skeletal muscle. Often these areas of muscle are myofascial trigger points.

Trigger Point Therapy Sometimes confused with pressure point massage,[7] this involves deactivating trigger points that may cause local pain or refer pain and other sensations, such as headaches, in other parts of the body. Manual pressure, vibration, injection, or other treatment is applied to these points to relieve myofascial pain. Trigger points were first discovered and mapped by Janet G. Travell (president Kennedy's physician) and David Simons.

Myofascial Release Myofascial release refers to the manual massage technique for stretching the fascia and releasing bonds between fascia, integument, and muscles with the goal of eliminating pain, increasing range of motion and equilibrioception. Myofascial release usually involves applying shear compression or tension in various directions, or by skin rolling.

Hot Stone Massage A stone massage uses cold or water-heated stones to apply pressure and heat to the body. Stones coated in oil can also be used by the therapist delivering various massaging strokes. The hot stones used are commonly Basalt stones (or lava rocks) which over time, have become extremely polished and smooth. As the stones are placed along the recipient's back, they help to retain heat which then deeply penetrates into the muscles, releasing tension.

Thai Yoga Massage Known in Thailand as นวดแผนโบราณ (Nuat phaen boran, IPA: [nûət pʰɛ́ːn boːraːn]), meaning "ancient/traditional massage", Thai massage originated in India and is based on ayurveda and yoga. The technique combines massage with yoga-like positions during the course of the massage; the northern style emphasizes stretching while the southern style emphasizes acupressure.

Notes__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

1. Definition of massage, Prescottlmt.com

2. What is Massage Therapy?

3. Online Etymology Dictionary, massage

4. Merriam Webster Dictionary Online, massage

5. μάσσω, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus

6. The History of Massage: An Illustrated Survey from Around the World Calvert, R. (2002-04-01). Healing Arts Press.

7. "Massage Therapy as CAM" The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). 2006-09-01. Retrieved 2007-09-26.

8. "Policy for Therapeutic Massage in an Academic Health Center: A Model for Standard Policy Development"

The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-26. 13 (4) pp.471-475

9. "Swedish Massage"