Massage therapy is a popular and widely used practice that has been used throughout the centuries for everything from alternative health remedies to relaxation. In fact, the National Institutes of Health estimates that 18 million adults in the United States alone take advantage of massage therapy services each year. Almost anyone can give a massage; however, following certain tips can help increase the overall benefits of your massage.
Lubrication
When giving a massage, it's important to use a lubricant. Common massage lubricants include lotions, gels, oils and creams. Although massage can be done through the clothes, like most seated massages, massaging bare skin with a lubricant reduces drag. This allows your hands to easily glide across the skin thereby producing a more relaxing result. Lubricants also help reduce pull as you move over more hairy areas of the skin such as the arms and legs. When using massage oil, be aware that it can stain clothing and other fabrics. Most creams, lotions and gels do not stain.
Strokes
Using different strokes during your massage can increase its overall effect. The three main types of massage strokes include effleurage, petrissage and tapotement. Effleurage is made up of long and smooth stroking movements across the muscle tissue. Petrissage consists of rolling, kneading and picking up the skin tissue. Tapotement is the use of percussive or pounding movements against the muscle tissue. Each stroke has its own benefit and can be used to customize your massage.
Layers of Muscle
When giving a massage, it's important to slowly work your way deeper into the muscle tissue. Taking your time to move through each layer can help reduce soreness from the massage and also provides a better overall effect. To do this, start with gentle effleurage strokes and slowly add more pressure. If you need to, move the majority of pressure from the fingertips to the bottom of your palm as you progress in the massage.
Draping
Draping is always an important aspect of any massage where clothes have been removed, even if undergarments are still worn. Most states have draping laws that require covering sensitive areas, such as the genital area of both men and women and the chest area of women. The use of an over-sheet, as well as a towel over the chest area during massage, insures that the person receiving the massage is comfortable and that their modesty is respected.
Contact
Always keep at least one hand on the person getting a massage. This helps keep you connected to the person receiving the massage and also prevents startling the person as you continue. If you need to take your hands away for a moment, such as to apply more massage lubricant, softly let the person know and warn them before starting again.
Contraindications
Although a massage is beneficial in most any circumstance, there are certain times when you should not give a massage. These are known as contraindications. According to the American Massage Therapy Association, you should not perform a massage on patients who have infectious diseases, suspected blood clots, varicose veins, fever, serious heart conditions, burns or open cuts, or are intoxicated. In some cases, massage may still be performed but a doctor should be consulted to insure no permanent damage is done.
