Techniques Taught In Massage Therapy School You'll learn about the several types of massages in massage therapy school. You'll get hands-on experience when studying these techniques when you do this. Massage therapy schools will usually require students to ascertain almost all of the following basic massage techniques. Swedish The Swedish massage originated by a Swedish doctor in the 1700s and is most commonly seen in the West. This includes different techniques that will help to relax the muscles when pressure is applied to the muscle, combined with the applied pressure for blood flow to the heart. A Swedish massage may be slow or strong based upon the personal style of the therapist and respective needs of the patient. To release muscle tension and to break up knots and other adhered tissues, the therapist will give different massage strokes. Western anatomy and physiology is what the Swedish system is based upon, while the Eastern systems of massage will concentrate on meridians and energy lines. Deep Tissue Deep tissue massage breaks up serious muscle tension, injury and adhesions which is a standard in therapeutic massage school and another form of Swedish. Bands of rigid tissue in muscles are known as adhesions that block your circulation and minimize movement. Deep tissue massage targets contracted or knotted muscle areas commonly found in necks, shoulders, and backs. Deep targeted pressure is going to be placed on the areas of pain. For the therapist, deep tissue massage is most likely the most physically tiring technique to give. You will need strong hands and arms to massage deeply into the person's muscles and tense trouble spots. The Shiatsu Shiatsu massage combines some Western techniques with Eastern medical and spiritual philosophy, and is often referred to as Zen shiatsu. This kind of massage would normally concentrate on the Eastern principle of "chi" or the energy that flows through the body's meridian channels. Shiatsu therapists will typically manipulate pressure points, rotate and stretch joints, and have the patient inhale deeply. The definition of shiatsu means "finger pressure" in Japanese and the therapists will put pressure on the entire body to help unblock it, and to help the person's body heal all on its own. The Sports Sports massage works exclusively on athletes, regardless of their sport. Therapists work on healing sports injuries to muscles and tendons, concentrating on avoidance of injuries, and helping athletes prepare before and after a big event. A sports massage may be given to someone under four types of situations. First, a stimulating massage could be given as a pre-event sport activity as a way to warm up the athlete. Secondly, to normalize tissues and muscles within the body, a therapist can give a post-event massage. Third, when a athlete has a time of challenging training, the therapist will give restorative massages. Fourth, a sports therapist can give rehabilitative massages to athletes as a way to soothe the ache and to heal the muscle pain from injuries. Victory Career College
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