Swedish massage was developed by Henrik Ling in Sweden in the 1700s. Swedish massage is believed to allow the body to absorb more oxygen, thereby rejuvenating the body. Swedish massage is also believed to be geared towards detoxification by increasing the speed by which the cells of the body eliminate their waste materials. But more than this, Swedish massage brings to the receiver an immense feeling of satisfaction and relaxation. At Body and Mind Studio, we use the Swedish Massage techniques on our clients.

We use the following six basis techniques when administering Swedish massage to our clients:

Effleurage - is the technique most people associate with massage in general and Swedish massage in particular. In doing effleurage, we make use of long and sweeping strokes that cover more than just one area of the body. Though it makes the client feel like his or her muscles are being broken down, the purpose of effleurage is actually to connect one part of the body to the others.

Friction. Heat makes the muscles relax and friction is used to make the area to be treated warm up. We make use of the friction technique by rubbing the palms of the hands vigorously on the surface of the client’s skin. We can also do this by rubbing the palms together and then laying them on the client’s skin.

Petrissage - is the act of kneading and squeezing the muscles of the body. Petrissage does not target or focus on any particular part of the body, but the process of kneading the body’s muscles allows for deeper and more penetrating effects of massage.

Tapottement - are strokes that aim to energise the area of the body that is being treating yet at the same time making it loosened and relaxed. This is done by chopping the area with the sides of the hands. It can also be done by hitting the area being treated rhythmically with cupped or fisted hands.

Vibration. The vibration technique is used by the masseuse to shake up the area of the client’s body that she is treating. This is done by moving the heel of the hand, or sometimes the side of the hand, or even the fingertips, forward and backward across the skin to loosen the muscles of that particular area.

Traction - involves pulling at the arms and legs of the client, and sometimes also the head. The act of pulling stretches the muscles of the client. Traction is always done as part of the last portion of the massage routine because pulling needs to have the muscles relaxed.

How long does it take? A Swedish massage can take from 30 - 60 minutes depending on your specific requirements.

Rebecca Hopfensperger (above) uses the Swedish Massage technique on her clients (pictured below).

Chair Massage - is a short massage, anywhere from five to 30 minutes, done through the clothing. It typically focuses on key tension areas in the back, neck, shoulders and arms. We perform it in a specially designed ergonomic massage chair.

One of the benefits of a chair massage is that it takes a service that is typically done behind closed doors and makes it visible to the public. Because it is done out in the open, people getting them know exactly what to expect. They can see who is doing the massage and what they are doing.

Another benefit of chair massage is that it is done over the clothing. Many people feel uncomfortable getting undressed for traditional massage that is done on a table. With seated massage, people can avoid the discomfort and awkwardness that they may feel having to disrobe.

The sessions are usually shorter than traditional massage making it very convenient for anyone to fit into their busy schedules, and because the sessions are shorter, the cost for a chair massage is relatively low. These benefits make chair massage a safe, convenient and affordable option. It's no wonder that more people are introduced to massage through chair massage than through any other massage technique.

Why not pop in for a quick minute Chair Massage after work to relieve the stress of the day? Only £5 for 7 minutes...

Left: Beccy administers a chair massage.

Sports Massage - at Body and Mind Studio we combine sports massage with a special form of heat treatment and it could be considered to be our speciality. Why? Paul is a two-time English Channel swimmer and open water swimming competitor with swims ranging in duration from 20 minutes to over 13 hours in water temperatures as low as 3 Degrees Celsius! He fully appreciates the necessity to keep the body in peak condition to enable it to perform at the highest levels and regular sports massage is key to this.

But sports massage is not just for athletes. It is useful for anyone with chronic pain, injury or range-of-motion issues and emphasises prevention and healing injuries to the muscles and tendons.

The Sports Massage - What is it?

Sports massage is a type of Swedish massage (see above) which stimulates circulation of blood and lymph fluids. Some sports massage movements use trigger point therapy to break down adhesions (knots in the muscles) and increase the range of motion for example as may be required in the treatment of a Frozen Shoulder (pictured right).

Benefits of Sports Massage

Sports Massage is the most effective therapy for releasing muscle tension and restoring balance to the musculo-skeletal system. Received regularly this may help athletes prevent injuries, which might otherwise be caused by overuse. A constant build up of tension in the muscles from regular activity may lead to stresses on joints, ligaments, tendons, as well as the muscles themselves. These muscle imbalances may develop and often go undiagnosed until they are serious enough to cause the athlete discomfort or impede performance. It may be reasonably claimed that one of the greatest benefits of sports massage is in helping prevent injury.