What is Massage?
According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) (1999), massage therapy is the systematic and scientific manipulation of the body's soft tissue for therapeutic purposes. There are many different forms of massage therapy used in various settings by a diverse group of professionals. In our massage therapy clinic, we define massage as the application of various techniques including stroking, kneading, tapping, compression, vibration, rocking, friction, and pressure to the muscular structure and soft tissues of the human body. Generally, massage therapy is intended to reduce stress and fatigue while improving circulation. In more specific situations, massage therapy can improve range of motion, flexibility, and improve athletic activity. We provide several modalities of massage therapy in our clinic, including Swedish massage, Deep Tissue Massage, and Sports Massage. Swedish massage uses long gliding and kneading strokes on more superficial layers of muscle for the purpose of increasing circulation and enhancing relaxation. Sports and Deep tissue massage influence the deeper layers of muscle for pain relief, increased range of motion, and can drastically improve athletic activity.