Thai Massage (Cont. 1)

If you have always wanted to take a yoga class or purchase a yoga home DVD but you never seem to have the energy after a long day, then finding yourself a therapist that performs Thai massage would be perfect for you. Known also as Thai yoga massage, this form of massage is an ancient ayurvedic healing technique similar to shiatsu where the therapist will apply gentle pressure on various acupressure points on the body while also including stretching and compression with some deep tissue work.

What to expect

Thai massage is a very passive therapy for the client. The therapist essentially gives a client a session of massage and yoga work with the client doing nothing more than relaxing. The work is generally done on a padded mat on the floor with the client fully dressed; no oils or lotions are used. The sessions last from one to two hours with the whole body being worked on. The therapist will use their hands, feet, legs and knees to put the client into different yoga postures. The various positions will help to mobilize the specific joints. During these postures, the therapist will also use acupressure and compression of different muscles. Thai massage delivers many of the same benefits as yoga. It is a relaxing therapy that decreases stress while increasing flexibility. There are no negative side effects of Thai massage but like all forms of massage, it is recommended that if a client has any health issues or concerns, they receive a written approval from their physician prior to scheduling a session.

References Cited in this Article

www.altmedicine.about.com

www.thaimassagetherapy.com