The art of swedish massage has been instrumental is developing many other types of massage. The tensions and demands of modern living is well known and swedish massage is a proven, beneficial therapy to help combat the effects of stressful living. Athletes, sports people and dancers include it in their training schedules to aid recovery and to prevent or treat soft tissue injuries.
Most therapists use swedish massage as the foundation of their treatments and blend in various other techniques, depending upon training and experience, to address the specific needs of the client. In general, the manipulation of the body's soft tissue using swedish massage movements is a gentle, flowing technique that uses varying degrees of pressure and stretching techniques. It is most commonly used for relaxation and improving overall well-being.
A typical full-body session lasts for about one hour, though many therapists will offer shorter sessions for treating specific areas such as back, shoulders and neck or any areas giving discomfort, aches or pains. On the first visit clients are asked a number of questions concerning general well-being, injuries and medical conditions that the therapist should know about, in order to determine if there are any physical conditions that would prohibit or limit a treatment.
During the treatment, a good oil is used to nourish the skin and aids the free-flowing movement of the hands over the body. The therapist will sense responses but will also ask the client about the strength of their touch which allows this treatment to be either gentle or a deeper massage according to the clients needs.
