Nothing relaxes your body and calms your nerves more than a good, wholesome massage; trust me, it instantly boosts your energy levels.
Amidst the hustle of modern life and its eccentricities, your body undergoes constant change, and muscular wear and tear are common. A variety of massages are available in Spas and Massage centres. Thai Massage is one of the few massage therapies gaining momentum worldwide. If you have been to Thailand, Thai massage therapy is a ritual that many tourists enjoy experiencing. Nowadays, Thai massages are offered worldwide.
Thai Massage: An intense body ritual
An ancient massage technique, Thai Massage Therapy combines acupressure techniques, such as applying pressure to specific points and muscles, with yoga positions to promote relaxation throughout the body. The philosophy of Thai massage aims to clear the body’s energy blockages, known as Sen, and restore energy and momentum. The stretching and yoga techniques function as an energy healing system.
What can you expect during a Thai Massage?
If you imagine a serene environment, with a hot oil massage and soft, finger-like pads digging deep into your flesh to work the stress knots out of your body, that’s how you picture Thai therapy. You might need to rework your imagination. Thai massage therapy is an intense routine, and to put it shortly, the masseuse will use a variety of stretches and positions that you may not even know you could achieve. There are no aromatherapy oil massages and no beds; the therapy takes place on a mat, making it easier for the masseuse to manoeuvre the client’s body into right angles and positions. It might be intense and not sound too relaxing, but the aftereffects of the therapy will indeed heal and revitalise your tired body.
The Gains of Thai Massage Therapy
As Thai massage therapy focuses on specific pressure points and stretches, the massage’s benefits are undoubtedly excellent and reinvigorating. Like most massages, Thai massage therapy is also known to relieve stress, muscle tension, and soreness. Additionally, therapists believe that Thai massage effectively relieves pain points, regulates blood pressure, and improves blood circulation. The therapy is known to improve body posture and flexibility, along with strengthening spiritual energy flow throughout the body, resulting in a revitalised experience. Therefore, Thai Massage offers health benefits that relieve the body of usual tiredness while clarifying and healing the spiritual energy.
Importance of stretching
Initially, due to the intense stretching, Thai Massage may seem intimidating; however, research proves that stretching the body correctly and using various techniques has numerous advantages. Stretching has been proven beneficial for improving muscle strength and flexibility. It is a myth that stretching is only for gymnasts or athletes; our bodies, too, need stretching to heal and tone muscles, as well as to increase blood flow, thereby supplying much-needed oxygen to all areas of the body and making movement easier, while alleviating joint pain. Our body works as a machine with the contribution of muscles, ligaments, tissues & tendons; therefore, stretching helps this mechanism run smoothly and decreases stiffness and cramping.
Therefore, the fear that stretching exercises during a Thai massage might exacerbate our injury is a far-fetched idea.
Thai massages have immense health benefits, so you must try them at least once in a lifetime. Additionally, don’t let your preconceived notions of your body’s fragility stop you from getting this therapy.
Which massage is best for the prevention and treatment of injuries
Sports massage is a specialised massage designed primarily for use before or after sporting events. For example, you can use a sports massage the day before a competition, such as a half-marathon, to prepare your body for the exercise.
Sports massage is usually not as relaxing as other types of massage. It is generally faster than a Swedish massage, a method that a massage therapist uses to apply pressure to the body; the movement in this massage is at a quicker pace. Automatic stretching is also a common technique in sports massage, used to help dissipate the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles.
However, you don’t have to be an athlete to benefit from a sports massage. Sports therapy is ideal for anyone who is physically active, as well as for those who are just starting a new training program, have completed their first 10,000 km, have run a marathon, or have engaged in something else that goes beyond the usual activities. For regular marathon runners, there are special techniques that help the body survive such an extreme event.