Who doesn’t like massage? The long strokes, kneading, rubbing, and applied pressure makes you feel like a new person. This basic type of massage if skillfully applied leaves you feeling good, relaxes your muscles, and evaporates tension in your body and mind. Traditionally this has been called Swedish Massage, and is the most common type of massage found in spas, and massage franchises. We call this a “club rub.”
Massage by Another Name
Other types of massage the public has become aware of are Hot Stone Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Aromatherapy Massage, Sports Massage, and Reflexology. These are all feel good massages, but Sports Massage, and Deep Tissue Massage can help physical problems like pain, muscle spasm, stiffness, and poor range of motion (also known as OLD Syndrome).
Other types of massage that require more training and are focused on correcting structural imbalances, chronic pain, and health issues are called Bodywork. Examples of this type of “hands on healing” are Neuromuscular Therapy, Deep Tissue Therapy, Manual Lymph Drainage, Myofascial Release, Feldenkrais Method, Structural Integration, Pregnancy Massage, and Craniosacral Therapy.
Manual Therapy
Another term for Bodywork is Manual Therapy. Structural Integration is the original name for a system of healing called Rolfing, but other techniques and derivations of Rolfing use that terminology too. Deep Tissue Therapy is descended from Rolfing also, but focuses more on muscles, rather than fascia or connective tissue.
All these systems and techniques are “manual therapy,” or done by hand. The Physical Therapy profession has adopted the term Manual Therapy to differentiate the hands-on aspect from traditional Physical Therapy that mostly uses exercises, hot and cold packs, and electrical stimulation.
The Origins of Bodywork
Practitioners who were using more than traditional massage, techniques such as Structural Integration, or Deep Tissue Therapy, were and are called Bodyworkers. Some of these therapists now prefer the term Manual Therapist.
All of the Bodywork modalities, and virtually all of the Manual Therapy techniques are still considered alternative medicine. Most of these systems originated from ideas and methods developed in the Osteopathy and Chiropractic communities. They were methods that addressed not only the bony structure, but all of the soft tissues–muscles, tendon, ligaments, fascia, etc.–and the nervous system. Thus they have been called Soft Tissue Manipulation or simply Manipulation.
Bodywork = Manual Therapy =Soft Tissue Manipulation = Hands-On Healing
Because a lot of the Bodywork and Manual Therapy techniques were adopted by Massage Therapists originally, they are generally referred to as part of Massage Therapy. While techniques like Craniosacral Therapy and Myofascial Release are performed by both Physical Therapists and Massage Therapists and often referred to as Massage techniques, they really don’t resemble traditional Massage. And while Massage Therapy is a hands-on healing technique, and it can have therapeutic benefits, it is not a Bodywork or Manual Therapy system as defined by many practitioners.
Choosing a massage or type of Bodywork or Manual Therapy depends on what you are trying to accomplish. If you are looking for relaxation, or general release of muscle spasms, then traditional Swedish Massage or Deep Tissue Massage should work just fine. If you are in pain, or have other health issues related to the structure and function of the body (the kind of things you go see a Medical Doctor or Chiropractor for), then one of the advanced modalities of Bodywork or Manual Therapy should be pursued.
Get Well Soon!
Whatever type of “massage” you choose, consider that hands-on healing goes back to ancient times, and has helped millions of people over the years. It is a safe and powerful tool for health and wellness.