Massage is the practice of soft tissue manipulation with physical and functional, purposes and goals. The word comes from the French massage "friction of kneading", or from Arabic massa meaning "to touch, feel or handle" or from Latin massa meaning "mass, dough". An older etymology may even have been the Hebrew me-sakj "to anoint with oil".
At ESPH we specialise in deep tissue, remedial or sports massage.
Deep Tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity, such as athletes, and patients who have sustained physical injury. It is also not uncommon for receivers of Deep Tissue Massage to have their pain replaced with a new muscle ache for a day or two. Deep tissue work varies greatly.
The term “deep tissue” is often misused to identify a massage that is performed with sustained deep pressure. Deep Tissue massage is a separate category of massage therapy, used to treat particular muscular-skeletal disorders and complaints, and employing a dedicated set of techniques and strokes to achieve a measure of relief. It should not be confused with “deep pressure” massage, which is one that is performed with sustained strong, occasionally intense pressure throughout an entire full-body session, and not to address a specific complaint. It just so happens that Deep Tissue massage is applied to both the superficial and deep layers of muscles, fascia and other structures. The sessions are often quite intense as a result of the deliberate, focused work. When a client asks for a massage and uses the term “deep tissue”, more often than not he or she is seeking to receive a full-body session with sustained deep pressure throughout.
Sports massage was designed for athletes, but is useful for anyone with chronic pain, injury or range-of-motion issues.
Sports massage was originally developed to help athletes prepare their bodies for optimal performance, recover after a big event, or function well during training. Sports massage emphasizes prevention and healing of injuries to the muscles and tendons.
But you don't have to be in the Olympics to benefit from sports massage. Sports massage is also good for people with injuries, chronic pain or restricted range of motion. The massage therapist generally concentrates on a specific problem area. (Sore neck and shoulders, anyone?) This is the type of sports massage that you see in the spa.
How can massage help me?
The healing hands of massage are great for relieving stress, anxiety and physical and emotional tension. We can treat your whole body or focus on a specific area such as your neck, back or lower limbs. Massage will help you recover from a specific injury or prepare you for a sporting event. It will also help to eliminate toxins such as lactic acid from the body and can help you sleep better, manage hormonal issues and deal with the stresses and strains of everyday life.
We advise you not to drink or eat heavily up to 2 hours before your treatment and please ensure that you drink plenty of water afterwards to aid detoxification.