Russian massage integrates sports massage with the relaxing techniques of therapeutic massage. It offers a number of benefits because the style of the treatment depends on the physical makeup of an injury, rather than the person’s body as a whole.
The massage therapy can be received for those suffering from an injury, have an illness, or just want to promote general well-being.
There are three main phases to a Russian massage and these apply to all patients. Only the specifics of each massage will be different depending on individual needs.
The first phase is the slow, gentle stage. The therapist applies gentle massage techniques to the body, preparing it for the deeper manipulation that is part of the next phase. Also, this phase is important for the muscles to rest and the body be placed in a great state of relaxation.
The second phase involves faster, deeper, and harder movements to the body by the massage therapist. This is the part of the massage that has the most therapeutic effects. It is also the most active phase as it involves intense manipulation of the body muscles to relieve tension and pain.
Finally, there is the third stage during which the therapist switches back to the gentler, slower techniques. The slow movements are used to complete the session and to promote relaxation once again.
All three stages are very important for the effectiveness of the massage. If the body is not warmed-up and relaxed before the deep manipulation of the muscle tissue, it will not produce healing results as well. Just the same, if the body is not relaxed after the massage has been performed, then it won’t accept the therapy as well and may become tense or sore.
The actual massage techniques used throughout the three stages include stretching, gliding, kneading, vibration, and friction. The amount of pressure applied during these techniques depends on the patient’s body state and comfort level. The application of techniques will differ from person to person and the depth of the pressure ranges from light, to medium, to deep.
There is no predetermined time for the massage as the actual length will depend on the reason for the massage, the patient’s response to the therapy, and many other factors. It can last anywhere between fifteen minutes to an hour. The therapy sessions usually stop once the patient has recovered from their injury or illness, but for people having the massage for strictly relaxation purposes then single sessions are sufficient.
The massage has many benefits including increased blood and lymphatic flow, healing of acute injuries, relaxation, therapeutic effects, mind healing, and treatment of chronic medical conditions. Russian massage is a great healing therapy, so why not give it a try!
