Charlene Monine, CMT

Swedish Massage / Prenatal Massage

Swedish massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. The five basic strokes are effleurage (light touch), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (compression), and vibration. Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness and improving function. Swedish massage increases circulation while lowering blood pressure and emphasizes the elimination of metabolic wastes. This is also effective because it lessens ischemia (reduction of blood supply to organs and/or tissues which affects muscular pain).  It improves the lymphatic system which also removes waste from the body thus resulting in less swelling from injury. This type of massage releases endorphins; mechanically stretches and elongates muscles, stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, reduces pain, helps improve weak muscles, supports relaxation and improves sleep.  Swedish Massage alleviates the restriction of muscles as well as tension and stiffness, enhances blood circulation and increases flexibility and durability of muscles as well as delivering more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles to reduces muscle fatigue and soreness.

Prenatal Massage

Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health.

Massage therapy addresses different needs through varying techniques, one of which is called Swedish Massage, which aims to relax muscle tension and improve lymphatic and blood circulation through mild pressure applied to the muscle groups of the body. Swedish Massage is the recommended prenatal massage method during pregnancy because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy.

Hormone regulation

Studies done in the past 10 years have shown that hormone levels associated with relaxation and stress are significantly altered, leading to mood regulation and improved cardiovascular health, when massage therapy was introduced to women’s prenatal care. In women who received bi-weekly massages for only five weeks, hormones such as norepinephrine and cortisol (“stress hormones”) were reduced and dopamine and serotonin levels were increased (low levels of these hormones are associated with depression). These changes in hormone levels also led to fewer complications during birth and fewer instances of newborn complications, such as low birth weight. The evidence points strongly to maternal and newborn health benefits when therapeutic massage is incorporated into regular prenatal care.

Reduction of swelling

Edema, or swelling of the joints during pregnancy, is often caused by reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels by the heavy uterus. Massage helps to stimulate soft tissues to reduce collection of fluids in swollen joints, which also improves the removal of tissue waste, carried by the body’s lymph system.

Improvement of nerve pain

Sciatic pain is experienced by many women in late pregnancy as the uterus rests on muscles of the pelvic floor and lower back. The pressure of the uterus spreads tension to the muscles of the upper and lower leg, causing them to swell and put pressure on nearby nerves. Massage therapy addresses the inflamed nerves by helping to release the tension on nearby muscles. Many women have experienced significant reduction in sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy through regular massage.

Other potential benefits of prenatal massage:

• Reduced back pain
• Reduced joint pain
• Improved circulation
• Reduced edema
• Reduced muscle tension and headaches
• Reduced stress and anxiety
• Improved oxygenation of soft tissues and muscles
• Better sleep

Massage is NOT indicated for the first trimester of pregnancy and will not be performed.  We have a special pregnancy belly pillow that allows the pregnant client to experience the full pleasure of a regular Swedish massage which is safely designed to allow her to allow her to lay both on her stomach and back.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage is a type of massage therapy that focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. It is especially helpful for chronically tense and contracted areas such as stiff necks, low back tightness, and sore shoulders. Some of the same strokes are used as classic massage therapy, but the movement is slower and the pressure is deeper and concentrated on areas of tension and pain. Deep tissue massage works by physically breaking down these adhesions to relieve pain and restore normal movement. A true deep tissue massage occurs when the therapist applies firm pressure to the client’s muscles using his or her hands, fingertips, knuckles, elbows and even forearms, stimulating muscles and body tissues beyond the exterior level. One of the best benefits of a deep tissue massage is the increased blood flow it causes. Because the therapist is applying so much direct pressure on the muscles, this increases the blood circulation throughout your body. As a result, increased blood flow boosts the oxygen supply to all of the tissues in your body. With more oxygen circulating in the blood, toxins such as lactic acid are removed from your muscles at a higher rate. Another positive benefit of deep tissue massages is stress relief. The forceful and firm pressure forces the body to relax and ultimately relieve tension. Not only do deep tissue massages help rid the muscles of toxins thanks to the increased blood flow, but flushing out toxins also helps to put the body and the mind in a more relaxed state. This can more easily lead to physical relaxation of stiff muscles. If you are someone who suffers from chronic discomfort such as arthritis, muscle inflammation, or even a bad back, a deep tissue massage can help alleviate some of the pain. For some people, deep tissue massages have proven to be more effective and useful than daily prescriptions or other medications. Once again, because the deep tissue massage is increasing your blood flow, it is also reducing inflammation in the affected area. The firm pressure eases the pain and alleviates tension, loosening tightness and buildups of painful lactic acid that accumulates with repeated stress of muscles. 

Sports Massage

Sports Massage can aid the body in recovering faster from a strenuous workout or sports competition. It can also prevent soreness from setting in. Massage therapy increases circulation and gets blood pumping throughout your body. Decreased blood flow puts more strain on your heart and can make you feel tired and sore. Sports massage utilizes the same techniques used in deep tissue and Swedish massage along with pressure point therapy, stretching of the muscles and range of motion exercises. The manual pressure of a massage loosens up tightened muscles and gets more oxygen and nutrients to the body's cells. Releasing contracted muscles also allows for improved muscle flexibility, elasticity and joint mobility. When an athlete experiences an injury, there can be lasting effects even when an injury appears to be healing. Scar tissue often forms within healthy muscle tissue, and this can prevent an athlete from returning to his previous level of performance. Regular exercise can leave behind small amounts of scar tissue, leaving a muscle susceptible to injury and pain. Sports massage works to make scar tissue more pliable for faster healing. Regular workouts and sports competitions can deplete the body of amino acids and other essential nutrients. Massage therapy minimizes the effects of this depletion. It can also help to boost the immune system, which in turn, aids the body in fighting off illness. Massage therapy keeps athletes energized and healthy for future workouts.