10.29.08
Hot Stone Massage
Origin: Stones have been used in healing practices all over the world, including Asia. Healing or hot stone massage is a treatment that gained popularity in North American spas in the 1990-2000s.
Technique: Stone massage is a form of contemporary bodywork and spa treatment. Stones of various sizes, shapes and textures are used as massage tools, and as a form of thermal therapy. As massage tools, stones are used instead of the hands to apply pressure during techniques such as effleurage. As thermal therapy, stones may be heated and placed on the body over certain anatomical structures or in patterns over energy centers and meridians; or cooled and used as cryotherapy to reduce swelling and cool tissues.
Theory: Stone massage is practiced as an eclectic form of bodywork incorporating Western anatomy and physiology with traditional Asian medicine. Geological properties of various kinds of stones are considered. Hot stones applied to the body impart weight and heat that promotes relaxation, normal body function, and energy balancing.
From Tappan’s Handbook of Healing Massage Techniques by Paticia J Benjamin and Frances M Tappan
The benefits of Hot stone massage: The heat helps the muscle to relax, increases local circulation, and makes connective tissue more pliable allowing for a deeper massage. Sore stiff muscles benefit from increased circulation and heat. The chronic pain of fibromyalgia can be eased with Hot stone massage and well as many other chronic pain and some arthritis pain as well. Plus it just feels good.
Shellie Morin LMT
www.sensesationalmassage.com
207-850-1014
