Swedish massage is the Western-world standard for a reason: it’s gentle, it’s relaxing, and it can be tailored to anyone.
Swedish massage is rooted in Western practices of anatomy and physiology. To perform this type of massage, Our Fuzhou massage therapists would apply an arsenal of pressure styles that include stroking, kneading, striking, rubbing, and vibrations. Using massage oil to help their strokes glide, they focus the pressure along the muscles that run the length of the body.
The pressure from swedish massage is ideal for relieving muscle tension, like the kind that builds up from hunching over a computer all day. This tension can sometimes result in knots: trigger points of extremely tense muscle fibers that form tiny nodules. Massage therapists are trained to feel for these knots, and swedish massage techniques are ideal for gently coaxing them away.
The whole Swedish massage experience is also a potential stress reliever, which is a benefit unto itself. Plus, it can improve blood flow, delivering more oxygen to cells. A lesser-known benefit—moisturized, glowing skin—results from the application of massage oils. Many massage therapists prefer to use sweet almond oil because it absorbs slowly into the skin, yet doesn’t leave clients feeling like they’re covered in grease. Other favorite oils include grapeseed (non-greasy, no smell) and jojoba oil (easily absorbed, mixes well with aromatherapy oils).
Massage therapists commonly offer 60-minute, 90-minute or 120-minute versions. A longer massage, though, gives the therapist more time to work on each muscle group or to focus on a particularly tense area.