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Clincal vs relaxation, difference at end of each massage?

Is there a perceived difference after a relaxation vs. a more clinically focused massage on specific issues and areas in the body?

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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on June 2, 2018 at 10:14pm

Well a properly done relaxation massage is therapeutic, and a more clinical massage, if successful would end up relaxing. It’s more the intent of the therapist adjusting to the needs of the client. The client would feel good after either session if it was successful. Right?

If you have a client that’s totally burnt out because of personal stress, going through a child custody battle or whatever, their muscles are going to be tight and contracted. Not because of structural damage in the muscle, but because of emotional tention. Now compare that to a client that comes in limping because of pain in their left hip. The muscles in the hip may be contracted not because emotional tension ,but because of actual structural damage in the musculature itself. Those are completely two different reasons for a massage.

Then there are those clients with both structural damage and emotional tension in the muscles.

But I think your question implies that you may not know the difference between a relaxation massage or one that deals with a specific problem like a very sore hip?

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Permalink Reply by Massage sucks on August 3, 2018 at 1:11pm

In a sense I agree with Gordon. to an extent either one can do both jobs to some extent.

A good relaxation massage should put the client to sleep. You should be able to hear them snoring away on your table. You might even feel uneasy about waking them up so that they can turn over. Now if your doing something like trigger point or deep tissue, your not going to get that effect. If you do, I personally will wonder what your doing wrong. As a therapist I have been in that situation quite a few times with clients falling asleep on me.

A good therapeutic massage in my mind is meant to treat or relieve pain and or injuries. Quite often that involves deep tissue or trigger point work. Yes, the end goal is still getting the muscles to relax. the method of doing that however is totally different. Many times such work requires active participation from the client. There is deep tissue, active and passive stretching techniques, trigger point just to name a few kinds of therapeutic kinds of work that should be very difficult to fall asleep during.

Does that help any?

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy Murray on August 3, 2018 at 1:15pm

Yes, thank you. I see myself as a therapeutic therapist as it is more my personality and fits my interests better. BTW, I just got my license on Weds! Soo excited to start working next Monday!

Karl Dean said:

In a sense I agree with Gordon. to an extent either one can do both jobs to some extent.

A good relaxation massage should put the client to sleep. You should be able to hear them snoring away on your table. You might even feel uneasy about waking them up so that they can turn over. Now if your doing something like trigger point or deep tissue, your not going to get that effect. If you do, I personally will wonder what your doing wrong. As a therapist I have been in that situation quite a few times with clients falling asleep on me.

A good therapeutic massage in my mind is meant to treat or relieve pain and or injuries. Quite often that involves deep tissue or trigger point work. Yes, the end goal is still getting the muscles to relax. the method of doing that however is totally different. Many times such work requires active participation from the client. There is deep tissue, active and passive stretching techniques, trigger point just to name a few kinds of therapeutic kinds of work that should be very difficult to fall asleep during.

Does that help any?