Aloha Visitors & Locals! I think it’s important to write you about the different modalities of massage in Maui. You’re here in Maui now and you know you want a massage but you’re not certain what kind of massage will best suit you or suit your body. Don’t worry this is absolutely normal because most people haven’t studied massage, and most people aren’t sure what modalities of massage they’ve received in the past.

Now I’m certain that you’ve had Swedish massage, if you’ve had massage in The United States of America. The reason is because Swedish Massage is the most Universal style of massage in the World and especially in the USA. Swedish Massage is often combined with other modalities because it’s an excellent style of massage to use when the Massage Therapist’s intention is to smooth out and knead out the client’s muscle tissue. Swedish massage is done with a flat hand that glides over the body and also with kneading/grasping (grabbing) movements, like squeezing the muscles. The Effleurage of Swedish Massage is the flat handed strokes, and the Petrissage of Swedish Massage is the kneading/ grasping movements. Again Effleurage is best for smoothing out tissues of the body and Petrissage is best for getting lactic acid out of the tissues of the body by engaging the muscle tissues.

Now let’s talk about Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Massage and how it differs from Swedish Massage. In Swedish Massage the Massage Therapist avoids the bones and articulations. Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Massage goes right over the bones and articulations and the massage therapist uses their forearms, elbows and kneading strokes ( in a downward-toward the table) movement. These two styles of massage are great to mix together. I highly recommend a Swedish Lomi Lomi Massage combination for a relaxing massage experience that also works out your muscle tension.

Sports Massage engages the muscle tissue more than a Swedish Massage or Lomi Lomi Massage. It tends to be a deeper pressure but it can be done in a medium pressure. Sports Massage involves addressing the structural alignment of the body and sometimes also stretching the body, however if you don’t like to be stretched you can ask your Sports Massage Therapist to give you a Sports Massage without the stretching. Athletes tend to prefer Sports Massage because they really need their muscle tissue engaged, since they are so physically active, to help their muscles be in a structural balance. The structural balance of opposing muscle groups that Sports Massage facilitates, helps athletes perform. Sports Massage can be combined with Swedish and Lomi Lomi Massage. Combining these modalities together creates a relaxing massage thats more muscle engaging. NMT Sports Massage ( Neuro-muscular Therapy) is a massage modality that cross fiber frictions areas of the body that has scar-tissue. It is affective for helping soft tissue injury heal. The protocol is cross fiber for a few minutes only, then ice therapy, and then rest the area for a few days and repeat. NMT is the best modality for diminishing scar tissue in the tissues, tendons and ligaments ( as long as the injured area can be palpated).

Deep Tissue Massage is a modality of massage that goes deeper into the muscle tissues and addresses the fascia (Connective Tissue) of the body, which in turn helps the structural alignment of the body. Rolfing is deep tissue that is extra deep and specifically addresses the fascia of the body to improve the body’s structural alignment.

Shiatsu Massage is Japanese Massage. It addresses the meridians of the body and the structural alignment of the body. It’s pressure point massage and is characteristically deeper, yet it also relaxes the body nervous system greatly.

Hot Stone Massage is a modality of massage where heated up rocks are used to implement heat into the body’s tissues/ fascia. The heat of the rocks feels amazing and literally helps the tissue melt into a more pliable state making it easier for the massage therapist to get in to the tissues. Again any and all of the modalities listed above can be mixed together! Yay!

Also it’s very important for you tell your massage therapist what’s going on with you and your body, including medical conditions and injuries and what think you need from your Therapeutic Massage in Maui. Mahalo!