As a profession, we have only recently begun to clarify the differences in massage types by purpose or outcome result. Here are brief descriptions of the differences between medical/clinical massage (sometimes called orthopedic massage), wellness massage and relaxation massage.

 

Relaxation massage is a full-body massage performed by massage therapists working in a studio, spa or resort-type setting and is described as a general, feel-good massage, usually a Swedish massage or some derivative. This is a great way to relax and relieve stress. These massage therapists while well trained in relaxation-based massage, generally lack both the knowledge and experience to treat specific musculoskeletal disorders.

 

Wellness massage may be thought of as a kind of bridge between relaxation and medical. Like relaxation it is full-body in scope, but like medical it often includes muscle specific therapy. We like to think of wellness massage as maintenance massage, it is massage received on a regular basis (usually weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) to maintain optimal health.

 

Medical/Clinical massage, as we see it, is therapeutic bodywork delivered for the express purpose of relieving pain, assisting in injury rehabilitation, and/or increasing one's mobility. It is not full-body, but rather specific to only a portion of the body (back, neck, arm, leg, etc.). Although it is often delivered in a medical setting such as a doctor's office or clinic, it may just as validly be delivered in a massage studio or the client's/patient's home. While not a requirement for this service, it is sometimes ordered by a doctor or other health care provider who has diagnosed the patient and deemed it "medically necessary." In these cases a physician or other health care provider provides a treatment plan via prescription or letter of referral. Medical massage requires advanced training (beyond basic licensing requirements) in clinical and orthopedic massage techniques and assessment and an understanding of pathologies and contraindications to treatment. A medical massage therapist uses palpation, active and passive range of motion testing, orthopedic special testing, and visual observation to develop a treatment protocol. The therapist also assesses client/patient progress, provides documentation, and communicates with the primary care physician (or referring healthcare provider) and possibly the insurance provider. At A Healing Touch Massage we are able to offer massage from any of these general categories. However, we specialize in wellness massage and medical massage.