Thai Massage edmonton
best THAI MASSAGE edmonton
A unique technique that's gaining popularity in Western culture! Thai massage is a fully clothed yogic stretch based therapy best performed on a firm yet comfortable floor mat. A mix of techniques is used, including compression, traction, joint mobility, twisting, and stretching techniques. It’s like assisted yoga! Leave feeling flexible, lighter, mobile, lengthened, and relaxed.
This deeply unwinding session follows an ebb and flow rhythm of pressing and stretching the entire body, which typically takes longer than a standard therapeutic massage, which is why the minimum bookable time for this type of treatment is 75 minutes or more. This extended time allows for a deeper release of tension and an overall sense of relaxation. In fact, we love Thai massage so much at the Strive Holistic massage clinic, that we offer two and two and a half hour Thai massage treatments for an extremely luxurious, therapeutic and thoroughly unwinding experience. You will definitely want to try the 2.5 hour Thai massage treatment at least once! It's an indulgence that you won't regret.
So if Thai massage isn't just stretching, what is it like?
What is the experience like and the sensations that are felt? What could you experience as the client laying on the mat? A Thai massage focuses on the slow, passive range of movement, initiated by the practitioner and experienced by client, coupled with deep diaphragmatic breathing with the practitioner and client in a rhythmic ebb and flow. The client is propped and supported by pillows and comfortable cushions, so that the client always feels like their body parts being treated are in the most optimal position for the most effective release with the deep compression and stretching techniques that are offered with this treatment.
For example, if we're working the right IT band and lateral hip or gluteal aspect of the client for hip mobility, we will prop the client on their side, with a pillow in front of their abdominal space to hug in order to roll forward into the pillow while being totally supported, as well as a couple of pillows under the right thigh and knee, that the client's leg can relax on with a bent hip and bent knee, to fully support the deep compression technique down the side of the hip, leg and calf. Can you visualize it? It feels delicious!
In opposition to a Thai massage treatment, like for example in a deep tissue or traditional therapeutic massage, the practitioner performing these types of massage can sometimes utilize treatments like Graston Technique, cupping therapy, neuromuscular stimulation, cross friction, scar tissue treatments or other more stimulating techniques that are also offered at this downtown Edmonton massage therapy clinic.
As a result, the results from a Thai massage can sometimes leave the client feeling lighter, looser, and deeply relaxed, whereas the traditional therapeutic massage can leave the client feeling relaxed, but also stimulated or “worked over”, with a deeper penetrative feeling to the tissues if the type of session calls for that and is discussed and agreed upon between the practitioner and client during the assessment phase of the treatment. This will be discussed between practitioner and client at the time so the client fully understands what to expect throughout the treatment in order to be able to totally relax into it.
Thai massage can be thought of as just light stretching, which is a bit of a misunderstanding based on the effectiveness and potential that this treatment offers. Its benefits can be less known in Western culture, but we recommend at the Strive Holistic Massage Therapy Clinic that you try Thai massage at least once to feel its amazing benefits on the body. Thai massage is definitely considered a deep tissue type of treatment as it is a treatment type that's set apart because it involves compressing and manipulating the tissues, just like in traditional therapeutic (or deep tissue) massage, but the practitioner has the freedom to use their hands, knees, and heels to apply that slow rhythmic, yet deep pressure that is truly unique to the Thai massage experience.
It’s a unique opportunity, with the client on a mat on the floor, to allow the practitioner to utilize pillows to position the client’s affected body part in an upright or propped position while standing over the client, which offers leverage and depth to the compressive techniques. Thai massage is a highly effective tissue type of treatment that involves the compression and manipulation of tissues in a way that is similar to traditional therapeutic massage.
This unique approach allows for a more customized experience, as pillows are used to position the client's affected body part in an upright or propped position while the practitioner stands over them. Whether you're dealing with chronic pain or simply looking for a way to relax and unwind, Thai massage is definitely worth considering.
A question we get a lot is, how often should I receive Thai massage, especially if I also love a deep tissue treatment, Graston Technique or cupping treatment as my therapeutic treatment of choice? It's really an individual decision, but we can give context as to what some clients have chosen for their preferred treatment protocol. Some clients fall in love with Thai massage and only wish to receive this offering in future treatments! It is, of course, up to you and your treatment needs, as well as the recommendation of your massage therapist based on what you two have discussed prior to treatment.
It is common for clients to love alternating treatment types, and will often do a deep tissue massage one treatment, followed by a Thai massage for their next treatment. Ask your practitioner if they recommend Thai massage for you before you visit our massage therapy clinic if you can't decide! Miranda personally recommends a 90 minute Thai massage treatment at minimum, in order to get the fullest experience.
Review additional commonly asked questions, as well as the benefits of Thai massage, on our FAQ page.