What is Restoration Massage?

Restorative massage is also used as part of rehabilitation measures carried out after certain diseases, in particular diseases of the musculoskeletal system. Restorative massage helps relieve fatigue and stress, serves as a measure to prevent injuries and diseases.

The main tasks of regenerative massage are activation of blood circulation and lymph flow, removal of its vital products from the body, increase in muscle tone, normalization of muscle work.

Restorative massage should be carried out in a calm environment in a darkened room, in which there are no extraneous irritants. When making restorative massage, stroking, rubbing, kneading and vibration techniques should be used. It is not recommended to use chopping, striking, and other highly stimulating techniques, because they increase arterial and venous pressure, cause vasospasm and other negative reactions of the body.

Restorative massage can be general and local.

When performing restorative massage you should follow a certain sequence. It is necessary to start the massage from the spinal area, then you need to go to the back of the legs, then – chest, upper limbs, abdomen and, finally, the front surface of the legs.

Since the back area is a significant reflexogenic zone, much attention should be paid to this part of the body during a massage. When back massage is necessary, a manual therapist uses techniques such as stroking, rubbing, kneading, stretching and vibration.

The preparatory part is performed using stroking, rubbing and kneading. About 2-3 minutes should be devoted to the preparatory part. The main part, which is performed within 10-15 minutes, consists of massage using techniques of grinding, shearing, stretching, pressure and point vibration. The final part, performed within 3-5 minutes, includes stroking, shaking and rubbing techniques.

When massaging the chest, you should apply the techniques of plane stroking, rubbing and kneading of the pectoral muscles, rubbing the intercostal muscles, rubbing and kneading the sternocleidomastoid muscles and diaphragm.

Then a limb massage should be performed. The joint area is smoothed and rubbed with a small pillow of the thumb, four fingers or the base of the palm. The lower and upper limbs are massaged using techniques of planar and grasping stroking, grinding, longitudinal and transverse kneading and shaking.

The duration of a restorative massage depends on body weight and the age of the person. Usually, a massage lasts from 10 to 85 minutes, depending on weight and age. It is not necessary to conduct a massage session longer than 35 minutes, as this will not cause a feeling of vigor giving an unnecessary load on the neuromuscular apparatus and heart.