Massage is the practice of applying structured pressure or vibration , either manually or with mechanical aids , to the soft tissues of the body, including muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and joints, to achieve a beneficial response.
As a form of therapy, massage can be applied to parts of the body or successively to the whole body, to heal injury, relieve psychological stress, manage pain, improve circulation and relieve tension.
Where massage is used for its physical and psychological benefits, it may be termed "therapeutic massage therapy" or manipulative therapy.
There are well over 150 types of massage therapy. Various styles of massage have developed from a number of sources. Some of the common ones are: Oriental Massage (tui na); Deep Tissue Massage; Myofacial Release; Neuromuscular Therapy; Shiatsu; Swedish massage and Thai massage.
