There really is nothing better.
Just knowing you’re about to have 60 or 90 minutes worth of shutting your brain off and someone catering to your ever-tight muscle, knot, and aching body part. The feeling of a deep tissue massage is that hurt so good feeling just can’t replace. You have your spouse try it, but it’s not the same as laying face down on a warm bed and having a professional drive their hands, thumbs, elbows, and everything else into your tissue. What a feeling.
Being in Boston can be stressful. Work, living, and just the city life, in general, can be great – but it brings a certain amount of stress into your day. Whether you’re trying to get around the city on the ice-covered streets during the winter, or dodging bikers as you try to get to work Boston brings out a certain amount of grit to your everyday.
Not only that but if you’re living in Boston, chances are you’re pushing the limits in your fitness routine as well. On every corner, there is a new fitness studio popping up, and we all know that if you’re not running the Charles river every so often you’re really not a Boston resident.
With this high level of exercise comes tight muscles, sore bodies, and the high need for increased recovery. So – what can you do for recovery? You could foam roll. Drink green juice (The Juicery is our favorite in Boston). Do all the things that the internet says, but what’s the best option to increase your recovery and decrease stress?
So, let's dive into it.
Massage therapy by definition is
“...the manipulation of the body's soft tissues. Massage techniques are commonly applied with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet, or a device. The purpose of massage is generally for the treatment of body stress or pain. (wiki)
Fairly broad, yes – but the general premise is spot on. During a massage, a Boston-trained masseuse will use mainly their hands, and sometimes other tools, to give deep tissue pressure to areas of the body needing stress reduction and or pain management.
A Massage Therapist will be slightly different than a Physical Therapist as the education paths are much different as well as the scopes of practice. Under their license, a massage therapist can’t give you a full joint evaluation but can assess tissue, tightness, and how the body is handling stress. From there, they can make an educated guess as to where and what type of massage is needed. That’s when the magic happens.
Massage therapists use different types of passes or ‘strokes’ during a massage. The 3 maintains are
Effleurage is meant for relaxation and the release of stress and tension. This form of massage is done in a circular motion often involving stroking with the palm of a massage therapist's hand. This form of massage therapy is meant to help increase blood flow and lymph drainage which in turn increases the temperature of muscles and helps the body prepare for a deeper tissue massage.
Petrissage is the act of kneading the muscle. While kneading a muscle, the practice is to pull the muscle away from the bone and which is meant to help with spasms. This deep tissue pressure can help relieve tight muscles and is best when working on ‘knots’ or a muscle that has been previously in spasm.
Tapotement, the last main massage therapy technique is considered ‘tapping’ or a more invigorated way to get the muscles to stimulate and move a stressed muscle.
In a world of stress, chaos, and running around with your head cut off a massage therapist adds relief to your life. If you live in Boston, you know this is how you function more than half the time.
When you’re dealing with stress, a massage can be one of the best options to help you reduce said stress. Whether that stress comes in the form of tight shoulders from a chaotic day of work, or the full-body soreness after a weekend of skiing there is nothing better to help you unwind and recover than a massage.
The power of touch is incredibly underrated. Hands are, obviously, the most important tool a massage therapist has, and it’s much more beneficial than you probably realize. Touch is said to be one of the greatest healing powers out there. During a massage, the deep tissue pressure from a massage therapist's hands will release what is called oxytocin. Once oxytocin is released, the body has a much easier time relaxing and this helps speed up recovery from a workout and releases those tight muscles after a stressful day.
The best thing about a massage therapist? If you find a good one, they should not only help you on the table but also off of it. Here at Ripple, Angel our sports massage therapist will always send you home with at-home massage tips to ensure that your tightness doesn't come back too quickly.
Oftentimes, we send people home with self-myofascial release videos. We don’t love foam rolling as a way to get out of pain, but to release tightness and tension at home, it’s a great option. Most people come in with some sort of neck pain or tightness, and we always send them home with this at-home guide releasing your tight upper body.
Obviously here at Ripple, we have Boston's best Physical Therapists
so it can be daunting to try and figure out what the difference is between a Massage Therapist and a Physical Therapist.
Generally, what between what a Physical Therapist does and what Massage Therapist does breaks down into three different ways
1. Are you in pain?
2. Looking for relaxation or injury reduction?
3. Cost
Whenever someone comes to Ripple, I'll talk through with them where they're at and what they're currently dealing with so I can best set them up with the proper provider. Book that call now!
WHO DOES A MASSAGE THERAPIST WORK WITH?
Everyone needs a massage. Full stop.
Even if you’re ‘not stressed’ or ‘don’t need one’, you do.
But, if you are dealing with stress, a massage is one of the best things you can do. The idea client of a massage therapist is someone who has a really stressful job and needs to downregulate after a tough week. Athletes and weekend warriors can also benefit from massage as it will help increase their recovery times, and allow for them to push it harder the next time. Lastly, but not exclusively, people who are dealing with chronic tightness or soreness are one of the best fits for a massage. For anyone, a massage can help get things moving in the body, reduce full body tightness, and make you realize how good it actually feels to be in a body that is not stressed.
WHAT GOES INTO MASSAGE THERAPY AT RIPPLE?
So, so many things.
Taking a look into sports massage at Ripple is really a choose your own adventure.
You can go the traditional route, and we’ll dim the lights, put on easy listening music, and let you fall asleep as you receive a deep tissue full body massage.
There’s a big difference between a sports massage and a traditional massage. Luckily we can do both.
If you’re looking for something a little more specific, a sports massage is your best bet.
If you’re interested, during your 60 or 90-minute massage and/or sports massage we can use a number of different tools. Some people come in solely for cupping. Feel like Michael Phelps and look like you got attacked by an octopus – but feel the instant relief that cupping provides. The suction of a cup helps increase blood supply to a specific area, and in turn, helps that muscle feel and move better.
A massage can also include certain instruments such as a graston tool or other of their kind. A good Boston massage therapist also isn’t afraid to use their elbow to get those real deep knots wink🙃
The biggest difference in massage therapy at our Boston-based clinic is that all of our Massage Therapists are also certified, personal trainers. We call these Hybrid Providers So – not only do they have the schooling in massage therapy, but they also have a 4-year degree in exercise science, certification to be a personal trainer, and extreme knowledge in how exercise and stress can affect the body.
What’s better than that – a massage therapy that has the highest level of knowledge regarding the human body, and understands how you pushing it during workouts can affect how you feel.
I can tell you what’s better!! Since our massage therapists as also personal trainers, they can do both! Our hybrid massage therapists and personal trainers often times will take their clients, and do both!
Taking a look inside a hybrid session, you get the best of both worlds. Before you start your workout, we’ll do hands-on manual therapy to the hip to get things loose and then start the workout. For example, if you have a chronically tight hip, before squatting a hybrid provider can use their hands to open the hip up, give you more mobility and create a more successful lower body workout. How great does that sound? Reduce your likelihood of getting hurt, and increase the overall effectiveness of your workout with a hybrid trainer/massage therapist.
As you can see, we’re trying to change the Boston massage therapy scene by taking it up to the next level.
Our ability to carry out a traditional massage to provide relaxation and stress relief is on par with every other top-tier massage therapist in Boston. But, what takes us to the next level is our Massage Therapist's background, and their ability as personal trainers to hear where you’re sore and stressed, understand the body and the demands you put it through with exercise, and be able to make an educated guess as to what and where you need a deep tissue massage.
Our massage therapists are also changing the Boston personal training scene as well. Being able to open tight joint up before a personal training session with massage therapy is something that not a lot of places in the US are doing, never mind Boston. There is no other clinic as progressive as Ripple, and no other Boston massage therapist or personal trainer is combining both disciplines.
This skillset allows for our massage therapists to send their clients home with at-home upper body self-massage programs or lower body fixes to any tightness they may have. Every massage comes with a follow-up email with self-release ideas, and how to keep your muscles loose longer after the massage.
Massage should be included in a full wellness routine either on a weekly or monthly basis. This is a non-negotiable for a full spectrum wellness plan. Whether you’re an active adult, someone stressed from work, or just want to get the most out of your body mixing in a massage is a must. You can’t underestimate the power of touch and the benefits it has.
Having the choice of a traditional massage or a sports massage is also something you really need to consider. Not everyone needs a targeted, deep tissue style like a sports massage offers, but many do. Having a massage therapist that can evaluate, pinpoint tightness, and carry out deep tissue massage, cupping, and instrument-assisted tool work during a sports massage is essential to a workout and active adults program. But – if that same therapist can also carry out a rhythmic, soothing, and relaxing massage of the more traditional version you really cannot go wrong.
That’s what we do here at Ripple Boston.
Honestly, what we do is really hard to explain. I just tried to do it in 2,000+ words, but I still don’t feel like I got across how life-changing our Boston massage, sports massage, and hybrid sports massage is. SO, let me convince you a little more!
For our massage, we offer up the initial evaluation for FIFTY (50) PERCENT OFF!! That’s right, come in, try out the service and get it for half off. We make the first step to changing your life that easy. Whether you want a traditional massage, sports massage, hybrid training session, or all of the above, we got you!! Fill out the form below, and we’ll get you in!
As always, I want to be here for you, and to answer whatever questions you have. Not sure if you need sports massage or physical therapy? Have a problem in your health and wellness routine, but not sure where to start? Let’s chat about it.
Book a FREE 15-minute phone call with me. During this call, we’ll figure out what your biggest current problem is, what your goals are, and what you need to do in order to navigate the gray space between the two. This is how you get stuff done!!
Book a call today!