by Ann Abel  

Like many health-conscious people these days, your probably aware of the many benefits to massage. But do you know your lomi lomi from your tuina, and when to choose one style over another? The wealth of options out there now can be a bit overwhelming, but it also means there's a massage therapy for everyone -- even if you have injuries or limitations that you thought made massage out of the question. Here's an introduction to 14 popular kinds of massage. Whether you're new to massage or are looking to broaden your horizons, you're sure to find a style that's right for you.

AROMATHERAPY

Aromatherapy practioners believe inhaling the scents of essential oils extracted from plants has salutary effects on the body-- lavender is said to ease insomnia, juniper berry to energize, basil to boost mental activity, and so on. In an aromatherapy massage, these oils are mixed with massage oil and spread with light strokes over your entire body. "An aromatherapy massage helps people escape their everyday concerns and puts them back in touch with their senses," says Lynne Verress, the director of Lake Austin Spa Resort in Texas

SWEDISH

When most people think of massage, they think of Swedish. The style takes its name from a 19th century Swedish physiologist, Per Henrik Ling, whose system of medical gymnastics included massage. Traditional Swedish massage consists mainly of long strokes over oiled skin and kneading of the outer layers of muscle tissue to reduce stress and soothe sore joints and muscles. Deborah Evans, the general manager of Red Mountain, the Adventure Spa, in Utah explains its enduring appeal: "Swedish massage relaxes the nervous system, aids circulation and helps with detoxification. Thee are very few people who can't benefit from these things."

SHIATSU

For thousands of years, Eastern healers have used pressure point massage -- shiatsu is the Japanese version to balance the body. The idea is that chi, or life energy, flows through the body in 14 meridians, and when the meridians are blocked, physical or emotional problems result. During a shiatsu massage, you lie on a floor mat while the therapist gently rocks and stretches your body and applies fingers and thumb pressure to points. The purpose can be to stimulate or to subdue energy, making this massage invigorating as well as relaxing. Gary Duprat, the manger of the men's spa at La Costa Resort and Spa in California, explains that "rather than treating an aspect of your body, this treats your whole being. It's excellent for stress management and pain management." Loose, comfortable clothing is worn during a shiatsu massage.

FOUR-HAND

As the name implies, two therapists move their four hands symmetrically over your oiled body using gentle strokes and deep kneading motions. this technique aims to lengthen and lance the body. "For most people, one side is stronger or tighter then the other/" says Nathalie Roy the director of Spa Eastman in Quebec. "After a four-hand massage, you have more equilibrium and you feel taller." Four-handed massage is also good if you're use to getting massages, know where the hands are heading and end up being distracted by following along. "With four hands, you never know where they're going next, so you let go completely," explains Roy.

THAI

Based on ancient Indian and Buddhist teachings, Thai massage combines pressure-point massage and yoga in slow, rhythmic compressions and stretches along the body's ten sen, or energy lines. As you lie on a floor mat, the therapist uses her palms, thumbs, elbows, and feet to apply pressure to your body and move it through yoga poses. Like other Eastern approaches Tai massage purports to preserve good health and balance energy, and it also reduces muscle tension, encourages relaxation, and increases, flexibility. Stretching is a big part of it, but you don't have to be flexible. Lindsay Armstrong, a massage therapist at Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa in Vermont, explains that since there are so many positions, just about anyone can benefit from Thai massage. Loose, comfortable clothing is worn.

AYURVEDIC

The 6,000-year old Indian philosophy of Ayurveda combines diet, meditation, herbs and massage to strengthen the body's own healing abilities. A light, full-body Ayurvedic massage, sometimes called abhyanga, incorporates warm herbalized oil specific to your constitution. Traditionally, two therapists use choreographed, harmonious strokes to apply the oil, but today the treatment is frequently performed by one. David Lonsdorf, the director of Raj Maharishi Ayur-Veda Health Center in Iowa, says this type of massage "has balancing effects, loosens impurities, and opens the body's channels of elimination/"

WATSU

Created in 1980 by massage school director named Harold Dull, Watsu consists of shiatsu stretches in a pool of body-temperature water. You feel weightless as a therapist cradles you and stretches your limbs. Cathy Cluff, the director of operations at The Oaks at Ojai, explains that Watsu "calms the emotions and is a real back-to-the-womb experience for many people." It can be very intimate -- the therapist holds you close -- and require a lot of trust, so it isn't for everyone. However, Watsu is good for many people who can't have other types of massage (those who are pregnant or disabled, for instance), because it can accommodate almost any body type. The therapist and client wear swimsuits.

HOT STONE

In this massage style, which became popular in the 1990's, the therapist heats as many as 50 basalt stones to 120-140٥ F, rubs them over your oiled body, and rests them on top of and beneath you -- on your stomach, in your palms, between your toes. The stone's warmth enhances the relaxing effects of the pressure. Some people believe the stones have healing, ground qualities, which makes got stone massage a "more profound experience than your basic massage," says Paul Schmidt, the treatment manager at the Cliff Spa at Snowbird in Utah.

SPORTS

As you might expect, sport massage is designed to enhance athletic performance, loosen and warm up muscles before you play a sport, and help them recover afterwards to reduce soreness. Although it's sometimes confused with deep-tissue massage, they aren't the same: Sports massage involves less intense pressure and much more stretching. you don't have to be super athletic to benefit from a sports massage, says Cheryl Krodel, the lead massage therapist as Safety Harbor Resort and Spa in Florida, though its a good choice before and after an activity such as golf or tennis.

LOMI LOMI

Hawaiian elder passed down this massage style, which has become popular at spas in Hawaii and around the world. With gentle and vigorous strokes, lomi lomi eases muscle pain, increases circulation, and promotes relaxation and well being, explains Myrna Green the assistant director of the Kohala Sports Club and Spa at Hilton Waikloa Village in Hawaii. A traditional treatment begins with a Hawaiian prayer to call healing forces into the room. Then the therapist rhythmically presses, kneels and sometimes stands on your oiled body, using a long pole for balance and to partially support her weight, making the massage less intense and more soothing than it may sound.

DEEP TISSUE

This therapeutic treatment targets your body's deepest layers of muscles and releases tension in over stressed areas. When your muscles are severely knotted, "a deep-tissue massage is the dynamite you need to break it up," explains John DeFontes, the director of The Centre for Well-Being at the Phoenician in Arizona. Using short strokes and powerful pressure, the therapist employs her thumbs, forearms, and even elbows to work muscle tissue and relieve tension. But be forewarned: If its' your first massage or you don't get much exercise, steer clear -- you could end up very sore the next day.

TUI NA

Like Shiatsu, this millennia-old Chinese healing art is based on energy flow, meridians, and pressure points. The focus is less on immediate relocation than on restoring the body's health and energy balance. Tui na combines gentle stretching with muscle manipulation. "I'll stretch and area first to open it and then work deep inside the energy flow," says Nadezhda Wein, a massage therapist at The Lodge at Skylonda in California. Although the pressure is at the same times intense -- Wein calls it "a good pain, like running a long distance" -- tui na also includes more subtle ways of working with muscle.

LYMPHATIC

Lymphatic massage is thought to flush toxins fro the body by gently stimulating the lymphatic system -- basically your body's garbage disposal -- and so combat everything from headaches to water retention and acne. Its feather -light stokes aim to open up lymphatic blockages, but they may surprise anyone expecting a serious kneading. It doesn't work the kinks out of t muscles, " cautions Cathy Crelling, the head therapist at vita Clara Ranch and Spa in New mexico. "But it's incredible for allergies, cold and sinus infections." It also has the side effect of being extremely relaxing; Crelling says many people zone out or fall asleep during lymphatic massage.

REFLEXOLOGY

In the 1910's a Boston doctor, William Fitzgerald, posited that putting pressure on strategic points on the body could cure health problems. Thus was born reflexology, which is based on the theory that points on the bottoms of your feet are energetically connected to the other parts of your body and that stimulating those points affect the corresponding body parts -- e.g., squeezing your big toe is believed to alleviate Sinus pain. "Reflexology helps balance the entire body, so it's often beneficial for people who haven't had success with other therapies," says Patrick Forshay, a massage therapist  Cranwell Resort Spa and Golf Club in Massachusetts. "It also helps with chronic foot pain. When I work reflex points, I'm working the feet's physical aspects as well as their energetic aspects."

MORE WAYS TO BE MASSAGED

Still cant' make up your mind? Combination massages, which involve complementary treatments, let you sample more than one style during a session. Swedish is frequently mixed with reflexology and may also be offered with shiatsu, deep tissue massage, or reiki, a Japanese practice that uses a very light touch to energize the body.

Many spas offer a full massage as the crowning touch in a treatment incorporating a body exfoliation and bath, while wraps, hydrotherapy treatments, and scrubs frequently finish with a light massage. Scalp massages are often part of the scalp treatments and facials, as are massages of the hands, arms and shoulders. Spa manicures and pedicures also tend to include massage.

A combination of another sort is the couple's massage which allows partners to experience massage together as one therapist works on each person. Some spas turn this into a romantic event, setting the treatment in a special room or on a beach.

Sometimes a particular problem or limitation determines the choice to make. Computer users can have massages for just the head, neck, and shoulders. Craino-sacral therapy, a bodywork technique that centers on the connection between the head and the spine, is especially good for headaches and back problems. Myofascial release, which focuses on connective tissues, is recommended for chronic tension. Trager rocks the body into relaxation. Maternity massage is designed to be safe for expectant mothers and is said to relieve morning sickness and other pregnancy complaints. Individual massage therapists may incorporate elements of various techniques to create their own style, so in the end, whose touch you prefer is important, too.