Muscle aches are as common as thunderstorms during a Chicago summer. Deep tissue massage can help relieve your stress and muscle tension, and get you feeling good enough to enjoy the sunny days.

While Swedish massage is primarily focused on imrpving circulation and addressing superficial muscles, deep tissue focuses on the the deeper muscles and works into the connective tissue to help reduce tension in the muscles.

The benefits of a deep tissue massage include the following:
         1. Release chronic muscle tension.
         2. Release of trigger point/ muscle knots.
         3. Relieves stress and benefits the mental and physical state of the client.
         4. Promotes circulation to muscles.
         5. Breaks down scar tissue and helps eliminate muscle adhesions.

It is a myth that deep tissue massage needs to be painful to be most effective. Some people's bodies do need the deep work to get the full effect, but others bodies respond completely different to pressure. The massage has to be at a clients comfort level.

What to expect from a deep tissue massage:
1. Because of the breakdown of the muscle fibers, you might experience next day soreness 2-3 days after a massage. This is similar to the feeling you get after working out.
2. Increased range of motion.
3. Less pain.
4. Lower blood pressure.

Summer in Chicago means riding bikes, gardening, walking, and playing sports. Don’t let an injury keep you from enjoying the most active season. Stretching, hydrating, and regular massage are the best ways to keep your muscles performing properly, and pain free. Read some tips to prevent injury from Thairapy’s licensed massage therapist Chris.
 
 
One of the best way to avoid injury is to stretch! A simple stretching routine should take about four minutes to complete, and can prevent months of pain and recovery. Stretching will not only decrease chances for injuries but also helps with muscle fatigue.
 
Other ways to prevent injury during activity

• Stay hydrated with water to avoid cramping of muscles due to dehydration.  
  
• Don't remain in one position for a long period of time. 
  
• Regular massage is a great way to recover from activity to prevent injury. Massage helps with joint mobility, muscle fatigue, and muscle recovery.
  

 
If you are unsure of what kind of massage to get, Chris can help you choose. Call Thairapy Plus today ( 773-248-5353) , and start feeling better.

This holiday season, Thairapy Plus is offering you the ultimate itinerary to help fight holiday stress.

​For the entire month of December, you can purchase your Passport to Looking and Feeling Great. The passport will take you to three relaxing and rejuvenating destinations at a discounted rate—a 1 hour European Facial, an Essential Pedicure, and a 1 hour massage.

Each destination comes with optional side trips—including Shiatzu sinus treatments, brow waxing, and shampoos and blow-outs, also at a discounted rate. The total package is available for $170, a savings of $50. Each passport expires on March 31, 2016, and must be used by that date. Come in, or call us, to purchase your passport today. 

 Whether you are walking, jogging, or just standing still, your feet are working hard. Your toes carry half of your body weight each time you take a step and your heel lifts off the ground. Standing in one place is even more tiring on your feet than walking, because only a few muscles are carrying the weight for a longer period of time. *The soles of your feet are designed to respond to the environment as you move, to react to temperature and terrain, and to communicate any changes to the rest of your body. They contain more nerve-endings and sweat glands per square centimeter than any other part of your body. *
 
North Center's Thairapy Plus Salon and Spa offers two great ways to pamper your hardworking soles.

Pedicure
Pedicures aren't just for looking good. They also feel great, and help with overall foot health. Benefits of pedicures include:

• Prevent and treat cracked heels
• Release toe pain
• Prevent foot odor
• Prevent ingrown toenails

 
Reflexology foot massage
A reflexology foot massage is a great way to calm sore feet and relax your entire body. A foot massage can treat and prevent common foot ailments like plantar fasciitis, bunions, and hammer toe. Because the foot has so many nerve endings that communicate with the rest of your body, applying pressure to certain points on your feet can send calming signals to your central nervous system. A reflexology foot massage can do the following:

• Increase circulation
• Relieve restriction
• Create mobility
• Relieve tension

 
Every Tuesday and Wednesday in November, you can book a pedicure and a reflexology foot massage for $60. Come on in and put your feet up. Please mention when booking to get the deal. 

*Source: Foot.com
 

Massages don't just feel great; they are good for you too. Our lives are stressful. Working in front of a computer, spending hours on our phones and tablets, bicycling, and jogging can lead to neck, back, and leg pain. Whatever your stressor  (we all have at least one) regular massages will help you recover and provide the following benefits:

•    More range of motion.
•    Reduced chance of injury.
•    Increased energy.
•    Reduced stress hormones.
•    Feeling rejuvenated.

Thairapy Plus' massage therapist Chris O'Brien wants clients to think of massage not as pampering, but as an essential part of a healthcare wellness plan. Chris has provided the following details about what type of massage can help specific people.

Does your job or school require you to spend hours in front of the computer everyday? Then you probably already know how bad this can be on your neck and back.

If you spend hours in front of a computer, or working or studying at a desk, Chris recommends investing in some deep tissue massage, which targets the key areas in the muscles, usually around the shoulders, that are affected from this everyday lifestyle.

When you sit all day, you are putting your muscles in a fixed position, which causes the muscles to shorten. As you make simple movements, your muscles begin knotting up. Clients usually come in with their shoulders rotated in, and their neck held forward. Massage will not only relieve the aches from this, but also will help regain the posture. A 60-minute massage every three weeks will help with longevity and help you get your mind on track for success.

Stressor: Pregnancy

Recommended massage technique: Prenatal

Expectant mothers are going through a lot of physical changes. Prenatal massage is highly recommended! It helps with every muscular change that your body takes when you are pregnant. Benefits include reducing anxiety, relieving muscle aches and joint pain, and improving the labor outcome and overall health of the newborn. Massage also helps with hormone regulation during pregnancy, and alleviates nerve pain caused by the swelling of ligaments.

It's crucial for the everyday athlete to get a massage, especially when training for a race. Runners usually need help with their  IT band, which is a tendon that stretches to connect your hip flexors to your knee to assist with lifting and stabilizing the leg. Bicyclists are also prone to IT band injuries. A lot of injuries come from over tightness in this tendon, including tendonitis.

It's also important to release any lactic acid build up in the muscle after a workout or a long run. Lactic acid build up causes muscle soreness, especially the day after a workout. Massage will help release the build up and help you recover faster.

Massage can also help with plantar fasciitis, which is the inflammation of the fascia in you foot. It is extremely painful, and feels like you constantly stepping with a rock under you foot. Massage for this condition includes working into the build up, and using cold application to reduce the inflammation.

Are you ready to start feeling better? Call us to book an appointment at 773-248-5353, or email us at thairapist@thairapyplus.com.  Chris would be happy to meet with you to determine what kind of massage therapy would work best for you.