Kaloyan Zarkov, a kinesitherapist with over 10 years of practice, gives every massage at Kainezi Therapy. That’s why, before the massage, he asks where you feel tight and for how long, and then what pressure you prefer. Massages are on a treatment table, with oil, and any area that isn’t being massaged at that moment is covered with a towel.
How to choose a massage
The massages differ mainly in their aim and in how firm the pressure is.
- Relaxing massage: smooth strokes and light to medium pressure. It suits tiredness, stress and poor sleep, and it’s a good choice if it’s your first massage.
- Therapeutic massage: aimed at a specific pain in the back, lower back or neck. Kaloyan massages the whole body but spends more time on the areas that hurt.
- Deep tissue massage: slow, firmer pressure for old, deep tension that a light massage doesn’t release. Your muscles may feel slightly sore the next day.
- Sports massage: for people who train regularly. Kaloyan has worked with sports clubs and adapts the massage to your sport and the date of your next competition.
- Partial body massage: one area only, most often back and neck. It suits you when one particular spot is tight or you don’t have time for a full-body massage.
If you can’t decide between therapeutic and deep tissue massage: therapeutic is for a specific pain, and deep tissue is for muscles that have been tight everywhere for a long time. In any massage, if the pressure is too firm, say so and Kaloyan will ease off.
When massage isn’t enough
If the pain runs down your arm or leg, you get numbness, or the same spot keeps tightening up, the cause often isn’t only the muscle. Start with a consultation. Kaloyan will decide whether you need massage, kinesitherapy (exercise and manual therapy) or device-based physiotherapy.
