Full Body Massage

Generally, the session starts with the client disrobing completely with draping or wearing only undergarments and lying face down on a padded table under a sheet. The therapist will begin with the back and shoulders before moving down the body. Once the client has flipped over about mid-way through the session time, the therapist works back up the body, usually ending with neck and shoulders and sometimes the scalp. Men may also receive a pectoral massage.

If there is a problem area that needs extra attention, such as a sore back or tight shoulders, request that the therapist spend more time focused on those trouble spots but the trade-off may be less time spent on other areas of the body. To ensure the full treatment of every body part, as well as a focus on specific issues, make an appointment for a longer session time.

Spas can offer a full-body massage in a wide variety of specialized formats. Among the most popular is the Swedish massage, which focuses on warming the muscle tissue to releasing tension and breaking up muscle "knots." A deep tissue massage mimics many of the same movements as a Swedish massage but with higher intensity pressure. A hot stone massage uses heated rocks placed along the body to relax tight muscles and allow the therapist to release pressure points. There are even treatments like shiatsu, in which a therapist uses his feet and stands atop the client to knead out the stress from the back.
The modern full-body massage was unheard of prior to the 1880s with its origins coming from the infamous Rest Cure for "neurasthenia," a debilitating melancholy common among society ladies in the late 19th century. During the bed rest period, full-body massage was given for circulation and to increase the patient’s appetite, a kind of substitute for exercise.