Hot Stone Massage Now Offered at Bodyquirks Portland

Hot Stone Massage at the Spa at Foundry Park Inn
Image by FoundryParkInn via Flickr

At Bodyquirks Portland, we believe in the continuous practice of learning and growing — it’s part of our life philosophy, as well as our practice.  Because of this, we really try hard to keep up with the latest modalities and techniques, constantly adding to our repertoire and allowing us to offer our clients new and different ways of getting bodywork and greater customization for your body’s needs.

Recently, while on vacation, one of our Portland based clients got a Hot Stone Massage and just loved it! She commented that, even though she loves our massages, she felt more relaxed after the application of the hot stones, than she usually does during a regular massage session. With feedback like that, what could we do but check it out to see if it could benefit the rest of our clientele.

We got a set of stones and enthusiastically took to learning this technique. We’ve even beta-tested our new skills on a few adventurous clients already. The response — delicious!

If you’ve never enjoyed the warming and relaxing benefits of a stone massage before, here’s the skinny on what it is and what it does:

What is Hot Stone Massage?

  • Stones have been used for healing since ancient times but it was not until an LMT from Arizona names Mary Nelson introduced the world to her technique, called LaStone that it gained popularity as a modality.
  • There are both hot and cold stone types of massage. Currently, we perform Hot Stone Massage (HSM) because we find that the heat penetrates the muscle more deeply, allowing for greater relaxation.
  • HSM uses smooth flat stones by placing them in key points on the body and then using them to massage problem areas. Often Basalt river stones are used. These stones are high in iron, retaining their heat well.

How is Hot Stone Massage done?

Hot Stone Massage is performed with the client face down on the massage table. The stones are placed along the body, sometimes on acupressure points or chakras, to heat the muscles and aid in their relaxation, allowing for a deeply penetrating massage. Oil is applied to the client’s skin to allow the stones to move unimpeded, gliding over the skin. The soothing feeling of the smooth warm stones as they work out the tension and break up adhesions allows for deeper muscle work with less resistance, resulting in greater range of motion in these muscle groups.

Who is Hot Stone Massage for?

  • People with severe muscle tension.
  • Those who have cold hands and feet or who often complain of feeling cold.
  • People with poor circulation.
  • Anyone looking to combat excess stress and anxiety, naturally.
  • Those suffering with back pain or symptoms of arthritis.
  • Anyone who wants to feel relaxed and joyful.

Because the stones are heated and people’s comfort levels vary, be sure to tell us if the stones are too warm or too cool for you and as always, remember that you guide your session by providing us with valuable feedback.

If you’re interested in experiencing Hot Stone Massage for yourself, call us today to make an appointment.

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