What is the difference between relaxation massage and professional physiotherapy massage? 

Massage is a therapy used worldwide for the treatment and prevention of many different conditions. Nowadays, you can find a wide variety of different types of massage, each designed to satisfy a series of needs.

Among the different categories, a distinction must be made between relaxation massage and professional physiotherapy massage. While both offer a series of health benefits, such as relief from stress and built-up tension or just generally improving well-being, they are designed for different purposes.

Aware of the confusion in this area, we at the Physio & Sport division at Telic would like to stress the importance of knowing how to differentiate between relaxation massage and professional massage, as it is common for people to confuse the two, especially when they are relatively new to the world of massage.

What is relaxation massage?

As its name suggests, relaxation massage is intended to promote relaxation, allowing you to experience a very pleasant feeling of peace and tranquillity, which will release both stress and general tension from the body.

Gentle, flowing techniques are used to release built-up tension in the muscles and relieve stress, both mentally and physically, as well as improve blood circulation and relax the muscles, providing a truly pleasurable sensory experience.

While it is true that it also provides additional benefits, the main aim of relaxation massage is to provide relaxation and peace of mind, as well as help reduce anxiety, improve quality of sleep and boost energy.

However, relaxation massage does not have physiotherapeutic purposes and is therefore not suitable for the treatment of injuries, contractures or possible muscle overloads.

In fact, you do not need to be a professional physiotherapist to perform a relaxation massage. Anyone who has trained as a masseur or chiromassage therapist is qualified to give one, which is why this type of massage is offered in beauty centres, wellness centres, spas, etc.

What is professional physiotherapy massage?

Unlike relaxation massage, professional massage is therapeutic and is used to treat a medical or muscular condition. It is used on specific areas of the body that may have an injury, pain, tension or limited movement.

Physiotherapy massage is suitable for the relief of aches, back pain, muscle injuries, etc., and can only be performed by a professional physiotherapist with the skills and knowledge required to treat the body and the condition properly, without the risk of harming the patient.

This is a very important aspect, since if someone who is not a physiotherapist treats a condition or pain, they run the risk of aggravating the condition or causing an injury, given that they do not have sufficient knowledge of the anatomy and, above all, of the pathology and symptoms associated with many injuries.

What is sports massage?

Sports massage is a type of physiotherapy massage specifically designed to treat and prevent sports injuries, focusing on treating the muscles used during high-intensity physical activity.

Like any other massage for therapeutic purposes, sports massage should be performed by a professional physiotherapist with detailed understanding of the human anatomy and how the body works, as well as the physiotherapy techniques necessary to prepare the athlete for physical exercise, improve their fitness and performance or speed up their recovery.

The main objective of sports massage is to prepare the body’s tissues for significant physical exertion by using firmer and deeper techniques, focusing on the treatment of specific areas that may be under increased stress during physical activity.

Main benefits of professional sports massage for athletes:

• Warms up the muscles ready for competition, oxygenating them and giving them extra flexibility.
• Promotes muscle recovery and unloading.
• Prepares the musculature for intense sporting exertion.
• Relaxes both the muscles and the athletes themselves before training or competing.
• Strengthens the athlete’s physique and prevents muscle injuries.
• Speeds up recovery from injuries.
• Promotes a reduction of inflammation and the regeneration and remodelling of micro-tears in the tissues.
• Improves the athlete's performance, maintaining muscle flexibility and elasticity.
• Helps the athlete develop greater body awareness, enhancing the mind-body connection.
• Promotes general well-being.

The importance of using specific products in professional physiotherapy massage

For the treatment of muscular and joint conditions, it is essential to use specific products during the physiotherapy massage, such as creams and gels, as these enhance the effectiveness of the massage and give better results.

The Telic group is a producer of gels, oils, creams and lotions from the OXD brand. This brand offers a wide range of comprehensive solutions for professional and sports massages alike. The products are of the highest quality and proven effectiveness and can be used by both physiotherapists and athletes, amateur or professional.

Designed for physiotherapy and rehabilitation, they are world-renowned products that offer innovative solutions, guaranteeing a complete and effective experience to maximise the benefits of the sports massage.

Within our product line, and specifically for sports massages, we have heat effect creams which raise the temperature of the treated area, acting as a vasodilator. These products are ideal for use in pre-workout massages to prevent muscle cramps or strains.

We also have OXD cold effect gels with cooling properties, exceptional at reducing muscle inflammation, acting as a relaxant that will help to reduce inflammation of the muscles quickly and effectively.

Finally, to speed up recovery and reduce the sensation of fatigue, the ideal solution is the OXD post-competition replenishing gel with arnica and devil’s claw extract, designed to be applied in a sports massage after physical effort. It is comforting, allowing the muscles to recover and reducing muscle fatigue.

In short, although the two types share some benefits and are both based on manipulating the body’s tissues with your hands, professional physiotherapy massage is used in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and specific injuries with the aim of relieving pain, improving mobility and/or supporting recovery, and it is essential that it is carried out by trained professional physiotherapists.

In contrast, relaxation massage focuses on providing a feeling of relaxation and wellbeing. It is very common in spas and beauty centres and can be carried out by a masseur who does not have any knowledge of physiotherapy.