Massage versus Bodywork

One common question Massage Therapists get asked, and understandably, is, 'What's the difference between Massage and Bodywork?' To be honest, they look a lot alike don't they? And yet, on sign after sign [including my own] there it is, "Massage and Bodywork," so there must be something that Massage people know that the rest of the world doesn't.

Let's see if the dictionary helps us find the answer. The Miriam Webster Medical Dictionary defines massage as 'the action of rubbing or pressing someone's body in a way that helps muscles to relax or reduces pain in muscles and joints.' That same book defines bodywork as 'therapeutic touching or manipulation of the body by using specialized techniques.' Well, that wasn't a lot of help was it? It would appear that not only do the performance of the two actions look a lot alike, their definitions sound a lot alike too.

The key appears to be in the use of the phrases 'therapeutic touching' and 'specialized techniques.' Swedish massage for example, uses specific techniques such as effleurage [long, sweeping motions], petrissage [a kneading movement] and more. These techniques however, are not specialized. They do indeed produce relaxation, reduce pain in muscles and joints and do more besides, but they're not specific to any particular body part or muscle group. The techniques of Swedish massage can be applied variously as the therapist decides.

Bodywork on the other hand usually comprises a specific set of techniques that are specialized either as to region, function or purpose. Shiatsu is an example of bodywork, against the earlier example of Swedish massage. Shiatsu means 'finger pressure' in Japanese, hence the practitioner's habit of using the fingers and hands to repeatedly press different points along the body. Usually Shiatsu is conducted on a mat on the floor with the recipient fully clothed and, while the whole body may be involved, the techniques are limited and the application of those techniques is very specific.

So to make a long story long, all bodywork is massage but not all massage is bodywork.

• Massage is usually geared toward an all-body experience, while bodywork may target specific areas for a specific purpose.

• Massage uses a variety of techniques to achieve an overall result, while bodywork is more specialized.

• Massage is often-times preformed while the client is semi-nude, and often employs the use of lotions, oils or creams, while many bodywork modalities are preformed with the client fully clothed.

• Massage is usually called upon to assist in overall well-being or to promote overall performance, while bodywork typically aims to effect a more specific result.

The different types of massage are wondrous and varied; each has its own unique history and its own set of dedicated adherents. Like art or music or literature, there is a picture, a song and a story of massage that suits each of us, enriching our lives and ennobling our experience of ourselves, our world and each other.

#bodywork