When it comes to a Thai massage, you don't have to worry about taking off your clothes. All you need is comfortable, loose-fitting clothing that's easy to move in. In a traditional Thai massage session, you'll be provided with a set of traditional Thai fishing pants and a spa shirt. This outfit is similar to pajamas and allows for flexibility during the massage.
Studies have shown that Thai massage can reduce the intensity of migraines and tension headaches. During the massage, the Thai masseur will set postures while you remain still, then push and pull your limbs to stretch and release the muscles. Thai massage is also known as hard massage or lazy yoga massage and has been practiced in Thailand for thousands of years. It's used on specific parts of the body, usually where the legs and arms meet on the torso.
In one experiment, 34 soccer players were tested to see how Thai massage affected their sports performance. Another study involving 60 patients with knee osteoarthritis found that 3 weeks of Thai massage provided the same pain relief as 3 weeks of ibuprofen. Thai massage is now popular in many Western countries and is considered a form of complementary and alternative medicine. It's beneficial for yoga practitioners as it unlocks energy lines, lets Prana flow and eliminates muscle tensions that can occur after a strong yoga class.
Some masseurs and yogis even say that Thai massages and yoga are the same thing, with the only difference being that you receive the massage passively instead of actively practicing yoga. Researchers from Thailand studied the effects of Thai massage on 120 people with non-specific low back pain. Originally considered a healing art, traditional Thai massage includes influences from both Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. In one study, researchers used a Thai massage program combined with wand exercises to study its effects on people with knee arthritis.
