Click on the images below to view enlargements.
The pressure the practitioner applies can vary depending on the client's preference, from very gentle to very firm.
Sometimes a massage can cause the client to fall into a very relaxing sleep, which they wake from feeling extremely refreshed.
The massage can be applied by using various parts of the body - the palm of the hand, the thumb, the elbow, or the feet. This will depend on how much pressure is required.
The practitioner uses a highly skilled method of movement, in which their body weight rather than their strength is used to apply whatever pressure the client needs.
The massage is applied to the energy points on the body. Applying the pressure to these areas releases the trapped energy in your body, so that it can flow wherever it needs to heal you.
The practitioner also applies stretching movements to relax, energise and open up your body. These movements are not exercises; you remain passive while the stretches are done for you.
This is a very enjoyable experience, and is very different from the hard work of stretching during typical exercise. The stretches will increase your flexibility and your body's tension.
The practitioner will never work directly on the bones or joints. This is because they are vulnerable and considered sacred in Thai massage. The practitioner will work on the area around the bones instead.