Hot Stones Massage | Physio Plus

Hot stone massage is a specialty massage where the therapist uses smooth, heated stones as an extension of their own hands, or by placing them on the body. The heat can be both deeply relaxing and help warm up tight muscles so the therapist can work more deeply, more quickly.

Before you arrive, the stones are sanitised and heated in an electric heater until they are within a certain temperature range. The stones themselves are basalt, a black volcanic rock that absorbs and retains heat well, and have been smoothed by natural forces in the river or sea. Therapist always hold the stones first before touching them to your body, which ensures that the temperature will not be too hot. However, everyone has their own comfort range so please say if they are too hot for your skin.

You usually start face down, so that therapist can begin working on your back. First, the body is warm up with traditional massage using oils, this allows the stones to glide smoothly along the muscles. As the stone cools, it is replace with another. Therapist uses many stones of various shapes and sizes.

Be sure to speak up if the stones are too warm or the pressure too intense and you can always ask to stop using the stones if you don’t like how it feels.

5 Benefits of Hot Stones Massage

The heat of the stones warm and relax the muscles, which allows the therapist to apply deeper pressure, if desired.
The warmth of the hot stones improves circulation and calms the nervous system so can calm anxiety or stress.
Hot stone massage is suited to people who tend to feel chilly or who have cold feet or poor circulation
It’s also suited for people who have a lot of muscle tension but prefer a lighter massage than the traditional or deep tissue/sports massage. The heat relaxes the muscles, allowing the therapist to work the muscles without using deep pressure.
The relaxing heat and feel of the smooth stones can help to soothe people who are having sleep issues; whether caused by stress anxiety or insomnia to get a relaxing better night’s sleep

As a sports journalist I need to be able to train to do my job properly, so picking up a nasty ankle injury last year while trail running was a bit of a disaster. Luckily I’ve been a patient of Andrew Baldwin at Physio Plus for several years and knew I could trust him to help me rehab the injury in a way that would get me back to full fitness as soon as realistically possible – and with the least risk of re-injury.

I can’t recommend him or his team highly enough and will always be grateful for the outstanding level of care I received.

Helen Webster

Editor, 220 Triathlon