You may have noticed that I include hot stones as an additional add-on for longer massage treatments. 

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The practice of using hot stones for therapeutic purposes has been around for centuries. It’s thought to have originated thousands of years ago from Ayurveda, the ancient Indian medical system, where river stones were heated and used as part of massage and holistic healing. The stones used in hot stone massage today are typically basalt (a volcanic rock with a high iron content which allows them to absorb and retain heat). The stones are safely heated in a professional heating case to ensure they are kept at optimal temperature, which is between 50-60°C. The combination of heat and pressure in a hot stone massage helps to deeply relax the muscles quickly, which both feels great for you and makes it easier for me to do really beneficial work on your tired muscles.

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When you opt for a hot stone massage, I will incorporate these hot basalt stones into traditional massage techniques, moving the hot stones over your skin with circular motions, long strokes and kneading, as well as using stones for deeper work where needed. This feels amazing on the skin and deep into the muscles below. The stones provide heat therapy to the muscles, which can help reduce tension and pain. The shape of the stones also allows for deeper penetration into muscles and tissues, should you have areas which need more attention such as a stiff neck from a desk job or tight thighs from cycling. Before the massage, we will decide together which areas the hot stones will be used on. As always, each of my massages is unique.

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Hot stones can also be placed upon different areas of the body. Rather than balancing lots of stones all over your body and leaving you to it (as is often depicted in photos!), I may only place one or two hot stones during your massage and it will depend on the areas being worked on and your specific needs. For example, if you have lower back pain, I may place a hot stone at the bottom of your spine while I work on your upper back. Other common spots for hot stone placement include the abdomen, chest, face, feet, forehead, and palms. Freshly heated stones will not be placed onto bare skin as they may burn, so a clean flannel is used for each placement. Another great thing about placement is that I'll often be leaving the massage table to grab freshly heated stones, but the comfort of a heated stone on your body allows you to continue to feel held and relaxed throughout your treatment.

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If you've never experienced hot stones in a massage, I highly recommend giving it a go.