What is hot stone massage?
Hot stone massage is a type of full body
massage, performed with the aid of hot stones placed on the
body, or used in conjunction with oils to glide on the body,
with a pressure that may vary. The heat of the stones helps
the muscles to relax, thus making the massage more effective.
History of hot stone massage
Since ancient times mankind used hot stones to perform religious
and healing rituals. The power of heat to relax and soothe
the muscles has always been known. Ancient civilisations,
such as the Egyptians or Native Americans, already used hot
stones in their rituals.
 Hot
stone massage as we know it today, was developed in the USA
by Mary Nelson, from Tucson, Arizona. Mary Nelson started
developing this new massage method, called LaStone Massage,
in 1991 and she brought it to completion in 1994. Since then,
LaStone massage therapy has become very popular all over the
world and some practitioners have developed their own versions
of hot stone massage.
Types of stones used in hot stone massage
The stones mostly used to perform hot stone massage are volcanic
(mainly basalt) stones, because they retain the heat better
and they often come from riverbeds, because riverbed stones
are particularly smooth. Sometimes jade, marble or sardonyx
stones can be used during hot stone massage. The stones are
always flat and smooth, but their size, weight and shape vary;
the practitioner usually places very small stones, between
the recipient’s toes and bigger and heavier stones (up
to 1, 1 ½ kilos) on the torso.
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