Hot stone massage is one of my favorite services that I offer to my clients. In this article I will break down the hot stone massage process so that you will love it as much as I do and feel comfortable offering it to your clients as well. So, sit back and enjoy while I tell you all about hot stone massage.

What is Hot Stone Massage?

Hot stone massage is a type of massage therapy that uses smooth, heated basalt stones, to relax sore and tired muscles. During this type of therapy, the therapist will use the heated stones to massage specific parts of the body or the whole body depending on what the client wants. The therapist may also place heated stones on specific pressure points of the body to help relieve tension and for relaxation.

The Benefits of a Hot Stone Massage

There are many benefits to receiving a hot stone massage depending on what you are looking for. Here are the basics.

• Relaxing – The heat from the stones relaxes your whole body. Just like if you were to soak in a hot tub!

• Relief From Stress and Anxiety – Hot stone massage has been proven to lower stress and anxiety levels. This also applies to any relaxing massage service. Endorphins are released during massage, which is the feel-good hormone.
• Promotes Better Sleep –Studies have shown that massage is beneficial for a more restful sleep. I know it helps me sleep better at night!
• Alleviates Muscle Tension – The heat from the stones helps relax the muscles, which makes tight muscles more supple and manageable for the massage therapist to get in there and take care of business.

• Boosts the Immune System – Massage has been found to increase white cells which boosts your immunity!

While it’s awesome to receive a hot stone massage, it’s also beneficial for the massage therapist to give one. The hot stones can help with sore tired hands as well!

Set Up of Hot Stones

This process is pretty simple and straight forward. You want to make sure that whatever you are using to warm your stones is on a table or something that is higher up off the floor, so you aren’t bending over constantly hurting yourself. You want to arrange your stones in the warmer in an order that you wish to use them. I place a towel in the bottom first to prevent the stones from getting heating directly from the warmer instead of the hot water. I place the stones on top of the towel, then fill the stone warmer about an inch above the stones. Turn the warmer on and let the water heat the stones. My warmer typically takes an hour to heat everything up properly. You want the temperature of the stones to be between 110-130 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to check them before placing them on a client. If you burn someone, that could lead to lawsuits, and nobody wants that. Just remember, if the stones are too hot for you to hold in your hands, then they are too hot to put on the client. Another side note to keep in mind is to keep the stones moving. That is just another little trick I use to prevent burning. If you choose to do stone placement, then a towel or a blanket must be placed on the client first and you should keep checking in with them to ensure that they aren’t too hot.

(I would not recommend heating stones in a hot towel cabinet; they get too hot.)

Giving a Hot Stone Massage

I’m going to keep this short and sweet. The way I give a hot stone massage is basically the same way I give a Swedish massage. The only difference is, obviously, I have stones in my hands. Just think of the stones as extensions of your hands. I do not use the stones the entire time during the massage. I rotate between using the stones and using my hands. Using your hands just gives you more control over the actual massage part. You can’t feel for tension and knots with a stone. I also apply hot towels during each session and a neck wrap when the client it supine. Sometimes I throw in a little aromatherapy as well, and as long as it is OK with the client. I usually ask during the interview process while they are telling me what they expect from their visit. Lastly, I have a warming pad on my massage table. Clients love it!

Clean Up!

This is pretty much self-explanatory. All you do is clean up after the massage, just like you do after any other massage. The only difference is that you need to clean your hot stone warmer and wash and sanitize the stones. This is a very important step because you will eventually use them on someone else. So, please keep your equipment clean!

Questions or Comments

To wrap thing up here I’d like to thank you for visiting The Bodywork Project! I hope you’ve enjoyed my little article, All About Hot Stone Massage. With anything else, sometimes this service takes a little practice. The more you do it, the better you will get at it. Offering it as a monthly special is a good way to introduce it to your clients. I’ve been offering hot stones to my clients for 13 years. I probably love it more than they do. It just gives you a little break from consistent use of your hands. Also, it is wise to have a massage insurance provider that covers hot stone massage just in case.

If you would like to offer hot stone massage in your practice, but not sure where to start, leave me a comment and I’ll be glad to give you some insight. If you have any other questions or concerns about anything else mention in this article, please let me know. Thanks again and have a great day!