100 Best Massage Books of All Time

We've researched and ranked the best massage books in the world, based on recommendations from world experts, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. Learn more

Featuring recommendations from Bogdana Butnar, Carol Dweck, Naveen Jain, and 4 other experts.
1

The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook

Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief

Trigger point therapy is one of the fastest-growing and most effective pain therapies in the world. Medical doctors, chiropractors, physical therapists, and massage therapists are all beginning to use this technique to relieve patients’ formerly undiagnosable muscle and joint pain, both conditions that studies have shown to be the cause of nearly 25 percent of all doctor visits.

This book addresses the problem of myofascial trigger points—tiny contraction knots that develop in a muscle when it is injured or overworked. Restricted circulation and lack of oxygen in these points cause...
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2

The Book Of Massage

The Complete Stepbystep Guide To Eastern And Western Technique

A beautifully illustrated introductory guide to the healing powers of a massage, from traditional massage to shiatsu and reflexology.

The Book of Massage is the classic guide to the relaxing and healing skills of the hands. Featuring both Eastern and Western methods, it presents step-by-step, beautifully illustrated instructions on everything from traditional massage to shiatsu and reflexology. The Book of Massage offers easy-to-follow techniques for giving the perfect massage, including advice on creating the right setting and suggestions for using aromatic oils and...
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3
From elite bodybuilding competitors to gymnasts, from golfers to fitness gurus, anyone who works out with weights must own this book—a book that only Arnold Schwarzenegger could write, a book that has earned its reputation as “the bible of bodybuilding.”

Inside, Arnold covers the very latest advances in both weight training and bodybuilding competition, with new sections on diet and nutrition, sports psychology, the treatment and prevention of injuries, and methods of training, each illustrated with detailed photos of some of bodybuilding's newest stars.
Plus, all the...
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4

Massage Therapy

Principles and Practice

Make the essential principles of massage therapy more approachable! Covering massage fundamentals, techniques, and anatomy and physiology, Massage Therapy: Principles and Practice, 6th Edition prepares you for success in class, on exams, and in practice settings. The new edition of this student friendly text includes more than 700 images, expanded information on the latest sanitation protocols, critical thinking questions at the end of each chapter, and updated pathologies which reflect what you will encounter in the field.


UPDATED pathologies ensure they are...
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5
From Chinese massage to Shiatsu to Indian head massage, this lavishly illustrated "bible" presents all the techniques needed to master the basics. Every spread features large and easy-to-follow photos, while the text guides beginners on what pressure to exert, what part of the hand makes contact with the body, and exactly what to do--whether they're feathering the back, working on the neck and scalp, or performing a sequence on the arms and hands. In addition to holistic and sports massages, there are suggestions for special situations (including massaging a baby); advice on massages to... more

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6
With the clarity of a physicist and the compassion of a gifted healer with more than twenty years of professional experience observing 5,000 clients and students, Barbara Ann Brennan presents the first in-depth study of the human energy field for people who seek happiness and health, and who wish to achieve their full potential. Our physical bodies exist within a larger 'body' , a human energy field or aura, which is the vehicle through which we create our experience or reality, including health and illness. It is through this energy field that we have the power to heal ourselves.This energy... more

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7
An accessible and comprehensive approach to the anatomy and function of the fascial system in the body combined with a holistic overview of myofascial therapy. Many different therapists now use myofascial techniques to influence postural change and pain relief. This book demonstrates exactly how the muscles connect within the connect tissue to affect posture, compensatory strain, and pain patterns. The aim is to present scientifically sound and often complicated material in a way which can be easily learned, understood, and applied by those who do not necessarily have a scientific background.... more

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8

The Anatomy Coloring Book

Why use this coloring book? For more than 35 years, The Anatomy Coloring Book has been the #1 best-selling human anatomy coloring book! A useful tool for anyone with an interest in learning anatomical structures, this concisely written text features precise, extraordinary hand-drawn figures that were crafted especially for easy coloring and interactive study. Organized according to body systems, each of the 162 two-page spreads featured in this book includes an ingenious color-key system where anatomical terminology is linked to detailed illustrations of the structures of the... more

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9
A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, the best-selling pathology book, continues to set the standard through up-to-date, evidence-based content, an outstanding full color illustration program, and a friendly, accessible writing style. With skill and passion, respected author and lifelong educator Ruth Werner makes pathology fascinating and understandable for massage therapy students and prepares them to make professional choices that result in the best possible outcomes for clients living with a wide range of diseases and conditions.
 
To ensure competent, safe...
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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
11

Trigger Point Therapy for Myofascial Pain

The Practice of Informed Touch

A clinical reference manual for the evaluation and treatment of muscle pain

• Contains detailed illustrations of pain patterns and trigger-point locations

Myofascial pain syndromes are among the fastest growing problems that physicians, osteopaths, acupuncturists, and physical, occupational, and massage therapists encounter in their patients. In Trigger Point Therapy for Myofascial Pain Donna and Steven Finando have organized vast amounts of information on treating myofascial pain into an accessible "user's manual" for healthcare practitioners. They examine a...
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12
Featuring more than 250 photographs and 50 anatomical drawings, Deep Tissue Massage is the standard guide to the essentials of touch, biomechanics, and positioning options for a multitude of strategies to treat all major conditions encountered in a bodywork practice.The book is divided into three sections. “Fundamentals” covers basic skills of palpation, explaining the deeper layers of the body and presenting detailed instruction on working with these layers to release tension. This section gives clear information on the proper use of knuckles, fist, forearms, and elbows in preventing... more

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13
This acclaimed book teaches readers to palpate the body's structures with ease and precision. The beautifully illustrated, user-friendly guide to the muscular and skeletal systems makes learning the necessary bodywork skills interesting, memorable and easy. With 420 pages and 1,100 illustrations, this 3rd edition covers more than 125 muscles, 206 bones, 30 ligaments and 110 bony landmarks. It provides an invaluable map of the body.
New to this edition:
Synergists: Muscles Working Together - 75 new illustrations showing the muscles that perform a movement "in action".
...
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14
With your hands you have potential to relieve everyday aches, pains and ailments without taking drugs, to improve your health, and to increase your vitality. Acupressure is an ancient healing art that uses the fingers to stimulate key points on the skin that, in turn, activate the body's natural self-healing processes. With this book, it is a skill you can learn now--and use in your own home.

In Acupressure's Potent Points, Michael Reed Gach, founder and director of the Acupressure Institute of America, reveals simple techniques that enable you to relieve headaches,...
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15

The Massage Book

Published in 1972 and continuously in print since then, The Massage Book introduced Swedish massage to American culture.

Still current and well regarded, The Massage Book was listed by National Health magazine as the first of twenty-five best books that have changed our thinking about our health and our world.  Today, as alternative treatments are being discovered by mainstream health plans, massage is still going strong.  In the last twenty-five years, countless books on massage have been published, but none rivals The Massage Book.
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16
The field of oncology massage is maturing into a discipline with a deeper and deeper body of knowledge. The 3rd edition of Medicine Hands reflects this maturation. Every chapter contains updated information and insights into massaging people affected by cancer. New chapters have been added to cover each stage of the cancer experience: treatment, recovery, survivorship, side effects from the disease, and end of life. These new chapters and organizational structure will make it easier for the reader to find the information needed to plan the massage session for a given client. In... more

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17
With more than 300,000 copies sold, this landmark book is an impressive examination of the importance of touching. "All professionals concerned with human behavior will find something of value. . . . Parents . . . can gain insight into the nurturing needs of infants."--Janet Rhoads, American Journal of Occupational Therapy less

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18

Job's Body

Possibly the most famous and widely used resource in therapeutic bodywork, this beautifully written, detailed and reader-friendly picture of how and why the body responds to touch is both scientifically reliable and inspiring. Furthering the presentation of recent research in biochemistry, cell biology and energy medicine in the Second Edition, this new and greatly expanded edition includes advances in neurophysiology and physics, reconfiguring knowledge of mind and body, from microgenesis to quantum consciousness. A rare book, required reading for national massage therapy certification, that... more

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19
Discover the ancient knowledge of chakra healing and restore balance to your mind, body, and spirit.

Within all living beings are powerful centers of energy called chakras. Each chakra holds the potential for immense healing and restoration. However, learning how to harness the chakra system's amazing power can be challenging when so much of the information available is dense and academic or subjective and hard to trust.

In her successful New York practice, energy healer, acupuncturist, and Reiki master Margarita Alcantara addresses the most common...
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20
Before you can assess or treat a muscle, you first must be able to locate it. This acclaimed book delivers beautifully illustrated information for learning palpation and the musculoskeletal system. It makes mastering the essential manual therapy skills interesting, memorable and easy.

With 440 pages and 1,400 illustrations covering more than 162 muscles, 206 bones, 33 ligaments and 110 bony landmarks, this text provides an invaluable map of the body. A complimentary DVD for practicing palpation is included with the textbook.
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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
21

Anatomy Coloring Book

Coloring the body and its systems is the most effective way to study the structure and functions of human anatomy. Kaplan's Anatomy Coloring Book provides realistic drawings, clear descriptions, and must-know terms for an easy way to learn anatomy.

Anatomy Coloring Book features detailed illustrations of the body's anatomical systems in a spacious page design with no back-to-back images--goodbye, bleed-through! Plus, Color Guides on every 2-page spread offer instructions for best coloring results so you can get the most out of your study.
The Best...
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22
Dr. Mikao Usui developed the Reiki System and founded the original Japanese Usui Reiki Ryoho Gakkai organization. This book shows you the original hand positions of Dr. Usui's Reiki Handbook. It has been illustrated with 100 photos to make it easier to understand. The hand positions for a great variety of health complaints have been listed in detail, making it a valuable reference work for anyone who practices reiki. Now that the original handbook has been translated into English, Dr. Usui's hand positions and healing techniques can be studied directly for the first time. Whether you are an... more

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23
This fun mix of coloring book and instructional guide demystifies anatomy for the yoga enthusiast and teacher.
 
Yoga instructor, licensed massage therapist, and anatomy teacher Kelly Solloway provides an entertaining and informative journey through the human body, focusing on the bones, joints, and muscles used in yoga. After an overview of helpful terms, Kelly covers the skeletal system, joints, and connective tissue, followed by the muscular system. Each anatomical feature is illustrated with a beautiful black-and-white drawing of a yoga posture, or asana, to color....
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24
Travell & Simons' Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual. less

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25
Discover how the practice of stretching can increase your flexibility, strengthen your body, and renew your youth with Stretching to Stay Young.

As we age, our bodies move less and less. And the less we move, the tighter our muscles and joints become. But this isn't our natural state--in fact, our bodies were designed for movement.

Stretching is a gentle, simple activity that anyone can do. Doctors often -prescribe- stretching to patients to alleviate ongoing aches and pains, as well as improve range of motion and flexibility. Those who...
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26
Drawing from Thai history, cultural studies, Buddhist religion, and yogic practices, as well as a modern understanding of anatomy and physiology, this guidebook bridges the gap between theory and practice while presenting bodywork as it is understood in Thailand--as a therapeutic medical science. Presenting detailed analysis of each step in a Thai massage routine, the history, spiritual traditions, and ethical codes are offered in an engaging, informal style. Numerous photographs and diagrams illustrate the variety of techniques used, and examples of routines for treating specific disorders... more

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27
RADICALLY REDEFINE YOUR CORE

Foundation by Dr. Eric Goodman and Peter Park shifts the training focus from the front of your body to the back. By strengthening the full posterior chain and correcting poor movement patterns, you will maximize power, flexibility, and endurance and say goodbye to back pain.
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28
Master the techniques of infant massage and incorporate this joyful and wonderful healing art into your baby's life with this revised and updated edition.

For generations, mothers around the world have known that the soft touch of their hands soothes, calms, and communicates their love to their babies. The latest scientific research confirms that physical affection is vital to the development and wellness of children--easing discomfort, releasing tension, improving sleep, helping premature infants gain weight, even aiding asthmatic children to improve their breathing. Now...
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30
RLD is a relaxing and enjoyable treatment for reflexology lovers. The step by step guide to the original protocol is beautifully illustrated and easy to follow.

RLD can be used as a stand-alone treatment and the techniques are easily integrated into your reflexology practice for clients with many presenting problems, symptoms and side effects, including non-cancer related, inflammatory and auto-immune conditions. RLD has great potential as a non-invasive and sustainable solution for the management of breast cancer related lymphoedema and with a positive ripple effect on...
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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
31

Baby Massage

The Calming Power of Touch

Baby Massage offers parents and caretakers safe and easy-to-learn massage techniques that reinforce bonding and all-around wellbeing. Step-by-step pictures show simple methods to soothe fretful babies, help them to get to sleep, and ease the pain of common ailments such as colic, and teething. Massage has been proven to enhance babies' and toddlers' brain development, encouraging brighter, happier children--and this beautifully illustrated guide makes it abundantly clear how easy it is to learn how. less

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32

Anatomy of Movement

Anatomy of Movement is a dynamic, integrated approach to the study of the physical structures of the musculoskeletal system and their functional relationship to the movements of the human body. The emphasis is on basic human anatomy as it relates to external body movement. In clear and concise text illustrated with more than a thousand graphic drawings, the author takes the reader on a lively tour of the muscles, bones, ligaments and joints of the arms, legs and trunk. The focus throughout the book is on anatomy not for its own sake, but in its functional relationship to the actual movements... more

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33

Massage Therapy

Integrating Research and Practice

Massage Therapy: Integrating Research and Practice presents the latest research examining the evidence for the use of various massage therapy techniques in treating pathological conditions and special populations. In this resource readers will find a synthesis of information from the diverse fields of kinesiology, medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and psychology.

Authored by experts carefully selected for their specific knowledge, experience, and research acumen, Massage Therapy: Integrating Research and Practice will assist both students and practitioners in these...
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34
Easy massage routines to soothe your baby and communicate love.

To a baby, touch is talk, and with these soothing techniques, you and your child can share some of your most fulfilling communicative moments.

Calm and comfort your baby from head to toe with a step-by-step full-body massage; discover ways to incorporate massage into your baby's day-to-day routine; and ease common ailments such as colic, teething, and constipation.

With expert guidance from a Certified Infant Massage Instructor, explore the physical and emotional benefits of baby massage...
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35

Quantum-Touch

The Power to Heal

Quantum-Touch is the touch-based healing technique that uses the chi of both practitioner and client, bringing them into harmony to allow the body to heal itself. Quantum-Touch differs from other healing techniques because it does not require long years of study and presents none of the common hurdles of understanding or application; anyone can learn to use it to become a healer, both of others and of self. In this new edition of his best-selling guide, Richard Gordon leads the reader step by step, clearly explaining how to use breathing and body-focusing techniques to raise one's energy... more

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38
An ancient alternative technique that has found its right place in the modern world of healing.

In recent years countless high profile athletes and celebrities have been sporting distinctive circular "cupping" welts on their bodies -- the back and shoulder area being most common. Dating back thousands of years, cupping is a form of alternative medicine. The cups create suction and help with pain, inflammation, blood flow, deep relaxation and can even provide relief for sciatica and sinus congestion.

Massage Cupping body therapy is a modern and modified version of cupping...
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39
"[This] magnificent critical survey, with its inherent respect for both the 'Westt's mainstream high culture' & the 'radically changing world' of the 1990s, offers a new breakthrough for lay & scholarly readers alike...Allows readers to grasp the big picture of Western culture for the first time".--
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Here are the great minds of Western civilization & their pivotal ideas, from Plato to Hegel, from Augustine to Nietzsche, from Copernicus to Freud. Richard Tarnas performs the near-miracle of describing profound philosophical concepts simply but...
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40
Reiki master and best-selling author Diane Stein has been a dedicated hands-on healer since 1988. Stein believes strongly that this powerful healing art, once a closely guarded secret tradition, should be accessible and available to all. Since she began teaching in 1990, Stein has initiated thousands of students in all three levels of Reiki healing. Through these efforts she developed a comprehensive teaching method that encompasses the fundamentals of this ancient system.

The ESSENTIAL REIKI TEACHING MANUAL equips the Reiki initiate with the practical tools needed for launching a...
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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
41
The Touch of Healing offers readers the means to greater health, vitality, and self-understanding through the practice of an ancient oriental healing art and practical holistic philosophy called Jin Shin Jystsu. Gentle touching similar to acupressure is used to release tension that accumulates and is at the root of dysfunction, disease, and imbalance. The authors explain the natural life force that runs through the body and demonstrate with case studies, detailed analysis, and more than 30 illustrations, how to integrate this system into one's life. The key healing points and body... more

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42
The Complete Edition:
A Practical Guide to Natural Health with Acupressure Touch and Massage
Includes Updated Color Photographs and Illustrations.

With over ½ million copies in print since 1973, John Thie's Touch for Health started a phenomenon that has flourished worldwide to help more than 10 million people in over 40 countries restore their natural healing energies and enjoy vibrant health through his unique treatment of posture and muscle balancing that combines simple aspects of acupressure touch and massage. From this book, you will learn the techniques that...
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43
Your personal guide to using essential oils and aromatherapy for your health, home, and beauty regimen.

Lavender, peppermint, rosemary, and other healing plants are likely right at your fingertips, or just beyond at a nearby garden. Now unlocking their healing powers is, too. Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: An Introductory Guide offers all the techniques, tools, and tips you need to start creating natural, toxic-free medicine and everyday household products from the comfort of your home.

Essential Oils and Aromatherapy contains:

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44

Basic Clinical Massage Therapy

Integrating Anatomy and Treatment

This superbly illustrated text familiarizes students with individual muscles and muscle systems and demonstrates basic clinical massage therapy techniques. More than 550 full-color illustrations of internal structures are embedded into photographs of live models to show each muscle or muscle group, surrounding structures, surface landmarks, and the therapist's hands. Students see clearly which muscle is being worked, where it is, where it is attached, how it can be accessed manually, what problems it can cause, and how treatment techniques are performed. This edition features improved... more

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45

Fascial Release for Structural Balance

Fascia, the soft tissue surrounding muscles, bones, and organs, plays a crucial role in supporting the body. By learning to intelligently manipulate it, a bodyworker or therapist can help clients with many chronic conditions, providing immediate pain relief as well as reducing ongoing aches and pains. In Fascial Release for Structural Balance, authors James Earls and Thomas Meyers—both respected bodywork professionals—argue that approaching the fascia requires “a different eye, a different touch, and tissue-specific techniques.” Designed for any bodywork practitioner using manual... more

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46

The Complete Book of Massage

A comprehensive guide to massage techniques with clear step-by-step instructions. Fully illustrated for all ages with color and/or black-and-white photographs on every page. 155,000 copies sold-to-date. less

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47
Create deeper intimacy and bonding between you and your partner through the loving touch of massage. You will learn how to perform an hour long, full body massage, while saving your back and hands from pain. This is a the same massage techniques used by the professionals. less

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48

The New Sensual Massage

The world's most comprehensive massage book has been revised and updated with page after page of gorgeous color and many text changes. The message to the reader: take this book home and do a sensual massage tonight. Over two million people discovered the joy of easy relaxation and sensuality in The Art of Sensual Massage and Sensual Massage for Couples. Now Gordon Inkeles, author of the books that started the massage revolution, offers the ultimate massage experience. Learning massage has never been easier and more pleasurable. At the heart of the book is an absolutely unforgettable massage... more

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50
The Cannabis Spa at Home contains informative guides and complete instructions for more than seventy-five cannabis spa recipes free of preservatives and major allergens that can be prepared in the home kitchen or professional spa with wholesome herbal ingredients.

Although spa potions and oils infused with marijuana and hemp are an emerging trend in spa and wellness for the twenty-first century, cannabis spa isn’t new—cannabis has been used for thousands of years for external use in the traditional health practices of Eastern cultures. In locations where cannabis has...
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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
51

The Concise Book of Trigger Points

Most muscular aches and pains are caused or affected by untreated "trigger points," localized tender spots in muscles. Understanding and treating these points can lead to rapid and lasting pain relief. Trigger point therapy is a powerful tool in the management of both acute and chronic pain, including such common problems as headaches, TMJ syndrome, and back pain.
Written in a straightforward style, "The Concise Book of Trigger Points "is designed for the student and practitioner of massage/bodywork, physical therapy, physiotherapy, osteopathy, sports therapy, and any other...
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52

Reflexology

Health at your fingertips

Reflexology is a global best-seller by two of the most-recognized authorities on this holistic therapy. This comprehensive yet approachable guide explains how reflexology works: by applying pressure to "reflex" points on the hands and feet, you can help to stimulate the body's natural powers of self-healing.

Reflexology features more than 100 step-by-step techniques and treatment sequences, detailed foot and hand reflex charts, and a directory of treatment for 30 common ailments, from back pain to constipation, arthritis to high blood pressure. Visualizations and...
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53
The healer introduced to readers in Andrew Weil's landmark bestseller Spontaneous Healing, 91-year-old Dr. Robert Fulford has spent over 50 years successfully treating patients failed by conventional medicine. In this information-packed volume, he delineates the healing principles of osteopathy, shares compelling case histories, and offers advice on integrating natural healing methods with modern health care. less

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54
Written in plain, simple language, this book is a great study guide for massage therapists taking National Certification Examinations or state or local exams. The author restates the topics and concepts covered on the National Exams in a straightforward way for easy retention and comprehension. The text emphasizes memorization and repetition as effective study methods and includes test-taking tips, positive affirmations, and cartoons to ease apprehension about the exam. End-of-chapter practice questions help readers review material.

A back-of-book CD-ROM contains three complete...
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55
Learn the ancient techniques and health benefits of Gua Sha massage with this complete illustrated guide.

Gua Sha is a traditional Chinese therapy for expelling toxin and preventing diseases. A simple scraping plate coupled with oil, when applied to the body repeatedly, can reach the effect of smoothing Qi and blood flow, stimulating main and collateral channels, expelling toxins and alleviating pain.

This book of traditional Chinese medicine explains the complete theories and practice for the treatment of over 100 diseases.

With Gua Sha...
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56
Release your natural powers for healing, endurance, and longevity

With this revolutionary guide, you will learn four simple and remarkably effective techniques to release your natural powers for healing. The methods—gentle movement, self-applied massage, breathing exercises, and meditation—are drawn from the ancient Chinese healing system of Qigong (Chi Kung) and are easily adaptable to every lifestyle. You can practice them almost anywhere—in the car, in line at the bank, at your desk, while walking, even in bed. Using these methods for as little as ten minutes a day can...
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57
Authored by Diane Lee with major contribution from Linda-Joy Lee The Pelvic Girdle continues to provide the busy clinician with the latest evidence and clinical tools/knowledge to immediately impact and enhance daily practice for the management of lumbopelvic-hip pain and disability. This fourth edition has changed fundamentally in presentation and content to provide the clinician with the evidence and clinical tools for effective practice. The new model presented in this edition - The Integrated Systems Model and the Clinical Puzzle - co-developed by Diane Lee & Linda-Joy... more

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58
Energetic massage techniques that dispel negative emotions, relieve stress, and strengthen the senses, internal organs, and nervous system

• Shows how Chi Massage employs one’s own internal energy to promote rejuvenation

• Presents Chi Massage techniques for every organ and bodily system

• Provides a daily practice routine that requires only 5 to 10 minutes to complete

The Western concept of massage primarily concerns muscle manipulation. In the practice of Chi Massage, internal energy, or Chi, is manipulated to strengthen and rejuvenate the...
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59

Massage for Orthopedic Conditions

This book introduces massage techniques for orthopedic conditions, promoting the alignment of soft tissue relating to pain and dysfunction. An essential manual for clinical massage therapy, it contains brief descriptions of rationale behind orthopedic massage, mechanisms of injury to and repair of soft tissue, and anatomy of each body area. This text includes detailed assessment for each body region, discusses common lesions, and provides illustrated instructions on how to administer this scientifically based style of massage. Based on traditional orthopedic assessment protocols, coverage... more

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60

Trail Guide to the Body Student Handbook

The essential companion to the Trail Guide textbook, the Trail Guide to the Body Student Workbook asks students to apply the material by answering questions in a variety of formats including fill-in-the-blanks, drawings to color, illustrations and matching exercises.

Great for self-testing, homework and preparing for national exams. The Student Workbook helps students stay on track and keep pace with the class. 230 pages and more than 500 illustrations.
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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
61
This seminal work made its debut in 1977, and it has since remained the most important reference for Rolfers around the world. In this new edition, the late Dr. Rolf illustrates her theory and practice of Structural Integration, which brings the body into alignment and balance by manipulation of the connective tissue. Rolfing has helped thousands of people to stand taller, look better, move with greater ease, and have a greater sense of vitality and well-being. This is the original and classic text, with more than 600 illustrations and photographs. An indispensible reference for the hundreds... more

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62
This book introduces massage techniques for orthopedic conditions, promoting the alignment of soft tissue relating to pain and dysfunction. An essential manual for clinical massage therapy, it contains brief descriptions of rationale behind orthopedic massage, mechanisms of injury to and repair of soft tissue, and anatomy of each body area.

The Second Edition also includes detailed assessment for each body region, discusses common lesions, and provides illustrated instructions on how to administer this scientifically based style of massage. Based on traditional orthopedic...
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63
Compiled by experts of international renown, Fascia: The Tensional Network of the Human Body brings together very different contributors who share the desire to bridge the gap between theory and practice as much as possible in our current knowledge of the human fascia. With contributions from over 100 specialists and researchers from throughout the world, this new volume will be ideal for all professionals who have an interest in fascia and human movement - physiotherapists, osteopathic physicians and osteopaths, chiropractors, structural integration practitioners, manual therapists,... more

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65
CLINICAL MASSAGE THERAPY, 1/e teaches effective therapeutic massage techniques that can prevent or eliminate multifaceted pain conditions, including chronic pain, sports injuries, and structural imbalance. Its unique 12-step approach focuses on treating specific conditions with techniques based on structural balance, bridging all touch therapy disciplines, and offering a new model for massage training. Detailed color illustrations reveal underlying pathologies, and flowcharts explain treatment steps. Massage students learn from Body Maps; Expert Opinion features;... more

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66

Thai Massage

Sacred Body Work

Thai Massage, Sacred Bodywork is a complete guide to an ancient practice that benefits body, mind, and spirit. 

Interest in Thai massage has been growing rapidly. This is no surprise given its unique multifaceted approach to the body. Thai massage combines acupressure, stretching, reflexology, assisted yoga postures, herbal compresses, prayer and meditation. It benefits everyone. Sometimes called the "lazy person's yoga", Thai massage stretches and relaxes the muscles, increases the joints' range of motion, and balances energy flow throughout the body. 

Thai Massage,...
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67

Stretching Anatomy

See inside every stretch as you increase flexibility and improve muscular strength. Expanded, enhanced, and updated, the best-selling "Stretching Anatomy" returns to show you how to increase range of motion, supplement training, enhance recovery, and maximize efficiency of movement. You'll also gain a detailed understanding of how each stretch affects your body.

"Stretching Anatomy, Second Edition," is like having an X-ray of each stretch, only better. Not only do you see full-color illustrations of the muscles in action, but you also see how a change in position can alter the...
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68
"This massive and authoritative Master Blaster book is the greatest bodybuilding book ever written, primarily because it is firmly based on the training principles of the Weider System of Bodybuilding, which have been followed by literally every bodybuilder in the modern history of the sport. I began developing my Weider System back in the 1930s and continue to refine and add new Weider Training Principles to it. You can rely on the information I present in this book to improve your physique. Good luck!" -- Joe Weider On Instinctive Training "One of the most fundamental secrets of... more

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69
The meridian pathways of the human body were mapped out by gifted healers in China thousands of years ago. Working with the invisible energy (Qi) that flows through these pathways, they were able to heal illness. Perhaps more importantly, they were able to support vitality in ways that prevent illness and encourage wellness. Vitality is an expression of energy.

Meridian Massage is a hands-on modern application of this ancient wisdom to balance mind, body, and spirit for health and happiness. Knowing how to work directly with energy opens a powerful dimension for massage therapists...
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70
A full-color, step-by-step guide to the simple two-point touch method of Jin Shin Jyutsu for quick relief from many common conditions and injuries

• Details the 52 energy points of Jin Shin Jyutsu, called Safety Energy Locks (SELs), where energy is most likely to become blocked along the body’s energy pathways and where it is also most easily released

• Explains the sequence of points to hold and the appropriate finger mudras (positions) to address specific ailments, conditions, and injuries as well as stimulate the body’s self-healing response and harmonize energy...
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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

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72
On the field, post-event, or in the clinic, Sports Massage is the essential resource for developing and perfecting your sports massage technique!

Sports Massage provides an in-depth discussion of applications of foundational massage techniques within a sports massage approach. Thorough instructions and over 130 full-color photos demonstrate the correct application of each massage stroke for muscle groups of the neck, shoulder, torso, pelvis, legs, and feet. You'll also learn how to use advanced working positions in prone, supine, side-lying, and sitting orientations...
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73

Facilitated Stretching

Descubrira que estas tecnicas ayudan a aumentar la flexibilidad y coordinacion, previenen posibles lesiones y permiten disfrutar mas de las actividades elegidas. less

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74
A clinical reference manual for the evaluation and treatment of muscle pain.

• Detailed color illustrations of pain patterns and trigger-point locations.

• First accessible reference manual for acupuncturists, chiropractors, osteopaths, and physical, occupational, and massage therapists.

In this easy-to-use guide to the treatment of muscle pain, medical educators Steven and Donna Finando present evaluation and palpation techniques for reducing trigger points--and thereby alleviating pain--in the most clinically significant musculature of the body. A "user's...
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75

Musculoskeletal Anatomy Coloring Book

Reinforce your understanding of the musculoskeletal anatomy! Musculoskeletal Anatomy Coloring Book, 3rd Edition is a must if you're taking massage, physical therapy, chiropractic, orthopedic, and all other manual and movement therapy courses. This latest edition includes online access to The Muscular System Manual's companion Evolve site, which lets you view informative videos, take practice tests, and more! Focused specifically on musculoskeletal anatomy, this fun, interactive and engaging coloring book includes 635 high-quality illustrations. Each chapter focuses on key... more

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76
The human energy field is constantly affected by mental, physical, and emotional experience. This classic guide, written by the author of Quantum Touch: The Power to Heal, shows energy workers, massage therapists, chiropractors, and anyone wishing to heal with their hands how to conduct a full polarity therapy session to restore balance. With clearly written instructions providing steps and techniques and neat, understandable illustrations, readers are introduced to the polarity circle and shown how to balance energy fields, unblock systems, and release energy to normal flow patterns. less

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77
A paperback edition with DVD featuring a unique massage therapy that combines stretching, breath work, assisted yoga postures, and pressure point therapy

• Text includes more than 125 black-and-white photographs of instructional postures

• DVD features author demonstrating techniques for performing a one-hour massage

In the temples of Thailand many centuries ago, a dynamic bodywork therapy based on yoga, ayurveda, and the martial arts was born. In this unique healing system of Thai Yoga Massage, the practitioner guides the recipient through a series of yoga...
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78

Anatomy

A Regional Atlas of the Human Body

This Fourth Edition of Clemente's classic Anatomy is revised and expanded with an exciting, fresh, new look. Almost every plate and accompanying note has been improved. There are 135 additional figures in this Fourth Edition, with the remainder coming from the previous edition of this atlas or the 20th German Edition of Sobotta. less

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79
If you are a massage therapist or massage therapy student with an interest in adding aromatherapy to your practice, this book is for you! It addresses your specific needs and concerns, and provides useful answers to the questions about aromatherapy that most practitioners only learn after years of experience. Information on practical concerns, such as pricing sessions to account for the cost of oils, proper dilutions, sending products home with clients, and effective formulations for specific ailments, make this an indispensable resource.

Among the fantastic features of this...
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80
This convenient, money-saving package is a must for students training for a career in massage therapy. The package includes Fundamentals of Therapeutic Massage (Enhanced Reprint) Text and Mosby's Essential Sciences for Therapeutic Massage, by Sandy Fritz. For further information on each individual product, please click on the links provided below. less

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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
81
The astonishing deep-muscle exercise technique that offers results in hours, and which was a 540,000-copy bestseller in hardcover, is now in paperback. less

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82
The ability to deliver an exceptional and satisfying spa treatment is a special skill for which massage therapists are particularly well suited. Spa treatments today are multi-layered, multi-textured works of art that combine many elements of holistic practice. They are fun to deliver and offer the therapist a creative outlet. Knowledge of spa treatments not only allows massage therapists to offer their clients more options; it gives them a competitive advantage when seeking work in the spa industry.

This textbook guides the massage therapist through each step of delivering a...
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84
"Not to be missed…a gem. This is real Old World cooking…devotees of Mediterranean cuisine would be remiss not to add this book to their collection."—Boston Globe

Contemporary Turkish cuisine ranges from favorites such as chickpea pilaf to richly stewed lamb on a bed of eggplant. It is fresh, distinctive, and flavorfuluthe result of over five centuries of culinary tradition.

Whether you want to warm up with a tangy Peasant Soup (a hearty chicken soup) or top off a meal with a mouthwatering Pistachio Seomina Cake, The Sultan's Kitchen will show you...
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85
In this long-awaited description of the body-centered therapy developed by Marion Rosen, the reader begins to understand how emotional and physical ailments can be addressed through the gentle touch of the Rosen practitioner. Rosen explains how the practitioner identifies tensions in the body that point to the source of a problem and how that awareness guides the healing process. With the help of psychotherapist Susan Brenner, the director of Rosen Center East and one of Marion's first students, she describes the origins of her method; how people reveal their emotions in body postures;... more

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86

Thai Massage Workbook

For Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Courses

A companion volume to the Encyclopedia of Thai Massage, this interactive teaching tool provides an overview of the basic course for classic Thai massage routines. Instructors who have had to create their own study guides will welcome this time-saving accessory, and students will appreciate the thoughtful design that allows room for taking notes, as well as links to images and pages in the original text. Updated with new content and a revamped layout, this handy reference also includes alternate steps from advanced courses as well as a section on Sen lines. less

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87
The Third Edition of The Balanced Body offers you more resources to master deep tissue and neuromuscular massage in order to present your clients with a complete integrated approach to massage. Use this book as a teaching manual and reference for a systematic training program for deep tissue and neuromuscular therapy and other massage modalities. The series of lessons within the book cover sequential, progressive massage therapy for the entire body to help you to create an integrated treatment plan.

In this Third Edition you'll find these features:

Detailed...
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88
A victim of debilitating injuries, Moshe Feldenkrais was intimately aware of the link between bodily suffering and mental health. Through healing himself, he made revolutionary discoveries, culminating in the development of the method that now bears his name. In an intellectually rich and eloquent style, Feldenkrais delves into neurology, prehistory, child development, gravity and anti-gravity, reflexive versus learned behavior, the effects of emotion, especially anxiety, on posture, and most importantly, the inseparability of body and mind. less

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89
First published in 1964, Beard's Massage is a classic physical therapy massage text originally authored by Gertrude Beard, a pioneering physical therapist in the 1920s who treated patients using soft tissue massage techniques that remain the basis of practice today.

Now in its fifth edition, with a new title, this classic text has been expanded and updated throughout to provide you with an overview of massage, a description of massage techniques, information on the benefits of massage, and specific techniques for a variety of conditions.
Practical step-by-step guidance to help...
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90
Learn sensual touch for improved intimacy and better sex!Erotic Massage shows how to bring your partner to high levels of arousal, keeping him or her in this state of sexual exaltation for an extended period. This beautifully illustrated book provides erotic massage techniques for both men and women and breaks down these massage methods step-by-step. You'll find suggestions for the appropriate setting, lubrication, good communication, and conscious breathing. More than 60 sensual, how-to photographs and illustrations are featured throughout, as well as testimonials on how... more

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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.
91
This long-awaited follow-up to the New York Times bestselling The MELT Method introduces a unique, scientific-based proactive training program for improving overall balance, performance, and control while preventing pain and injury.

Are you an athlete facing constant injuries that hold you back from achieving peak performance? Are you someone who wants to stay fit, but are dealing with aches and pains that make it more difficult to work out? Do you want to exercise or train without being sidelined by stress fractures, strained ligaments, and painful joints?
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92

The Ultimate Bodybuilding Cookbook

Say goodbye to the chicken breasts, broccoli, and egg whites you re used to. Now you can build muscle, shed weight, and lift more all while enjoying delicious, flavorful meals with The Ultimate Bodybuilding Cookbook!

For over a decade, bodybuilding expert and personal fitness trainer Kendall Lou Schmidt has helped hundreds of clients, including many world-class athletes and elite physique contenders, achieve spectacular results through easy and effective recipes and customizable meal plans, available now in this book. Her exclusive trade secrets for...
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94

Therapeutic Massage in Athletics

This textbook on sports massage was created specifically for massage therapists, certified athletic trainers, and physical therapists who work with athletes. The author is an experienced massage therapy and athletic training educator and practitioner, and provides instruction on how to apply clinical massage techniques to athletes. The text is uniquely focused on the use and integration of basic sports massage, myofascial, neuromuscular, and lymphatic facilitation to enhance an athlete's performance potential and treat common athletic injuries and conditions.

The book includes...
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95
While its techniques have been used in the Far East for some time, Gua sha is still very much a mystery for most people in the West. It consists of simple, non-invasive techniques, effective not only in maintaining your health but in preventing and helping to combat common ailments and illnesses.

In this book, with the help of numerous colour illustrations, clear explanations are set out showing you how to use Gua sha within a holistic vision of health and wellbeing, including key points and channels in Oriental medicine, and also ways to treat yourself for a range of familiar...
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96
An ancient Taoist system for detoxifying and rejuvenating the internal organs

• Presents techniques to clear blockages in the body’s energy flow

• Includes illustrated exercises to relieve common ailments, revitalize the organs, and enable readers to take charge of their own health and well-being

• Focuses on the navel center, where negative emotions, stress, and illness accumulate

The techniques of Chi Nei Tsang evolved in Asia during an era when few physicians were available and people had to know how to heal themselves. Many people today have...
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98
The most significant cause of early retirement from the massage profession is the cumulative strain on the body developed in the course of performing the work. The explosive growth of this occupation in recent years has been accompanied by an increase in the number of work-induced problems. Practitioners can easily strain their hands, particularly their thumbs, fingers, and wrists, as well as their shoulders and backs.

Written by noted teacher and trainer Darien Pritchard, this useful book explains those aspects of massage that can lead to these problems and shows how to apply...
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99
This thoroughly revised edition of the authoritative reference Fascial Release for Structural Balance brings the book up to date with all of the most current research on the role of fascia and myofascia in the body, and how treatment affects it. This edition takes advantage of more sophisticated testing to explore in greater detail the relationship between anatomical structure and function, making it an even more essential guide. Offering a detailed introduction to structural anatomy and fascial release therapy, including postural analysis, complete technique descriptions, and the art... more

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100
This practical and highly illustrated introduction to the principles and techniques of Thai massage discusses the theories of Thai medicine and its Chinese and Ayurvedic influences. It offers clear and easy-to-follow descriptions for all Thai massage techniques accompanied by full color photographs and drawings, with arrows to indicate direction of movement. Basic explanations describe how massage therapists can use elements of these techniques and apply them immediately in their own practice. The book includes a DVD with 45 minutes of video showing techniques and routines in real time, to... more

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Don't have time to read the top Massage books of all time? Read Shortform summaries.

Shortform summaries help you learn 10x faster by:

  • Being comprehensive: you learn the most important points in the book
  • Cutting out the fluff: you focus your time on what's important to know
  • Interactive exercises: apply the book's ideas to your own life with our educators' guidance.