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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