Sometimes life seems hard: sitting in traffic jams, carrying heavy shopping, hunched over a laptop or just worrying about achieving the 101 things on your daily ‘To Do’ list can take it out of you.
Swedish Massage is possibly the best way to deal with the aches and pains of 21st century life and there is nowhere better in Malta than a trip to SenSpa, Mellieha Holiday Village, Mellieha for a bit of Scandi therapy Maltese style. Not just a beautiful spa and pools but with parking facilities on site, SenSpa is a pleasure from the get go.
Tanya Bugeja is a qualified aromatherapist and masseuse with a specialist interest in physiotherapy. Calm, relaxed and welcoming, she quickly and professionally establishes a great rapport and we get to work on my aches and pains. I am booked for a Swedish massage.
This comprises:
Long, sweeping strokes (effleurage), usually used at the start and end of a massage
Muscle kneading and rolling (petrissage), where the muscles are worked
Friction, where deep pressure is applied to a particular spot with the thumb fingertips, or knuckles
You begin by lying face down, with your head in the u-shaped face cradle, so that your spine stays in a neutral position. Tania then starts working on your back. When she has finished with your back, she works the upper leg and calf muscles, down through your ankles to your feet. She holds up the towel while you turn over, covers you again and then massages the front of each leg and then both arms, finishing with your neck shoulders and the top of your head. 60 minutes of bliss.
Using the ‘Sleep’ blend massage oil comprising Roman and Moroccan camomile, lavender, basil and sweet orange, the contrast between the delicate aromas and the relaxing but firm muscle workout is magical. Tania paid particular attention to my plantar fasciitis. This inflammation in your heels is possibly the most painful and annoying result of running and walking on hard surfaces. I had not realised how this condition was affecting my calves until Tania massaged away all the tightness and tension. In fact, I didn’t realise how stressed I had felt until Tania made it all go away!
As an ‘extra’, Tania applied two magnets to my heels. The jury is still out on magnet therapy for pain relief, but I can confirm that it worked for me. Getting the magnets to clip to my heels was tricky, but Tania is nothing if not determined. The sensation was not unpleasant but, at the beginning, it caused a tingle in an already painful area. Within minutes, I could feel all the pain receding and, four days later, I am still pain free in my heels!
After the massage, I felt lighter, taller and calmer; the supermarket and school run were all dealt with effortlessly and even Malta’s rush hour left me unperturbed. What a great way to start the week-end.
Contact Tania Bugeja
SenSpa at Mellieha Holiday Centre Ghadira Bay, Mellieha, MLH 9064
E. senspa@mhc.com.mt
T. 00356 22 89 33 34
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