Massage is the safe, effective, drug-free way to treat countless ailments and injuries, from headaches and sprains to chronic back pain. This fully illustrated guide gathers the most effective techniques of all the different systems in one easy-to-use volume. Comprehensively covering five basic approaches--whole-body techniques, localized massage and pressure techniques, massage for healing, massage for relaxation and stress relief, and massage for pleasure--it offers detailed instructions on every system, from traditional Chinese methods to shiatsu, reiki, aromatherapy, and reflexology. Also covered are self-massage, holistic massage, hand treatment, head massage, and the chakras.

In this update of the 2000 edition, Fritz, the owner and head instructor of a school of therapeutic massage and bodywork in Michigan, treats touch as a form of communication and expands coverage of ethical and legal issues, contra/indications for massage, and condition assessment and management. The treatment of medical terminology, core principles, and techniques is enhanced by color illustrations, case studies, review questions, resources and other appended information. The first edition was published in 1995. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

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 illustrations of draping and includes palpation for each muscle. An accompanying Real Bodywork DVD includes video demonstrations of massage techniques from the book.

Previously published in two separate volumes: Whole body massage, and Reiki healing.