Regular massage is a good preventive measure for people in training to keep muscles supple and tissues flexible. Athletes often use massage as an adjunct to training programmes to improve recovery and maintain a healthy, flexible body. It is also a great therapy for stressful lives as we hold many of our mental and emotional stresses in our body ('issues in the tissues!') - massage can help relax body and mind.

There are many different traditions and techniques of massage such as Chinese (tui na), acupressure, Thai massage, sports, deep tissue massage and many others The techniques and emphasis of each style vary but the benefits are similar and it is possible to blend more than one style of massage. 'Tuina', Chinese massage uses a number of different pushing or grasping strokes to encourage muscle relaxation, improve circulation, and encourage free flow of qi in the meridians. Sometimes specific acupoints are pressed or kneaded in combination with each other to stimulate particular meridian or organ systems. While in the West many people think of massage as a 'luxury' item, in some parts of the world, it is considered an essential part of a complete medical system. Tuina massage for example, is still widely used in hospitals and rehabilitation centers throughout China as part of 'main-stream' medicine. Massage is arguably one of the oldest medical techniques in human history and had stuck around for good reasons.