The Times

By Lucia Van Der Post

'Why It's Time to Take It Lying Down'

If joining a gym is a New Year resolution too far, sign up fora regular massage instead. It can seriously improve yourhealth, says Lucia van der Post, and you'll actually enjoy it.

It was in New York that I first came to believe that massage was more than just a slightly spoiling, delicious frippery, the sort of thing that was fine for the rich and leisured set but not exactly essential to the way of life of anybody with Important Things To Do. I suppose I'd always seen it as a delightful kind of accoutrement rather like a Philip Treacy hat – fabulous but utterly inessential. Personally, when on home ground I never judged it worth spending much time on and only submitted to its blandishments when I found myself in one of those resorts that seemed straight out of a Bounty bar ad – with flotillas of sweet-faced eastern girls proffering garlands and unguents.

Then in New York I was persuaded by one of those irritatingly glowing health gurus that massage is actually a serious tool for keeping the body in tiptop order. At the simplest level the pleasure it gives releases large numbers of endorphins, which are nature's opiate-its very own pleasure centre. So whilst at its best massage should offer much, much more than pleasure, the pleasure element alone isn't insignificant it has a healing role to play.

At a more obviously physical level, a good massage will stimulate the Lymphatic system, which not only helps move along toxins but is key to having a healthy immune system. It also prevents (or helps dissolve) the build – up of knots of tension in the neck and back. And of course, every sports team, from England's victorious rugby squad to a village squash team, believes it needs a masseur not only to deal with injuries but to maximise performance. Above all, as we get older and probably don't take as much exercise as we should, regular massage can play a vital role in keeping joints and muscles flexible and can even help keep arthritis at bay.

Sammy Margo, a chartered physiotherapist who specialises m musculoskeletal physiotherapy, uses massage to "facilitate healing, alleviate pain and stiffness and aid movement". She explains the physiological benefits: "It helps circulation, brings oxygen and nutrients to the area and takes away waste products which can cause muscle fatigue and/or pain. Experts aren't in agreement as to what these waste products are but they might he excess lactic acid, potassium or other chemicals."

One of Britain's leading integrated health practitioners, Dr Ali (best known for looking after the Prince of Wales and Camilla Parker Bowles), is an ardent believer in massage. Massaging the neck and shoulder area can help stimulate the pituitary gland (which governs our hormones) by improving blood flow to the brain. In the right hands it can also help with migraines and back problems.

Beata Aleksandrowicz, co-founder of Pure Massage, a tranquil centre devoted to nothing but massage in Fulham, says her simplified systems (about which more later) are specifically used to help with back problems, migraines (often caused by strain tension in the back) and lymphatic drainage.
The problem for those who've gathered by now that massage would be a good thing is which sort, which masseur and where? Now that every hotel worthy of the name has a spa and almost even salon and gym offers massage, it's hard to know which is any good. Then, having decided where to go (usually on the basis that looks lovely - which shouldn't be underestimated, it's part of the therapeutic experience), we're faced with a complicated menu of massages with little idea of how one differs from t'other.

Umberto Angeloni, CEO of the Brioni Group and writer of a book on spas, is a fervent massage fan. Wherever he goes, he searches out a fine masseur (in London he goes to the Elemis day-spa) but points out that 2,000 years ago, when Rome was infinitely smaller than today, it had about 1000 spas, offering everything from hot baths to massage. Visiting a spa was as natural a part of the rhythm of life as eating. It's taken us all this time even to begin to incorporate these things into our daily lives, and Rome still has very few. Choosing the right form of massage is key. With Swedish massage the masseur moves his hands all over the body to loosen muscles. Aromatherapy combines Swedish massage with essential oils, which have therapeutic properties such as the ability to energise or relax. Shiatsu (which involves assisted exercise) and Chinese or Tuina massage include pressure point and meridian massage to help clear chi or "energy" blockages. Thai massage is rather like a yoga session in which the therapist does all the hard work, stretching the client's body to aid flexibility posture. Then there are two lesser-known therapies: Watsu, which combines hydrotherapy with shiatsu, and Esalen which involves techniques such as shiatsu, lymphatic drainage, reflexology and acupressure and the client following a continuous breathing programme. This is for serious massage freaks – at London's Hale Clinic, for instance, there are six hour Esalen sessions (costing some £300). Aficionados say it can help with a range of problems from ME and joint pains to panic attacks, RSI, arthritis, frozen shoulder and backache.

The Hale has some of the best practitioners in the country and is the only place to offer proper Lomi Lomi, a Hawaiian rhythmic massage (Teresa Hale's own favourite) that deals with circulation, respiration, lymphatic drainage, the nervous system and so on but, according to Hale, also leaves one feeling both energised and calmed, as if one has had a complete overhaul (£75 for 90 minutes).

But for more serious health problems, for those who need more than a mildly restorative massage, there are two specialist therapies: the first is Marma, a branch of Ayurveda (£60 for 45 minutes), which works on the neuromuscular connections and can help those who've had strokes or are suffering from MS, numbness, weakness or muscular aches and pains. Muscles, you will be dismayed to learn, start to atrophy as early as 35 and Marma (£50 for 45 minutes) helps to keep them in good working order, particularly for those who can't take much exercise. The second therapy is Tuina, used in traditional Chinese medicine and for musculoskeletal conditions (cervical spondylopathy, slipped disc, sciatica).

For those who have nothing seriously wrong, it's worth knowing about Pure Massage. To help clear up some of the confusion surrounding massage, Beata Aleksandrowicz and Jean-Marc Delacourt simplified the matter by offering just seven different, clear-cut options, of which the 75-minute full-body Pure massage (£70) is the most popular. Aleksandrowicz decided on a flexible combination of Thai, Swedish and Indian head massage, which she believed could be adapted to suit most clients. However, since they have clients of all ages, they are careful to adapt the level of pressure to suit – they do not believe pain is a good thing in any massage.

Then we come to two vital points. It's not just a question of which massage but, almost importantly, which masseur? The standard qualification, which many spa attendants have, is the ITEC course. It is a good basic training but the best therapists should study a great deal longer and go much deeper into their chosen method. There's nothing for it but word of mouth, reputable spas and trial and error. Most aficionados search long and hard before finding the therapist they love and trust – and when they do they're faithful forever. Secondly, a one-of massage is fine and dandy but it's not going to do a lot for your long-term health. If serious improvement in your health is wanted, regular massages – probably at least two a month - are essential. Aleksandrowicz explains that it's not until they're giving a client repeated massages that they can go deeply into the massage tissue to give maximum benefit.

So there you have it – massage is much, much more than a hedonistic pleasure. It can be seriously good for you.