Massage's benefits are psychological and physical, finds Zeena Lemon

Massage is one of the oldest healing practices in the world -- so gentle it can be used on newborn babies and yet so powerful it can be used to treat everything from high blood pressure and back pain to depression.

Its effects on the human body are now well documented. It can increase joint flexibility, improve circulation, stimulate the lymphatic system, reduce and eliminate muscle spasm and help release the body's natural painkillers, endorphins.

Massage is used in everything from sports injury rehabilitation to childbirth. It has even been found to be beneficial for premature babies -- a study by scientists at the University of Miami found preterm babies receiving massage therapy showed a 47 per cent greater weight gain and six-day shorter hospital stays than the babies who did not receive massage.

But it's not just the physiological effects that are surprising -- anyone who has ever experienced the bliss of a massage will testify to the psychologically soothing benefits, too.

So imagine my anticipation when I booked in for a massage with trained therapist Maxine Bull. I had visions of lying prostrate on a bed whilst she caressed my skin with warm oil. How wrong I was. Maxine is among a growing number of practitioners trained in Thai massage -- a 2,000-year-old art rapidly gaining popularity in the west.

It is not for the faint-hearted. Through a series of assisted, yoga-type stretches and deep muscle and soft tissue massage, Maxine pulled, stretched and otherwise

manipulated my body all the way to heaven. Yes, the use of her arms, elbows, forearms and even feet was unexpected.

Yes, at times the pleasure bordered on discomfort but when she had finished I literally floated home.

Maxine, who runs Yogamax in Baughton, said: "Thai massage is very dynamic, involving large-scale stretches and slow, deep focused pressure. The stretching restores balance to all the major muscle groups and reconnects people with their bodies. Clients often describe feeling an incredible lightness which comes from the release of tension, as if their joints have been oiled."

Practised on a mat on the floor and fully clothed, Thai massage involves the practitioner using their body weight to apply pressure and manipulation to specific areas. No oil is used, which increases friction and allows more direct pressure to be applied. Thai massage differs wholly from western types because pressure is applied along acupuncture meridians and the peripheral stimulation the body receives is said to produce internal effects.

Maxine is also trained in acupuncture and for her Thai massage and acupuncture go hand in hand. "It's about treating the whole person -- the philosophy of all forms of eastern medicine," she said.

To visit Maxine phone on 01684 594245 or visit your local library or check Yellow Pages for details of your nearest practitioner.