If you know you want a massage but not which one, this page is the short version. We offer five at our Bromley clinic and they do genuinely different jobs, so picking the right one matters more than most places will tell you.
Which one do you actually need?
Start here. Most people land in one of these.
Stressed, stiff all over, nothing specific hurts. You want Swedish massage. Lighter, full body, steady pressure, and nothing you have to brace against.
One area has been tight for months. You want deep tissue massage. Slower and firmer, working into the layers underneath, usually on a smaller area.
Something hurts, or you are training and it keeps flaring. You want sports massage. Assessment first, then treatment aimed at the actual problem rather than a routine.
You are pregnant. You want pregnancy massage. Side lying, fully supported, adapted for each trimester.
You have no idea. Book the free ten minute posture analysis. We will assess you and tell you which one you need, including telling you if the one you had in mind is wrong.
The five, side by side
Swedish massage. The gentlest. Long flowing strokes across the whole body, using oil, aimed at circulation and relaxation. Feels calming. Best for stress, general stiffness and anyone new to massage.
Deep tissue massage. Slow and firm into the deeper layers. Can be uncomfortable while it happens. Best for long standing tension in a specific area, often the upper back, shoulders or lower back.
Sports massage. Targeted at a problem or a demand on the body. Includes assessment and technique aimed at that issue. Best for injury, recovery and keeping training on track. You do not have to play sport to have one.
Pregnancy massage. Adapted positioning and pressure, side lying and fully supported. Best from the second trimester onwards, and it is the one to book rather than any of the others.
Cupping therapy. Suction cups that lift the tissue rather than press into it. Normally added to a massage appointment rather than booked alone. Best for areas that have stopped responding to hands-on work. Read about the marks it leaves before you book if you have an event coming up.
What it costs
All prices include a brief consultation and time to change, not just the hands-on work.
Sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage are 45 pounds for 30 minutes, 55 for 45 minutes, 65 for an hour and 105 for 90 minutes.
Pregnancy massage is 45 pounds for 30 minutes, 55 for 45 minutes and 65 for an hour.
Cupping is 40 pounds for 30 minutes and 60 for 45 minutes.
Sports massage combined with spinal manipulation, medical acupuncture or cupping is 55 pounds for 30 minutes, 65 for 45, 75 for an hour and 115 for 90 minutes.
The ten minute posture analysis is free. Full prices for everything we do are listed separately.
What happens at a first appointment
We talk first. What brought you in, what you want from it, anything sore, anything we should avoid. If you have never had a massage before, say so, because it changes how we start.
You undress to your comfort level and are covered with a towel throughout, with only the area being worked on uncovered. Tell the therapist if the pressure is wrong. People often assume they should put up with it, and they should not.
Afterwards we will tell you honestly whether you need to come back, and how often. Not a package decided in advance.
Who you will see
Three therapists. Dharam Vyas, clinic director, BSc Applied Sports Science from Southampton Solent University, also trained in spinal manipulation and medical acupuncture. Atlanta Robinson, honours degree in Sports Therapy from the University of Essex, with years of clinical experience across sports facilities and private clinics. Dwaine Henderson, Active IQ Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy. More on the about us page.
How often is worth it?
There is no rule, and anyone who gives you one without assessing you first is guessing.
If something is wrong, expect two or three appointments fairly close together to settle it, then a gap. If you are using massage to manage desk-related tightness or training load, every three or four weeks suits most people. If you just want it occasionally when things build up, that is a perfectly sensible way to use it and we will not push you into a plan.
We tell you what we think after we have treated you once, based on what we found.
Is it worth it if nothing is actually wrong?
Yes, and we would rather say that plainly than pretend everything needs treating.
Plenty of people come in because they sit at a desk for nine hours, carry their stress in their shoulders, and want an hour where nothing is asked of them. That is a legitimate reason and Swedish massage does it well. You do not need an injury to book.
What we will not do is invent a problem. If you come in for a relaxing massage and there is nothing clinically going on, we will give you a good massage and say so.
Massage or something else?
Sometimes massage is not the answer, and it is worth knowing that before you pay for one.
If you have pain travelling down a limb, pins and needles, weakness, pain that wakes you at night, or anything that came on after a significant impact, book an assessment rather than a massage. We may treat you, or we may tell you to see your GP first. Either way you will get a straight answer.
The conditions we treat page lists what we see most often, and spinal manipulation and medical acupuncture are sometimes the better route than soft tissue work alone.
Where we are
Carlton Chambers, 5 Station Road, Bromley BR2 0EY. The entrance is the red side gate to the right of the building, which people do walk past, so look for the gate rather than a shop front. A three-minute walk from Shortlands station, with free and paid parking on Station Road.
We see people from across Bromley, Shortlands, Beckenham, Bickley, West Wickham and Orpington.
Open Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm and Saturday 10am to 5pm, closed Sunday. Call 07896 257328 or book online. Directions and parking detail are on the location page.