Massage Services

We offer therapeutic massage at our clinic Mondays through Fridays; some Saturdays by appointment. Clients come in for a variety of conditions, particulary neck and shoulder pain and stiffness, wrist and hand pain/ fatigue, and sometimes for relaxation and stress reduction. You can expect courteous, professional, and prompt service at our facility.

Most massage centers that advertise a one hour massage include the room set up, which takes away from the time you pay for. At our center, rest assured that you will get the full amount of massage therapy for what you pay, whether it be a 30, 60 or 90 minute massage.

To schedule an appointment,

Call (415) 627-9077

or

Our main therapist is Leland Thunes, CMT. Leland carries over 15 years of bodywork experience. Below is a video of his massage protocol for upper extremities (just one of his techniques):

Massage Rates
Duration	Rate	Package of Six (10% off)
30 Min.	$50	$270
60 Min.	$70	$378
90 Min.	$110	$594

Appointment and Scheduling Policy

1. Appointments can be scheduled up to two weeks in advance and are based on therapists' availablity. Appointments are not always necessary, as one or more therapists may be available in the clinic on any given day, Mon-Fri. For clients who wish to have a walk-in (immediate) massage appointment, please call the office beforehand and inquire if a therapist is available. As with most professional services, scheduling a few days in advance is recommended.

2. First-time clients are required to provide a valid credit card number (Visa, Mastercard or Amex) to reserve their appointment. This requirement is waived for future visits to our clinic but may be reinstated if the client no-shows an appointment. If you miss your appointment for any reason, or cancel it without at least 24 hours advanced notice, your card will be charged the full amount of the massage you requested (30, 60, 90 or 120 min.).

3. First time clients please arrive a few minutes before your scheduled appointment to fill out a health history form. If you have any health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, history of strokes, tumors; or for females, if you are pregnant, let your therapist know before your session starts.

4. If you arrive late and there is an appointment directly after yours, your massage may be shortened acccordingly. The regular fee will apply in these cases.

5. No spa facilities are available (showers, saunas) at our location; however, hot, moist towels may be used for comfort. Therapists use neutral, hypoallergenic lotions to facilitate the massage technique and enhance therapeutic effect. Lotions are absorbed by the skin, so no cleaning off is required. Clients can choose to remove the amount of clothing that they are comfortable with. A clean set of sheets is used during each massage session.

6. Therapists reserve the right to refuse service to anyone, if just cause is given. Clients must have generally clean hygiene and must be a candidate for receiving massage.

7. Tipping: it is not expected by any means, but always appreciated. A guideline is 10%.

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Massage Techniques Offered

Massage is one of the oldest healing arts of the world.  Although most people view massage as a luxury, it is increasingly being used for therapeutic purposes.  These days, it is not uncommon to find massage therapy available in major hospitals and private healthcare practices.

There are many massage techniques, but they all have a common goal:  to calm and relax the patient; ease pain and muscle tension; stimulate blood and lymph circulation; and improve range of motion.  Some believe that the “human touch” aspect of a massage imparts a healing energy to the patient.

The main types of massage are deep tissue, which as the name implies, uses firm pressure; Swedish style, which uses longer, gliding strokes with less pressure and is primarily designed for relaxation and circulation; and trigger point, where the therapist applies a firm, constant pressure using her fingers or elbow.  Sometimes all three approaches are incorporated into a single massage session.

Specialty massage techniques offered at our center include Active Release Technique, or ART and lymphatic drainage massage. ART, similar to myofascial release, is a soft tissue techniqe that is highly effective in restoring range of motion such as in the shoulder or neck. Active Release practitioners require active movement on part of the patient during the treatment session. For example, the patient will be asked to turn his neck to the right, in slow repetitious fashion while the ART practitioner simultaneously "strips" the muscle using firm pressure. This approach multiplies the effectiveness of the massage.

Lymphatic drainage is a very light massage technique done primarly to move along stagnant lymph in the skin. Lymph fluid is involved in fighting infection and cleansing the blood.

More information on massage therapy:

History and types of massage
Massage for pain reduction
Massage techniques
Deep tissue massage

massage san francisco - san francisco massage therapists - shiatsu - swedish - deep tissue - sports massage - lymphatic drainage - active release technique - ART - myofascial release