Massage Envy takes holistic approach at new clinic

Massage today is more about promoting and maintaining good health than it is about pampering.

Taking massage to that next level, elevating it from luxury to therapy, is the mission of Massage Envy.

“The whole concept is to bring cost-effective, professional massage to the masses at convenient times, where it’s not just once a year when you go on vacation,” said Tim Riley, who is an independent franchise owner along with his wife Pam. The couple just opened a Massage Envy clinic in La Jolla at 7650 Girard Ave., Suite 200, next door to and above Pharmaca.

Although the relaxing effects of massage are well-known, its health benefits are often overlooked and highly underrated, said Pam Riley. “The majority of ailments today are caused by stress and massage relieves stress,” she said. “In addition to that, it increases your circulation, helps lower high blood pressure, is good for a lot of types of conditions like diabetes, and helps remove toxins which we put into our bodies with everything we eat and drink.”

Greg Lane, a therapist at Massage Envy who also does acupuncture, noted the health benefits of massage are well documented. “By placing your hands and doing techniques to improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage, it promotes general well-being by reducing inflammation and pain,” he said. “By adding pressure to certain points, it stimulates the body’s own natural pain relievers and relaxation elements in the brain. Massage has long been demonstrated to help improve not only just normal body functions, but actually help a person excel.”

Professional athletes routinely incorporate massage into their training regimens to achieve optimum physical efficiency, said Lane, who added the physical “boost” afforded by massage has beneficial mental consequences as well. “We like to call it your mind-body,” Lane said. “There actually is no separation. When you’re working, you’re actually connecting the mind and the body. After a good massage you feel very centered, very grounded. Study after study shows massage improves overall well-being promoting better sleep, better digestion and better respiratory and cardiovascular function.”

Massage Envy offers many different types of massage to choose from, such as Swedish massage for overall body relaxation, deep-tissue massage to loosen stubborn knots in tense muscles and sports massage to stretch marathon runners and weekend warriors alike. Pre-Natal massage for soon-to-be moms and reflexology, applying pressure to feet and hands promoting wellness with specific thumb, finger and hand techniques without the use of oil or lotion, are two other more specialized options that are available.

Tim Riley said the feedback he is getting from clients indicates massage is contributing to their overall health and well being. “We have customers with arthritis or fybromyalgia who have told us they’ve cut down on their medication because they come in once a week to get a massage and it keeps their blood flowing and flushes out their toxins,” he said. “It is truly legitimate.”

John Leonesio, CEO of Massage Envy Limited, LLC, started the franchise several years ago with the notion that the real benefit of massage is only unlocked when the body is exposed to multiple therapy sessions. He learned time and price are the primary reasons why people do not receive massages regularly.

So Leonesio created a massage-only franchise built around an affordable membership plan, partnering with massage therapists whose prime objective is to be available more hours and charge less so that more people can take advantage of their services.

Massage sessions at the Rileys’ new Village clinic are one to two hours long. A one-hour session consists of 50 minutes of hands-on work by a therapist, with an additional 10 minutes for consultation and dressing.

The basic Wellness Program at Massage Envy costs $59 a month, which includes a prepaid massage and another massage within a 30-day period for a member rate of $39.

Call Massage Envy of La Jolla at (858) 551-0078 or, for more information, visit www.massagenvy.com.