Words by Jacinta Andolini
After a relentless year working from home and however many lockdowns later, back pain has become a common complaint of many, whether you have an ergonomically sound office chair or not. Staying in more and the stress of the pandemic has undoubtedly had a physiological impact and many have found that back pain, muscular tension and general aching has increased over the past year.
I went along to Kensington MediSpa, a sparkling new spa attached to the Royal Garden Hotel, which offers a whole host of stress-busting and aesthetic treatments to make you feel, on the whole, better.
Stepping into the MediSpa just off bustling Kensington High Street is like stepping into a mini underground wellness retreat. Having opened just before the pandemic, it’s noticeably spotless, with screens in place where needed, fully PPE’d staff members and luxury disposable towels and equipment, meaning cleanliness really was the least of my worries.
My therapist, Lorraine, made me feel instantly comfortable and relaxed, and I was swiftly whisked into one of their five cosy treatment rooms with heated beds and a relaxing scent of jasmine and lavender. Lorraine began by asking me of any existing points of tension and how I’d like to feel after the session. After telling her that my main concerns were lower back and leg tension from sitting at a desk, she began the treatment with a relaxing breathing exercise which soothes the mind and the muscles. She then rebalanced the body by cleansing my feet with hot towels before beginning the massage.
Most notable for me, having had a fair few deep tissue massages, was the gentleness of the pressure, releasing knots and tension without it being too intrusive or aggressive. Her technique was gentle but powerful, meticulously focusing on each muscle in the back to relieve pain without causing discomfort. With any deep tissue massage, there is usually a degree of discomfort that you’d expect but Lorraine used a firm and rhythmic pressure and still made it a very pleasant and calming experience.
Staying in tune with my breathing and my body throughout the whole treatment, it was an exceptional massage which left me feeling renewed in the short term, and the suppleness and healing effects on the back muscles lasted for days afterwards.
Factbox
Address: The Royal Garden Hotel, 2- 24 Kensington High St, London W8 4PT
Phone: 020 3441 9091
Website: kensingtonmedispa.com