Tuesday Topic, with Christine Rutter

FOR years the art of massage has been tainted by disreputable salons offering 'extras' to clients.

But the hands-on treatment is shaking off its sleazy image and making a major comeback.

"Massage did have a really bad reputation at one time with salons advertising massage and everything else!," said Andrea Tabone, massage and clinical sports therapy lecturer at Accrington and Rossendale College.

But she added: "Things are changing. Massage is losing the sleazy tag. Now people are realising the true benefits of body massage, especially in the arena of sports injuries."

She confessed that during her time as a masseur she had experienced the inevitable embarrassing phone calls from men wanting 'extras' and others turning up and expecting more than a massage. Now she teaches students how to squash any amorous ideas.

Her clients at the college range from rugby players keen to relieve an injury they received on the pitch to housewives who simply wants to be pampered.

"Massage is becoming more and more popular with people using it for therapeutic purposes such as deep sea divers whose spines have been slightly crushed by the water pressure to people who want pain relief, such as reps who suffer back and neck pains because they are driving around all day," said massage student Michelle Smith, 27, of Sunnybank Street, Haslingden. The conditions that bring on muscle pain or tension are so common that almost everyone will need a massage at some stage in their lives.

Overwork, stress, poor posture, heavy lifting, fatigue and emotional distress can all lead us to the masseur's couch.

The clinical sports therapy side of massage helps with injuries such as groin strains or tennis elbow.

"Massage cannot treat major injuries but it can relieve conditions such as a frozen shoulder or minor neck strain.

"Massage works in many ways. It helps to relax the client and gives them a feeling of well-being," said Andrea.

I have to admit, I was sceptical. My only memory of massage was from an old guy in Goa, who creaked along the sand towards me and shoved a chart of the human anatomy under my sunburned nose.

His age was unfortunately not a measure of his strength. He quickly shattered my image of scented oil being smoothed into my sun-dried skin when his rub down turned into an a tortured pummelling with my holiday book clenched between my teeth. And thirty minutes being crushed and grounded by the pounding pensioner was enough to convince anyone he had more of agony than rupee on his mind.

Yet here I was again. Lured to the masseur's couch by a promise that massage, when performed properly, is pure unabashed sensual pleasure. "You have got to know what you are doing otherwise you can do the client more harm than good. You had a bad experience but it shouldn't put you off massage as it has so many benefits," said Andrea.

Benefits which stressed-out 90s folk are turning to for relaxation and relief range from alleviating pain and muscle tension and removing toxins from the body to increasing the rate of blood flow and helping banish cellulite.

Her student Kieran Pilling, 19, got to work on my back, pummelling, kneading, chopping and stroking.

Her rhythmically applied pressure helped release deep tensions.

And I got the chance to find out if I had healing hands myself when I turned the tables on Kieran and give her my best back massage.

Through gritted teeth Kieran promised me I was doing well as Andrea patiently taught me a handful of techniques from a very complex treatment. I also learned a bit about anatomy and physiology.

Andrea warned me: "If long-standing conditions such as prolonged muscle tension, are ignored, the pain gradually becomes worse and can spreads to other areas.

"People need treatment as soon as they feel a twinge.

"And once they have had a massage, they enjoy the physical sensation and benefits so much, they come back again and again."

I certainly will. The hour long appointments costs £4.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.