Ancestral Health, Tiptree: Is this the Best Sports Massage in Essex?
Working from home (and abroad) as a travel writer has its pros and cons – I worked from home years before Lockdown - but a definite downside is the lack of occupational health. Add into the mix that to escape from reality, I’ve taken to working on my laptop slumped on the sofa watching multiple episodes of Sex and the City. If I can’t travel, I can at least immerse myself in the glamour of New York for a couple of hours a day.
Unsurprisingly, I noticed an achy stiffness in my upper back and shoulders. I’m not a health expert - except when diagnosing my family on Google - but I know slouching causes neck and back pain. So, I got myself over to Ancestral Health, a community practice in Tiptree (yes, home to those ubiquitous Wilkin & Son jams) for a massage. Did you even know you could get a massage in Lockdown? Me either until my sister let me in on her new favourite place.
Functional Medicine, which looks at lifestyle and environmental factors in considering health issues, is at the core of the practice that also helps people with chronic fatigue, weight loss and hypnobirthing. It’s a well-designed space that feels immediately relaxing with lots of light, creamy tongue-and-groove and emerald velvet mid-century sofas. I don’t have long to enjoy the setting as straightaway I’m taken in the treatment room to meet Grace, one of the most engaging massage therapists I’ve ever met. She’s also a professional dancer, which lent the experience some glamour, in my mind. I’m sure her dance training helps her understand the human body better. She quickly identifies the areas of concern and understands the right amount of pressure to release muscle tension.
Performed to a soothing soundtrack of bossa nova covers, she uses her hands, arms and elbows to ease away the knots in my upper back. Despite the inevitable bursts of pain – breathe deeply, this isn't a pamper session - I enjoyed it (she laughed when I said that at the end). It also boosted a feeling of wellbeing (and remember that massage boosts your immune system). She showed me a few stretches to do to combat the effects of sitting badly for years. The next day I felt so limber I booked my teenage daughter in for a session to ease the stress of long days of Zoom and Teams lessons. Grace has become a family favourite. Go see for yourself.
*£60 for 60 minutes, £35 for 30 minutes, Ancestral Health
