Back and Shoulder Massage with Tok Sen

What makes this ritual special, according to Cátia

Cátia Ferreira, Head Therapist at Mandalay Spa Altis Porto, explains that Siam Healing stands out because it combines the precision of the Tok Sen technique with Western massage movements, creating a localised, technical experience deeply focused on the back, shoulders, neck and upper chest.

Instead of working only with manual pressure, this treatment uses controlled vibrations created with a small tamarind-wood hammer to address areas where tension tends to accumulate. The therapist adapts the pace, intensity and time spent on each area while always respecting the body’s sensitivity and response.

It is a short but highly targeted massage, ideal for anyone whose upper body feels restricted, tired or overloaded by their routine.

Recommended for anyone who…

• Feels tension in the back, shoulders, neck or upper chest.
• Is looking for a more technical, localised massage.
• Spends many hours seated, at a computer or travelling.
• Values Thai-inspired techniques combined with Western massage.
• Is looking for an experience that differs from a conventional back massage.

Cátia Ferreira’s perspective

During Siam Healing, the back often reveals a great deal about each person’s pace of life. Some clients arrive with contracted shoulders, tension in the neck or a feeling of heaviness in the upper body, often associated with posture, stress, travel or long hours at a computer.

Before applying the Tok Sen technique, I begin by preparing the area with Western massage movements. This first contact is important for understanding where there is greater resistance, how the body responds to touch and what level of intensity will be most comfortable for the client.

Tok Sen brings a very distinctive dimension to the treatment. The vibrations created by the wooden instrument allow areas of tension to be worked with a different kind of precision from manual pressure. Even so, the technique should never be applied automatically. The pace, intensity and time spent on each area need to be adapted to the person’s sensitivity.

I appreciate this treatment because it is short but highly focused. Within 40 minutes, we can give genuine attention to the back, shoulders, neck and upper chest without dispersing the experience.

At the end, I want the client to feel that their upper body is more comfortable, their breathing freer and that they have a calm sense of relief, while maintaining the technical, careful and respectful character of the ritual.