According to the theory behind Thai massage therapy, the body has ten lines of energy called sen, and the purpose of Thai massage is to release blockages along the sen to allow the energy to flow freely. Thai massage grew out of the Buddhist tradition and was developed in order to help Buddhist nuns and monks to sit for long hours in meditation by increasing their flexibility.

Thai massage therapy promotes increased flexibility and stress relief through joint mobilization, deep muscle compression, and acupressure. It may also help improve the following health problems:

Joint pain and stiffness
Muscle spasticity and pain
Tension headaches
Nonspecific back pain, both chronic and subacute