Stuart, FL Spa and Massage

At jon-michele's Massage Therapy, candlelight illuminates calming yellow and cocoa tones as therapists John Kihm and Michelle Johnson deploy an array of massages. Both kneading experts graduated from Space Coast Health Institute, and John went on to complete an internship with the Washington Nationals. The therapists specialize in the injury-assuaging strokes of sports massage, but also employ modalities such as Swedish massage to melt muscle tension more quickly than a radiator melts Legos. Deep-tissue massages delve into tension, hot stones warm targeted points for intense unwinding, and couples and pregnancy massage tend to tense twosomes.

Dr. Luis Del Rio and the crew at Infinite Health & Spine Center not only relieve structural and muscular issues with traditional chiropractic adjustments, but also attempt to stop pain before it starts. The clinic's own weight-loss program, ChiroThin, can alleviate some of the pressure placed on spines and muscles, sparing clients future back problems. When pain is already present, licensed massage therapists knead bodies with five different types of massage. The entire staff is bilingual, so they can consult with patients in either Spanish or English, though a single syllable of Italian makes them cry in confusion.

It's fitting that so many of the clients at White Orchid Spa are tourists—the 6,000-square-foot space resides in the AAA four-diamond Vero Beach Hotel—since a visit to the spa is a journey unto itself. After donning robes and sandals, visitors can select one of 12 therapeutic and medical massages, which incorporate seashells, warmed bamboo shoots, and ylang-ylang flower oil. Massages aren't the only service enhanced with natural touches: Aestheticians also use sulfate-free Éminence products and other organic ingredients in body treatments, including scrubs and wraps blended with Dead Sea mud and green-tea extract, 10 types of facial treatments, and mani-pedis that soften the skin with a black-sesame scrub. Guests can take advantage of a salon complete with bridal services and eyelash extensions as well as the facility's med-spa treatments—from dermal fillers that smooth or plump skin to VelaShape treatments that reduce the appearance of cellulite and bumps that might just be clinging koalas.

After suffering from a number of painful complications tied to an allergic reaction, Quiet Touch's owner Jennifer Apolinario says that massage therapy was what made her feel whole. Trigger-point massage helped to relieve severe migraines, and craniosacral therapy worked to restore balance after being paralyzed on her left side. She opened Quiet Touch to share the healing power of touch through massage sessions rather than by high-fiving every sad-looking person she passes. She incorporates Biofreeze products during joint massage to restore flexibility with a cooling sensation similar to an ice pack. Paraffin dips, which for Apolinario relieved the stiffness from rheumatoid arthritis, envelop hands and feel in soothing warmth.