HAMPTON -- Melissa Klaus has great hands.

And there's a good reason for that.

Klaus is a licensed massage therapist working at the Healing and Wellness Center, located at 92 High Street in Hampton. She specializes in orthopedic rehabilitative relaxation massage, sports massage and stretching techniques.

Golfers, along with anyone else who may be suffering from a sports related injury, could profit from a few hours in Klaus' office. She said the benefits of such a massage for someone with an injury are improved performance, flexibility, balance and prevention of further injury, as well as improved proprioception, the sense of the position of parts of the body, relative to other neighboring parts of the body.

Klaus also performs relaxation and Wullstone massage, which has replaced the hot stone method. Unlike hot stones, the Wullstones are electronic, giving off continuous heat throughout the treatment. The result, according to Klaus, is a better, deep tissue massage that increases cell metabolism.

"It's using technology with nature," she said. "Nobody around here offers that."

Soon Klaus will be offering facial massages using the same technique, which she said also increases collagen production. The method can help reduce unseemly wrinkles.

After years working in the corporate world, Klaus decided she wanted to do something different with her life.

"I wanted to be able to do something to help people," she said.

Now, Klaus is helping others feel better about their whole being.

"Muscles hurt because they're not in balance," she said. "We literally start to go back into the fetal position. Massage can correct that."

Klaus said how often one should receive a massage is dependent upon each individual, adding she has clients she sees weekly, bi-weekly or once a month.

"It depends on what you've been through," she said. "It's dependent upon money, time and how much time one is going to invest in their own wellness. When I was in massage school I got a massage every week and I felt great."

Klaus offers a discount for those who come in for a massage more than once a month and that discount is extended to an entire household. And for those of you who are shy, you don't have to get naked to enjoy a massage; Klaus can just as easily do her work through gym clothes.

Yup, a massage sounds pretty good right about now. To schedule your appointment contact Melissa Klaus at (603) 969-1374