Therapeutic Massage

Massage therapy?

Massage therapy works by engaging and manipulating skin, muscles and connective tissues of the body, both superficial and deep. This movement of the tissues causes an increase in blood flow, which warms the area and brings nutrients and oxygen, it also works specific points in the muscles which may be contracted releasing them, which reduces restriction in movement and pain.

Massage also has a very soothing response on the nervous system, and the body as a whole.

What conditions can be helped by massage therapy?

• Stress
• Tension headaches
• Migraines
• Muscular aches and pains
• Stiff joints
• Insomnia
• Tingling in hands and feet
• TMJ Disfunction
• OOS / RSI
• Enhance general well being

Some Benefits of Massage

• Increases Circulation - Increasing the flow of blood to the tissues brings more oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and speeds the removal of cellular wastes.
• Decreases Muscle Tension - Massage causes a relaxation response that can reduce tension related aches and pain and reduce stress hormones. Deep tissue massage increases blood flow and softens tight contracted muscles releasing spasms and tension that can cause headaches etc.
• Increases Joint Mobility - Muscles around joints can become very tight and restrict movements; by releasing and stretching muscles around a joint movement can be increased. Also some tissues of the body can become stuck to each other, massage can help break these adhesions freeing the tissues to work more efficiently.
• Speeds Recovery - After exercise lactic acid builds up in the muscles, massage brings blood more quickly to breakdown and remove these wastes, reducing recovery time and pain.
• Enhances General Health - Receiving massage on a regular basis, especially when you feel good decreases stress hormones, keeps the muscles softer and relaxed longer, reduces headaches and increases the blood flow to the entire body, keeping it in healthy.

Your initial Visit

A full client history will be taken, including past injuries, occupation etc; this information gathering will take around 10-15 minutes.

A posture analysis will be done and some range of movement tests may be done to identify which muscles need treatment. These tests will be reassessed to show improvement

Treatment may consist of a combination of modalities including:

• Relaxation Massage - Slow massage with long flowing strokes to increase blood flow and stimulate a relaxation response. (Swedish massage)
• Therapeutic Massage - Similar to relaxation massage techniques but used with more speed and depth to warm and release the muscles with some pressure point work. (Shiatsu massage)
• Neuromuscular Therapy - Very specific muscle work addressing many more muscles superficial and deep with specialised techniques. Treating the body as a whole looking at Postural analysis and creating therapeutic treatments specific to each client releasing muscle spasms, trigger points, and improving posture to reduce pain and restore movements e.g. chronic pain, tension headaches and RSI.
• Ortho-Bionomy - a very gentle therapy that can be done over clothes, involves placing the body in specific positions with no pressure to allow the body to release the muscles on its own, it is Great for acute cases when deep touch is too painful.
• Lypmhatic Drainage - is a modality where the idea is not to increase blood flow but only to increase the function of the lymphatic system, which removes excess fluid from the tissues e.g. swelling and oedema. This means pressure is extremely light.
• Myo-Fascial Release - all our muscles are wrapped by connective tissue called fascia, it is made of the same tissue as tendons and ligaments, by performing stretches on the fascia we can release the binding around each muscle to gain an effective and lasting release from the muscle itself.

 

Back to Top