Massage
Soft Tissue Massage / Mobilisation
Chartered Physiotherapists are highly trained and skilled in soft tissue massage.
What is massage?
Massage is a “hands-on” treatment in which a therapist mobilises and manipulates soft tissues of the body, ie muscle, fascia etc to improve health and well-being. There are many different types of massage.
Relaxing Massage
Usually carried out by masseurs and beauticians, frequently in spas, and as the name suggests it is a relaxing technique designed to de-stress and relax the body and mind.
Most people can do some form of self massage or massage on a friend or family member without harm.
If massaging at home the important things to remember are:
- Mould your hand to the body part
- Use firm but even pressure
- Do not just rub over the skin, move the flesh beneath
- Do not massage over bone but stay over muscle and soft tissue
- Keep contact with the body, if you keep breaking contact it is un-nerving and breaks the relaxation
- Use oil to reduce friction – depending on the desired effect, eg: relax muscle, induce sleep etc., select suitable aromatherapy oils
Therapeutic Massage
Massage has been practiced as a healing therapy for centuries in nearly every culture around the world.
Effects
There are a huge number of benefits to therapeutic massage:
- Relieve muscle tension, and relax tight or knotted muscles
- Reduce stress in muscles and hence body
- Improve circulation and increase flow of oxygen and nutrients to cells
- Remove unwanted waste products or toxins from muscles and cells
- Reduce swelling
- Promote healing
- Break down adhesions and scars
- Release Myofascial Trigger Points
- Stimulate healing of injured tissues
- Increase range of joint motion and flexibility
- Improve skin condition and muscle tone
- Strengthen immune system by stimulating lymph flow in body
- Improved energy levels by improving oxygenation of muscles, decreasing pain etc.
- Reduce chronic pain
- Enhance immunity through lymph flow stimulation
Although massage affects the body as a whole, it particularly influences the activity of the musculoskeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, and nervous systems.
Conditions
- Many conditions may benefit from therapeutic massage.
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic or long term aches and pains
- Sports injuries, hamstring, groin, calf etc
- Neck & Back Pain
- Headaches
- Repetitive strain injuries (RSI)
- Whiplash and accidents
- Arthritis (Rheumatoid and osteo)
- TMJ or jaw complaints
- Foot Pain
- Frozen shoulder and other joint pains
- Lymphoedema
Types of Soft Tissue Massage and Mobilisation
- Deep Transverse Frictions
- Myofascial Trigger Point Release
- Fascial Release
- Effleurage
- Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)