Massage and Manual Therapy
1. Who can benefit from ‘Massage and Manual Therapy’ ?
Regular clients include amongst others …
- OFFICE WORKERS
- FARMERS
- HAIRDRESSERS
- DRIVERS
- BUILDERS / MANUAL LABOURERS
- MASSAGE & BEAUTY THERAPISTS
- ARTHRITIS SUFFERS
- ATHLETES
- SOLDIERS
2. How does this type of bodywork differ from other forms of massage?
This is much more than a relaxation / spa style massage. An orthopaedic style assessment process is used to rule out anything which may require medical attention or need a different type of therapy such as Physiotherapy, Chiropractic etc. This information is used to create a specific treatment plan which is reviewed according to your needs as the treatments progress over time.
This is a brief overview of each type of therapy I combine into a treatment …
- ADVANCED REMEDIAL MASSAGE … focused, deep, soft tissue massage and joint mobilisation techniques to help ‘remedy’ a musculoskeletal problem. Sports Massage is a type of remedial massage.
- HENDRICKSON METHOD… Massage and Manual Therapy for Orthopaedic conditions…a unique and highly effective system that combines joint mobilisation, muscle energy techniques and soft tissue massage into one.
- TUI-NA / Chinese Medical Massage … an ancient system of massage & manual therapy; includes kneading acupuncture points & manipulations.
- DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE .. and fascial release … a very slow deep massage, typically uses a massage wax for greater grip and slower glide.
- SOMATIC MOVEMENT ...gentle and very safe home exercise movements for quickly and easily releasing muscle tension.
- REMEDIAL EXERCISE … simple home stretching and strengthening exercises, sometimes using resistance bands.
3. Massage and Manual Therapy benefits
- Improved range of motion of joints and limbs
- Acceleration of soft tissue healing
- Reduction of pain and inflammation
- Reduction of muscle spasm which can interfere with normal movement
- Increase in well-being and enjoyment of life
4. What happens during an appointment ?
At the first appointment a consultation is undertaken to screen out anything which may require medical intervention or a different type of therapy such as physiotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic etc. This is followed by an assessment of the areas of discomfort and a general postural assessment. The information is recorded and used to formulate a treatment plan; this usually takes 15 to 20 minutes. That is followed by hands on treatment using one or a combination of the above mentioned massage / manual therapy techniques.
5. How many appointments will I need and how long are they ?
The first appointment is 75 minutes, can be 90 minutes or 2 hours. Includes : consultation / assessment / treatment. Injuries usually require a course of treatment ranging from two to three for a simple muscle strain … sometimes several treatments are needed over a number of weeks for more complicated issues. Regular maintenance treatments are effective in helping with chronic long standing issues. Home care advice is given to support you further.