Treatments - Massage & Rehabilitation Clinic

What can we do for you?

Our treatments ensure you’re able to enjoy the important moments in life, to the full.

Diagnosis and Assessment

Our Massage Therapist will plan the treatment with the client and explain in detail the plan and procedure, which will most appropriately and specifically address the abnormality responsible to the client’s condition and presenting complaint. Prior to developing a treatment plan, a diagnostic assessment must be performed for the purpose of identifying as closely as possible the location, nature, severity, and cause of the pathology or abnormality from which the pain and/or dysfunction originates. Massage Therapists administer their extensive specialised training in soft tissue & musculoskeletal assessment procedures on a daily basis, enabling them to become efficient and effective in various rehabilitation programs.

Sports Massage

The prime purpose of sports massage therapy is to help alleviate the stress and tension, which builds up in the body’s soft tissues during physical activity. Where minor injuries and lesions occur, due to overexertion and/or overuse, massage can break them down quickly and effectively. Above all, it can help prevent those niggling injuries that so often get in the way of performance and achievement, whether one is an athlete, ardent keep-fitter or a once a week jogger. This treatment is not just for the sports person: anyone can benefit from sports massage, including people in physically demanding jobs and those not quite so obvious: occupational, emotional and postural stress may produce many similar characteristics to sports injuries.

Sports massage tends to be deeper and more intense. It is based on the various elements of Swedish massage and often incorporates a combination of other techniques involving stretching, compression, friction, toning, and trigger point response techniques similar to Acupressure and Shiatsu. The skilled therapist brings together this blend of techniques, knowledge and advice during treatment, to work effectively with the client to bring about optimum performance and to provide injury-free training and minimise post event injuries.

There are three areas where sports massage is used to benefit athletes.

Maintenance Massage

A regular massage treatment programme based on the therapist’s understanding of anatomy and of the muscles used in a given sport and which are likely candidates for trouble. By concentrating on particular muscle groups, the therapist can help the athlete maintain or improve range of motion and muscle flexibility.

Event Massage

Pre-event and post-event massage therapies are tailored for distinct purposes. Pre-event treatment is used as a supplement to an athlete’s warm-up to enhance circulation and reduce excess muscle and mental tension prior to competition. It is tailored to the needs of the athlete and his/her event and can be relaxing or stimulating as appropriate.

Post-event massage, on the other hand, is geared towards reducing the muscle spasms and metabolic build-up that occur with rigorous exercise. Various sports massage techniques enhance the body’s own recovery process improving the athlete’s ability to return to training and competition, and reducing the risk of injury.

Rehabilitation

Even with preventative maintenance muscles cramp, tear, bruise, and ache. Sports massage speeds healing and reduces discomfort during rehabilitation.

Soft tissue techniques employed by sports massage therapists are effective in the management of both acute and chronic injuries. Also Trigger point techniques reduce the spasm and pain that occur both in the injured and “compensation” muscles. Cross-fibre friction techniques can help with healing by improved formation of strong and flexible repair tissue, which is vital in maintaining full pain-free range of motion during rehabilitation. In all cases, such massage techniques are employed in collaboration with other appropriate medical care.

Neuromuscular Therapy

Neuromuscular Therapy, also known as Myofacial Trigger Point Therapy – applies concentrated thumb/finger pressure to “trigger points” to break cycles of muscle spasm and pain and to improve general function. These points are painful irritated areas in muscle, congested spots of muscle tissue and areas of restricted blood flow; these can put pressure on nerves, which may radiate pain to other areas. Treatment helps to normalise and eliminate the dysfunction.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep Tissue Massage is a technique that focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue. It aims to release the chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted areas. Deep friction Massage is highly specific to the function of disrupting adhesions that have formed or may be forming.

This type of treatment is used for maintaining or restoring painless mobility of musculoskeletal structures. It is considered indispensable in the treatment of many forms of tendonitis.

Deep tissue massage usually focuses on areas that are more specific and may cause some soreness or pain during or right after the massage, but if it is done correctly the client should feel better than ever within a day or two. The technique is often used in combination with other massage procedures such as those used in Remedial and Sports Massage.

Joint Mobilization Techniques

This involves movement of joints beyond the range performed voluntarily by a patient, either to overcome mechanical resistance or to produce motion in a different direction that cannot be produced through voluntary muscle activity. They are used where a restriction exists due to shortening and/or the formation of adhesions within the connective tissue structures associated with joints, such as occurs with osteoarthritis, traumatic arthritis, meniscal problems, filamentous sprains, frozen shoulder or adhesive capsulitis. This technique is intended to achieve a restoration of normal range of motion to encourage elongation of shortened components and to disrupt adhesions that have formed between adjacent structures.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage

More pleasant than it sounds, Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) helps to rid the body of toxins and excess lymph by stimulating the body’s lymphatic system using specific massage techniques.

The lymphatic system is a vital part of our immune system. Part of its function is to drain, transport, filter and remove broken down foreign substances and waste from our tissue.

This gentle, rhythmical, precise, massage-like technique gently moves lymph towards the lymph nodes, where the body can dispose of the waste more easily. The technique is also effective in releasing blockages of lymph flow, which can cause oedema (swelling of the tissues). Other benefits of the treatment are said to include clearer skin, a better immune system and boosted vitality.

Deep Lymphatic Drainage

There has been little, if any, direct focus on the deep lymphatic system. Most methods of stimulating lymphatic function predominantly affect the superficial system. Deep breathing, various exercises and movements aimed at increasing muscular activity, cannot effectively clear all congestion that can occur in the deeply seated lymph nodes and lymphatic vessels. All body organs have deep lymphatic drainage. Both deep and superficial channels are integral parts of the lymphatic system. The smaller superficial channels converge to form bigger vessels feeding into the deep lymphatic trunks, usually near the deep fascia, that drain to the thoracic duct or the right lymphatic duct.

Often, deep drainage pathways from different areas of the deep organs flow in different directions. They can drain to different parts of a particular node, to different nodes in the same chain or even to completely different chains. Regions of most of the organs lying on or near the midline, such as lungs, diaphragm and heart, follow different pathways either to the thoracic duct or to the trunks feeding into right lymphatic duct.

Most techniques currently used predominantly access the superficial system. The skin and subcutaneous tissue are the areas that directly respond to complex physical therapy (CPT). Clinical experience now indicates that these deep areas can be reached and effectively stimulated by using deeper Lymphatic massage techniques to the target area, and is considered highly effective in the release of blocked lymphatic waste products.

Benefits of Deep Lymphatic Therapy

The major benefits of using deep lymphatic drainage therapy to stimulate the lymphatic system include: People breathe easier and more deeply. Symptoms mimicking a heart attack (checked by a doctor) disappeared in a patient. Severe generalised fluid retention due to congestive cardiac failure, including large fluid folds overhanging both ankles, was successfully alleviated and quality of life restored in a patient. Treatment of clients with this problem is contraindicated in most methods of lymphatic drainage. Significant reductions have occurred in swelling / lymphedema of arms and legs, in most cases without the use of compression garments. Clients with generalised fluid retention affecting both limbs and gut have reduced one to three dress sizes. Breasts became less swollen and more comfortable. Usually, both urine and bowel flow improve. Energy levels increase; symptom relief is often experienced over an extended period. Thus, clinical experience indicates that deep lymph stasis, blockages in lymph nodes and nodal complexes, can be effectively released using Deep Lymphatic Therapy.

Trigger Point Therapy

Trigger Point Therapy is used in the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal dysfunction and the elimination of active and satellite trigger point activity. A trigger point is a hypersensitive area in a muscle; its tendon or facia. Usually the trigger point is not in the area of the pain, yet pressure over the trigger point will elicit pain in the referred area.

Trauma is a common cause of trigger points by direct injury, stretching or contraction. Once these sensitive regions form, repeated muscular stress will activate pain in the reference zone.

To treat musculoskeletal problems and certain internal organ pain, many doctors, massage therapists, physios and chiropractors administer Remedial Massage techniques using Trigger Point Therapy.

Remedial Massage

Remedial Massage focuses on the body’s soft tissue areas and is one of the most effective and readily available ways to prevent and treat muscle injuries, pain and soreness. The massage is based on the fact that soft tissue, muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia, respond to touch. Most pain is myofascial (soft tissue) in origin. Trigger points can mimic many conditions. Muscles not only move our joints, they stabilise them, and they provide armour for the internal organs. Minor problems with these functions cause more pain than most people realise. Most headaches originate in the muscles of the neck and head.

Much of the pain of conditions such as angina comes from the hyperactive contraction of the chest muscles. Trigger points in the abdominal and pelvic muscles can cause much abdominal and pelvic pain. Low back pain and sciatic pain are far more likely to originate in muscles than in vertebral disc problems.

Although many clients who consult a remedial massage therapist have pain as a result of specific injuries (whiplash, falls, sports injuries, etc), repetitive strain injuries, and other work-related problems, the vast majority originates in postural alignment problems that sometimes go back to childhood and adolescence.

Skilled Specialists

Many Remedial Massage therapists have attained additional training, which usually includes more in-depth study and qualifications in anatomy and physiology. This extra knowledge and understanding will enable the massage therapist to carry out an assessment and provide appropriate treatment for a wide variety of conditions.

It is always advisable to consult a doctor before receiving a massage for specific conditions that may not be related to soft tissue.

Treatment employs massage techniques designed to treat both deep and superficial tissues, not dissimilar to those used in sports massage. The remedial massage therapist uses skilled manipulation combined with in-depth knowledge of anatomy and physiology to bring about pain relief, correcting and normalising the body’s muscles and soft tissues.

Swedish & Therapeutic Massage

Massage can be defined as the systematic and manual manipulation of the body’s soft tissue for therapeutic purposes promoting health and well-being. Massage has evolved from a combination of Eastern and Western traditions. By far the greatest advancement of therapeutic massage recorded in history was by a Swedish physiologist named Per Henrik Ling (1776-1839), who created a scientific system of massage movements and techniques known as Swedish massage. This consists of five basic strokes: effleurage (stroking), petrissage (kneading), friction, tapotement (percussion) and vibration, though all of these strokes are not used on every part of the body.

Today, massage is a multidimensional skill encompassing a wide variety of ever evolving techniques, many of which have their roots in the Swedish system. The public is now very aware of the value of massage in combating the stresses and tensions of modern living. Athletes, sports people and dancers include massage in their training schedules to aid recovery and to prevent or treat soft tissue injuries.

Most massage therapists utilise Swedish massage as the foundation for a treatment and blend in various techniques, depending upon training and experience, to address the specific needs of the client. In general, the manipulation of the body’s soft tissue (i.e. the skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia) using the hands is a gentle, flowing massage technique that uses varying degrees of pressure and stretching movements. It is most commonly used for relaxation and improving well-being.

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation

A group of techniques used to facilitate or inhibit muscle contraction or responses. Techniques activate muscle spindles, sensitive to velocity and length changes. Muscle spindle provides input to higher centres. This facilitates or enhances muscle contraction due to largely peripheral reflex effects (facilitates agonist, inhibits antagonists, facilitates synergists, reciprocal innervations effects). Basically, this means the tension of the muscle is reset via the brain. This is important for rehabilitation work to increase range of motion and strength. Another important place for PNF is prevention. It strengthens the muscles to support and help stabilise the joints, which is important in intensive sport training. It consists of stretching techniques with a trained therapist.

Get in touch

If you require further information or would like to book an appointment, please get in touch.