What is Therapeutic massage?
In a therapeutic setting, medical massage and non-medical massage are combined to cater to the individual’s needs. Each massage combines all modalities the Licensed Massage Therapist is trained in to manipulate the soft tissue and enhance overall health. Goals for each session are determined by the patient and the Licensed Massage Therapist.
Our licensed massage therapists use a variety of techniques to create a custom treatment plan:
- Active release/Concentric & Eccentric contraction: Educating patient with active or passive movement, or contraction and relaxation, of the muscle to reach desired goals of rehabilitating tissue and range of motion with massage.
- Deep tissue: Manipulating the soft tissue to affect the deeper layers of muscular structure. Fascia, tendons, and ligaments benefit from the deep warming sensations versus the misconception of just deep, hard pressure.
- Myofascial release: Manipulating the fascia to improve range of motion and promote future healing versus guarding. Most associated with trauma (falls, car accidents, injury).
- Neuromuscular: Most popular in balancing the central nervous system to incorporate neuroplasticity within the brain and muscular activity. Common association is “mind body awareness” for desired results.
- Range of Motion: The ability to contract and relax at the body’s potential. The measurement of range of motion is important when identifying realistic outcomes and goals of the patient.
- Swedish massage flushing: Gentle to effective pressure to increase flow of oxygen in the blood and release toxins. A gentle Swedish massage can reduce anxiety and stress due to promoting relaxation and breathing exercises.
- Trigger-point: A type of neuromuscular therapy focused on the protective mechanisms of the muscle belly when injured or overused. Precise and constant pressure (with or without movement) is applied to a latent or active trigger point (commonly referred to as a “knot”). Perceptions of the trigger point massage are associated with “good pain” or “uncomfortable happiness” after achieving the results.
What are the benefits of therapeutic massage?
According to the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, massage therapy relieves pain and stress, reduces anxiety and depression and promotes relaxation and well-being. Massage therapy may relieve the following symptoms:
- Arthritis and joint pain
- Back pain
- Fibromyalgia
- Headaches
- Muscle aches
- Muscle tightness
- Neck pain
- Sciatica
Additionally, massage can complement other treatments. For instance, it can reduce pain and depression in cancer patients and improve weight gain and development in premature infants.
