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What Will Happen During My Appointment?

At the start of your first appointment I will perform a basic health and lifestyle screening, and we will discuss the reasons for your visit. If you have a specific complaint or injury I will do a simple (and painless) assessment of your posture and range of joint movement. My intention is to gather as much information about your unique situation so that I may provide the most appropriate form of injury treatment and advice. If you have come to de-stress, my treatment will consist of techniques to induce relaxation.

At the end of the session I will provide further advice and information or self-help techniques (if appropriate), and we will discuss the need for future appointments. Please bear in mind: massage is one of the most effective forms of treatment for soft tissue injuries and can provide instant relief in many cases. However, if you have spent years slouched at a desk or computer, under stress, running 50+ miles a week, etc., then massage cannot fix it all in one session. Often the remedy will also require work on your part in between sessions.

Many different types of massage and bodywork techniques exist in the world today. Some are ancient and some are newer froms that have origins in the old. The following are the types of massage that may be used during your treatment:

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. The five basic strokes are effleurage (sliding or gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (cross fiber) and vibration/shaking. Swedish massage has shown to be helpful in reducing pain, joint stiffness and stress and in improving function, relaxation and feelings of well-being. It has also been shown to be helpful in individuals with poor circulation. The development of Swedish massage is credited to Per Henrik Ling, though the Dutch practitioner Johan Georg Mezger adopted the French names to denote the basic strokes. The term "Swedish" massage is not really known in the country of Sweden, where it is called "classic massage".

Sports Massage

Sports massage is a form of Swedish massage delivered to athletes and regular exercisers and emphasizes prevention and healing of injuries, optimal performance and recovery after events or workouts. Therapists focus on soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments) and their function, and an excellent knowledge of functional anatomy and physiology is needed. Treatment will help to increase blood and lymphatic fluid flow, reduce and eliminate pain as well as tender trigger points, and increase range of motion of joints. Sports massages can be broken into 4 distinct types - pre-event sports massage, post-event sports massage, restorative sports massage and rehabilitative sports massage. As the names indicate, each type of sports massage has a different focus for the athlete as they are delivered at different times during their training and performance schedule. Because sports massage focuses on body mechanics, it is also beneficial for anyone experiencing pain or discomfort from non sports related injuries, poor posture and work or stress related conditions.


Deep Tissue Massage

Deep Tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity, such as athletes, and patients who have sustained physical injury. It is also not uncommon for receivers of deep tissue massage to have their pain replaced with a new muscle ache for a day or two. Deep tissue work varies greatly. What one calls deep tissue another will call light. When receiving deep tissue work it is important to communicate what you are feeling.[2]

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release is a form of soft tissue therapy that address the fascia, the connective tissue that provides support for most structures within the body, including muscle. The fascinating aspect of fascia is that it physically links different parts of the body via the shared connective sights, such as joints and tendons. Myofascial release can incorporate a lighter more superficial touch and is very useful when deep tissue is too invasive or painful.



[1] Content Copyright ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC dba MassagePlanet.com
[2] Content Obtained from Wikipedia.com.