Remedial Massage

Massage therapy is the practice of kneading or manipulating a person’s muscles and other soft-tissue in order to improve their wellbeing or health. It is a form of manual therapy that includes holding, moving, and applying pressure to the muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia.

The term ‘massage therapy’ is used to describe a wide variety of techniques that vary in the manner in which touch, pressure and the intensity of the treatment is applied.

Massage for treatment of some disorders:

    Research indicates that massage is effective in managing:

    They can also be effectively used to support people with:

    • a chronic disease
    • a life threatening illness, such as cancer.

     

    Benefits of massage

    One of the immediate benefits of massage is a feeling of deep relaxation and calm. This occurs because massage prompts the release of endorphins – the brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that produce feelings of wellbeing.

    Levels of stress hormones, such as adrenalin, cortisol and norepinephrine, are also reduced. Studies indicate that high levels of stress hormones impair the immune system.

    Some of the physical benefits of massage and myotherapy include:

    • reduced muscle tension
    • improved circulation
    • stimulation of the lymphatic system
    • reduction of stress hormones
    • relaxation
    • increased joint range of motion
    • improved skin tone
    • improved recovery of soft tissue injuries
    • heightened mental alertness
    • reduced anxiety and depression.

     

    Some types of massage we offer are:

    Swedish, Relaxation, Deep tissue, Trigger point, Pregnancy massage and wonderful hot stone massage.

    Benefits of Hydrotherapy

    Hydrotherapy means ‘healing by water’.

    Exercise in our Clarence hydrotherapy pool has particular benefits for joints and muscles by:

    • Unloading of the weight of the body though the buoyancy of the water reduces stress on joints especially the lower back, hips knees and ankles.
    • Heating The warmth of the water allows for less pain, relaxation and ‘letting go’ of postural muscles to allow for better movement where stiff.
    • Compression of the skin with the pressure of the water, particularly when exercising, helps with return of fluid to the heart and reduces oedema.
    • Smooth resistance of muscles graded to suit all levels of fitness and swimming ability by varying the speed of movement. Equipment and water depth selection may be used to help increase range of movement, resist movement for strength, to stimulate better balance or a combination of these effects.
    • Practical function activities such as balance, walking, squatting and stepping exercises to be performed that may be too difficult to do otherwise. This hopefully will bridge the gap to improving land function too.

    Treatment Procedures

    It is usually best to have an assessment by our physiotherapist first to ascertain the extent of the problem and its limitations. Home exercises may also be of benefit and of course can be done more frequently. Advice may be given on how to better manage a condition, either to assist with healing, to try prevent recurrence, or to slow down progression.

    Sometimes further treatment or hydrotherapy alone may be needed, or treatment may be combined with hydrotherapy to maximise its effect. For example, pre-pool joint mobilisation / exercise may be needed to allow for better movement in the pool or enable the progression of exercises without aggravation.

    If safe and appropriate, an individual pool exercise programme may be prescribed to be continued in a group situation, without the need of a one-to-one physiotherapy session, so saving on costs. This is especially useful if it is found that “maintenance” exercises are necessary to control an ongoing problem.

    A pool ‘treatment’ session may be described as Aquatic Physiotherapy or Treatment and is charged as a land session, whereas maintenance is described as Hydrotherapy and is charged at a lesser group rate—so benefiting people who are trying to manage chronic, or long term problems.

    During the course of treatment it may be necessary to write to your doctor to inform him/her of your progress or outcome.