What to expect during your first appointment
You will be asked to fill out a health questionaire / screening form prior to the session in order for me to assess which types of massage would best fit your goals.
During the session you will occasionally be asked for feedback of pressure tolerance and comfort level.
Feedback is always encouraged and helps to maximize your benefit for the session.
Your modesty is my priority and permission will be requested first, if areas such as the gluteals need to be addressed for appropriate reasons ie, lower back concerns, piriformis syndrome / sciatica. Only the area worked on will be uncovered temporarily.
You may be asked to change positions (from lying on your stomach to your back) halfway during the session, but you will be draped during your transition.
At the end of the session I will formally complete it with a verbal “Thank you”. At that point the therapist will leave the room so you may get dressed.
Finally we will go over the outcome of the session and decide for future visits if necessary.
You will be reminded to drink water after the session to assist in removing freed toxins from the body released by the tissues during the massage.
WHAT IS A MASSAGE LIKE?
SMOOTH BEGINNINGS…
While receiving your Massage, you will experience a blend of high quality lotions or creams applied to your skin with long, smooth strokes gliding over your muscles. These strokes increase your blood circulation, flow of “lymph” (a fluid which moves toxins out of cells), as well as increasing the efficiency of your digestive and urinary systems. These benefits alone will support your bodyÕs natural functions of nutritional absorption, immunity, and skin elasticity and tone.
GOING DEEPER…
When your muscles are warmed up, the pressure can become deeper with a more specific intent. These deeper strokes address the tension and soreness in each particular muscle with circular, gliding, horizontal, longitudinal or vibrational movements. The nerves stop sending pain signals, the muscle fibers and connective tissue (called fascia) begin to be realigned. In addition to this, the adhesions and scar tissue (commonly called “knots”) begin to break down, releasing the muscle from the toxins and inhibiting tissue that are causing your pain and stiffness. Working in this way also prevents the formation of adhesions and scar tissue, which will help prevent further pain and speed recovery if an injury has occurred. You will sink into relaxation even further when you breathe deeply as you are stretched to give space for the joints, encourage the production of synovial fluid, and help release the muscles from tension and pain even more.
FINISHING TOUCHES…
After the deeper work, rhythmic, percussive movements with the fingertips or soft fists may be applied. Your therapist will move across the area just worked to increase the surface blood supply and stimulate the nerves. You will then be lightly brushed to give a sense of closing, deep relaxation, and cleansing.
The Art and Science of Relaxation
Therapeutic Massage is a dynamic Wellness Tool and an excellent way to give yourself or someone you care about the Gift of Relaxation.
What Can Massage Therapy Do For You?
• Induce relaxation and increases restful sleep;
• Revitalizes and restores energy;
• Increased circulation to the heart, brain and extremites;
• Stimulates the lymphatic system thereby supporting the natural immune defenses;
• Increased oxygen and nutrients to the muscle tissue, organs and skin glands;
• Relief of chronic pain and specific conditions (eg. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, fibromyalgia, injuries, surgeries);
• Stimulates the digestive system and flushes out toxins;
• Loosens the tissues and adhesions;
• Improve mobility and range of motion;
• Release tight muscles and improve posture;
• Safe tactile contact can play an important role in the therapeutic activities during times of grieving, stress or transition;
Enhances your overall sense of wellbeing;
Conditions That Massage Can Help Alleviate:
Chronic Pain:
Many of the most dramatic success stories regarding massage have been about chronic pain relief. Sufferers of tendonitis, whiplash, TMJ disorder, carpal tunnel, headaches, back pain and other chronic pain have reported relief. The AMOUNT OF PRESSURE, used is always in your control – the therapist will work with you to determine the pressure that is effective for you. Techniques vary depending on the part of the body reporting the chronic pain. All therapeutic strategies are designed with you, the therapist will not do a procedure ‘to you’. Your massage will include some or all of the following:
• WARMING: The muscles are loosened and warmed through kneading strokes.
• BREAKING DOWN ‘KNOTS’: “Knots” known as adhesions, and scar tissue from injury can limit your range of motion and cause pain. Techniques are used that work across and along the fiber of the specific muscle(s) related to your pain. This may include muscles on the opposite side of the muscle in pain, as well as any muscles effected by compensation.
• DEEP TISSUE: A widely used technique to break down adhesions in the muscle fascia (the white tissue in between the muscles). Deep Tissue often gives the wonderful feeling that “all the wrinkles are being ironed out”.
• JOINT MOBILIZATION: The therapist will gently rotate your joints within their range of motion as you completely relax. This attention to your joints encourages the production of synovial fluid (the lubrication inside the joints) and promotes flexibility.
• TRIGGER POINT THERAPY: Finding certain “hot spots” where the pain is intensified, the therapist will work with your breathing to relieve the pain.
• STRETCHING: To further the relaxation and circulation of the muscle the area(s) is stretched while you completely relax. Sometimes the therapist will ask you to resist in the opposite direction before stretching – a way of breaking the patterns in the nervous system telling the muscle to be habitually tense.
• PASSIVE STRETCHING: While you fully relax, the therapist will gently stretch a part of the body while you breathe deeply. Many clients find passive stretching a powerful technique to achieve deep relaxation.
Injury and Post Rehabilitation:
After injury or surgery, a client typically goes through a rehabilitation program under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist, orthopedic physician, or chiropractor. After discharge from the initial rehab program, the client is usually in need of further therapy by a professional to maintain and improve the function gained in their rehab program. Post-rehab services aim to be the beginning phase of the long-term management of various medical conditions.
Mobile Massage and Home Fitness provides both Therapeutic Massage and Medical Exercise to post-rehab clients who have medical clearance and a referral from their licensed physical therapist, physician or chiropractor.
Post-Rehab Services draw from both Medical Exercise and Therapeutic Massage and include:
• A Fitness Assessment (Functional Component Included)
• Strength Training
• Flexibility Training
• Functional Conditioning (work/sports/ADL specific training)
• Spinal Stabilization Training (To improve overall trunk stability)
• Neuromuscular Therapy
• Soft Tissue Release
• PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) Techniques
• Joint Mobilization
Stress:
Stress can come from our accelerated pace of life, major changes, interpersonal conflict and for a multitude of reasons. Stress related muscle tension often develops into headaches or chronic pain in the neck, back, and shoulders. Stress can also impact your ability to have a restful night of sleep. Massage interrupts the stress cycle and induces the “Relaxation Response” taking your body into a deep state of recovery and relaxation.
Repetitive Strain Injuries:
Massage can reduce pain, Trigger Points, muscle tension and swelling / inflammation. It can help improve range of motion, circulation, lymphatic flow, and posture.
Back Pain:
Massage reduces pain and muscle tension in strained or injured tissue. It improves circulation, increases the range of motion, flexibility, and the flow of oxygen and nutrients to muscles.
Sciatica:
Massage can reduce pain and release tight muscles, increase circulation and range of motion, prevent recurrence.
Headaches / Migraines:
Massage can reduce pain and alleviate Trigger Points, increase circulation to tight scalp, neck and shoulder muscles, prevent recurrence.
TMJD / Tempromandibular Joint Dysfunction:
Massage can reduce pain and inflammation, release contracted jaw, neck and scalp muscles, reduce frequency and intensity of headaches associated with TMJD.
Fibromyalgia:
Massage is one of the few therapies that can help people suffering with Fibromyalgia. Massage can reduce pain, help alleviate depression and insomnia, relax contracted muscles, relieve headaches and stress.
Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy is the use of pure essential oils derived from plant flowers, leaves, and fruit rinds for aromatic and medicinal purposes. Research has concluded that essential oils can be used to facilitate the healing of injured skin, reduce inflammation, reduce pain, reduce anxiety, improve symptoms of depression and induce relaxation. And they smell wonderful!
During your massage you may choose an Aromatherapy blend massage oil. This will give you the benefits of therapeutic massage enhanced by the therapeutic properties of the specific Aromatherapy oils used.
The Meaning of Therapeutic Massage
Massage has been around since the beginning of time. Massage and healing has a long and interesting history. There are currently over 75 different types of massage healing work and body work. What is very interesting about massage is that it is instinctive. It is natural to rub out our aches and pains. Massage has a long list of benefits. Some of those are any where from preventing injury to slowing the progress of an illness to rehabilitation and as simple as relaxation.
The most popular massage in the western world is Swedish massage. Swedish massage is a systematic and scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body. The purpose of this massage is for maintaining good health. Swedish massage is often described as organized and intentional touch. The movements of the therapist are intentional and require knowing how the body responses to the scientific application of massage.
Massage therapy is not only a science but an art and a two way conversation. The person giving the massage will ‘read’ the body, find the spots that deserve attention. Meanwhile to person getting a massage can direct the massage therapist to specific spots. The best way to get proficient at giving a massage is to practice. Several factors must be considered for each massage; intention, touch, pressure and depth, direction, speed, and sequence. Each will be discussed further below.
Intention – The intention of the session is one of the most important questions. Does the person deserve to relax, wake up, sooth an injury, or relieve stress.
Touch – Touch before and after a massage can provide a moment of connection between both parties.
Pressure and Depth – Pressure is the amount of force applied to the body while depth is how far you push into the body. Pressure and depth will vary for every person.
Direction – Down and forward, inward and up, back and forth; each direction will provide different pressure, depth, and sensations.
Speed – Rapid movements will stimulate, while slow movements will relax.
Sequence – The order of strokes and speed to cater to each specific clients desires.
Exactly how safe is massage therapy?
Massage has become popular in the past years because it is one of the safest types of complementing medicine and especially physical therapy. It is very unlikely that a well-trained therapist will harm a client. The majority of claims of injury are bruising and other minor injuries to the soft tissues of the body.
