What is remedial massage and how it important for you
Humans often overlook the signs they receive from their bodies. For instance, if you have a stiff neck, you may not be able to make the connection between that and the tension in your shoulders or how you use your muscles. Because of this misunderstanding, it isn't until severe pain or tension has interfered with your daily routine that you realise how to make that connection.
Receiving a remedial massage will not only relieve your discomfort but will also allow your muscles to develop their full potential and improve your overall sense of well-being.
Basic Definition of Remedial Massage Therapy
Unlike pampering massages, remedial massage therapists investigate what is causing the discomfort and then provide treatment. This means that instead of just treating one area of the body, the remedial therapist evaluates the entire body and identifies the root cause of the discomfort. This sets remedial massage apart from traditional relaxation massage; remedial massage is used when discomfort is a prominent part of your life.
Remedial Massage Effects and Techniques
Remedial massage therapy is designed to treat tight, strained or injured muscles. The therapist will evaluate your movements and develop an individualised treatment plan based on your specific requirements. As every person has a unique body, each client will receive a distinct treatment.
| Remedial Massage Techniques | Focus points of this technique | Benefits of this technique |
|
Deep Tissue Work | Targets deep layers of muscle that regularly hold chronic tension | Improves overall movement, eases long-term tightness, and supports recovery from overuse |
Trigger Point Work | Aims to relieve small spots that radiate pain into surrounding areas | Softens stubborn knots, reduces referred pain, and reinstates normal muscle function |
Myofascial Release | Focuses on the connective tissue that can restrict and tighten movement | Eases body restriction, increases mobility, and improves posture |
| Cross-Fibre Friction | Works on areas that have mild scar tissue or are recovering from strain | Prevents tissue from becoming rigid, reduces body stiffness, and encourages healthy healing processes |
| Assisted Stretching | Remedies muscles that are fatigued or shortened | Improves overall flexibility, supports athletic performance, and lowers injury risk |
Besides treating injuries, this type of therapy can be used to prevent specific musculoskeletal issues. The ultimate purpose of having remedial massage therapy is preventative care. Keeping your entire body working at its optimal levels and improving overall life quality.
Every person, at some point in their life, will experience some level of pain; however, this does not mean that they have to go to a doctor. The mild to moderate levels of discomfort that people experience can usually be treated through understanding how the body works.
Remedial massage therapy helps people understand their bodies better and how to keep themselves healthy for many reasons. In addition, it gives clients many ways to improve upon their knowledge about the correct ways of stretching, protecting and maintaining their body's natural function.
Key Advantages of Remedial Massage Therapy
There are numerous benefits associated with remedial massage therapy. It empowers individuals to perform at higher levels of physical activity. Consequently, it provides them with a greater quality of life.
Pain relief
Using circulation improvement, pain from muscle tension in the back, neck and shobackinulders is significantly reduced. This allows for day-to-day activities to be much more manageable.
Injury recovery
Strains and sprains require time, care and movement to heal properly. Remedial massage therapy aids these three facets of recovery. It promotes healing, improves range of motion and reduces the risk of compensating for the injury with other areas of the body, which can result in compensatory pain.
Better movement
When muscles loosen and allow more range of motion in the body, it becomes easier for the body to move. People often notice they have greater neck rotation or can bend without pulling on their spine.
Improved posture
Long periods of sitting and standing can cause a body's alignment to become imbalanced. By releasing the tension in certain parts of the body, remedial massage allows weaker muscles to support the body and create a more balanced posture.
Stress relief
Although the work involved in remedial massage is medically oriented, the client typically experiences a relaxed feeling afterwards. Many clients report leaving a session feeling lighter both physically and mentally.
Why Do Athletes Use It
Athletes are pushing their bodies to their limits and need to take care of little injuries before they develop into larger complications. Remedial massage can help them recover from injuries faster, keep muscles ready to go and reduce unnecessary strain on the body. For an athlete, remedial massages are a part of their training programme, not just a luxury.
What To Expect During Your First Session
During your first appointment, your therapist will take time to understand your common discomforts, daily habits and history of injuries. An assessment of the location of the
problem follows this assessment. This may include light movement or touching to find out where the concern is located.
Following an assessment, the therapist will then begin their hands-on approach to treatment. As they provide treatment, they continually stay in communication with the person receiving treatment, continually checking in to ensure that the pressure applied is helpful and not too intense.
People who have received this type of treatment often feel looser and more connected to their physical body after a treatment session. Ongoing tension and/or long-term issues typically benefit from the continuation of periodic treatments to help maintain progress achieved during the restorative process.
Why A Personalised Approach To Treatment Matters
Every person's body is made up of a collection of experiences throughout life, whether they are from:
- Old injuries
- Stressful times in life
- Long hours spent commuting
- New training regimens
- Interrupted sleep cycles
Because of these many influences, remedial massage therapy is most effectively delivered as a personal treatment for each individual’s body. While receiving your massage, the therapist may find that one shoulder is elevated compared to the other, or one leg appears to be slightly different in length from the other leg, things that a person may not have been aware of unless pointed out to them by a therapist. By addressing these slight chronic misalignments early on, the risk for future pain is reduced; that is why many people include the use of remedial massage in their overall fitness plan for well-being.
How Back In Motion Assists With A Personalised Approach To Treatment
At Back In Motion, the clinics take a systematic approach that allows for remedial massage therapy to occur in conjunction with physiotherapy and exercise-based treatments. This method creates an efficient transition for individuals who may benefit from more than one treatment approach. The therapists at Back In Motion take the time to get to know each person's goals and needs; therefore, they are capable of creating an individualised treatment approach for each person, rather than a generic format. When necessary, the therapists work in tandem with physiotherapists, which helps to ensure clarity and continuity with the overall plan developed for the person.
Indications you should get a Remedial Massage
If you are experiencing recurring aches and pains or a persistent stiff neck and back, or if you have previously sustained an injury that keeps resurfacing due to strained muscles caused by physical stress from your daily routine, getting a treatment of remedial massage therapy is an excellent way to support your muscular system in resetting itself. It is not about having perfect movement; it is about helping to make everyday activity easier.
Interested In Taking Care Of Your Body Better?
If the idea of getting support through a therapist who understands how your body works and feels best is appealing to you, Back In Motion provides effective and personal treatment through therapists with both functional knowledge of the body and experience in treating people with comfort and function as their primary focus.
If you are looking to relieve your tightness and discomfort, regain your range of motion after an injury, or just want to feel better in your own skin, schedule an appointment with Back In Motion today and allow yourself to experience a week that has less strain and more confidence. A Back In Motion clinic can be found near you when you are ready to begin.