Massage Therapy
A massage therapy session is always crafted to fit an individual client’s needs and goals, as discussed with the therapist. Each therapist uses her own wealth of experience and training to inform what variety of techniques might best be used to help facilitate the body’s process of rehabilitation and renewal. For a description of each therapist’s skills and approach, please visit the Providers page.
Swedish/Relaxation
This type of massage is specifically designed to soften and lengthen muscles by applying strokes that flow in the direction of the heart. The intention is to support and facilitate the body’s natural process of elimination of metabolic waste and renewal of oxygenated blood to tissues, stimulate the circulatory process and calm the nervous system. This type of therapy can support general well-being, provide relief from the effects of stress and anxiety, and be an important part of self-care.
Varying amounts of pressure are used according to the pliability of the tissues. Techniques can include broad glides, light squeezing or compressions, and very gentle rocking or vibration.
Soft-Tissue Rehabilitation
Slower, more direct pressure is applied to isolated areas of muscle groups to facilitate the softening and lengthening of muscle fibers that are adhered and therefore working less efficiently, causing pain or limited range-of-motion.
What is commonly understood as “deep tissue massage”, Soft-Tissue Rehabilitation helps alleviate the sensation of irritation in deeper layers of tissue when various levels of pressure are applied to superficial layers of tissue, which, as they themselves rehabilitate, expose the underlying source of pain in a deeper muscle. “Deep tissue” often is mistaken for meaning “more pressure”. This is rarely the solution; rather, more anatomical precision and isolated, specific pressure produces more effective results.
Soft-tissue Rehabilitation may be a useful intervention for these symptoms: sharp or acute pain or injury, pain or discomfort in a specific portion of the body, pain that continually recurs after some activities and doesn’t go away, or pain that results from physical traumas, arthritis, skeletal asymmetry, overloaded muscles or repetitive stress injuries.
Rehabilitative techniques can include but are not limited to myofascial manipulation, trigger point therapy, cross-fiber friction and various western Style Swedish/relaxation techniques. The goal is always to help you relax!
Sports Massage
This is a good pre- or post-event therapeutic approach for those who participate in regular athletic activity to help maintain optimal efficacy of the body’s muscular system by helping decrease muscle spasms, stimulate tissues, and soften overused muscles. Its goal is to promote greater endurance and performance, lessen chances of injury, and make recovery time shorter and more effective.
Sports massage techniques can include the use of compression, friction, jostling, vibration, cross-fiber friction, tapotement, effleurage and petrissage strokes, usually applied with a faster, more assertive pace than traditional relaxation techniques. This allows the body to feel both relaxed and energized.
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