Remedial massage is a complementary therapy that aims to treat damaged, knotted, tense or immobile muscles of the body.
It has benefits for a range of problems that can affect muscles, tendons and bones.
What IS remedial massage?
Remedial massage is used to locate and repair damaged areas of the body and increase the body’s own healing processes.
Different pressures are applied ranging from strong and deep or gentle and shallow, depending on the problem, as part of the healing process.
Problems with the muscles can trigger or radiate pain to other parts of the body.
Remedial massage aims to trace the origin of this pain.
This enables the Therapist to tackle both the cause of the problem and the symptoms related to it.
What does a remedial massage involve?
Before the massage begins, your therapist will talk to you about your health and lifestyle. They will ask you to lie on a table or couch and will cover you with towels to protect your privacy and to keep you warm. They will probably use creams or oils to help them massage your skin smoothly.
The therapist will use a number of different techniques to locate and repair damaged areas of the body. They will deeply penetrate muscles associated with the problem. They might also stretch different parts of the body using different techniques.
The health benefits of Remedial Massage
* stimulate the blood supply
* make joints more mobile
* help repair damaged tissues
Your therapist will aim to balance the length, tone and tension of your muscles and tendons. This helps to restore correct position of bones, increases blood flow and helps to heal injuries.
Easing and stabilising your muscles can improve problems such as headaches, abdominal pain, low back pain and sciatic pain.
Some health problems that are often treated with Remedial Massage:
* sporting injuries
* dance injuries
* muscle cramps
* whiplash
* muscular atrophy
* fibrositis
* spondylitis
* arthritis
* frozen shoulder
Published by Natasha Buckley - Saltfleet Clinic Remedial Massage Therapist
Sources: Massage Therapy UK (Remedial massage), Federation of Holistic Therapists (Swedish massage), Medibank (Medibank’s remedial massage definition and requirements for benefit payment), Natural Therapy Pages (What Natural Therapies Qualify for a Medicare Rebate?), National Institutes of Health National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health (Introduction to massage); Health Direct Australia