Massage therapy can be used alongside conventional medicine to relieve tight muscles and rehabilitate injuries. For a person with no chronic illness or injuries, Swedish massage can be used to reduce stress and anxiety and for general enjoyment. Remedial massage, however, is a complementary therapy used to treat damaged muscles, tendons, ligaments or connective tissue.
A remedial massage therapist will work with you to locate and repair damaged areas of the body by applying pressure to deeply penetrate the damaged tissue. This technique helps to stimulate blood supply and speed up the body’s own healing process. They can help restore the correct position of the bones by balancing length, tone and tension of the muscles and tendons. They may also use stretching and strengthening exercises. Releasing muscle tension and working on length and tone can help to relieve headaches, abdominal pain, low back pain and sciatic pain caused by the damaged tissue.
Common issues remedial massage can help with include:
- Headaches
- Neck, shoulder or back pain
- Sports or other injury rehabilitation
- Injury prevention
- Chronic pain
- Arthritis
- Fatigue
- To help manage the side effects of diabetes or cancer
- Pain or tightness in any area of the body that does not seem to be improving on its own
- Poor posture
Before your session begins, your massage therapist will talk with you about your health, current lifestyle and the details of the reason for your visit. They will ask you to lie on the massage bed and cover you with towels to protect your privacy. They may use different creams and oils to help them massage the skin. Throughout your massage, they will check in with you regularly about the degree of pressure and how much pain you are feeling. Communication is important to ensure you get the most out of your session.
If you’re looking for a massage therapist in Brisbane, book an appointment with our experienced massage therapist Ji Young Thie, please call reception on 07 3852 4878 or book online. We have sessions available every Friday.
The information in this article has been adapted from:
Healthdirect: remedial massage therapy
This article was written by April Stevens BSc. MD student.
26th October 2021.