Massage Therapy

MYOFASCIAL THERAPY
This type of therapeutic, manual massage therapy releases restrictions around joints and muscles in a tissue called fascia. These fascial restrictions act much like wearing clothing that is too tight and can restrict your movement. Releasing restricted fascia improves your range of motion, increases strength and decreases pain. There are several myofascial techniques that we employ to be effective. This is considered a type of deep tissue massage, but is non-invasive in most cases. In our office we use Myofascial Release (MFR) and Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy.

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE (MFR)
MFR is the three-dimensional application of sustained pressure and movement into the fascial system in order to eliminate fascial restrictions. Upon locating an area of fascial tension, gentle pressure is applied in the direction of the restriction. Myofascial release is an effective therapeutic approach in the relief of cervical pain, back pain, fibromyalgia, scoliosis, neurological dysfunction, restriction of motion, chronic pain, and headaches.

TRIGGER POINT THERAPY
Based on the discoveries of Drs. Janet Travell and David Simons in which they found the causal relationship between chronic pain and its source. Myofascial trigger point therapy is used to relieve muscular pain and dysfunction through applied pressure to trigger points of referred pain and through stretching exercises. These points are defined as localized areas in which the muscle and connective tissue are highly sensitive to pain when compressed. Pressure on these points can send referred pain to other specific parts of the body.

MEDICAL MASSAGE
Performing medical massage employs knowledge in pathology and utilizes specific treatments appropriate to working with pain, and recovery from injury. The massage therapist may work from a prescription from the chiropractor or as your sole healthcare provider to assess and treat muscle imbalances that are at the source of pain. Various manual massage techniques are used including stretching, electric trigger point stimulation, massage cupping and Kinesio Tape.

SPORTS MASSAGE
Sports massage is designed to enhance athletic performance and recovery. There are three contexts in which sports massage can be useful to an athlete: pre-event, post-event, and injury treatment. Pre-event massage is delivered at the performance site, usually with the athlete fully clothed. Fast-paced and stimulating, it helps to establish blood flow and to warm up muscles. During the massage, the athlete generally focuses on visualizing the upcoming event. Post-event massage is also delivered on site, through the clothes. The intent here is to calm the nervous system and begin the process of flushing toxins and waste products out of the body. Post-event massage can reduce recovery time, enabling an athlete to resume training much sooner than rest alone would allow. When an athlete sustains an injury, skillful massage therapy can often speed and improve the quality of healing.

ORTHOPEDIC MASSAGE
Combining some elements of sports and medical massage, orthopedic massage integrates several different modalities to treat soft-tissue pain and injury. Emphasis is placed on understanding both the injury and its rehabilitation criteria. Three basic elements adhered to, despite the technical diversity in treatment, are assessment, matching the treatment to the injury, and adaptability of treatment to reach maximum recovery.

KINESIO® TAPING METHOD
As seen in the 2008 Beijing Summer Games, Kinesio® Tex Tape Gold™ is an elastic therapeutic tape that will prolong the effects of your massage therapy session for as long as you wear it. It is meant to be worn for up to 5 days. And yes, it is water proof so you can wear it when you bathe. It is used to relax over-stressed muscles or to stimulate muscle contraction of weak or underused muscles. The right application will eliminate muscle imbalances and pain while taking excessive pressure off joints.

It is made from a gentle cotton fiber strip with 100% medical grade acrylic adhesive. With no latex, the tape can be worn for extended periods (3-5 days) with no skin irritation. It does not limit range of motion. The lifting effect of Kinesio® Tape improves circulation and reduces swelling.

ACTIVE ISOLATED STRETCHES – THE MATTES METHOD
Active isolated stretching is a method of muscle lengthening and of releasing tension in the myofascial tissue which encapsulates your muscles. It involves dynamic, facilitated stretching of all major muscle groups. In addition, it provides functional and physiological assistance to the restoration of superficial and deep fascial tissue.

Everyone is familiar with stretching. Leaning over to touch your toes stretches your hamstrings, holding your foot to your bottom stretches your quadriceps; right? Perhaps not! For many years, these prolonged, static (no movement) stretches were thought to be the gold standard. Active Isolated Stretching instantly improves range of motion by working with your body’s physiology. You’ll see and feel the difference instantly.