Treatments

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What is Swedish Massage?

Swedish Massage is also known as classic massage. Long sweeping movements are used to relax muscles and ease congestion in the tissues, small circular movements to loosen adherent skin, knots and break up scar tissue. Muscles are picked up, kneaded, rolled and wrung to stimulate nerves, accelerating blood and lymph flow. Striking movements are used to stimulate muscles and improve circulation. A combination of the Swedish movements are used depending on what the treatment is aiming to achieve.

 

Swedish massage forms the basis for all other massage work as well as other therapies e.g. physiotherapy, chiropractic and reflexology. It has been accredited to being invented by a Swedish fencer called Per Henrik Ling in the 1800's. He was the first person to develop a scientific approach to massage based on physiological function. In 1813, the first college was established in Stockholm offering massage as part of the curriculum. Following this, Dr Johann Mesger from Holland continued Ling's work and helped bring massage to the scientific community.

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What is Swedish Massage good for?

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Swedish Massage can be used slowly and gently to soothe and relax (relaxation massage) or it can be deeper and quicker to stimulate and invigorate. The aim is to improve overall wellbeing - mental, emotional and physical. As Swedish Massage can ease pain, stiffness and muscle spasms as well improve sleep quality, induce relaxation and improve feelings of being able to cope, it can help with such conditions as:

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Arthritis

Anxiety

Chronic Fatigue / ME

Depression

Fibromyalgia

Low back pain

Muscle spasms / tension

Sleep issues

Stress

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What is Kinetic Chain Release (KCR)?

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Kinetic Chain Release is a simple yet extremely effective system of medically recognized and approved, gentle joint mobilizations and stretches, developed by Scottish Physiotherapist Hugh Gilbert, that brings the physical body back into balance quickly and easily, frequently providing a high degree of relief and even instant resolution in many cases from the pain and discomfort caused by conditions such as:

Chronic Back Pain; Fibromyalgia; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Chronic Fatigue Syndrome; Irritable Bowel Syndrome; Migraine Headaches; Scoliosis; Teeth Clenching/grinding; Snoring/Sleep Apnoea; Bloating; Tennis(golfer’s) Elbow; Behavioural Disorders in Children; Weak(frequently sprained) Ankles;Chronic Knee Problems;Breathing difficulty;Chronic neck pain: Plantar Fasciitis; Chronic Stress;Menstrual Pain; Tired Shoulders; recurrent hamstring issues;recurrent groin strain; Tight Calves; Insomnia; Wrist pain and weakness; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD).

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This simple procedure is revolutionising physical rehabilitation globally, often achieving complete and lasting results in one treatment in many people where all other forms of intervention had proven unsuccessful.

If you are involved in sport at any level, then the balancing beneficial effect of KCR on your will help to improve your enjoyment and overall performance.

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Some of the benefits of KCR include:

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Allows your Body to Return to Balance

Gentle, Non-Invasive, Safe for All Ages

Relief from Chronic Pain

Increased Energy Levels

 Sports Improvement

 Everyone can receive and benefit from KCR from the very young to the old.

KCR can bring the body back into balance, alleviating problems such as weak ankles, knee problems, hip and joint pain, pelvic discomforts, back, shoulder and neck pain, TMJ, and headaches

Energy levels will increase dramatically when the body is in balance

 

 Who Can Benefit from KCR?

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Everyone who is living in a physical body from the very young to the old.

By following this protocol you can bring the body back into balance, alleviating problems such as weak ankles, knee problems, hip and joint pain, pelvic discomforts, back, shoulder and neck pain, TMJ, and headaches. Energy levels will increase dramatically when the body is in balance.

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A recent review following KCR :

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"In July 2019, after several years of back pain brought on by running, I began therapy with Stuart.

I was not confident the treatment would have any effect because I’d never tried anything like KCR before.

Stuart is highly professional, but also very relaxed, explaining everything he is doing as he works. I  feel the tension lifting from my body and mind during the treatment, and I remain tension-free for days afterwards.

After just two sessions my back pain eased and I have enjoyed pain-free running ever since. I would recommend Stuart to anyone who seeks relief from pain, discomfort or stress."

Patrick Cullen 

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“If you think it can’t help you… think again”

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What is Myofascial Release?

Myofascial Release (MFR) is a type of soft tissue massage incorporating stretching and elongating of the connective tissues such as fascia. It is a powerful method of releasing tension from problem areas such as the neck, the diaphragm, lower back and pelvis. Myofascial Release is a safe, effective, hands-on technique, involving gentle sustained pressure and stretching into the myofascial connective tissue. This helps to eliminate pain and restore motion.

Myofascial release usually begins with a gentle massage which is designed to warm and loosen muscles. As the therapist works, he or she identifies areas of tension which require further attention, and will return to those areas to stretch and work the fascia. Sometimes myofascial release can be quite intense, especially in the case of muscles which are holding a great deal of tension and stress.

The time factor for this therapy is important, often a stretch of the fascia may be held for 3 - 5 minutes and so the therapist must be patient and use appropriate body weight to maintain the stretch for the suitable length of time. The time element has to do with the viscous flow and the piezoelectric phenomenon. Using  a low load and gentle pressure slowly applied will allow a viscoelastic medium or fascia to elongate, thereby releasing the restrictions within the fascia.

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About this treatment.

A Myofascial Release Treatment session is performed directly on skin without oils or creams. This enables the therapist to detect fascial restrictions and apply the appropriate amount of sustained pressure to facilitate release of the fascia. It works on the principle that many people hold stress in their muscles causing them to seize, tighten or lock. Injuries or scarring will exacerbate this. The purpose of myofascial release is to access these areas of blockage and tension and release them, by freeing up the muscle and allowing it to move more easily.

During MFR treatment, the client can be worked on in various positions, or the massage therapist may only stretch a muscle in a small way, using a few fingers to get deep into the muscle and pull it into a beneficial stretch. Working with the breath in combination with the stretches should maximize the effectiveness of MFR.

Regular myofascial release can improve posture, counter-act muscle soreness and increase flexibility and help with a variety of conditions some of which are listed below:

• Arthritis

• Back Pain

• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

• Disc Problems

• Fibromyalgia

• Frozen Shoulder

• Headaches

• Migraines

• Neck Pain

• Neurological Dysfunction

• Pelvic Pain

• Planta Facitis

• Physical Stress

• Postural Irregularities

• Psychological Stress

• Scars

• Sciatica

• Scoliosis

• Sports Injuries

• Whiplash

Unlike classic massage therapy, which is generally used for relaxation, this technique enables the therapist to focus on and treat specific problems.

 

Clients are increasingly requesting deeper and more advanced techniques due to their effectiveness in treating a host of specific issues, the most prevalent being back and shoulder pain.

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Deep Tissue Massage uses a variety of techniques :

Palpation

Careful examination of soft tissue to identify areas of possible damage using skills to  identify changes in texture, tension or damage in soft tissue, 

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Trigger points

Trigger points are highly irritable and localised areas within muscle fibres. These areas can vary from the size of a pea, to a large lump. They are often tender and painful to touch and will frequently cause referred pain and discomfort. Trigger points are tender points in the muscle fascia; these can be difficult to locate. The rationale behind using trigger points therapy is that it creates localised ischemia (lack or reduction of oxygen to the muscle tissue) which starve the trigger point of oxygen and nutrients needed to sustain contraction.

Neuro-muscular techniques (NMT)

NMT can be employed to alleviate these areas and so reduce knots and adhesions. NMT is an extension of deep friction & pressure techniques; it is applied with thumbs, fingers, fists or elbows, and is a diagnostic palpatory tool designed to help assess and deal with chronic pain.

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What conditions is deep tissue massage used for?

• Chronic pain

• Limited mobility

• Recovery from injuries (e.g. whiplash, falls, sports injury)

• Repetitive strain injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome

• Postural problems

• Osteoarthritis pain

• Fibromyalgia

• Muscle tension or spasm

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