Swedish Massage
Massage is a system of strokes, kneads and pressures applied to the muscles and other soft tissue to release tension, promote relaxation and improve circulation.
Massage has a long history and is well documented in many ancient civilisations, including Chinese, Indian, Persian, Egyptian, Greek and Roman. Modern (Swedish) massage dates from Per Henrik Ling (1776-1839) who used it as part of his gymnastic training regime and who wrote the first treatise on the subject.
Deep tissue massage, as the name suggests, concentrates on more forceful attention to deeper tissues and Trigger Points ("knots").
Sports Massage
Sports Massage uses more advanced techniques to assess and treat sports injuries and other soft tissue conditions. Range of movement, strength, posture and alignment are all checked as part of a full assessment of the problem. Treatment may involve techniques based on advanced passive and active stretching, Cyriax massage (deep frictions), and other modalities outlined below.
Osteopathic articulation / mobilisation
We are trained to deliver a number Osteopathic articulation techniques, which involve moving a joint slowly but firmly through its normal range of movement in order to reduce hypomobility and pain. These are particularly useful for chronic conditions.
Electrotherapy and Ultrasound
Electrotherapy uses a machine to deliver TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) and EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation) to reduce pain and improve muscle firing patterns. As well as carrying out treatments in the clinic, we can educate patients in home use for improved progress.
Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to stimulate tissues and is especially effective on acute and sub-acute sports or other injuries. We can again educate patients in the use of a home ultrasound unit.