We Specialize in:
Swedish Massage • Deep Tissue/Deep Muscle Massage • Sports Massage • Myofacial Releasing •
PNF Stretching • Trigger Point Release • Muscle Balancing • Hot Stone Massage
SWEDISH MASSAGE
A therapeutic massage consisting of continuous effleurage strokes, deep kneading and stretching to tight muscles, lasting anywhere from thirty minutes to one hour. Usually uses oils or lotions. It is the technique upon which most other styles of massage therapy are based. Benefits: Reduces stress levels, stretches and tones muscles, helps the body to maintain homeostasis.
DEEP TISSUE/DEEP MUSCLE
Generally slower than Swedish, this technique goes deeper into the muscle and connective tissue to release chronic tension which might have developed from injury or overuse. Deep tissue techniques are as varied as their practitioner.
SPORTS MASSAGE
A technique used to keep athletes conditioned before their activity and to help loosen and stretch the muscles after their activity. It consists of deep effleurage and petrissage to the muscles which when done before an activity, the athlete can gain 20% in performance (Jack Meagher, 1980) Benefits: Regular sports massage can help speed recovery, lower stress, promote greater endurance and flexibility, prevent injuries, and enhance body awareness.
MYOFACIAL RELEASE
Myofascial Release is a highly specialized stretching technique used by physical therapists to treat patients with a variety of soft tissue problems. To understand what Myofascial Release is and why it works, you have to understand a little about fascia. Fascia is a thin tissue that covers all the organs of the body. This tissue covers every muscle and every fiber within each muscle. All muscle stretching, then, is actually stretching of the fascia and the muscle, the myofascial unit. When muscle fibers are injured, the fibers and the fascia which surrounds it become short and tight.
This uneven stress can be transmitted through the fascia to other parts of the body, causing pain and a variety of other symptoms in areas you often wouldn't expect. Myofascial Release treats these symptoms by releasing the uneven tightness in injured fascia.
In other words, Myofascial Release is stretching of the fascia. The stretch is guided by feedback the therapist feels from the patient's body. This feedback tells the therapist how much force to use, the direction of the stretch and how long to stretch. Small areas of muscle are stretched at a time. Sometimes the therapist uses only two fingers to stretch a small part of a muscle. The feedback the therapist feels determines which muscles are stretched and in what order.
Each Myofascial Release technique contains the same components. The physical therapist finds the area of tightness. A light stretch is applied to the tight area. The physical therapist waits for the tissue to relax and then increases the stretch. The process is repeated until the area is fully relaxed. Then, the next area is stretched.
PNF STRETCHNG
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) is a more advanced form of flexibility training that involves both the stretching and contraction of the muscle group being targeted. PNF stretching was originally developed as a form of rehabilitation, and to that effect it is very effective. It is also excellent for targeting specific muscle groups, and as well as increasing flexibility, (and range of movement) it also improves muscular strength.
TRIGGER POINT RELEASE
A trigger point is a hyperirritable tender spot in an abused muscle that refers pain ("triggers pain") to other muscles. This is why the pain in your head may be coming from a neck muscle and the pain in your neck from a shoulder muscle and the pain in your low back from a hip muscle.
If the trigger points are not treated, they can be the culprits in lingering pain even after an injury has healed, and the reason why the headache, neckache, and backache keep returning year after year. Some of the causes of trigger point activity in your muscles are stress, excessive chilling, injury, overuse, strain, as well as chemical, drugs, alcohol, and environmental pollutants.
Active trigger points keep the muscles tight, restricting blood flow and compressing nerves perpetuating a vicious pain-spasm cycle in the muscles. The effect of decreased flexibility limits movement encouraging postural patterns which may sustain the cycle for years. Trigger Point Release Therapy is a valuable component of preventive as well as rehabilitative care.
Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.
By complementing the body's natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, including: Migraine Headaches Chronic Neck and Back Pain Motor-Coordination Impairments Colic Autism Central Nervous System Disorders Orthopedic Problems Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries Scoliosis Infantile Disorders Learning Disabilities Chronic Fatigue Emotional Difficulties Stress and Tension-Related Problems Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue Disorders Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ) Neurovascular or Immune Disorders Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Post-Surgical Dysfunction.
MUSCLE BALANCING
Muscle Balancing or Touch for Health is a holistic approach to health which teaches the restoring of our natural energies. It is a practical guide to natural health using acupressure, touch and massage to improve postural balance and reduce physical and mental pain and tension.
HOT STONE MASSAGE
This therapy is becoming widely known for its deeply relaxing benefits. It employs a technique that uses smooth, heated basalt stones which are placed on specific acupressure points on the body to melt away knots, tension and stress. It can be applied as a relaxation technique using hot essential oils. The hot stone experience relieves pain, promotes harmony, balance and peace.
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