What Makes Remedial Massage so Effective?

Tense shoulders, postural problems and lower back pain are all symptoms that our body, muscles, tendons and joints are out of balance. Whether you are a sedentary office worker or professional athlete you have probably experienced some sort of physical ache, pain or injury in recent memory. The purpose of remedial massage is to treat muscular tightness, pain and injury and bring correct movement and function back into the body. 

The difference between remedial massage and most other forms of massage therapy is its basis in science and evaluation. It aims to look at your body as a whole and systematically treat issues with the muscles, tendons and joints through massage. 

So what makes remedial massage so effective?

• Remedial massage has a solid scientific underpinning. Unlike many other massage therapies, remedial massage has been specifically designed to treat injuries and physical issues in the body. To become a remedial massage therapist you need to undergo a significantly longer education process than other streams of massage. This includes having a deep understanding of the standards of practice, anatomy and pathophysiology. This formal training in how the body works allow massage therapists to better target patient injuries and provide maximum support for rehabilitation.

• Remedial massage sessions are based on an assessment of the whole body. When a patient first visits a remedial massage therapist they will undergo a full-body assessment. This assessment will examine the individual’s posture, muscles, joints, tendons and history of injury, to create a holistic picture of the weaknesses and imbalances in their musculoskeletal system. With this as the basis for treatment, the therapist can customise their massage routine to work on remediating the patient’s specific issues. 

• Remedial massage is about recovery, not relaxation. Finally, it is important to understand that remedial massage is not about relaxation or even about feeling good, it is about rehabilitating the pain, tightness and injuries that are stopping patients from moving and functioning correctly. Therefore, every session is done with purpose and to promote the healing of damaged and injured tissues.

What is the benefit of remedial massage?

The major benefit of remedial massage is its ability to compliment other therapies to promote recovery from musculoskeletal injury and pain. Some of the major issues that remedial massage can assist with include:

• Injury rehabilitation. The main purpose of remedial massage is to target and rehabilitate injuries. Whether you have a shoulder, back or knee injury the therapist will work on treating the problem area, provide constant assessments on the progression of the injury and adjust the treatment as required. 

• Treating chronic back pain. Chronic back pain can come from a variety of issues including poor posture, injury, tightness in the muscles or placement of the spine. Remedial massage can help assess the cause of the issue and treat it at the source.  

• Treating the cause of headaches. Referral pain from the neck or back often results in headaches. The source of the headache can be assessed and if it comes from imbalances in the musculoskeletal system it can be treated through targeted massage. 

• Correcting poor posture. Sitting at the computer or performing repetitive physical tasks can take its toll on our bodies. Remedial massage therapists can provide a postural assessment and create a plan for remediation. 

• Improving joint mobility and flexibility. Joint mobility and flexibility are vital to performing everyday activities. Through pressure, stretching and mobilisation remedial massage therapists can help bring functionality back into the affected areas of the body.