Massage therapy; what to expect?

Initial Consultation:

We’ll discuss your relevant medical history, daily body use (work, leisure, hobbies), current health (any problem areas?), prior experience of massage therapy and negotiate a tailored treatment for you. A postural analysis informs the focus of the session and addresses the root cause of many complaints.

The Massage:

With professional massage therapy your soft tissues are palpated; encouraging tight muscles to lengthen and relax, which in turn improves circulation, bringing nutrient-rich blood to fatigued muscles and expelling wastes such as lactic acid.

We’ll work on areas as agreed in the consultation. The techniques used will depend on what we initially discussed, and is appropriate to you as an individual. This may include:

Deep tissue massage therapy (to probe into underlying muscle, releasing knots of tension), Joint mobilisations (to free-up stiff or aching joints), Passive stretches (to “re-teach” proper muscle length). Different types of strokes varying pressure and speed to palpate the soft tissues, working through skin, fascia and muscles (usually a sequence combining long strokes, rhythmic compression, percussive actions, kneading and stretching).

Massage therapy is usually performed with oil on skin, on an adjustable massage table, using drapes to cover areas of the body not being worked on. You only remove as many clothes as you feel comfortable with.

Aftercare Advice:

After the massage will be a short conversation about how to make the most of the benefits of the treatment and address any longer term issues. For instance, often the practice of a simple stretch performed on a day-to-day basis can speed up recovery, aiding flexibility and suppleness. Advice on good posture and ways to maintain it may also form part of the aftercare session.