4 reasons to get a remedial massage
How often should I get a massage?
Whether you’re seeking relaxation or recovering from an injury, keeping a regular massage schedule is important. It’s not just about immediate relief—it’s beneficial for your long-term well-being.
Think of it like maintaining your car. You don’t wait for it to break down before servicing it. Regular maintenance helps your body stay in optimal, pain-free condition.
What exactly is remedial massage?
It focuses on treating and correcting musculoskeletal issues using clinical evidence-based methods. It involves several key steps:
Client Intake: Gathering the client’s health history to identify any underlying conditions.
Consultation and Consent: Discussing the client’s concerns and obtaining consent.
Physical Assessment: Performing movement tests and palpating muscles to identify problems.
Treatment: Addressing problem areas with techniques like cupping, massage strokes, dry needling, and myofascial release to improve movement and relieve pain.
Re-test: Checking if the treatment improved joint movement or reduced pain.
Follow-up: Providing advice and creating an ongoing treatment plan if necessary.
What is the difference between massage and remedial massage?
Massage is a broad term that refers to applying pressure to the body’s tissues using various techniques. Most people think of a relaxing setting with dim lights, fluffy towels, and soothing music, which is just one beneficial style, there are many others, depending on what you are trying to achieve.
However, remedial massage differs in three key areas: focus, intent, and scope of treatment.
Focus: Targets specific muscle groups and their interactions that may cause pain or dysfunction.
Intent: Aims to assess, test, treat, and re-test the area to measure improvement in pain reduction or movement.
Scope of Treatment: Based on the assessment, it involves planning ongoing treatment to resolve the issue, whether it needs one session or several.
What is the difference between a Thai massage and a remedial massage?
They are both therapeutic practices with distinct techniques and focuses. Thai massage, originating from Thailand over 2,500 years ago, incorporates acupressure, deep tissue manipulation, and assisted yoga-like stretching. Performed on a mat with the client fully clothed, it aims to enhance energy flow, increase flexibility, and relieve muscle tension through rhythmic compressions and stretching. The experience is often described as both relaxing and invigorating, promoting overall energy balance and well-being.
In contrast, remedial massage has roots in Western medicine and focuses on treating specific musculoskeletal issues such as injuries, pain, and postural problems. Utilizing techniques like deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, and myofascial release, it is performed on a massage table with the client partially undressed. The primary goal is to improve function, reduce pain, and promote recovery by addressing underlying causes of musculoskeletal problems. The intensity of the strokes or techniques varies based on the condition being treated and the client’s comfort level.
How often should I have a remedial massage?
The short answer is as often as finances and time permit. However to get the true benefit of the treatment it may be necessary to allow for follow up treatments to really deal with the underlying issues.
To see further information regarding this read the next section.
Now, let’s talk about why people get massages. There are basically four main reasons:
Injury or Pain (either Acute or Chronic): Acute injuries are the ones that just happened, like a sports injury or a strained neck. For these, a series of close-together sessions is usually recommended until the pain or swelling goes down. Chronic injuries, on the other hand, stick around for over 3 months, and regular treatment helps release injured tissues and promotes further healing.
Maintenance of Injury or Pain: After an injury, the chance of reinjury is high. Regular sessions, say once or twice a month, can help prevent “flare-ups” by addressing scar tissue, new injuries, and improving posture.
Preventative: This is the sweet spot. Regular sessions significantly reduce the likelihood of future injuries. It’s like going to the dentist for a checkup – tackling issues before they become big problems.
Relaxation: If your muscles are perpetually tight from exercise or your desk job is wreaking havoc on your posture, a monthly massage is a fantastic idea. It’s not just a treat; it’s an investment in your health and well-being.
So that covers all the reasons why you should get a massage.
The only question left is when?