Noticed a few more aches and pains lately? Are you recovering from an overuse injury, a sporting or motor vehicle accident? Or perhaps you are suffering from regular headaches? If these symptoms sound familiar then you might find a remedial massage beneficial…

Remedial massage is aimed at correcting soft tissue dysfunction. In the realm of remedial massage soft tissue is muscle tissue, ligament, tendon and fascia (connective tissue). Generally the dysfunction will arise from overuse (e.g. excessive gardening), poor posture (e.g. sitting slumped over a desk) or an injury (e.g. spraining an ankle). A client will often present with pain (e.g. headache), loss of range (e.g. stiff neck), poor coordination (e.g. walking awkwardly) or muscle weakness (e.g. can't lift or carry), or a combination of these symptoms.

A remedial massage involves specific techniques that are aimed at affecting the soft tissue at a physiological level. These techniques include deep transverse friction (DTF), digital ischemic pressure (DIP), trigger point (TP) therapy, myofascial release (MFR), proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), and shifting. A qualified remedial therapist has a solid grounding in anatomy and physiology, and may also be interested in your posture (e.g. round shoulders), gait (i.e. walking style) or habitual movements (e.g. do everything with right hand).

Often a variety of treatment disciplines including physiotherapy, chiropractic, osteopathy, acupuncture or Pilates may be required, in conjunction with remedial massage, to assist the client back to full health.