What is Massage Therapy?
Massage therapy involves a hands-on manipulation of the body’s soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments and so on) for the purpose of improving a patient’s health. With massage therapy, the patient’s body mechanics can be improved or maintained, while physical pain and symptoms of stress can be alleviated. Massage therapy is also known to have a mentally and physically relaxing effect, making it both appealing and complimentary to the patient’s overall program of treatment.
The History of Massage Therapy
While some modern techniques may have their roots in more recent history, massage therapy as a medicinal practice is thousands of years old, with references to it appearing in ancient Chinese, Greek and Roman writings. Hippocrates, who is traditionally regarded as the father of modern medicine, is known to have defined massage as the art of rubbing.”
The use of massage to alleviate pain gained wide acceptance in Europe during the Renaissance, but it was in Sweden that the first systematic approach based on knowledge of the body’s physiology was developed. The Swedish Massage came about in the 1700’s and is still widely used.
This type of massage involves the use of long kneading strokes combined with rhythmic tapping along the top layer of muscles. Swedish massage can also involve the manipulation of the joints to ease tension and relax the body.
What can Massage Assist With?
- Relaxing tense muscles
- Lengthening tight muscles
- Relieving or preventing physical dysfunction and pain
- Improving circulation and immune system function
- Reducing stress
- Relaxing the mind
- Improving blood flow, and
- Increasing an overall feeling of well-being
Our massage therapists
Brickyard Physiotherapy
The massage therapists at Brickyard Physiotherapy offer a range of massage services to compliment the overall treatment program of our patients.
Massage is one of the oldest forms of medical treatment and is highly beneficial in aiding injury recovery and improving people’s lives. In addition to being used to improve body function and pain levels, massage therapy has a profound physically and mentally relaxing effect. Our professionals incorporate different forms of massage therapy in order to ensure that our patients are comfortable and that their pain or discomfort is kept to a minimum.
What About Pregnancy Massage?
Sore, aching lower backs, tired legs and sciatic pain are common complaints for many pregnant women and new mothers. Breast-feeding and carrying the baby can also result in a tight upper back, neck and shoulders.
Our massage therapists are fully trained in pregnancy massage and understand all the related issues that may arise during pregnancy.