What is Clinical Massage Therapy?

A type of body work designed to achieve a certain outcome; most commonly a reduction in pain and an increase in mobility. A variety of different soft tissue and advanced massage techniques are used to achieve this, the combination of which will be dependant on the individuals presenting conditions and what they would like to achieve. Examples of techniques used are hot or cold therapy, trigger point therapy, deep tissue massage, myofascial release (MFR) Acupressure, and stretching.

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Why do I need an assessment I just want a massage?

It's important to understand the nature of your pain, to know what treatment plan would be most effective for you. So questions around what happened or when did it start, what makes it worse or better, what does it feel it and how does it affect you day to day for example. All this valuable information along with an assessment of your range of motion will help determine your personalised treatment plan. So a thorough consultation and clinical assessment is paramount to getting results. 

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Is it painful?

There is a big misconception in the massage industry that has led to the idea of "no pain no gain" well I'm here to set the record straight. There is no gain from pain. If you are already in pain, there is no benefit from causing more. As a Jing Method™ massage therapist I will work with your body in a way that is within your pain tolerance, and you are in complete control at all times. The importance of this is so I can actually work deeper into the tissues and not provoke a stress response from your sympathetic nervous system, which will not only cause your muscles to tense up and not allow me to the work that is needed but it could result in your brain increasing the pain signals, the opposite of what we are trying to achieve. This doesn't mean you won't experience that good hurt we all know and love, but you shouldn't experience pain that has you hitting the ceiling.

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Is it relaxing and how is it different from a relaxation massage?

Relaxation is so important for people who are in pain, so yes clinical massage is still a relaxing experience. Clinical massage is different to relaxation in many ways. 

1. Client communication - during your clinical treatment you will be asked questions around your pain level usually using a 1-10 pain scale, or where the pain is radiating to. You may be asked to give a signal when something feels tender or to signal during a stretch when you start to feel it.

2. Positioning - in order to treat certain muscles you may be asked to change position more regularly than during a relaxation massage, more than likely you will be asked to lay on your side for example.

3. What you want may be different from what you need. During your relaxation massage you can request more time spent on your back, or you can ask for more pressure for example. During your clinical treatment trust that what I do during our session is working towards your desired outcome. You may want me to dig in between your shoulder blades until it hurts, but trust in my expertise and anatomical knowledge because the pain could be coming from somewhere else. I'm always looking for the source of the pain, which is often a different place to where you feel it. Some techniques are gentle and some require me to work deeper but everything has a purpose.

 

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Who will benefit from Clinical Massage Therapy

Clinical massage therapy is used to address chronic musculoskeletal pain, soft tissue injuries, ligament and tendon issues and even systemic conditions, so is beneficial for anyone in pain.

Below is a list of pathologies that clinical massage therapy can be used to help reduce the pain associated with them. 

Please note Clinical massage therapy is not used to diagnose treat or cure any of the below conditions, but to reduce the pain these conditions can cause.

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Shoulder Girdle Pathologies

• Muscular shoulder pain 

• Strains, sprains and sporting injuries

• Supraspinatus tendinopathy 

• Rotator cuff injuries 

• Adhesive capsulitis (frozen shoulder) 

• Pectoralis minor syndrome 

• Subacromial bursitis 

• Shoulder instability and subluxation 

• AC joint separation (shoulder separation) 

• Shoulder impingement syndrome 

• Bicipital tendinopathy

Neck and shoulder Pathogies​

• Muscular neck and shoulder pain

• Acute and chronic herniated disc (cervical)

• Headaches

• Thoracic outlet syndrome

• Problems involving the hand and arm (such as numbness, tingling)

• Acute and chronic whiplash

• Strains, sprains and sporting injuries

Low back pathologies​

• Lumbar disc pathologies/herniated disc

• Sacroiliac Joint (SIJ) Dysfunction

• Spondylolisthesis

• Spondylosis

• Facet Joint Irritation

• Piriformis Syndrome

Forearm, hand and wrist pathologies​

• Muscular pain 

• Strains, sprains and sporting injuries

• Tendinopathies 

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome 

• Lateral and Medial Epicondylitis (Tennis/Golfers elbow)

• Olecranon Bursitis 

• DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis 

• RSI 

• Dupuytren’s Contracture 

• Osteoarthritis 

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Leg, knee and foot pathologies​

• Strains and sprains 

• Patellar tendonitis 

• Achilles problems 

• IT band syndrome 

• Shin splints 

• Groin strains 

• Knee issues (arthritis, chondromalacia patella) 

• Osteoarthritis

Hip and Pelvis pathologies​

• Muscular pain 

• Strains, sprains and sporting injuries

• Groin strain

• Sartorius tear

• Iliolumbar ligament sprain

• Tendinopathies

•  Piriformis Syndrome

• Trochanteric Bursitis

• Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction

• Osteoarthritis

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