Medical Massage for Targeted Relief
Massage with a purpose.
Medical massage is an outcome-based massage, primarily the application of a specific treatment, targeted to a specific problem.
We’re focused on addressing the root cause of discomfort via hands-on manipulation. We’ll start our work together with an assessment where we create a unique plan of care structured around goals and outcomes for treatment.
Medical massage is meant to work alongside your physical therapy care. Our care team isn’t working with you in a crowded gym, we’re one-on-one with you and you’re receiving hands-on support during sessions.
Most of our clients receive medical massage while in physical therapy and then continue on thereafter to support overall healing and wellbeing.
Medical massage, in our practice, is deep tissue massage that aims to get down to muscles, fascia, ligaments, tendons and joints.
Medical massage supports overall healing by removing joint restriction, eliminating trigger points and tension to promote the body’s natural healing response.
So what do sessions look like?
Sessions are highly personalized to each person’s specific needs.
We may incorporate many different techniques into your session depending on your needs, and how we feel we can best achieve your goals.
Trigger point release
Ischemic release
Dry needling
Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization
Myofascial Release
Joint Mobilizations
Cross Friction massage
Lymphatic Drainage (the gentlest of the bunch)
This is not Physical Therapy.
This is body work performed by a physical therapist.
Instruments & Therapeutic Massage Modalities
What is Dry Needling?
With dry needling, a physical therapist places thin filiform needles (just like the ones used in acupuncture) into a painful trigger point. Gently moving the needles stimulates blood flow to the trigger point, which may help relax tight muscles. Researchers also think the technique blocks pain signals, but they’re not exactly sure how dry needling eases pain.
Instrument assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (the Graston technique)
Your clinician will glide a series of stainless steel instruments and scrape the skin using a specialized massage technique.
These instruments are nothing to be fearful of. They are rounded and not at all sharp.
The technique will both identify problem areas and provide needed treatment to injured tissue. Through a cross-friction massage, your clinician will find the “gritty” areas of tissue and work to gently break them up. This process often instigates inflammation, increased blood flow, and then in effect, healing.