Investing in massage is an investment in your health! Muscles make up 36%-42% of our body weight. They are a large percentage of our total weight and have an impact on our health. Many people experience relief from pain during the first treatment. For others several treatments are needed before the pain diminishes. It is common for soreness to occur for one or two days after the massage therapy session. 

A massage does not just have to consists of long flowing strokes. I have found better results are obtained by using various techniques when performing my medical massage therapy session. Listed below are just a few different techniques I like to use and have had great success with. 

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)

PNF uses a passive stretching and isometric contraction (the joint angle and muscle length do not change) to break the neuromuscular holding patterns. By doing this the muscle is able to reset its holding pattern. This improves flexibility and overall length of the targeted muscle. This technique is useful for such things as helping a muscle relax after a trauma injury. 

Contract-relax PNF- This is a specific type of PNF and is used to gain length in a shortened muscle, therefore increasing range of motion and flexibility. The therapist takes the targeted muscle into a gentle stretch. The client contracts the muscle against the therapist force for 10 seconds and relaxes it for 5 seconds. This causes the connections between the brain and muscle spindles to reset. This allows the muscle to lengthen. This is repeated 5-10 times. 

Muscle Energy Technique (MET)

MET uses the client's muscle contractions to relax and lengthen muscles. Tense muscles become short; pulling on bones they attach to and have the potential to change the position of a joint causing pain and discomfort.  MET uses the muscle spindles to release tight muscles and decrease excitability. This is restoring muscle and joints to their normal mobility and returning them to proper function. 

Post Isometric Contraction- Once the shortened muscle is identified, the therapist stretches the muscle until a barrier is felt. The muscle is stretched at this point for 20 seconds. The client is then asked to contract the muscle against light resistance from the therapist for 10 seconds. The client is then instructed to breathe in and relax the target muscle. This is when the neuromuscular system recognizes the targeted muscle is released and this is when that muscle becomes inhibited for 5 seconds. During that 5 seconds the therapist is able to stretch the muscle to increase the length. This stretch is then held at the increased length for 30 seconds. This is done because the muscle memory has to recognize this is the new resting length for that particular muscle. This is usually repeated 2-3 times. 

Positional Release

A tense muscle is attempting to bring it's ends closer. The tension causes restriction in the blood flow and fluid in that tissue. The result is congestion from the back up of fluids, inflammation, and improper function. All of this things can cause pain, Pain causes spasms, muscle splinting, and protective posture. All of these things limit proper function of the muscle.  Positional release breaks the tension cycle by allowing the body to achieve the positions it has been attempting without straining or initiating protective reflexes. 

Positional release is done by putting the targeted tissue in their ideal position of comfort. When a muscle is tight it is contracted and shorted. The therapist will gently move the contracted tissue into their direction of contraction. The body part is then slowly moved by the therapist so the end of the hypertonic muscle are brought together. The therapist will then apply a slight compression to the joint. By doing this the proprioceptive information that was created during the positioning rests the pathophysiologic reflex circuits that have held the joint in the state of tension. This is also when the muscle spindle cells reset to normal state and the gamma feedback to the Golgi tendon organ is reduce. 

Chair Massage

Chair massage is shorter than the traditional massage, so it makes it easy to fit into you busy schedule! This can even be done in a location outdoors! Chair massage has been proven to improve productivity, reduce stress, and increase alertness. This can be great for employers to show their employees they value their well being. 

Sales tax is not included. A 7% sales tax will be added to each service.