Remedial massage

Remedial Massage is therapeutic massage used to treat specific health problems, injuries and musculoskeletal issues. A remedial massage therapist will use any number of techniques to locate and aid in restoration of damage to muscles, tendons, fascia and joints. It may work on either superficial muscles or deeper muscles which is commonly referred to as Deep Tissue massage.

Some massage therapists consider that remedial massage is based on three principles:

1. The body is affected by its parts
2. Shortened muscle fibres and connective tissue do not function optimally
3. Soft tissues of the body respond to mechanical treatment through touch from the massage therapist.

Massage therapists believe everything within the body is connected and interrelated. Hence the whole body may respond when certain parts are affected. Eg: Someone with a strained calf muscle can favour the leg that is injured which may result in muscles in the hip and lower back to tighten. This may then lead to a functional imbalance in the back affecting the neck muscles, potentially leading to headaches. If the remedial massage therapist just massages the neck muscles then the symptoms may be eased but the cause is not addressed.

The muscles, connective tissue and fascia respond to massage. It is possible to soften and stretch the soft tissue and lengthen contracted muscle fibres leading to improve functionality.