Types of Massage Therapy

Pain Relief Through Massage – Alliance Pain Center, Dallas TX

SWEDISH MASSAGE

Swedish massage is a vigorous system of treatment designed to energize the body by stimulating circulation. Swedish massage uses five styles of long, flowing strokes to massage. The five basic strokes are effleurage (sliding or gliding), petrissage (kneading), tapotement (rhythmic tapping), friction (cross fiber) and vibrational shaking. These techniques may be applied with or without the aid of lubricants, or with a massage device that mimics or enhances the actions possible by human hands. The many benefits of Swedish massage may include pain reduction, less joint stiffness, improved circulation and function, and generalized relaxation/stress reduction, which help speed healing and reduce swelling from injury.

DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE

Deep tissue massage is designed to relieve severe tension in the muscle and the connective tissue or fascia. This type of massage focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. The muscles must be relaxed in order to effectively perform deep tissue massage, otherwise tight surface muscles prevent the practitioner from reaching deeper musculature. Deep tissue massage is often recommended for individuals who experience consistent pain, are involved in heavy physical activity (such as athletes), and patients who have sustained physical injury. lt helps with chronic muscular pain and injury rehabilitation, and reduces inflammation-related pain such as arthritis and tendinitis. It is generally integrated with other massage techniques. It is also not uncommon for receivers of deep tissue to have their pain replaced with a new muscle ache for just a day or two.

TRIGGER POINT THERAPY

Trigger points or trigger sites are described as hyper-irritable spots in skeletal muscle that are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibers. Trigger point massage practitioners believe that palpable nodules are small contraction knots and a common cause of pain. Compression of a trigger point may elicit local tenderness, referred pain, or local twitch response. The local twitch response is not the same as a muscle spasm. This is because a muscle spasm refers to the entire muscle entirely contracting, whereas the local twitch response refers to the entire muscle experiencing a small twitch with no contraction. The trigger point model states that unexplained pain frequently radiates from these points of local tenderness to broader areas, sometimes distant from the trigger point itself. Practitioners claim to have identified reliable referred pain patterns, allowing practitioners to associate pain in one location with trigger points elsewhere.

MYOFASCIAL RELEASE

Myofascial release is a safe and very effective hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure into the myofascial connective tissue restrictions to eliminate pain and restore motion. It is a form of soft tissue therapy used to treat impairment or altered function of the body framework system. Myofascial restriction can be noted by tissue texture changes, asymmetry of structure, restriction of motion, and tenderness to palpation. This technique is accomplished by relaxing contracted muscles, increasing circulation, increasing venous and lymphatic drainage, and stimulating the stretch reflex of muscles and overlying fascia.

CHAIR MASSAGE

Known as seated massage, chair massage, or on-site massage, this technique involves the use of a specially designed massage chair in which the client sits comfortably. Seated massage includes bodywork and somatic techniques, such as shiatsu, compression and Swedish massage. It is often provided to the fully-clothed client in a variety of settings, including businesses, airports, and street fairs.

SPORTS MASSAGE

Sports massage is actually a form of Swedish massage that is delivered to athletes. Most commonly, sports massage focuses on increasing blood and lymphatic fluid flow, reducing and eliminating pain as well as tender trigger points, and increasing range of motion of the affected area. Sports massages can be broken into four distinct types: the pre-event sports massage, the post-event sports massage, the restorative sports massage, and the rehabilitative sports massage. This will be determined, and the use of passive or resistant stretches will be applied as needed.