What is Remedial Massage?

Pain in your back, a kink in your neck; that dull lingering ache that no amount of foam-rolling can get rid of. Whether it’s from a sports-related injury or sitting at a desk with incorrect posture for too long, it can be hard to know where the pain is really stemming from.

The thought of a massage probably sounds like just the ticket to soothing your discomfort, and you would be right, but not just any massage. To relieve this pain, seeking a remedial massage therapist is your best bet, as they will assess your condition and give you a personalised treatment plan.

So you may be wondering, “what is a remedial massage?” Deriving from the word remedy, a remedial massage is the treatment and manipulation of dysfunctional muscles or soft tissue. Techniques are employed to ease muscle pain, help repair damaged tissue and improve the overall wellness of the body.

But let’s delve a little deeper into the soft tissue. The soft tissue is a protective layer made up of muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, and a range of other connective tissues. You may have heard of a deep tissue massage, which is a common technique that is incorporated in a remedial massage.

This aims to target the deeper layers of the muscles within the soft tissue and the surrounding tissue make-up where damage has occurred.

There are many benefits to be gained from remedial massage including:

• Relaxed muscles and connective tissues
• Largely increased flexibility and joint mobility
• Lessened recovery time from certain injuries and stressors
• Improvement of treatments of depression and anxiety
• Stronger muscular balance throughout the body
• Improved circulation to all areas of the body, not just the massaged areas
• Creating a sense of well-being and freedom of movement

Muscle tears are very common, especially when you’re just starting out exercising, as you are using muscles that you may not have used before. A muscle usually tears due to over-extension or repeated misuse. Whilst muscles must tear to become stronger, they also need to be looked after and ensure that they’re not being over-worked.

It’s important to understand that muscle pain can often be caused by other areas of the body, so it is a remedial massage therapist’s job to locate the origin of the pain and provide the correct treatment to ease tension and discomfort. After completing a thorough assessment and a variety of tests, your massage therapist will customise the treatment and therapy that is conducive to your specific condition.

They will formulate a plan to get your muscles back to functioning correctly in order to optimise your body’s wellbeing. They will often give you stretches or exercises to do in addition to the massage and therapy that they provide, and you will most likely need to go back for a few follow-up sessions to track your progress.

Common conditions that may warrant a remedial massage include sciatica, sports injuries, stiff necks, and arthritis.

Practitioners of remedial massage can be trained in colleges and trained on-site by existing practitioners

Courses begin at 36 weeks minimum and some can take up to three years full time, with varying levels of Centrelink eligibility and/or Association membership eligibility for Health Fund rebates. Units usually include Introductory Massage, Clinical Aromatherapy, Human Biology, Musculoskeletal Anatomy, Safe Practices, Deep Tissue Massage, Sports Massage, Remedial Massage, and Massage Practice.

Once qualified your clients may be in:

• Your own private clinic
• A larger health center alongside chiropractors, physiotherapists, naturopaths, and other health care professionals
• Medical services providing injury management & rehabilitation
• Athlete support services in a sporting environment such as swimming teams, football clubs.

Remedial massage therapists can employ a variety of techniques in their treatments from pressure point therapy, deep tissue massage, and sports massage. When looking for a remedial massage therapist, try to find a practitioner who has undertaken training.

They will understand the body, know how to treat your individual case, use the right techniques and give you the suitable treatment to heal your body as quickly and as safely as possible.

It’s imperative that your practitioner understands the body and has the correct qualifications in order to perform remedial massage therapy. Not having the necessary training can potentially result in further damage, prolonged pain, and extended recovery times.