SPORT MASSAGE & AROMATHERAPY CORNWALL

Massage Therapy

Essential Therapy is a fusion of soft tissue treatments that include, Aromatherapy, Sport Therapy, Thai Massage, and Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation for rehabilitation from physical activity and work related injuries. Essential Therapy offers pain management strategies for a variety of painful conditions, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and tendinitis.

Sport Massage

Sport Massage is a process that utilises a variety of methods, including Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial, Muscle Energy, and Active Release Techniques. The focus of treatment areas would depend on the client’s requirement (e.g. acute or chronic injury, relief of inflammation or swelling from injury, restoration of tight muscles).

Aromatherapy

Aromatherapy is a well-known form of body-work, that uses therapeutic Essential Oils for promoting homeostasis and inducing relaxation to the entire body. Increasingly used by top athletes around the world, sports massage with essential oils plays an important part in preparing muscles pre and post exercise.

Essential oils’ medicinal value goes beyond just “warm up” and “cool down” rubs. In many sports, essential oil properties are indispensable in the treatment of bruises, strains and sprains. Essential oils are powerful healers of skin, muscle and connective tissue. Many oils are known to have strong anti-inflammatory action, and contain certain molecules, which precipitate the regeneration of tissue.

Aromatherapy can be a supportive measure in a healthy eating regime. For clients looking to reduce body mass, it may be a matter of detoxification, speeding up the metabolism, or addressing an imbalance in the body.  Essential oils can help the individual to get to the root cause of excess body fat by supporting proper liver, kidney, thyroid and endocrine system functions. Personal weight management blends can be made with essential oils that have diuretic, appetite suppressant, digestive, detoxifying, and anti-anxiety qualities.

Aromatherapy further enhances the physical healing process, by reducing mental stress. A positive attitude can go a long way toward staying healthy. An athlete may be in peak physical condition, but if the mind becomes stressed, this can lead to illness. Aromatherapy blends can restore composure, by balancing emotions.

Changes in physical condition affect the mental and emotional state, and vice versa. Muscular aches and pains can disturb concentration, and anxiety causes muscle tension that interferes with fluid or graceful movement. Due to the link with the emotional centres of the brain, the effect of Essential Oils can leave an impression for a lifetime.

Table Thai Yoga Massage

Thai Yoga Massage is a renowned and dynamic form of massage, that uses applied yoga techniques. The style of Thai Yoga Massage we use at Essential Therapy has been adapted from the traditional system. Instead of using a mat or futon on the floor, we use a regular massage table. The intention of the Thai Massage Therapist is to stimulate energy flow and clear any blockages.

The main difference between Thai Yoga Massage and Sport Massage is there are no oils used and the client remains fully clothed. However, there is the option to include oils in the Thai Foot Massage treatment.

Thai Massage improves the muscle elasticity and muscle tone. The result is a feeling of increased muscle control, flexibility, comfort and joint range of motion. The treatment revitalises the circulatory system, calms the nerves and relieves pain.

Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation

Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation or Simply IASTM is a relatively new method of physical therapy, which enables clinicians to efficiently locate and treat clients diagnosed with soft tissue lesions. The technique itself is said to be a derived from an Orthodox Chinese Medicine called Gua Sha. Gua Sha was traditionally applied along meridians to remove stagnant or negative energy from the body. Now that Gua Sha has been adopted in the western form as IASTM, it has become an effective and efficient modality in treating musculoskeletal dysfunction.

IASTM is performed with ergonomically designed instruments that detect and treat fascial restrictions or adhesions, encourage rapid healing response and effectively treat areas exhibiting soft tissue fibrosis, chronic inflammation, or degeneration.

The instruments are designed to introduce a controlled micro trauma to affected soft tissue structures, and cause the stimulation of a local inflammatory response. Micro trauma initiates reabsorption of fibrotic tissue or excessive scar tissue and facilitates a cascade of healing activities resulting in remodelling of affected soft tissue structures. Adhesions that have formed as a result of surgery, immobilization, repeated strain or other mechanisms, are broken down allowing full functional restoration to occur.

IASTM is non-invasive, with its own indications and limitations. As with any physical therapy treatment, successful recovery may requires an appropriate home exercise programme.