Advanced Clinical Sports Massage

These treatments are very specific in terms of the particular muscles worked. I use advanced and focused massage techniques to help each particular condition, depending on what is needed.

I use advanced clinical massage to treat:

  • back pain
  • neck or shoulder pain
  • knee and ankle pain
  • headaches and migraines

Treatment is as much about prevention as rehabilitation. Whether you are suffering from an injury or not, these massage techniques can make a real difference to everyday life.

Each technique helps to break down excessively tight tissue and muscular structures, prevent the build-up of scar tissue, increase range of movement and subsequently relieve pain.

Sports Massage can be used post exercise to aid muscle healing and recovery, and treat any aches and pains. It is not just beneficial for a sports person or someone in training, but for anyone with aches, pains, injuries or just wanting to have a massage to treat any postural imbalances. The massage aims to reduce pain, increase flexibility and aid healing where necessary.

Some of the techniques I use in advanced clinical massage are:

Trigger Point Therapy

A trigger point is a point of tenderness within a muscle. They are felt as tense bands of tissue in muscles and tendons. They can cause pain either in the immediate area where they are found, or refer pain to another part of the body.

For example, if a client presents with pain down the side of the head in a question mark shape pattern, I would be looking for trigger points in the trapezius muscle in the shoulder.

Trigger points are caused by:

  • overload strain
  • direct trauma to the muscle
  • poor posture
  • repetitive activities
  • physical, mental or emotional stress.

This therapy involves putting gentle pressure on a specific trigger point, to release the muscle and affected tissues. Trigger point therapy is particularly effective when used together with myofascial release, by working on the surrounding fascia and soft tissue.

Whilst working, I will rely on communicating with you on the level of discomfort that the trigger point gives you, and whether it changes in any way with pressure.

Soft Tissue Release

Muscles are made up of strands of fibres, lying neatly together. These fibres can become damaged, congested and tangled, which causes movement restriction and pain.

Soft tissue release increases the range of movement, relieves pain and prevents, repairs and manages injuries.

It involves using manual pressure on a muscle to create a temporary false attachment point and then taking the muscle into a pain-free stretch to untangle the muscle fibres.

Myofascial Release

Myofascial release is a non-invasive treatment using a small amount of wax. This treatment loosens restricted connective tissue or fascia.

A variety of techniques are used either ‘directly’ or ‘indirectly’, and either or both may be used, depending on the condition and the desired effect.

It is particularly effective for treating fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome, as well as any injuries where there may be scar tissue, or acute and chronic pain.

I also work with clients using structural realigning techniques with the fascia to aid with postural rebalancing.

“Tanya has been treating me for more than 10 years for chronic back pain and more recently stiffness. She is patient, kind and extremely good at finding and relieving problem areas and her massage technique is brilliant.” DIANA, BEDFORD