Manual Therapy

About Manual Therapy

Massage therapy is a practice as old as history. It has been used to heal disease, promote power and strength, and soothe the mind. In the words of Margette Atwood, “Touch comes before sight, before speech. It is the first language and the last, and it always tells the truth.”

Massage therapy works with the nervous system of the person receiving it to create change within their body, heart, and mind. Depending on the intention, these changes can promote relaxation and reduce stress, promote tissue repair and healing, mobilize stiff tissues and joints, or reduce pain.

Although styles of massage therapy can be considered infinite, the most common found today are Swedish, deep tissue, sports, and, most recently, pain management.

Swedish massage is generally considered the most relaxing. This soothing style helps to move the body out of is fight or flight mode into the rest and digest. This promotes general well-being, improved digestion and sleep, and overall relaxation. In a world of 24/7 stimulation, this style of bodywork should be considered essential self-care for everyone, not a selfish indulgence.

Deep tissue is typically used to help restore tissue and joint health. Although many consider deep tissue to be a more painful style of massage, it does not have to be. Depth can be achieved gently and with care, allowing your therapist to comfortably and safely access deeper layers of the body to help restore movement and improve health.

In the aftermath of the opioid epidemic, more attention and research have gone into complementary therapies aside from drugs to help manage acute and persistent pain. Massage therapy has been repeatedly shown to help manage pain in all populations and, as such, is more commonly being sought out both by individuals as well as medical referrals.