The Relationship Between Chiropractic and Remedial Massage
People often ask me about the relationship between Chiropractic and Remedial Massage.
While I have been a consumer of Chiropractic care since I was a child, it was not until I started full-time work in my early 20s that I also started using the services of a Remedial Massage Therapist like Magda. Along with regular exercise & stretching, it certainly helped me manage the repetitive physical aspect of my job.
With Chiropractic, it could be said that we are largely directing our very specific adjustments toward the body joints, but it is important to understand what impact it has on the master control of the nervous system. Research has shown us that broadly adjustments achieve 3 things:
Re-setting the pain receptors (nociceptors) and therefore the perception of pan
Re-setting the movement receptors (mechanoreceptors ) so you feel you can move differently and
Re-setting the position receptors (proprioceptors) so you feel like you’re holding a different posture.
Having adjustments over a period of time can therefore retrain how you feel, move, and hold yourself, ultimately getting everything working better!
However, we know that there are soft tissues (muscles/ligaments, fascia) also have a big role, particularly when there has been an injury or a chronic problem. So this is where remedial massage can work its magic and complement your Chiropractic care beautifully.
So Magda, how does massage work then?
“Massage can be defined as the systematic and scientific manipulation of the soft tissues of the body (skin, fascia, muscle, tendons, ligament) for the therapeutic purpose. The main purpose of the massage is to help the body heal itself, increasing health and well-being.”
You probably heard about different types and styles of massage like relaxation (also known as Swedish), remedial, deep tissue, or sports massage.
“Relaxation massage -generally full body massage. Performed to promote well-being, helps in treating anxiety and stress, improving sleep and body circulation. Relaxation massage uses a variety of movements in a flowing sequence to achieve its main purpose.”
“Deep tissue massage -Affects the deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue. Techniques involve slow strokes or friction across muscle fibers. Deep tissue massage is used for chronically tight or painful muscles, repetitive strain injuries, postural problems, or recovery from an injury. People can often feel sore for a day or two after a deep tissue massage.”
“Remedial massage: works more specifically at treating symptoms by finding their cause and attempts to relieve the symptoms with the long-term aim of solving the problem. “
What's the process you use Magda?
“I will take a history, feel the tissues and perform some tests on the clients to choose the best techniques. I believe that communication between client and therapist is very important to evaluate symptoms and achieve the best result. The selection of techniques and sequences will depend on the client's condition and problem, to encourage and enhance the body's natural healing process. Feedback from the patient to the therapist is also important to modify the techniques or pressure used too.”
So in summary, remedial massage is a combination of relaxation and deep tissue techniques for the best results for the client.
As you may already know you can book either Chiropractic Care or remedial massage via our online booking portal