Clinical Massage Therapy - Why is it a Powerful Treatment Option for the Musculoskeletal System
In a society in which musculoskeletal pain is at the top of the list of reasons that cause people to call in sick from work, it seems critical to have an effective treatment system in place to deal with this kind of presentation.
Low back pain, for example, causes 40% of absence from sickness in the NHS; it is also the most common reported musculoskeletal presentation worldwide.
Now, what does the country’s health system provide as a solution for people experiencing this condition? and what’s really important, does it work in both getting people back on track and reducing the prevalence of the presentation on the long run?
Having witnessed first hand from within the system and also witnessing now from client’s feedback in clinic I’m confident in saying that the current health system doesn’t have either the infrastructure nor the right professionals to be dealing with issues of the soft tissue in an effective way.
With an outdated system in this field people experiencing low back pain and other musculoskeletal presentations are left at the mercy, unsure about what to do and without a clear treatment plan. The lucky ones might be referred to joining a long waiting list to see the wrong specialist in most instances.
Here is where Clinical massage stands out as a treatment method filling up a very important gap within the system. This treatment method has proven to be extremely effective, it’s non-invasive and its benefits go far beyond symptomatic relieve in the affected area.
In this blog post we look at Clinical massage and why it is such a solid treatment option for the musculoskeletal system (very different to the conventional massage).
1 hr treatment sessions
Most clinical massage therapists offer at least 1hr long sessions. Most other professions that address the musculoskeletal system offer very short sessions (some 10-15mins sessions) to make the most out of their time whilst clinical massage therapists are still offering long sessions.
The time and thought given to someone matters. In a fast paced world it is easy to forget the importance not only of knowing and offering skill or effective service but also of shared quality time with one another.
The body doesn’t like our fast pace and it doesn’t usually respond as quickly as many would like it to respond, it takes its time.
Part of the work of a good clinical massage therapist is to take the clients’ body into a state of deep relaxation or increased parasymphatetic activity where deeper healing can happen. With our busy heads and complex emotional states most clients need time to unwind and access that state.
Multifaceted approach
Another reason why Clinical massage therapy is a powerful treatment option for the musculoskeletal system is thanks to its multifaceted approach to healing.
The advanced practitioners of this treatment modality base their treatment sessions on the latest science. This suggests that the musculoskeletal system functions as a whole interconnected system that is deeply interrelated with the mind and directly affected by a variety of biopsychosocial factors.
The experienced practitioner has into consideration these different elements when dealing with pain of the musculoskeletal system. Social factors, biological factors and psychological factors, all reflecting into and affecting the soft tissue.
After an initial assessment the practitioner will create a treatment plan that has into consideration all previous factors (there is no other way of doing it right, when dealing with the body we are automatically dealing with all three factors).
With this in mind the practitioner sets a desired outcome and chooses the appropriate technique to get there as quickly as possible.
The fact that Clinical massage has into consideration this multifaceted approach to health and is able to address these factors makes it stand out in terms of effectiveness as a treatment method. Keep reading to understand exactly how this is possible.
How does Clinical massage therapy work
During a Clinical massage treatment session the therapist combines different advanced techniques to manipulate the soft tissue with a specific intention and a measurable outcome (this includes muscles, connective tissue or fascia, including ligaments, tendons, and the connective tissue within and around the joints).
What techniques are part of Clinical massage therapy
At INSIDE we follow the Jing Method in which different techniques are mixed within a single session to increase the effectiveness of the treatment.
This method has been proven over and over to be extremely effective in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain in the hands of many practitioners in the UK and worldwide.
Two of the main techniques that we use are Trigger Point Therapy and Myofascial Release Therapy.
A Trigger Point is a hyper-irritable spot within a taut band of muscle fibres. Trigger Points are commonly referred to as knots, because they can very often be felt as a hard ball within the myofascial tissue.
Myofascial Release therapy is the treatment of the Fascia or the Myofascial tissue. The fascia is a connective tissue in our body that can be found in different compositions pretty much everywhere in our body.
The myofascial tissue is found wrapping around muscles, within muscles, as the membrane where our brain sits, wrapping organs and all the way down to the cellular level.
The myofascial tissue is extremely sensitive, it has more nerve endings than the skin, and it’s very reactive to both chemical and pressure changes in our body acting as the connection between what our mind does and its consequences in the body.
It’s a living system that is constantly adapting to what we feed it.
It is through the treatment or connection with the fascia that the therapist can really affect the nervous system of the client, taking it into deep relaxation.
In this state the brain switches off and the client falls in a state of semiconsciousness, somewhere in between and awake.
Deep healing and restoration (both emotional and physical) can take place in this state. This takes us to the next point.
The benefits of Clinical massage go beyond relieving physical pain
We mentioned above how the therapist can affect the central nervous system of the client by addressing the myofascial tissue.
During a clinical massage session the parasympathetic activity increases, the body enters the restorative and healing state of being.
In a fast paced world that has developed way too noisy and disconnected for our body some people never get to experience a state of deep relaxation.
Our body’s ability to heal itself is far more powerful than anything anyone can effect from the outside, so taking the body into this state is a powerful tool and a key element in a good clinical massage session.
Adaptability
Adaptability is another great characteristic that contributes towards the effectiveness of clinical massage in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.
Massage is an unregulated profession, which means that there are no rules inside the treatment room.
Being unregulated has a lot of downfalls, two of the main ones being:
- Highly trained clinical massage therapists can’t officially differentiate themselves from other much less qualified masseuses, usually derived from the beauty sector, as they all fall within the same term “massage”.
- People in pain that need the help of these skilful professionals don’t know of their existence or don’t know how to find them.
Despite these not so positive consequences for being unregulated massage and therefore clinical massage has the freedom that other regulated professions don’t have, it’s development is dynamic and immediate which means that it’s always up to date with new science and new research, unlike other professions.
Its adaptability allows for different techniques from different disciplines to be combined and mixed in order to achieve the best possible results.
It combines great with other disciplines
Clinical massage is great combined with other treatment methods.
Our musculoskeletal system is an interconnected unit, where all components are affected by one another.
The soft tissue is an integral and most predominant part of this system. Releasing the soft tissue is fundamental at any stage of treatment of the musculoskeletal system.
Clinical massage therapy and Myofascial release therapy are especially effective when combined with a strength based exercise rehab method focused on functional movements and building the body following the myofascial lines principles of Tom Myers.
There is no alternative within the medical system
There is nothing within the current public health system of this country that would be the equivalent to clinical massage therapy and or a solid alternative to it.
Conditions we treat with Clinical massage therapy
- Recurring back pain
- Headaches/Migraines
- Pain in Neck and Shoulders
- TMJ Disfunction (Related symptoms – headaches, anxiety, jaw pain, neck stiffness/pain, ear ringing/pain)
- Pain down the arms, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Sciatica, Leg pain/Tingling
- Numbness/Tingling
- Hip and Pelvic Floor Pain or Conditions
- Knee pain
- Stress, Anxiety and Wellbeing
About the author
Rocio Santiago
MA in Nursing, Dip. Soft Tissue Therapy
Ro initially began her career as a nurse. Following this and after a difficult time in her life that resulted in a career change, Ro went on to train at one of the leading soft tissue therapy schools in Europe, completing a 3 year degree level course and specialising in effective soft tissue manipulation for the treatment of musculoskeletal pain.
The treatment method Ro uses consists of a combined approach using different specialised techniques, myofascial release and trigger point work among others, with the intention and focus on providing effective results in the least possible amount of time.
Combining her training, science background and life experience, her treatment method is based in science and built using a whole body approach, where mind and body are addressed as one.
Ro has been seeing clients as a soft tissue therapist for 8 years, successfully treating a wide range of conditions.