Neuromuscular Massage Therapy

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Origins.

Neuromuscular massage, also known as trigger point myotherapy therapy, was pioneered by Dr. Janet Travell in the 1940s. Travell was the personal physician of President John F. Kennedy and is credited with helping to relieve his back pain. She discovered that applying specific pressure to trigger points could relieve pain and improve muscle function. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Travell refined her techniques and collaborated with Dr. David Simon, who published the seminal work Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual.  

This massage will not be performed until an assessment has been done first. This means I need any MIR, CT, X-rays, GP's or surgeons or physiotherapist reports to read first before you come to me for your first visit!  I need to read all reports before I even start to massage you!

Benefits.

1. Pain Relief Neuromuscular massage can effectively alleviate chronic pain conditions such as back pain, neck pain, and headaches.
2. Improved Mobility By releasing muscle tension and trigger points, neuromuscular massage can enhance flexibility and range of motion.
3. Better Posture Neuromuscular massage can help correct postural imbalances by relaxing overworked muscles and strengthening weakened ones.
4. Reduced Stress The focused pressure and release of tension can promote relaxation and reduce stress levels.
5. Enhanced Athletic Performance Athletes can benefit from neuromuscular massage as it can help prevent injuries, speed up recovery time, and improve overall performance.
6. Improved Circulation Neuromuscular massage can stimulate blood flow and lymphatic drainage, promoting better circulation and reducing inflammation.

How It Works.

Neuromuscular massage is a specialised massage technique that targets specific areas of the body experiencing pain, tension, or dysfunction. The therapist applies direct pressure to trigger points, which are hyperirritable spots in the muscles that can cause referred pain and limited range of motion. The therapist will look for the most painful trigger points and surrounding points. Focusing on these trigger points helps to release muscle tension, improve circulation, and restore better or proper muscle function depending on your body issues. The therapist may also use stretching techniques and work on related muscle groups to achieve a more comprehensive treatment.

Considerations.

While neuromuscular massage can be highly effective in treating chronic pain and muscle dysfunction, it is important to note that the treatment can be quite intense and may cause some discomfort during the session. It is crucial to communicate with your therapist about your pain tolerance and any specific concerns you may have. Additionally, individuals with certain health conditions, such as blood clots, cancer, or recent surgeries, should consult with their healthcare provider before undergoing neuromuscular massage to ensure it is safe and appropriate for their specific situation.

Conclusion.

Neuromuscular massage is a highly effective therapy for addressing a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions and chronic pain. By targeting specific trigger points and soft tissues, this specialised massage technique helps to alleviate tension, improve circulation, and restore proper muscle function. When performed by a skilled practitioner with many years of this style and combined with complementary practices like stretching and postural corrections (Looking at your posture and getting you to change it as much as possible, neuromuscular massage can provide significant relief and help to enhance overall wellbeing. 

Training.

I have been training in the allied health area of exercise and massage treatment for many years in remedial massage therapy, sports massage, and deep tissue massage and doing some training over sea in Asia for over 20 years & learning some old ways of healing with pressure points to myofascial trigger points for healing, myofascial release therapy, stretch therapy (PNF), learning about brain & other injuries, dementia, Fibromyalgia, Multiple sclerosis, Cerebral palsy, Parkinson’s disease, chronic back pain, sports injuries, bad postures and learning more about PTSD to enhance its effectiveness in treating musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction, help to improve circulation, and restore proper muscle function and select some exercises to help with different conditions within the body system.

A lot of my pressure points and trigger points come from my over 40 years in the martial arts with learning to heal and not just hurt with self-defence and also my time in fitness all come together as one. 

You might ask if martial arts is not a healing art as it's only to hurt people. You would be very wrong in Karate, Kung Fu with Chin Na and other martial arts if you learn long enough you might be lucky and be shown a high level of technique. Nowadays it's all about money, certificates and winning trophies and most of this training is lost that's why I keep my standards high. 

My learning was as below:

• Remedial Massage.
• Advance Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy.
• Advance Deep Tissue Massage.
• Advance Myofascial Release.
• Advanced Technique In Different Body Dysfunctions.
• Treat Spinal Torsion with deep tissue massage 
• Myofascial Cupping.
• Acupressure Pressure Therapy.
• PNF Stretching. (Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation)
• Technique in Exercises For ROM: This means random motion to help with movements within the joints. 
• Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury. 
• Assist in the rehabilitation of clients.
• Support the fitting of assistive devices.
• Introduction to Physiotherapy Diploma.
• PTSD Awareness Training.
• Dementia training and also worked with people women and men with Dementia for many years.
• Counselling Skills Training.
• Ayurveda healing Training.
• Pilates training.
• Mindfulness Instructor. 
• Mediation Instructor. 
• Different Techniques in Exercises. 
• Techniques In Active Release and more........ as my learning never stops.

For more information on Ray and his training please click here 

This clip below will explain about Neuromuscular massage straight to the point without too much confusion.

Post-Massage Expectations.

Neuromuscular massage techniques often involve deep pressure and may cause some discomfort, especially when working on areas with significant tension or trigger points. However, the pain should never be unbearable, and the therapist will typically check in with you throughout the session to ensure the pressure is tolerable for you as everyone has a different pain of pain they can handle. Any pain experienced during the massage should subside quickly after the pressure is released.  

After a neuromuscular massage, it's common to experience some discomfort, which typically subsides within 24 to 36 hours. The benefits of the massage, such as reduced muscle tension and pain relief, can last between 2 to 14 days or longer, depending on factors like stress levels, activity, and depending on the severity of the initial condition/s.

Over the years I have trained and developed within this style to advance deep tissue massage, trigger point therapy, stretch therapy, and pressure point therapy with a good outcome with people with the following conditions. I have also had clients who had very little feeling in the feet and other parts of the body. With the feet and legs in can be a pinched nerve in the buttock area, that's if you don't have a pinched nerve in the lower spine.  

Overall, neuromuscular massage therapy is a comprehensive approach to treating various muscular and nervous system issues and can provide both immediate and long-term benefits for physical and mental well-being. 

Fibromyalgia. 

Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition that results in persistent, widespread pain and extreme fatigue. The pain may be characterised as aching or burning in many areas of the body.  

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Lupus.  

Remedial massage therapy can offer various advantages for individuals with lupus. Lupus is a chronic autoimmune condition that can affect multiple systems in the body, leading to symptoms like joint pain, fatigue, and skin rashes. 

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Chronic Back Pain.

Chronic back pain is often characterised as a deep, dull or burning pain in one area of the back and some cases, the pain can travel down the legs. Chronic is the term used when the back pain reoccurs or when it lasts more than 12 weeks as opposed to acute back pain which resolves within less than 6 weeks. 

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Had a spinal or hip and knee operation etc.

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Parkinson’s disease. 

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative condition affecting the coordination of movement. Parkinson’s disease also affects cognition, mood, speech, bladder and bowel dysfunction. Parkinson’s disease involves a lack of a neurotransmitter called dopamine in the brain which causes stiffness, tremors slow movement and cognitive impairments.
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Multiple sclerosis (MS)

Multiple sclerosis is caused by damage to the nerve fibres in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) affecting movement, cognition and behaviour. MS is also termed an autoimmune disorder as the immune system attacks the myelin (protective sheath) that surrounds the nerve fibres disrupting signals travelling along these fibres resulting in a loss of muscle control, balance, coordination, difficulty walking and mood changes. 

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Cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy is a term that defines a set of neurological symptoms affecting movement and posture caused by damage to a baby’s brain resulting in developmental problems. The part of the brain affected (cerebrum) is involved in controlling movement and coordination, communication skills, memory and learning. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and damage to the cerebrum includes loss of motor function but can be accompanied by disturbances of sensation, cognition, communication, perception, and/or behaviour. It can also cause lots of muscle pain within the body and a few other conditions as well. 

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Sciatica. 

Sciatica, which is nerve compression or irritation, often causes pain that normally radiates down the back of the leg. If it's muscle tightness in the glutes area that has caused this, then I can help, if it's to do with lower back spinal pinched nerve pain, then I can only help with muscle soreness which might also help to some degree, but it all depends on the degree of damage.

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Injuries: People recovering from injuries caused by repetitive motion or poor posture.

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Postural Issues: Individuals with muscle imbalances and posture-related problems.

With this session, you will need to look after yourself when it comes to your weight, and posture at work, the gym or at home and they all count if you want a better life.

Ready to book your Neuromuscular Massage Therapy session with ATHLETIC SPORTS MASSAGE CANBERRA? Contact Ray today to schedule your appointment. 0425-626-343