Massage

Massage at the City Way Osteopathic Clinic

The Clinic has highly qualified Massage Therapists who offer a wide range of approaches, depending on what your body requires.  It is possible to attend for massage alone or at the Clinic your Osteopath may recommend that you consult the Therapist to aid the recovery of your ‘soft tissues’.

The Clinic offers massages of 30, 45 and 60 minutes so that your session can be tailored to address your needs appropriately.

A typical full-body massage session lasts for about one hour, although shorter sessions for treating specific areas are available.  On the first visit patients are asked a number of questions concerning general well-being, injuries and medical conditions that the Therapist should know about, in order to determine if there are any contra-indications (physical conditions that would prohibit or limit a massage treatment).  As western massage therapies are performed directly on the skin, clothing is usually removed for a full-body massage, although underwear is worn.  Towels cover areas not being massaged and help to keep the body warm.

Types of Massage

The City Way Osteopathic Clinic offers the following massage approaches: -

• Sports Massage
• Deep Tissue Massage
• Hot Stone Massage

Sports Massage

Sports massage is the technique of kneading and manipulating soft tissue in order to help prevent sports injuries, treat injuries already incurred and improve performance.  As participation in sports becomes more popular at all ages and performances improve from year to year, more is demanded of the athlete.  Regular Sports massage is part of the training programme of all top sports people.

The prime purpose of Sports massage therapy is to help alleviate the stress and tension which builds up in the body’s soft tissues during physical activity.  Where minor injuries and lesions occur, due to overexertion and/or overuse, massage can break them down quickly and effectively.  Above all, it can help prevent those niggling injuries that so often get in the way of performance and achievement, whether one is an athlete, ardent keep-fitter or a once a week jogger. 

Anyone can benefit from Sports massage, including people in physically demanding jobs and those not quite so obvious (occupational, emotional and postural stress may produce many similar characteristics to sports injuries).

Sports massage tends to be deeper and more intense than other massage approaches.  It is based on the various elements of Swedish massage and often incorporates a combination of other techniques involving stretching, compression and friction, toning and trigger point response techniques similar to Acupressure and Shiatsu.  The skilled Therapist brings together this blend of techniques, knowledge and advised during treatment, to work effectively with the patient to bring about optimum performance and to provide injury-free training and minimise post event injuries.

There are three areas when Sports massage is used to benefit athletes.

Maintenance Massage

A regular massage treatment programme concentrating on particular muscle groups can help the athlete maintain or improve range of motion and muscle flexibility.
Event Massage

Pre-event treatment is used as a supplement to an athlete’s warm-up to enhance circulation and reduce excess muscle and mental tension prior to competition.  Post-event massage is geared towards reducing the muscle spasms and metabolic build-up that occur with rigorous exercise.

Rehabilitation

Even with preventative maintenance, muscles cramp, tear, bruise and ache.  Sports massage can speed healing and reduce discomfort during the rehabilitation process.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep Tissue massage is a technique that focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue.  It aims to release the chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted areas.  It helps to break up and eliminate scar tissue.  Deep Tissue massage usually focuses on more specific areas and may cause some soreness during or right after the massage, but if it’s done right the patient should feel better than ever within a day or two.

The prices for massage are £30.00 for 1/2 hour, £35.00 for 45 minutes and £40 for an hour.

Hot Stone Massage

Hot Stones create a luxurious treatment with immediate, deep, intensifying and long lasting relief to melt away your aches and pains.

Hot Stone Therapy integrates stone work with a blend of Swedish Massage, Eastern Therapies, trigger point work, stretching and myofascial unwinding, using hands, forearms and knuckles.  The stones can be placed on or under the body, tucked into soft tissue while other areas are massaged; this feels like many areas are being treated at the same time prolonging the therapeutic nurturing effect.  The result is a unique seamless dance of the stones.

The basalt stones are heated in water and warm oil is applied to the body before the stones are used so they glide over the contours of the body.  The magic of the stones lies in their high iron content, which helps them both absorb and transmit the healing power of heat.

Western Medical Practitioners such as Physiotherapists, Chiropractors and Osteopaths regularly use heat to relax the muscle tissue.

Hot Stone Therapy is an exciting new approach, which can achieve both supreme relaxation while facilitating faster healing and combating pain.

Hot Stone Therapy has many benefits here are some:

• Hot Stone Therapy is a powerful tool to combat physical and mental fatigue.
• Enhances relaxation: the therapeutic effect of the heat is like a combination of a sauna, hot bath and a massage encouraging a deep and lasing relaxation.
• Increases blood supply to damaged areas, facilitating faster healing.
• Effective relief of chronic pain conditions

 

The prices for Hot Stone Massage are £45.00 for an hour and £60.00 for 90 minutes.