Remedial Massage
When I say Remedial Massage, I think most people immediately picture one thing…
Pain.
The elbows come out.
You grip the edge of the table.
You question every life decision that led you to this moment…
And apparently if you don’t leave feeling like you’ve been hit by a truck, it wasn’t a “proper” remedial massage.
Yeah… not quite.
Continue below for a more in depth look at what this modality is and what it can do for you.
Remedial massage is about working out why something is sore, tight, restricted or just not moving the way it should — and then working with the muscles and soft tissues to help address it.
Maybe you’ve got a sore neck from sitting at a computer all day.
Maybe your lower back has been giving you grief.
Maybe you play sport, work a physical job, spend hours driving, lift kids all day, or you’ve simply woken up one morning and your body has decided…
“Nope. We don’t turn our head to the left anymore.”
That’s where remedial massage comes in.
And yes, sometimes remedial work can be uncomfortable.
Sometimes I’ll find a spot and you'll give me that look.
You know the one.
The “Felicity, what the hell are you doing to me?” look.
But harder does NOT always mean better.
My job isn't to beat your muscles into submission.
It’s to listen to what your body is telling me, work out what may be contributing to the problem and choose techniques that are appropriate for you.
Because the spot that hurts isn't always the spot causing the problem.
That sore shoulder might have something to do with how you're moving through your neck, chest or upper back.
That tight lower back might have us looking at your hips and glutes.
Your body doesn't work as a collection of completely separate parts — everything is connected.
And sometimes the goal isn't necessarily to “fix” something in one session.
Sometimes it's about getting you moving a little easier.
Reducing some of that tension.
Helping settle an irritated area.
Giving your body an opportunity to recover.
And occasionally reminding you that perhaps ignoring that niggle for the last six months wasn't the greatest plan.
If you walk out able to turn your head further than when you walked in — I've done my job.
If that constant ache feels a little quieter — I've done my job.
If you leave understanding your body a little better and what might be contributing to the problem — I've done my job.
And if you walk out thinking…
“That hurt in a really good way.”
Well… I've probably done my job there too.
Remedial massage isn't about seeing how much pressure you can tolerate.
It's about figuring out what your body needs and working with it — not against it.
Because sometimes you need relaxation.
Sometimes you need CST.
And sometimes…
you need me to find that one bloody spot you've been complaining about for three months.