Clinical massage is an outcome-based treatment for the relief of acute & chronic musculoskeletal pain, as well as complex systemic conditions such as Fibromyalgia, ME and Asthma available with Danila Ciencia.
What makes a massage Clinical?
Often when we think of Massage the word Holistic* may come to mind: the multitude of benefits it has on both our physical and mental wellbeing are widespread knowledge.
For injuries sustained in regular physical activity we may think of Sports* Massage, so that our issue is addressed in a more specific and biomechanical way and includes some Rehab. Perhaps a nagging pain tells us we should go for a Deep Tissue Massage* so that a particularly tight muscle is worked with deep pressure.
Advanced Clinical Massage Therapy merges the holistic and the biomechanical aspects, together with a robust understanding of pathologies, evaluation and rehabilitation. Using research-based interventions, applying Clinical Reasoning skills and adopting a Biopsychosocial approach (more about this strange word below) it brings Massage one step closer to the 14 allied health professions [1].
The outcome is to restore mobility, agility, range of motion, functional activity and decrease daily pain – ACM provides relief for issues that the medical profession often treats with painkillers or surgery.
An in-depth Clinical assessment enables the therapist to gather information on the client’s medical history, evaluate which soft tissue structures may be involved in causing pain and establish an effective treatment plan. Once the desired outcome is agreed, measurable benchmarks will be set, which will allow both client and therapist to assess the progress.
Finally, a tailored self-care plan allows the client to take control of their pain management.
The partnership a Client and Therapist build during the process is a key factor in the outcome of the therapeutic plan: research has shown that patients who had a positive interaction with their clinician showed greater improvements compared to patients who had limited interaction (Kaplan et al 1989, Kelley et al 2014) [2]
The Biopsychosocial model
A fundamental approach used by any Clinical Massage therapist is the Biopsychosocial model, which allows to understand the client in a truly holistic way, by taking into consideration physiological, psychological and sociological aspects. This helps to establish whether the issue is caused by the tissues, emotional & social stress factors or the complications of the central nervous system sensitisation.
What conditions does Clinical Massage help with?
Clinical massage is extremely effective with most types of acute & chronic musculoskeletal pathologies & other chronic conditions:
carpal tunnel /sprains and strains / back pain / disk pathologies / bursitis / sciatica / neck pain / whiplash / migraines / frozen shoulder / sports injuries / knee pain / ligament and tendon issues / fibromyalgia / chronic fatigue syndrome / sports injuries / myofascial pain syndrome / rheumatoid arthritis / asthma / plantar fasciitis
I
n my clinical experience I have seen considerable improvements in just 3 sessions with Clients suffering from Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Long Covid. The journey for these clients is a long one but being able to reduce their symptoms in just a few weeks allows them to better manage their condition with regular maintenance sessions.
Chronic pain such as Tendinopathies, Disk pathologies or injuries which are still problematic after the predicted healing period, may take a full 6 sessions to release, perhaps longer, but improvements are usually noticeable by the 3rd session.
With Acute injuries, it all depends on the type of injury, but a suitable treatment plan and rehab programme provides support to the natural ability of the body to heal, preventing re-injury and fear-avoidance (fear of moving the injured area)
What to expect from an Advance clinical Massage session?
· A warm and compassionate partner committed to guiding you on your journey out of pain
· A thorough consultation to give you space and time to talk about your issues
· A range of motions assessment utilising orthopaedic functional muscle testing
· An individual treatment plan to address your presenting pain condition
· A fusion of advanced massage and soft tissue techniques drawn from East and West:
Ø Trigger Point Therapy
Ø Myofascial Release Therapy
Ø Acupressure
Ø Passive & Active Isolated stretching
Ø Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
· Tailored after care/ rehabilitation programme to put you in the driving seat of your recovery
· A reduction of your pain and increase in movement in 6 treatments or less
Advanced Clinical Massage is available from with Danila.
TESTIMONIALS
"I have CFS and fibromyalgia and I was treated by Danila for chronic back pain. I was having difficulty walking I'd seen a physio and had 6 steriod injections into my back but nothing had helped.
Danila was working with clients who have chronic health conditions which was exactly what I needed. Danila worked with my individual needs because of my CFS and fibromyalgia I can have flare ups if the work on my body is too extensive.
Danila was so professional and very sensitive to my existing health conditions. On the second session Danila did a big release in my lower back which had been stuck ridged since my injury 18 months ago. I felt my coccyx relax to the extent that it went completely flat to the table, it was as this point I was out of extreme pain and my difficulty with walking greatly improved. In another session Danila was able to release a trapped nerve which I'd had for over 20 years.
Danila seems to intuitively know how to locate painful areas in the body and how to release them. She has been able to help me with long term pain which I thought I'd just have to put up with. I feel very grateful for Danila's treatments I don't know what I would have done with out her. she is a very special practitioner. "(MM)
"I've been seeing Danila for several years now. She's a brilliant advanced massage practitioner and has helped my body heal from several running injuries. She offers a service that is attentive to what is happening for the client that day and in the longer term. I couldn't recommend her more highly." (LV)
"I only started going to Danila recently as my neck and shoulders became so stiff due to poor at-home work posture. Danila would assess my back and suss out my knots, then smooth them out. I feel much lighter after the session, plus my neck doesn’t crack or creak as much as before. Love the peaceful environment at Shine too. I’ll be heading back when payday arrives! Thanks Danila" (RT)
"I came across Danila and her myofascial release massage to increase my hips flexibility and to treat a very bad muscle contraction that didn’t allow me to do my usual gym exercises and specific movements. After few sessions I have already felt my muscles relaxed and at the end of all the sessions there was no pain anymore. I am particularly impressed also about my hips flexibility. It strongly improved as my mobility. She really took care of my issue, feeling what I was experiencing and finding way to solve it. She also suggested me very helpful exercises to carry on at home and by myself." (AV)
Notes
*This description reflects my own and my client’s views. It’s difficult to split massage into categories: all forms of massage are essentially therapeutic touch, and many therapists will incorporate many modalities in their work. A general sense of direction for clients is nonetheless useful in my view.
References:
[1] https://www.england.nhs.uk/ahp/role/
[2] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2646486/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24718585/
