Therapeutic Massage
General Health and Wellness:
Altered States of Science will support your general health through massage and fitness programming to meet your specific needs.
Here are some of the general benefits of massage:
• Increased circulation to the heart, brain and extremities;
• Stimulates the digestive system;
• Increased oxygen and nutrients to the muscle tissue, organs and skin glands;
• Revitalizing/restores energy;
• Loosens the tissue and adhesions;
• Flushes out toxins;
• Stimulates the lymphatic system thereby supporting the natural immune defenses;
• Relief of chronic pain and specific conditions (eg. , Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, fibromyalgia, injuries, surgeries);
• Massage can provide safe touch for those who have suffered physical abuse, and those who are deprived of tactile contact;
• Safe tactile contact can play an important role in the therapeutic activities during times of grieving, stress or transition.*
*Cedar Barstow, an experienced massage therapist who has specialized in work with elders, lists the benefits of massage for elders which, among the many physical benefits, includes "increased self awareness and acceptance, relief of anxiety and tension and elevated emotional outlook."
• Massage strongly effects the Autonomic Nervous System. Massage stimulates the Parasympathetic Nervous System, thereby calming the client and allowing them to experience a time and space when they were relieved from anxiety and the physiological effects of the an over stimulated Sympathetic Nervous System.
• Massage activates sensory pleasure centers releasing endorphins (known as "happy hormones") in the brain, which serve to reduce pain, and produce feelings ranging from well being and contentment to elation.
The general benefits of fitness programming designed by Altered States of Science:
• Improved joint stability
• Improved functional flexibility
• Reduction of the possibility of re-injury
• Improves overall functional capacity
Postural Assessment
Massage and targeted Fitness Programming are a powerful combination for maintaining and improving general health and function. Many people work long hours at stressful jobs or have personal demands that put them at risk of stress-related or repetitive stress injuries.
Bringing natural balance to the body helps prevent injury.
Through postural assessment and muscularskeletal screening, a program will be suggested that targets muscles that are weak for strengthening, as well as those that are tight and require flexibility. Both massage and exercise target muscles and joints appropriate for you and the long term management of your health and functional capacity.
Stress:
"Stress" can be caused from a wide variety of factors in our lives. These may include the demands of work, relationships, transition, grieving, chronic pain, or many other circumstances.
Altered States of Science massage for stress reduction is an individual as you are, and will be tailored to your individual needs based upon the source of your stress.
Some of the common benefits and techniques of massage for stress reduction are as follows:
• SWEDISH: Long strokes using oil or lotion on the skin to increase circulation, deeper circles in the muscles to relieve "knots" and tension.
• SHIATSU: Pressure applied to points on the body to encourage deep relaxation, pain relief, and a balancing of the nervous system.
• PASSIVE STRETCHING: While you fully relax, the therapist will gently stretch a part of the body while you breathe deeply. Many clients find passive stretching a powerful technique to achieve deep relaxation.
• DEEP TISSUE: Clients who work long hours in stressful conditions are at risk of repetitive stress injuries. Deep Tissue massage will focus on specific areas in your body where the circulatory or nervous system might be impaired from muscular tension.
• FUNCTIONAL CONDITIONING: In addition to massage, your therapist may suggest a program of simple exercises to be used throughout the day to help you change the patterns of tension held in your body. This will facilitate both injury prevention as well as stress management.
Your massage by Altered States will be designed personally with you to meet your unique needs.
Chronic Pain:
Many of the most dramatic success stories regarding massage have been about chronic pain relief. Sufferers of tendonitis, whiplash, TMJ disorder, carpal tunnel, headaches, back pain and other chronic pain have reported relief.
The AMOUNT OF PRESSURE used is always in your control - the therapist will work with you to determine the pressure that is effective for you.
Techniques vary depending on the part of the body reporting the chronic pain. All therapeutic strategies are designed with you, any therapist at Altered States of Science will not do a procedure 'to you'.Your massage will include some or all of the following:
• WARMING: The muscles are loosened and warmed through kneading strokes.
• BREAKING DOWN 'KNOTS': "Knots" known as adhesions, and scar tissue from injury can limit your range of motion and cause pain. Techniques are used that work across and along the fiber of the specific muscle(s) related to your pain. This may include muscles on the opposite side of the muscle in pain, as well as any muscles effected by compensation.
• DEEP TISSUE: A widely used technique to break down adhesions in the muscle fascia (the white tissue in between the muscles). Deep Tissue often gives the wonderful feeling that "all the wrinkles are being ironed out".
• JOINT MOBILIZATION: The therapist will gently rotate your joints within their range of motion as you completely relax. This attention to your joints encourages the production of synovial fluid (the lubrication inside the joints) and promotes flexibility.
• TRIGGER POINT THERAPY: Finding certain "hot spots" where the pain is intensified, the therapist will work with your breathing to relieve the pain.
• SHIATZU AND ACCUPRESSURE: Using techniques in the Eastern medicinal traditions pressure is applied to certain points known to bring release to the area in pain.
• STRETCHING: To further the relaxation and circulation of the muscle the area(s) is stretched while you completely relax. Sometimes the therapist will ask you to resist in the opposite direction before stretching - a way of breaking the patterns in the nervous system telling the muscle to be habitually tense.
• FUNCTIONAL CONDITIONING: After your massage, your therapist may work with you to program specific exercises to promote strength, flexibility and injury prevention. A medical release from a physician or physical therapist may be required.
Injury and Post Rehabilitation:
After injury or surgery, a client typically goes through a rehabilitation program under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist, orthopedic physician, or chiropractor. After discharge from the initial rehab program, the client is usually in need of further therapy by a professional to maintain and improve the function gained in their rehab program. Post-rehab services aim to be the beginning phase of the long-term management of various medical conditions.
Altered States of Science provides both Therapeutic Massage and Medical Exercise to post-rehab clients who have medical clearance and a referral from their licensed physical therapist, physician or chiropractor.
Post-Rehab Services draw from both Medical Exercise and Therapeutic Massage and include:
• A Fitness Assessment (Functional Component Included)
• Strength Training
• Flexibility Training
• Functional Conditioning (work/sports/ADL specific training)
• Spinal Stabilization Training (To improve overall trunk stability)
• Neuromuscular Therapy
• Soft Tissue Release
• PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) Techniques
• Joint Mobilization
