Injury Assessment & Rehabilitation
Types of conditions I treat:
- General Musculo-Skeletal Pain
- Pain in Neck, Back, Hips, Knees, Ankles, Shoulders, Elbows, Wrists, Hands
- Sciatica, Nerve pain
- Tendinopathies (Achilles tendinopathy, tennis elbow, golfers elbow etc)
- Muscle tears
- Previous / Old injury
- Muscular imbalances
- Joint Instability
- Management of Chronic Pain conditions
Who should have an Injury Assessment?
For general aches and pains it is sometimes advisable to try sports/deep tissue massage initially as often many things do come and go particularly if there is no clear cause. To give an idea of when you would prioritise an injury assessment …
- Experiencing a lingering/reoccurring pain or issue and particularly one that has not been resolved by massage or other treatments.
- A gradual onset of pain/discomfort that has not improved or has worsened over time
- You’ve experienced something pop, go, give way etc.
- If you’ve not received proper physiotherapy post surgery/post injury.
How many sessions are needed?
After an initial assessment you will be given home exercise to address any findings of the session and/or advice on which treatment sessions to book to help you get back to full fitness. Each condition typically varies and therefore you can expect to have a better idea of how many sessions you require after you have had an initial assessment.
Often at least one follow up session is recommended to re-assess your condition and re-assess suitability/efficacy of your home exercise. Many clients may require somewhere around 2-4 follow-ups but this can vary.
As your condition improves and you no longer need appointments or treatment you are not obliged to keep booking appointments. My goal is to get you pain free and functioning in as few sessions as possible so that you don’t need to rely on ongoing treatment. I strive to educate you to better understand any potential causes of your condition, pain management and preventing future onset where possible.
Please contact me if you are unsure what type of session you may need.
Acupuncture & Dry Needling
What can Acupuncture help?
Holistic Pain Relief / Management (Chronic pain / Low back pain, Neck pain, Joint pain, Osteoarthritis)
Enhanced Injury Recovery (MSK / soft tissue injury / overuse injury / tendinopathies)
Ease Migraines & Headaches (Severity & occurrence)
Reduce Stress, Anxiety , Inflammation & Tension
Improved Sleep & Energy
Improve range of movement & motor function (Reduced stiffness)
Hot flushes, Menopause, Digestive Support
Improved physical & mental wellbeing
How many sessions?
For best results, most courses of treatment will require 1-2 sessions per week for 4-6 weeks.
Depending on what we are treating, sessions may then be spaced out further in time to enter a maintenance phase. (The time between treatments will vary for each client, progress is monitored, and sessions spaced accordingly as long as good results are maintained).
As each person’s experience is unique, at least 3 sessions should be attended prior to deciding whether to continue with treatment as often it can take anywhere up to three sessions to allow the body to adapt to start feeling the benefits and/or full potential.
The process...
Around 7-10 fine needles are inserted into specific areas and left for around 20-40 minutes.
Clients may experience De-qi sensations such as warmth, pressure, mild tingling, heaviness, ache or sense of deep relaxation. This is a desirable effect although not essential.
Acupuncture is not and should not be painful. Often clients do not feel insertion, however, if they do then it is considered a very mild discomfort outweighed by the therapeutic benefits. Many people find acupuncture relaxing.
How does Acupuncture work?
Biochemical changes occurs in the body which enhances natural healing abilities, reduces pain & promotes physical and mental well-being by calming the fight or flight response and improving balance within the body and mind.
Combining Acupuncture and Massage Therapy
Evidence suggests a combination of massage and acupuncture synergize to enhance results of pain relief, relaxation and recovery.
60 and 90minute combination sessions are available. Sessions are tailored to the needs of each client.
Dry Needling
Dry Needling techniques may be recommended for use during Massage or Acupuncture appointments, usually to release stubborn trigger points (knots).
These are areas of over contracted muscle fibres. Trigger points can cause discomfort, limit range of movement and lead to imbalance or injury.
Placing needles into these trigger points disrupts the contractions by enhancing blood flow and oxygen delivery, encouraging the muscles to relax and stretch, resolving the pain.
Dry needling can also be used to improve mind-muscle connection and muscle activation (to assist in correcting muscle imbalances, improve stability and prevent injury).
The type of needle is the same used for acupuncture.
Sports / Deep Tissue Massage
Who should have Massage?
Sessions are tailored to the client with techniques and pressure appropriate to achieve your goals. Sports and deep tissue are considered interchangeable terms and should not discourage people from seeking treatment. Massage is for everyone, young and old, from athletes to sedentary.
Deep tissue massage involves a combination of techniques to apply deep pressure with the therapist using fingers, thumbs, knuckles, elbows & forearms. This manipulation and mobilisation works the soft tissue including muscles, ligaments, fascia and tendons for therapeutic benefit.
Sessions may include a combination of treatment including – Theragun (Percussion Therapy), Warm Bamboo, Dry Needling, Soft Tissue Release, Trigger Point Therapy, PNF Stretching and Dry Vacuum Cupping. (Dependant upon the goals of treatment, combinations may be recommended)
Massage appointments can be 30, 60 or 90 minutes long. For advice on durations please see a description of each under prices
Benefits of Massage
This style of massage is often considered by many to be the most effective in relieving pain and discomfort in the muscles as well as…
- Improving Mobility / Flexibility
- Pain Relief
- Quicker Recovery
- Improved Circulation
- Improved Injury Recovery
- Reduced Cramping/ Improved Tissue Health
- Relaxation and wellbeing
How often?
Initially, if aches and pains have been building for a long time, then it is best to have 2 or 3 sessions within quicker succession (1-2 weeks between appointments). Once things feel mostly resolved then many switch their frequency to monthly appointments, however, this may be more or less frequent depending on your lifestyle and other factors. If you need any advice please contact me
