Pro Therapeutics

Bodywork Techniques:

Massage, Deep Tissue Work, Kineseo Taping, Structural Integration, ETPS Therapy and More

We begin each client relationship with a discussion of your health status and what you’re hoping to achieve through bodywork and massage.  Most of our clients want to relieve stress and discomfort, and many want to improve their athletic performance.  We  tailor each bodywork session to your specific needs that day – keeping in mind your overall objectives.

There are many techniques that we may use, including stretching, therapeutic exercises and one or more of the following:

Swedish Massage

Swedish massage is a vigorous system of treatment designed to energize the body by stimulating circulation. The disrobed client is covered by a sheet, with only the area being worked on exposed. We use a combination of kneading, rolling, vibrational, percussive, and tapping movements, with the application of oil, to reduce friction on the skin. The many benefits of Swedish massage may include generalized relaxation, dissolution of scar tissue adhesions, and improved circulation, which may speed healing and reduce swelling from injury.

Deep Tissue Massage:

Deep-tissue/deep-muscle massage techniques affect the sub-layer of musculature and fascia; they require advanced training and a thorough understanding of anatomy and physiology. It helps with chronic muscular pain and injury rehabilitation and reduces inflammation-related pain caused by arthritis and tendinitis.

Sports Massage:

Sports massage is designed to enhance athletic performance and recovery. There are three contexts in which sports massage can be useful to an athlete: pre-event, post-event, and injury treatment. Pre-event massage is delivered at the performance site, usually with the athlete fully clothed. Fast-paced and stimulating, it helps to establish blood flow and to warm up muscles. During the massage, the athlete generally focuses on visualizing the upcoming event. Post-event massage is also delivered on site, through the clothes. The intent here is to calm the nervous system and begin the process of flushing toxins and waste products out of the body. Post-event massage can reduce recovery time, enabling an athlete to resume training much sooner than rest alone would allow. When an athlete sustains an injury, skillful massage therapy can often speed and improve the quality of healing.

Kineseo Taping®:

We recently completed clinical training in the Kinesio Taping® Method, a rehabilitative taping technique that can be used by people of all ages to treat (and help prevent) a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, neurological and other medical conditions. Kinesio Taping is applied over muscles to reduce pain and inflammation, relax overused tired muscles, and to support muscles in movement on a 24hr/day basis. It is non-restrictive type of taping which allows for full range of motion.

Kinesio Taping promotes healing from a wide spectrum of injuries and conditions, including:  carpal tunnel syndrome, lower back strain/pain (subluxations, herniated disc), knee conditions, shoulder conditions, hamstring, groin, and rotator cuff injuries, whiplash, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis, patella tracking, pre and post surgical edema, ankle sprains,  Many athletes use Kinesio Taping for preventive maintenance – to support joints and muscles and reduce vulnerability to injury.

The Kinesio Taping Method stems from the science of Kinesiology; hence the name “Kinesio.”  It harnesses the body’s own natural healing process by activating the neurological and circulatory systems.  Muscles not only control the movements of the body; they also control the circulation of venous and lymph flows, body temperature, etc.  Therefore, the failure of the muscles to function properly induces various kinds of symptoms.

ETPS Therapy

ETPS is an FDA approved therapy that combines principles of acupuncture and neurology with microcurrent stimulation. ETPS applies concentrated DC micro-stimulation to produce an “acupuncture” that “releases” muscle tissue that impinges nerves and causes pain. Through this action, the muscle tissue around the nerve entrapment is relaxed, which decreases the client’s pain level greatly, sometimes instantly. This technique is effective because of the multi-pronged approach to the body’s nervous and musculoskeletal system.

Trigger Point Release

Trigger point therapy helps relieve and control myofascial pain (referred pain caused by trigger points, or hard nodules in muscle tissue). Treatment consists of trigger point compression, myomassage, passive stretching, and a regime of corrective exercises. Success may be measured subjectively by the level of pain reduction and objectively through increased range of motion, strength, endurance, and other measures of improved function. We encourage the client to be personally responsible for their improvement through attention to nutrition, stress and proper exercises.

Structural Integration

Based on the work of Dr. Ida P. Rolf, structural integration is based on the idea that the entire structural order of the body needs to be realigned and balanced with the gravitational forces around a central vertical line representing gravity’s influence. Therapeutic intervention is directed toward the myofascial system–the ligaments, muscles, tendons, and surrounding connective tissues. The process is not intended to cure symptoms; its goal is to create a more resilient, higher-energy system, free of inhibitions due to past trauma.

Cranial Sacral Therapy

This gentle therapy enhances the body’s natural healing processes and has proven effective in treating a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction. The craniosacral system consists of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Since this system influences the development and function of the brain and spinal cord, any imbalance or dysfunction in the craniosacral system could cause sensory, motor, or neurological disabilities. These problems may include chronic pain, eye difficulties, scoliosis, motor-coordination impairments, learning disabilities, and other dysfunctions of the central nervous system. Craniosacral therapy encourages the body’s natural healing mechanisms to improve the functioning of the central nervous system, dissipate the negative effects of stress, and enhance health and resistance to disease.

(Partial definitions courtesy of massagetherapy.com and kineseotaping.com)