Deep Tissue, Sports and Therapeutic Massage in Glasgow

YOUR MASSAGE QUESTIONS

What is Integrated Massage?

Integrated massage is a unique type of massage that combines technique, strokes and moves from many different massage styles or modalities.

My Integrated Massage style includes techniques from Swedish, Deep Tissue, Therapeutic, Remedial, Sports and Hot Stones Massage with elements and inspiration from Chi Nei Tsang (Internal Organ Massage), Structural Integration, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point therapy, and passive stretching from Thai Massage.

Usually, all these massage styles would be performed on there own as a singular treatment and many such as Swedish, Hot Stones and Thai massage involve a set sequence of strokes making each treatment virtually identical. With integrated massage I take all the best bits and the most effective techniques and combine these in to a totally unique and extremely effective massage treatment. Each treatment is likely to be different as the massage techniques and strokes used are dictated by what your body requires that particular day.

The focus of an integrated massage is to ease any aches and pains you might be feeling, provide you with greater flexibility and range of motion, release stored up physical tensions and psychological emotions, restore balance and give a deep sense of relaxation for both the body and mind. Many different problems can be helped by integrated massage, including, recovery from an injury or surgery, daily stresses and tensions of modern life, work related postural problems, athletic performance and general improvement to your physical health and psychological well-being.

What's the difference between massage styles?

Swedish massage - The best known style of massage and what most western styles of massage are based on. Developed by Per Henrik Ling at the University of Stockholm in 1812, it is know in Sweden as classic massage, it uses a firm but gentle pressure to soothe and relax.
Therapeutic massage - Similar to Swedish massage but targeted more on releasing muscle stiffness and tension than relaxation. Commonly focuses on one specific part of the body in need of a deep treatment rather than the whole body. Very effective for loosening tight muscles.
Remedial massage - Involves the use of a wide range of massage techniques, including, Positional Release Technique (PRT), Soft Tissue Release (STR) and Trigger Point Therapy (TrPT) to aid the muscles and soft tissues of the body re-align and recover from injury.
Sports massage - Perfect for professional and amateur athletes, pre and post event work consists of specific massage techniques to invigorate muscles prior to strenuous activity and afterwards helping to return the muscles to their natural resting length. Other aspects of sports massage include remedial and therapeutic massage work.
Hot Stones massage - Involves the use of smooth heated stones, often of black volcanic rock called basalt. Hot stones massage can help to deeply relax the body whilst also helping to work through deep seated knots and Trigger Points within muscles and fascia. They say "One massage stroke with a hot stone is equivalent to 5-10 with your hand."
Structural Integration - Structural Integration focuses on the connective tissue or fascia of the body in order to bring all the parts of the body into balance with each other and with gravity.
Myofascial Release - Myofascial Release works with the connective tissue (I often refer to it as Candy Floss) of the body which is suppose to be a fluffy, moist material that enables all the moving parts of the body to glide and move independently around each other. Often this fascia or connective tissue hardens and thickens (like squeezed Candy Floss) in response to extra stress and tension, it then starts to restrict rather than enable good range of motion and often will require work to soften and re-align it. The Myofascia work I do comes from the Rolfing tradition.
Trigger Point Therapy - Trigger Point therapy, sometimes known as Neuromuscular therapy, is primarily concerned with muscle knots and trigger points. These are small areas of hyper-sensitive tissue within muscle and fascia that can cause a lot of pain and discomfort, for further info please read Trigger Points and Knots.
Thai massage - Often know as Lazy Mans Yoga, Thai massage is usually performed in relaxed clothing and involves compressions and stretches, it is very effective at freeing up the body and loosening all the joints.
Chi Nei Tsang - Internal Organ Energy massage is a massage that's mainly focused on the abdomen and the massaging of the internal organs of the body such as the liver, gall bladder, intestines etc. Chinese in origin, and specifically interested in releasing negative feelings and emotions stored in the internal organs it can have an extremely powerful emotional effect.

Although each of these styles of massage are usually offered as single treatments or modalities, my integrated massage combines them all within one unique and effective massage treatment helping to relieve tension, restore energy, ease pain and discomfort, loosen the joints, increase range of motion, release negative emotions, open up the body and give a deep sense of relaxation.

How long does a treatment last?

I offer both 1 hour and 2 hour appointment slots.
A 1 hour treatment slot is appropriate if you are looking to have just a specific area treated, say you have tension and stiffness in the neck and shoulders or you are experiencing tightness and restriction in your legs. The 1 hour treatment will typically include at least 45 minutes of table work.
The 2 hour slot is recommended for those wishing to experience an in-depth full body integrated massage, during which I am able to make sure all parts of the body get the treatment they need with plenty of time for passive stretches. The 2 hour session typically provides for around 1 hour and 45 minutes on the table.
A full body treatment can be done within a 1 hour session but it does mean that I'm unable to give many areas the full attention they might need.

What happens during a treatment?

When you come for your first appointment I will run through a brief consultation with you, the main purpose of which is to collect your personal details, discuss any aches or pains you might be experiencing and discuss any relevant medical history. Your posture and range of motion may be assessed in connection with any presenting complaint and the treatment will be discussed with you. After the treatment we can discuss what was discovered during the treatment, I may suggest some simple exercises or mobilisations you can do at home to help with the work done and if you wish I can suggest how best for you to move forward with any future treatment or maintenance work.

Do you diagnose?

No, massage therapists, in general, do not and should not diagnose any medical condition. I personally don't do physical assessments nor diagnose any medical or musculaskeletal conditions or problems, for that you need to see a Phyiotherapist or Sports Therapist.

I may during the course of your treatment check your posture, flexibility and range of motion, this is primarily to help me understand how your body is structurally aligned and to enable me to give you the most effective treatment I can. I am a massage specialist and have spent many years learning and studying a vast number of massage techniques and styles from around the world, this has included the study of posture and body reading so I'm able to more effectively use those massage techniques to help you feel better. So don't expect me to send you away with a diagnosis such as a subluxation of L4, Tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) or even an anterior pelvic tilt, that's what Physios are there for.

How much does a treatment cost?

A 1 hour massage treatment costs £35.00, the 2 hour massage option is £65.00.
Payment should be made in cash or via a gift voucher at the end of your treatment.

What do I wear?

Massage is performed directly on the skin so it is recommended you wear as little as possible during your treatment. Ultimately your treatment will be more effective and beneficial if I'm able to easily work with all the muscles and attachments and I therefore recommended you wear nothing at all. However, if you'd feel more comfortable wearing your pants or all your underwear then that is absolutely fine. If you do decide to keep your underwear on then please wear small and stretchy pants and for those preferring to keep their bra on, please be aware it will need to be unclasped to work in the back and shoulder area. I recommended men don't wear cotton boxer shorts, the kind with no stretch, as they make it very hard to work on the muscle attachements in the glute and hip / pelvis area. Work in this area can be carried out through a towel and is still effective but it isn't possible to warm up the muscles properly before deep work so it can be a little more tender the following day than need be.

It is extremely important to me that you are completely comfortable and relaxed during your treatment. You are given time on your own to get undressed and prepared for your treatment and are given a sheet to completely cover yourself. You will be covered with this sheet for the whole treatment and only the body part being massaged will be uncovered at any time.

Will the massage be painful?

During the course of the massage it is likely that some areas of tension, muscle adhesion and trigger points will be discovered. When working with these areas it can sometimes be a little tender or sore, but we will always be working within your tolerance levels. You are always in control during a treatment and if any pressure is to too deep just say as it's important you are relaxed throughout the massage for me to be able to get the muscles to release. Sometimes you may feel some soreness for a day or so after the treatment, if this is the case, don't worry this is fairly common, more so after your first treatment, but should only be a slight tenderness and will ease over 24 to 48 hours.

How often should I have a massage?

Everybody is different so this is a hard question to answer. In general however, if you have come for massage because you are experiencing pain and restricted movement then usually a minimum of 2 to 4 sessions, 1 a week, is recommended, The first 2 treatments would be targeted at relieving the area where you are experiencing the discomfort and then during the following 2 treatments we would work further a field and address muscles that are supporting the problem and bring the body back in to balance. If you are just experiencing some stiffness and general tightness in the muscles, it may be that only 1 or 2 massage treatments is required. For general maintenance work some people like to come for a massage once a fortnightly basis, others once a month, some people will only come for a massage once every 6 months, this decision is up to you and how you are feeling. You will never be encouraged to come for more treatments than is required.

What massage oil do you use?

I use several flavours of Tui Massage Wax. When working with my male clients I tend to use the unscented wax and with female clients in generally use the vanilla wax. I also keep a version that doesn't contain Almond oil for those that may be allergic to nuts or nut oil. I have completely stopped using traditional oils for massage as I feel the wax is a superior medium for massage and enables me to work deeply without sliding all over the place, effectively grip the skin when working with the fascia and in larger amounts its brilliant for general therapeutic ans Swedish massage work.

Why do you use sheets instead of towels to drape?

Over the years I have tried many different methods of draping my clients and like most UK trained therapists I was initially taught to use towels for this purpose. The problem with towels is they are heavy, cumbersome and awkward when you are trying to move your client around whilst also maintain their modesty. In America it is very common for massage therapists to use sheets to drape clients and this is where my use of sheets comes from. They are light and simple to use and crucially they easily maintain your modesty at all times. They are large enough to be able to drag and drape around the body when doing passive stretching and range of motion work. Most therapists who use towels for draping say they use them to keep their clients warm and pampered, don't worry, I have heating to keep you lovely and warm (or cool if you prefer).

Do you play music?

No I don't play music during my massage sessions.
During my treatments, I want you to relax and connect with your body, I believe this is more easily done when you're allowed to tune in to your bodies own natural rhythm rather than that of some relaxation music with running water sounds or the sound of whales. If however you feel you must have music, please bring along a CD of your choice with you to the treatment and I will play it for you. Please mention this when booking your appointment so I can make sure a CD player is available during the session.

Do you do home visits?

I only offer home visits to current, regular clients, I do not offer home visits to new clients. Due to travelling and the time required to set up and pack away it is also an expensive option, if you are interested in home visits please contact me for prices.

My clinic is based in Glasgows city centre within easy reach of bus and rail transport. A 5 minute walk from Central Station and about 2 minutes away from both Buchanan Street underground and Queen Street Station. On street parking is also available although sometimes difficult to find, but Buchanan Galleries car park is only 5 minutes walk away with reasonable prices.

If you have any unanswered questions please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to answer them for you.