Introduction
Neuromuscular massage is a massage or manual therapy technique that applies deep tissue pressure to specific areas of the body in order to stimulate muscles and nerves beneath the skin's surface. Unlike swedish or deep tissue massage, which focuses primarily on superficial or broad tissues, neuromuscular massage targets specific muscles, tendons, and ligaments, as well as fascia. Fascia helps support our bodies' structures including joints and internal organs such as the heart and lungs. This concept of targeted massage that
incorporates the nervous and muscular systems is one of the core therapies practiced at Kinetic Restoration.
What is neuromuscular massage?
The technique was originally developed in the 1930s with the work of Boris Chaitow and Stanley Lief. Other influential practitioners include Janet Travell and Raymond L Nimmo. These founding members were trained in osteopathy, naturopathy, chiropractic care, and medicine. Janet Travell is the founding physician of dry needling, which utilizes trigger point therapy and small needles to resolve musculoskeletal pain. Trigger point therapy is a cornerstone of neuromuscular therapy.
How can neuromuscular massage help?
Neuromuscular massage is a therapeutic technique that relieves pain, improves mobility, increases flexibility and reduces muscle tension. It's been proven to help with symptoms from a wide range of conditions including:
Fibromyalgia
Ehler's Danlos Syndrome
Migraines & Headaches
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, "Text neck"
Carpal Tunnel
Shin Splints
Sciatica
Neuromuscular massage can help with a number of issues, including pain management, mobility and flexibility.
Neuromuscular massage is a holistic therapy that focuses on the nervous system. This type of massage applies pressure to specific points while simultaneously stretching the body with movements that target those areas in order to stimulate muscles below the skin's surface (called fascia). The client is frequently asked to engage muscles during the session. This "team" approach during the session is the critical component of neuromuscular massage. Once the nervous system has "relearned" the a healthy range of motion and the affected tissues have been released of their tension, the body is able to regain healthy function in that area. Incorporating the connection between the nervous system and the muscular system (the "mind-body connection") is also one of the key ways to extend the effects of a massage.
Conclusion
Neuromuscular massage is a very successful way to treat musculoskeletal pain. A neuromuscular therapist must have excellent anatomy and kinesiology training. That is, they must be experts in where the muscles are, what they do, and to understand the effect of muscles that are not working properly. Neuromuscular therapists utilize the system of trigger points in the body to identify and resolve pain. Many massage therapists are following a sort of routine that they either learned in school or developed on their own as a way to complete the purchased hour of massage. On the contrary, a neuromuscular massage therapist is actively problem solving as they work through the pain and dysfunction the client is experiencing. The active engagement during the session helps our bodies heal, instead of trying to "force" the tissues to relax, the client feeling good for a few hours, and then feeling like they didn't receive lasting results.
