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Traditional Massage Therapy
Techniques & services provided by Willingdon Heights Massage Therapy
Traditional Massage Therapy in Burnaby
Traditional Massage Therapy uses a variety of Swedish techniques such as effleurage and petrissage and are augmented with other manual techniques such as joint mobilizations, myofascial release, trigger point release, muscle energy technique, lymphatic drainage. The education that RMTs receive in BC is based on the techniques mentioned above, and all RMTs in BC are qualified and trained to treat a large variety of musculoskeletal conditions. Once an RMT graduates from an accredited program, they are required to take continuing education courses in order to maintain their professional licence in the province of BC.
Biodynamic Myofascial Therapy
Biodynamic Myofascial Mobilization Therapy is a form of fascial mobilization performed using a 3-dimensional technique. It is applied to the soft structures of the body that have a connective tissue component like muscle, tendon, bone, ligaments as well as the structures inside of joints. Anatomically, all of these structures are interconnected – they are contiguous.
The body is literally connected from the top of your head to the bottom of your toes by fascia. Fascia is the connective tissue in the body that surrounds and infuses all structures of the body such as muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, organs and skin. It is truly an amazing connective tissue which creates a great deal of structural support and is a means of transportation for cells within your immune system as well as other cellular processes.
Trauma, which we all experience throughout our lives is held in our connective tissue / fascia. Since fascia is essentially one big piece of connective tissue from the top of our head to the bottom of our toes, restrictions in one area can manifest as symptoms in other areas. A good analogy is to wear a tight sweater or T shirt and tug on the left bottom corner and twist it. You will more than likely see and feel a pull from the bottom left corner up the shirt to various parts of the sweater or T shirt. This same concept happens inside the body, and we say it is the body hugging the lesion. Your body will start to protect the area of restriction which eventually leads to alignment issues as well as compensatory movement patterns.
Alignment issues and poor movement patterns tend to lead to pain and tension in the musculoskeletal system as well as the visceral system, and also can have an effect on the nervous and vascular systems. Treating the fascial restrictions helps to relieve pain and dysfunction in all the various systems by using specific manual techniques.
Craniosacral Therapy
Craniosacral Therapy (CST) is a form of treatment which is a gentle, hands-on-approach that releases tensions deep in the body to relieve pain and dysfunction and improve whole body health and performance.
Via the connective tissue in the body, treatment within the craniosacral system can allow for corrections within the craniosacral system, muscular system, as well as various fascial structures in the body which most people would not realize were related to the craniosacral system at all. Remember, fascia connects us from the top of our head to the tips of our toes!
Craniosacral Therapy can help with:
- Headaches / Migraines
- Whiplash Associated Disorders
- Concussions
- Jaw issues (TMJ)
- Sleep Issues
- Stress
- And More
Visceral Manipulation
Visceral Manipulation is a manual therapy technique where a therapist uses their hands to move and release fascial restrictions within the abdomen and pelvis. Visceral Manipulation encourages movements such as slide and glide between the organs themselves and associated structures in order for normal movement and organ function to occur.
The majority of people are familiar with joint and muscle dysfunction causing pain, tightness as well as limited range of motion or movement within their bodies, however most people do not consider the role that their organs play in their everyday existence.
Your trunk and pelvis form a boney, muscular, fascial container to hold and protect all of your internal organs. Your organs are not free floating in your body, they are mostly supported by tissues called fascia. The whole thing is a pressurized system that holds everything in place while each organ is wrapped in its own fascial compartment and bathed in a little bit of fluid so that slide and glide around their neighbouring structures and organs is possible.
Things such as various types of trauma, be it emotional, postural, or physical can affect the pressures in the system or the ability of the organs to slide and move around in their close quarters will affect the ability of the human body to move and function properly causing pain and dysfunction.
Visceral Manipulation can help with:
- Heartburn
- Digestive Issues
- Whiplash Associated Disorders
- Post MVA
- Lower Back Pain
- Asthma
- Post Surgical Procedures