Prenatal massage shares many of the goals of regular massage — to relax tense muscles, ease sore spots, improve circulation and mobility, and just make you feel good. But it’s also tailored specifically to the needs of pregnant women and their changing bodies, and therapists who are trained in prenatal massage adjust their techniques accordingly.

• emotional support and nurturing touch;
• relaxation and decreased insomnia;
• stress relief on weight-bearing joints, such as ankles, lower back and pelvis;
• neck and back pain relief caused by muscle imbalance and weakness;
• assistance in maintaining proper posture;
• preparing the muscles used during childbirth;
• reduced swelling in hands and feet;
• lessened sciatic pain;
• fewer calf cramps;
• headache and sinus congestion relief.

I offer 90 minute Hot Stone treatments. Due to the amount of preparation this massage requires, it is necessary to give prior notice that you desire this service.

ABMP’s journal Massage and Bodywork offered a great supplemental article this April/May issue which revues additional safety concerns and procedures regarding stone work, due to the large amount of uninformed individuals practicing the procedures and the increasing amount of litigation due to injuries sustained, the majority of which are burns.

Informed practitioners who work with stones, can offer fantastic results for individuals who suffer from longterm chronic pain, when combined with deep tissue massage. Stay tuned for more information.

CST was pioneered and developed by osteopathic physician John E. Upledger following extensive scientific studies from 1975 to 1983 at Michigan State University, where he served as a clinical researcher and Professor of Biomechanics.

CST is a gentle, hands-on method of evaluating and enhancing the functioning of a physiological body system called the craniosacral system - comprised of the membranes and cerebrospinal fluid that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord.

Using a soft touch generally no greater than 5 grams, or about the weight of a nickel, practitioners release restrictions in the craniosacral system to improve the functioning of the central nervous system.

By complementing the body’s natural healing processes, CST is increasingly used as a preventive health measure for its ability to bolster resistance to disease, and is effective for a wide range of medical problems associated with pain and dysfunction, including:

• Migraine Headaches
• Chronic Neck and Back Pain
• Motor-Coordination Impairments
• Colic
• Autism
• Central Nervous System Disorders
• Orthopedic Problems
• Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord Injuries
• Scoliosis
• Infantile Disorders
• Learning Disabilities
• Chronic Fatigue
• Emotional Difficulties
• Stress and Tension-Related Problems
• Fibromyalgia and other Connective-Tissue Disorders
• Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome (TMJ)
• Neurovascular or Immune Disorders
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Post-Surgical Dysfunction

Deep tissue techniques are generally designed for more focused massage work. Working a specific joint, muscle or muscle group, the practitioner can access deeper layers of the soft tissue. Starting superficially and easing into the depth of the muscle slowly often allows more movement. This is the recommended approach in this modality since each person experiences pressure differently. If the pressure is applied too deeply or too quickly, the muscle may tighten to protect that area, and unnecessary damage or inflammation can be induced. Very little lubricant is used as the pressure doesn’t travel much over the skin.The most commonly used ‘tools’ during deep tissue massage may include, 3 and 6 fingers, reinforced fingers, a flat elbow, opposing thumbs, the heel of the hand or foot, and the forearm.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Myofascial release refers to the manual massage technique for stretching the fasciafascia and integument, muscles, and bones, with the goal of eliminating pain, increasing range of motion and balancing the body. Fasciaconnective tissue that covers and connects the muscles, organs, and skeletal structures in our body. Muscle and fascia are united forming the myofascia system. and releasing bonds between is located between the skin and the underlying structure of muscle and bone, it is a seamless web of

Injuries, stress, inflammation, trauma, and poor posture can cause restriction to fascia. Since fascia is an interconnected web, the restriction or tightness to fascia at a place, with time can spread to other places in the body like a pull in a sweater. See the fascia sweater. The goal of myofascial release is to release fascia restriction and restore its tissue health.

In medical literature, the term myofascial was used by Janet G. Travell M.D. in the 1940s referring to musculoskeletal pain syndromes and trigger points. In 1976 Dr. Travell began using the term “Myofascial Trigger Point” and in 1983 published the famous reference “Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual”. Some practitioners use the term “Myofascial Therapy” or “Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy” referring to the treatment of trigger points, this is usually in medical-clinical sense.

Here the term Myofascial Release refers to soft tissue manipulation techniques. It has been loosely used for different manual therapy, soft tissue manipulation work (connective tissue massage, soft tissue mobilisation, Rolfing, strain-counterstrain etc). There are two main schools of myofascial release: the direct and indirect method.