What are Remedial Therapies?
A remedial therapy is an extension of remedial massage and involves the application of several physical skills to alleviate bodily aches, pains, discomforts and physical limitations. It is a holistic system that treats the body as a whole and traces the discomfort back to its original source, healing both the cause of the illness as well as the symptoms.
How Do Remedial Therapies Work?
Remedial therapies refer to a wide array of therapeutic modalities that address problems affecting the physical, mental, emotional and energy bodies. In addition to remedial massage, other bodywork techniques that may be used in a remedial therapy session are Bowen Therapy, acupressure, aromatherapy, chiropractic, sports medicine, acupuncture, physiotherapy, and the list goes on.
A remedial therapist aims to balance the length and tone of the muscles as well as release tension in the muscles and tendons. This helps restore the correct position of the bones, increase blood and fluid flow and heal injuries.
Before the treatment starts, the therapist will ask the patient about their health history and lifestyle. Then, the therapist will perform different manipulation techniques to locate and repair the damaged areas of the body. They will also deeply penetrate and stimulate the muscles associated with the problem. Stretching techniques may also be performed on different parts of the body.
What are the Benefits of Remedial Therapies?
Remedial therapies stimulate blood supply, make joints more mobile and repair damaged tissues. They also ease and stabilise the muscles, which can vastly improve health conditions such as headaches, abdominal pain, low back pain and the following:
- Chronic back pain
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Plantar fasciitis
- Tennis elbow
- Headaches
- Sports and dance-related injuries
- Muscle cramps
- Whiplash
- Muscular atrophy
- Fibrositis
- Sciatica
- Spondylitis
- Arthritis
- Frozen shoulder
What Can You Expect From Remedial Therapies?
Like in any natural therapy session, a remedial therapy session begins with a short interview between the practitioner and the client. The former will ask questions that are relevant to the latter's medical history, diet and lifestyle, pain complaints and health goals. The information that the client provides will guide the therapist in developing a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to the client's needs.
Depending on the issue that needs to be addressed, the remedial therapist may employ remedial massage alone or combine it with other remedial therapies. The treatment session can run from 50 minutes to an hour. After which, the therapist and client will talk about the frequency of the treatment. Some people see instant results following a single treatment, while others with long-standing health problems require more treatment sessions.
Are Remedial Therapies Safe?
Remedial therapies are safe and noninvasive, hence less likely to produce any side effects. Certified practitioners of remedial massage and other forms of remedial therapies have received extensive training in the assessment and treatment of various levels of pain and discomfort associated with disease or injury.
