A Working Body

About Joanne Peterson

Joanne Peterson is an accredited and qualified holding a Diploma of Remedial Massage having worked in the massage industry since 1993.  Joanne also holds a Diploma in Sport (Massage Therapy), a Post Graduate in Antenatal and Postpartum, a Certificate in Manual Lymphatic Drainage and a Certificate in Neurostructural Integration Technique (Bowen Therapy).

In addition to running her own business for over 20 years, Joanne's experience includes working at the Elmore Medical Centre as part of the medical team treating clients referred by General Practitioners.  Joanne is also been an active Committee Member of the Australian Association of Massage Therapists (AAMT) and is now a current AAMT Ambasador.

Remedial Massage

Remedial massage utilises advanced techniques to release soft tissue dysfunction, neuromuscular tension and myofacia pain. Whether you have a sharp, pulsating, referral pain, or a dull ache, remedial massage techniques allow the tension in the muscle where the nerve is impinged to be released.

The function of a joint may not have its full range of movement where the nerve thinks the muscle is at its full extension, and using specialised techniques allow the nerve to be “tricked” back into allowing the muscle to contract or lengthen, reinstating full range of movement.

Remedial massage therapists assess the condition and massage the specific muscle only, compared to therapeutic massage where you work on the whole body region, remedial massage will re-assess after the treatment and may provide you some exercises to do at home assisting a full recovery.

General Practitioners, Consultants, Chiropractitioners, Physiotherapist, Osteotherapists refer clients to A Working Body to assist there rehabilitation, although you do not have to have a referral to visit A Working Body.

Exercises may be given to the client to do at home to either strengthen weak musculature or lengthen shortened muscles.

Therapeutic (Relaxation) Massage

Wind down and allow your body and mind to relax and rejuvenate. Long flowing strokes enhances the nerve receptors to relax. Endorphins are released allowing stress and anxiety to take second place allowing the body to rest and rejuvenate and feeling of content.

A therapeutic massage does not have to be light; most people like a firm but not hard pressure allowing oxygenated nutritional blood to flow through the muscles. Stretching the muscle and facia while massaging ensures healthy functional muscles removing any metabolic waste and debris from the body.

Sports Massage

Sports massage can be used before the game or event releasing tension in muscles, assist in warming the muscles and increasing nutritional oxygenated blood in the muscle, enabling the athlete to gain their optimum ability in the sport.

During the event, massage provides the athlete rapid recovery allowing the muscle to be released of metabolic waste, and encourages new nutrition into the muscle so the athlete can continue performing.

After the event it is important to get rid of metabolic waste and lactic acid reducing the recover time and enabling the athlete to train harder for the next session and therefore increasing peak performance. An athlete puts there body to extreme levels in trying their hardest to succeed in the event or game, muscles are shortened and tired and as such stretching the specific muscle (not groups) allows for a more effective recovery.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD)

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is a post graduate course,  light circular movement encourages the lymph to travel through the lymphatic system and clearing Lymph nodes

Primary and secondary oedema is where swelling of excess fluid is unable to go through the lymphatic system efficiently. Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) assists the lymph through the lymphatic system, directing the fluid to the lymph nodes and clearing the lymph nodes of debris and increasing the immune system. In severe cases of excess oedema being in the limbs, bandaging the limb restricts the oedema in the limb. Cancer patients can suffer from secondary oedema several years after the biopsy of lymph nodes.

Whether you have had cancer and lymph nodes have been taken out for biopsy or damaged through radiotherapy and chemotherapy, MLD can encourage the lymph and redirect the flow to other areas in the body to relieve the oedema.

MLD also can assist those who have an immune deficiency by assisting the nodes to increase the production of monocytes and lymphocytes, including antibody producing plasma cells. If you are feeling run down MLD can clear the lymph nodes of viral and foreign matter to assist the recover.

Antenatal and Postpartum

Ensureing the baby and Mum is comfortable and safe, knowing that your body is under extreme stress from the pregnancy.   During the pregnancy our posture is challenged by the growing baby, lower back pain, headaches,oedema and tiredness are some symptoms.  Specific techniques to release muscular pain and tension, or just a therapeutic massage to release tension and stress.  Manual Lymphatic Drainage can assist in any oedema as the pregnancy continues.

After the Baby is born, some mothers start to feel aches and pain from holding and nursing there new born.  Postpartum or postnatal massage can assist in releiving the extra strain put upon our body.

Contact us today to book your appointment.