Introduction

Therapeutic Bodywork is a form of touch therapy used to restore health and balance to the whole system via the neuromuscular and skeletal systems, right down to the working of nerves and organs by affecting the systems that contain and inform them. It restores balance and natural movement by integrating awareness and releasing soft tissue in order to work with symptoms such as postural and functional difficulties, emotional distress, pain and stiffness.

If the ‘sum of all life’s experience’ makes up a person and their body, then problems on all levels can become embedded within the body and postural habits. Symptoms can therefore arise not only from straightforward injury, but also from trauma, difficult experiences, poor health and lack of or inappropriate movement.

The patient’s experience of their bodies therefore underpins the way the treatment is tailored, playing a major role in guiding the practitioner to facilitating the restorative process. By becoming an active participant in the recovery process the patient is in turn able to reach new levels of healing as well as longer lasting results.

The treatment and choice of techniques varies and is constantly adapted to the individual needs on the day. They often include assessment techniques, tools that benefit posture, and tools that may enhance awareness of the 'mind-body connection'.

Therapeutic Bodywork in this instance draws on the following techniques:

Neuromuscular Techniques
Myofascial Release
Muscle Energy Techniques
Positional Release Techniques
Remedial Massage

The body is an integrated unit, the better performance of any parts affects the performance of all other parts; and this is reflected in a person's overall satisfaction with life.

Heller & Henkin, 2004 

Neuromuscular Technique (NMT)

With it's origin rooted in Ayurvedic massage, NMT uses the nervous system to help treat areas of constriction while allowing other areas to strengthen in the process. It focuses on normalising trigger point activity through application of precise pressure and active impetus. The increase in blood flow flushes the tissue, dispersing lactic acid and increasing nutrient and oxygen flow to the area, relieving potential soreness in the muscle.

Treatment
During treatment NMT can cause tenderness to a certain extent, but only before the muscle spasms melt away. Some tenderness can be experienced post treatment, but this will dissipate in a few days, leaving the body feeling more relaxed. Very little oils and creams are used for this technique.

Myofascial release

This therapy, although slow and gentle, has the ability to go very deep. It works with the fascia - the connective tissue enveloping most things within the body, wrapping around bloodvessles, nerves, bones, organs, muscle fibres, tendons, and of course whole muscles. Fascia lines the abdominal and thoracic cavities and can connect many different muscles – tightness in one muscle can therefore affect a muscle far away from the one being worked on.

Myofascial release can be used as a preventative method or to promote the healing of injured, stiff or painful muscles. It unblocks scar tissue and adhesions caused by injury to the muscle and surrounding tissue, whereby relieving tension.

Treatment
This technique consists of a mixture of light stretch and massage work, with minimal to no use of oils or creams. Pressure is applied slowly to the tissue until the point of resistance, where the pressure is then held until the body relaxes and releases on it’s own. It is thought that this technique encourages the peripheral nervous system to release the muscle. Light to moderate traction and twisting may also be applied, to encourage a full reflex range of the muscle. 

In line with the patient centred approach to therapy, the combination of touch and active client participation increases awareness within the patient as well as the flow of blood and stretch through the tissue.


Muscle energy technique (MET)

MET uses patient participation to facilitate lengthening of the muscle tissue. Contraction against light resistance helps induce muscle relaxation, this ensures a safer stretch. 

Initially a very mild movement-free (isometric) contraction is created and held for a short while, after which the muscle goes through a relaxation period in which the practitioner passively facilitates release of the shortened tissue, although occasionally the patient is encouraged to engaged in the stretch. 

Positional release (PRT)

PRTs are gentle osteopathic manipulations, particularily useful during actute episodes and after recent surgery or injury. During PRT restricted tissue, which can be tense and painful, is taken passively taken by the therapist into a position of ease – the place where it feels the least discomfort, in order to help break the neurological feedback loop which is causing the muscle to continuously spasm.The position in which the muscle is in no strain, allows the muscle to release. No patient participation is required for this technique.

Remedial Massage & Deep Tissue Massage

Remedial Massage is based on Swedish massage and helps release muscular tension (affecting mental tension), promoting local circulation and generally speeding up the regenerative process. It is also very useful post injury to help reduce the formation of scar tissue and break down adhesions between tissue layers, which could cause stiffness. 

Benefits of Bodywork

The benefits of Therapeutic Bodywork are manifold, depending on the desired treatment outcome of the patient. 

On a very general level it can be said that Thereapeutic Bodywork facilitates a freer movement within gravity, increasing the receivers mobility and helping them become more balanced. 

On a more specific, physical level it assists in conditions such as strains, sprains and splints, rotator cuff injuries, all variations of back pain, sciatica, headaches, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, tendonitis, scar tissue adhesion and many more. 

Emotionally it helps reduce anxiety and panic attacks by inducing relaxation and working on breathing patterns. It also helps free blocked traumatic patterns and postural habits, which may have been caused by or causative of inappropriate mental habits.