Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy

Massage and chiropractic are complementary disciplines, fitting together like a hand in a glove. Perhaps more like two well-trained hands on an aching back.

At Windmill Health Center, our certified massage therapists work closely with our Weston chiropractors to develop a treatment plan that will reduce your pain and restore your overall health.

Massage extends the benefits of a chiropractic adjustment. Nearly all of our Weston patients that have received a massage either pre- or post-chiropractic adjustment have experienced a decrease in muscle tension, an increase in flexibility, and longer sustained benefits from the adjustment.

At the Windmill Health Center, we see how closely Weston chiropractic care and Weston massage are related:

  • Chiropractic adjustment extends the benefits of a massage. When a patient receives a massage without an adjustment, they often incur repeat visits with similar complaints due to only temporarily relief of symptoms.
  •  Massage and chiropractic both touch components of the skeletal system.
  • Chiropractors deal with the nervous system, which includes aligning the vertebral column as well as all of the other joints of the body.  Massage therapists deal mainly with the musculoskeletal system.  So, in general, chiropractors deal more with the nervous and skeletal systems, whereas massage therapists deal mainly with the muscular and skeletal system.

At the Windmill Health Center, we offer our clients three types of massage:

Swedish Massage
Swedish massage techniques include: long strokes, kneading, friction, tapping, percussion, vibration, effleurage, and shaking motions. The usually sequence of techniques are:
  1. Effleurage: Gliding strokes with the palms, thumbs and/or fingertips
  2. Petrissage: Kneading movements with the hands, thumbs and/or fingers
  3. Friction: Circular pressures with the palms of hands, thumbs and/or fingers
  4. Vibration: Oscillatory movements that shake or vibrate the body
  5. Percussion: Brisk hacking or tapping
  6. Passive and active movements: Bending and stretching

Swedish massage feels good, is relaxing and invigorating. It affects the nerves muscles, glands, and circulation, while promoting overall health and well-being.

Deep Tissue Massage

Deep tissue massage is a massage technique that focuses on the deeper layers of muscle tissue. It aims to release the chronic patterns of tension in the body through slow strokes and deep finger pressure on the contracted areas, either following or going across the fibers of the muscles, tendons and fascia. A deep-tissue massage helps loosen muscle tissues, break up scar tissue, release toxins from muscles and get blood and oxygen circulating properly.

Pregnancy Massage

Studies indicate that massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health. Swedish massage is the recommended prenatal massage method during pregnancy because it addresses many common discomforts associated with the skeletal and circulatory changes brought on by hormone shifts during pregnancy.

Edema, or swelling of the joints during pregnancy, is often caused by reduced circulation and increased pressure on the major blood vessels by the heavy uterus. Massage helps to stimulate soft tissues to reduce collection of fluids in swollen joints, which also improves the removal of tissue waste, carried by the body’s lymph system.

Sciatic nerve pain is experienced by many women in late pregnancy as the uterus rests on muscles of the pelvic floor and lower back. The pressure of the uterus spreads tension to the muscles of the upper and lower leg, causing them to swell and put pressure on nearby nerves. Massage therapy addresses the inflamed nerves by helping to release the tension on nearby muscles. Many women have experienced significant reduction in sciatic nerve pain during pregnancy through regular massage.

Benefits of Massage Therapy

The benefits of massage therapy are well noted. Throughout the years, massage therapy has been known to fight a large number of conditions. Some of the benefits of this therapy include:

  • Relieves joint and muscle pain
  • Increases blood circulation
  • Reduces stress and depression
  • Detoxification to remove waste from body
  • Improves sleep patterns
  • Accelerates healing and recovery time
  • Increases delivery of oxygen and nutrients
  • Increases flexibility
  • Reduces muscle spasms
  • Reduces sports injuries

Many professionals and athletes are aware of the natural benefits of massage and chiropractic adjustments in conjunction with nutrition, exercise, hydration, stretching and training techniques.  In fact, many of our Weston athletes have both chiropractors and  massage therapists as integral parts of their health care team

What Type of Conditions Can Massage Benefit?

  • Arthritis
  • Auto accident injuries
  • Back pain
  • Carpal tunnel
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Headaches & migraines
  • Planter fasciitis
  • Sciatica
  • Shoulder pain
  • Sports injuries
  • and many more

As Weston chiropractors, we believe that therapeutic massage is one of the best compliments to chiropractic care.  Because muscles are attached to bones and joints, it is very important for them to be relaxed and stretched to aid in adjustments to the skeletal system.  Proper alignment helps to ensure the free flow of nerve impulses and circulation of blood and lymph.

Regular chiropractic care, routine exercise, a healthy diet and periodic massage therapy appointments contribute to a life in healthy balance. Call the Windmill Health Center today to schedule some preventive maintenance for yourself and your family!