Sports Massage Therapy in Shrewsbury

What Other Services Do I Provide?

I provide a wide range of massage services focused on pain and injury management together with holistic methods to promote overall wellbeing and relaxation.

As a sports massage therapist, most of my clients come to me with specific injuries, aches and pains, joint and tissue mobility issues. Although I provide these services to most of my clients, I did originally qualify in Swedish Massage and am also qualified in Indian head massage. So, if a more relaxing massage is what you desire, then I am more than happy provide that service too.

In addition to the key sports massage approaches (body massage, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, soft tissue release, joint mobilisations, postural corrections etc.) I am also qualified in Scar Therapy, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Dry Cupping and Kinesiology Taping.

Scar Therapy Scarring can occur from a wide range of causes, some accidental such as injuries and trauma. Some occur through necessary operations (C-Sections etc.) or voluntary procedures such as cosmetic surgery. Other scars may even be self-inflicted. Some scars will heal neatly and result in very few if any associated issues. Sometimes however, scars can cause problems. Not only directly around the scar itself but in the tissues further away from the scar site. This can lead to discomfort and reduction in range of motion. That is; it limits movement both near to the scar and throughout the rest of the body. Abdominal scars can even have effects on the digestive system, bowel and urinary tract. Some scars result in altered sensations such as numbness or itching. Scars can also lead to psychological and emotional problems related to altered appearance, loss of functionality and feelings of regret or shame etc. Once a scar forms, it will always be a scar and scar tissue is never as strong and flexible as the tissue that was there originally. At best, scar tissue will be at least 20% less effective than the original tissue. This does not necessarily mean that scars need to remain problematic for the rest of your life. Much can be done to reduce the negative impacts of scarring and to improve quality of life, both physically and mentally. This is where scar therapy can help. Scar therapy can help to soften the scar, increase its flexibility and mobility, improve movement throughout the rest of the body and even enhance the scars appearance. Scar therapy can also help to address some of emotional burdens associated with it. Scar therapy isn’t just for old and problematic scars. It can also help to improve the healing process of newer scars and reduce the damage caused. It can be particularly useful for cosmetic surgery scars, especially in combination with Manual Lymphatic Drainage to help with repair and reduce risk of fibrosis and complications. If you don’t want hands on treatment for your scars or need ongoing support following scar therapy, I am also happy to offer advisory consultations, either face to face or via a video call. These cannot be booked via my online portal, please contact me for further details.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD is a soft and gentle treatment which directly targets swelling, bruising and fluid build-up. Following injuries and surgery it is not uncommon to experience swelling of some sort. Swelling can often be accompanied by redness, heat and pain. That pain is associated with increased pressure from the fluid build-up which presses upon nerve endings resulting in sensations of pain. The issue with using Non-Steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen and Diclofenac is that they control swelling by blocking the body’s natural inflammatory response to trauma. In doing so, they inhibit many of the key processes involved in healing and recovery. Although they may be effective at reducing pain, they unfortunately hinder the normal healing process at the same time. MLD can be used to reduce the fluid build-up at an injury or operation site without negatively impacting the natural healing process. This results in a reduction in pain but not necessarily a reduction in healing and repair. The other good news about MLD is that, unlike other massage techniques, it can be carried out immediately after the injury. In my first ever attempt at MLD over 20 years ago I treated a footballer who had been kicked in the knee. His swelling and pain were so great that he was unable to walk into the clinic unaided. After MLD treatment he walked out of clinic by himself and with much less pain than he initially had. MLD can also be used to treat people with chronic health conditions such as Lypoedema and Lymphoedemia. MLD is not compatible with other massage treatments and therefore cannot be incorporated into a conventional massage session. The (lymph) vessels through which our waste fluid (Lymph) flow are very small and are compressed easily, making the removal of fluid impossible. This is why MLD must be done with the lightest of touches, to allow lymph to flow whilst not compressing the channels through which they drain. Many therapists will claim that conventional massage increases lymphatic drainage. For the reasons just mentioned, this is not the case and only MLD will improve fluid drainage.