Welcome to Barwon Soft Tissue Therapies

What is Soft Tissue Therapy?

Soft Tissue Therapy is a treatment oriented massage therapy which has been derived out the sports medicine industry and it deals with the assessment and treatment of sports injuries and musculoskeletal conditions. Soft tissue represents the muscles, fascia (connective tissue),ligaments and tendons which are prone to overuse, overloading, shortening ,lenghthening which produce all kinds of aches, pains and injuries.

Assessment

People who present with their complaint are assessed via the most appropriate tests according to the person’s presentation. This may include posture, biomechanical, range of movement, neural and their tests that help identify the most likely cause of pain or injury.

If the assessment is consistent with pain or injury that is better dealt with other health professionals (sports physicians, physiotherapists, podiatrists, etc) then will refer you to the most appropriate person. Otherwise we will treat accordingly.

Treatment

Depending on the pain or injury, a number of TECHNIQUES OR TREATMENT MODALITIES may be utilized. Most commonly the techniques will be hands on massage type techniques such as:

• Trigger Point Therapy: for alleviation of trigger points
• Myofascial (muscle and fascial) Therapy: for improving flexability/mobility of the myofascial unit.
• Frictions: reducing adhesions between fascial layers, muscles and the like. Frictions also promote healing in tendon pathologies as well decreasing pain perception.
  
• Muscle Energy Technique (MET): is now a common technique used by number therapies. The osteopaths designed the technique some 100 years ago. MET is the use of light contractions by the client in very specific directions to alter joint restrictions and range.

Treatment Modalities

• Myofascial Dry Needling:
  

  Dry Needling is a form of therapy adapted from Acupuncture, an ancient Chinese system of medicine dating back to 1600 B.C., where fine needles pierce the skin into selected points to correct imbalances in the body.

  Traditional Chinese Medicine revolves around a persons Qi, or energy force, which transports itself through the body via designated channels called meridians. Along these meridians Acupuncture points lie, which, when stimulated can move a blockage along the channel allowing normal energy flow. Dry needling however, uses western based anatomy and physiology to select the points, known as myofacial trigger points, found in designated areas in muscles throughout the body. Many of these points correspond with those used in Traditional Chinese Medicine.

  Indications for the use of Dry Needling in treating muscular pain and dysfunction are based on conventional western orthopedic assessment, range of motion testing and palpation of the muscle. Stimulation of trigger points using Dry Needling can desensitise these points and associated referral pain areas, promote healing and enhance production of endorphins. Dry Needling can be used to treat conditions such as joint pain and osteoarthritis, inflammatory conditions such as tendonitis and disc pain, headache and migraine, post surgical conditions, back pain, as well as acute and chronic trigger point pain.

• Manual Lymphatic Drainage:
  

  The basic concept of this treatment is to stimulate the body’s lymphatic circulation.  Our lymph system as a major part of the immune system; is responsible for removing waste and aiding with the body’s defense.
  This is particularly important with today’s lifestyle where the influences of stress, unbalanced food intake and environmental factors can all adversely affect our lymphatic system.

  The treatment consists of a very gentle massage over the skin, focusing of the lymphatic areas.  It is a non oil modality and definitely pain free.
  The treatment can help people of all ages and is suitable even for the very young, those recovering from surgery and the particularly fragile.

  The main benefits include relief of congestion, reduction of fluid retention, faster recovery after illness and injury, and a heightened sense of wellbeing.

  In the treatment of Lymphoedema condition or post-operative to prevent lymphatic congestion the procedure can involve massage, remedial exercises, compression therapy and supportive information to adapt to a new lifestyle.

  Manual Lymph Drainage is a safe, non-intrusive and relaxing massage technique and treatment usually taking one to one and a half hours.

• Spinal Reflex Analysis (SRA):
  

  Spinal reflexes originate directly from the spine, and cause muscle contraction, pain and dysfunction. Spinal Reflex Analysis (SRA) is the first and only system to identify and treat these reflexes, therefore providing fast and effective relief from pain and dysfunction. Stuart has completed the basic SRA training and uses this highly effective technique to those with multi regional dysfunction/athletes with profound effects.