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What determines a Remedial Massage Treatment?

You can go online and find thousands of Remedial Massage Therapists and numerous training colleges and associations related to remedial massage. Going back some 30 years you would have been hard-pressed to find a Remedial Massage Therapist. If you were after musculoskeletal therapy, your best option was to go see a physiotherapist.

Pre-1990s massage primarily focused on ‘relaxation’ and was offered mostly by beauty therapists and places such as day spas. As the benefits of massage for the treatment of (soft tissue) muscular conditions became accepted, massage education and the industry began focusing more on remediation.

It is now standard practice of the massage industry that massage therapists have at a minimum a Remedial Massage qualification. But as a consumer, how do you know what determines a Remedial Massage treatment?

So what is ‘Remedial Massage’? Remediation is defined as, ‘The act or process of remedying something that is undesirable or deficient’ and ‘the correction of something defective or deficient’. In massage this specifically refers to the treatment of muscle, tendons, ligaments and fascia that are dysfunctional in some manner: i.e. are injured and/or restricted in movement and/or function.

The process of receiving a Remedial massage involves the following:

• The initial Interview. This is where the patient will be asked to fill in a confidential Health Questionnaire together with signing a Consent Form. This ensures that the details provided are correct and that both the therapist and client are aware of the treatment offered.
• The Assessment. This involves a Postural Assessment; Range of Motion (ROM) tests and any specific tests to assess the degree of the dysfunction.
• Treatment. This involves a range of remedial techniques such as Myofascial Release, Cupping, Trigger Point Therapy, Deep Ischemic Pressure, Stretches and many others.
• Re-Assessment. This is where the initial ROM tests and /or special tests are revisited to ascertain any improvement of the dysfunction post massage.
• Home advice. This can include exercises and stretches, postural advice, use of equipment etc.
• Additional Appointments. As the condition presented is dysfunctional, it will either require additional treatments from the therapist or the therapist may refer the patient on to a higher qualified practitioner; i.e. Myotherapist, Physiotherapist, Osteopath etc.

The important thing to note is that even if the therapist holds a Remedial Massage qualification, unless they are performing and assessment, applying remedial techniques, re-assessing and offering therapeutic home advice, with follow-on treatments, it may be that you are simply receiving a ‘relaxation/therapeutic’ massage.

What is Plantar Fasciitis?
The plantar fascia is a band of connective tissue (ligament) that runs along the sole from the heel to the ball of the foot and supports the arch of your foot. It enables you to push off from the ground. Bruising or overstretching this ligament can cause inflammation and heel pain. If you strain your plantar fascia, it gets weak, swollen, irritated and inflamed.
Repeated strain can cause tiny tears in the ligament. This is more likely to happen if:
• Your feet roll inward too much when you walk (excessive pronation).
• You have high arches or flat feet. People with flat feet may have reduced shock absorption, increasing strain on the plantar fascia. High arched feet have tighter plantar tissue, leading to similar effects.
• You walk, stand, or run for long periods, especially on hard surfaces.
• You are overweight, including pregnancy. Weight places a greater mechanical load on the plantar fascia.
• You wear shoes that don't fit well or are worn out. Wearing shoes with poor arch support or stiff soles.
• You have tight Achilles tendons or calf muscles.
• Certain sports. Activities that place a lot of stress on the heel bone and attached tissue, i.e. running, dance and aerobics.
• Middle-aged or older. Heel pain tends to be more common with ageing as muscles supporting the arch of the foot become weaker, putting stress on the plantar fascia.
Plantar fasciitis can happen in one foot or both feet and is often associated with a heel spur.
Most people with plantar fasciitis have pain when they take their first steps after they get out of bed or sit for a long time. You may have less stiffness and pain after you take a few steps, but your foot may hurt more as the day goes on. It may hurt the most when you climb stairs or after you stand for a long time.
You may need to take an X-ray of your foot if there is a possibility of a stress fracture.
Signs and symptoms
Pain is usually felt on the underside of the heel, and is often most intense with the first steps of the day or after rest. It is commonly associated with long periods of weight bearing or sudden changes in weight bearing or activity.
You may experience:
• Sharp pain in the inside part of the bottom of the heel, which may feel like a knife sticking into the bottom of the foot.
• Heel pain that tends to be worse with the first few steps after awakening, when climbing stairs or when standing on tiptoe.
• Heel pain after long periods of standing or after getting up from a seated position.
• Heel pain after, but not usually during, exercise.
• Mild swelling in the heel.