Remedial massage, Deep tissue massage, Sports massage, Swedish massage, Myofascial release, Neuromuscular release, Soft tissue release, Trigger point massage, Lymphatic massage … the list seems endless. But what is the difference between the various types of massage? When we were studying at the Northern Institute of Massage the then principal, Eddie Caldwell, would often be asked by new students what the difference was and if the Institute taught them. His answer was yes they ran courses for different types of massage but would add “do you know, at the end of the day it’s all skin rubbing”. N ..read more

Let’s cut to the chase. The answer to the question ’is massage an art or a science’ is that it is both. Massage is one of the oldest practical arts and one of the newest sciences. Ok, that was easy enough but now we have answered that question let’s take a closer look at what we actually mean by massage being an art and a science. Art in this context could be defined as: the application of human creativity and imagination using practical and personal skills. Science is the pursuit of knowledge and the exploration of the world based on evidence. Put simply science teaches to ‘know’ and art tea ..read more

We all know that regular exercise has many health benefits, from improving mood, energy levels and self esteem to lowering the risk of developing dangerous conditions and diseases, but this knowledge isn’t always enough to put our best laid plans into practice! If it was as easy as that, we’d all be super fit, but the truth is that many people do not engage in regular exercise and many who start an exercise programme lose heart and drop out very quickly. We’re much more likely to make a habit of behaviours that bring us pleasure, and to avoid behaviours associated with pain or displeasure. Thi ..read more

In cycling folklore, the man with the hammer is a mythical figure who waits around the next bend, or halfway up a steep hill and will hit you hard with his hammer. The effects of the blow come on suddenly, causing a total collapse of both body and mind. Most endurance athletes will be familiar with the ‘wall’ when a perfectly good race will be ruined by a sudden onset of extreme fatigue. Our energy levels are depleted and every muscle in our body is shouting ‘stop’. The man with the hammer is a significant step up from this and is caused by the unholy triad of glycogen depletion, dehydratio ..read more

A common question we hear at the Muscle Clinic is “How long will it take to recover from my injury ?” Managing recovery expectations is an important but difficult part of what we do as therapists and predicting recovery times, even providing ballpark figures, is not straightforward. As long as the patient is aware of the limitations it is OK to give general guidance on recovery times but if a formal prognosis is required they should be referred to a doctor. In this blog I aim to discuss the main factors involved in recovery times for soft tissue injuries and in the next we will look at possib ..read more

Osteoarthritis is an inevitable consequence of getting older It is commonly thought that osteoarthritis is due to wear and tear as we age – but this isn’t inevitable and is far from the full story. There are several factors thought to increase the risk of developing the condition including genetics and having a joint injury in the past, especially if it was overused before it was given enough time to heal. Recent studies suggest osteoarthritis may be caused by activation of a chain reaction in the bodies defence mechanism causing low grade chronic inflammation. Regular massage therapy can ..read more

We are pleased to have moved into a new, larger treatment room at the end of November 2014. The Muscle Clinic is still based at The Millfields Trust HQ, but we have taken a bigger room, which is much nearer to the reception area. The new room is much quieter and warmer, with more space to move about. We have been doing more double treatments recently, with couples, family members, or friends, and the new room makes this more comfortable. We’d like to say thanks to the Millfields Trust in Plymouth for continuing to support The Muscle Clinic. Here are a couple of pictures of the new room: The ..read more

Most of us will have heard friends or family say that they suffer from increased aches and pains in muscles and joints during cold, wet and unsettled weather, and some have personal experience of this. Others dismiss it as an old wives’ tale, but it’s a claim that pops up in cultures all over the world, and throughout history. Hippocrates noted, around 400BC, the effects of winds and rains on chronic diseases in his book Air, Water, and Places (1). In Asia and China, ‘rheumatism’ is translated as ‘wind wet disease.’ (2). In Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Titania speaks of ‘contagious ..read more

There have been a number of occasions at the muscle clinic where a decision not to treat has been made, and instead, the patient was referred to a doctor or A&E. On two of these occasions there was a strong suspicion of Deep Vein Thrombosis in the leg and in both cases this proved to be correct. A DVT is a blood clot that has formed in a deep vein, more often than not in the legs or pelvis. Recognising the symptoms of DVT are important for any massage therapist as the condition can lead to serious complications including pulmonary embolism, where the blood clot breaks loose and travels t ..read more

Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common and costly musculoskeletal problems in modern society. 80% of the population will experience low back pain at some time in their lives. Recent research suggests that the amount of benefit from a massage treatment was more than that achieved by joint mobilization, relaxation, physical therapy, self-care education or acupuncture. (see further reading and research below). Most back pain is actually muscular or ligamentous in origin rather than skeletal, therefore vertebral manipulation or invasive surgical procedures (with the risk of adverse effects ..read more