Massage and Mobilisation Massage and mobilisations are the treatment techniques used most frequently by the physiotherapists at The Clinic.
Massage has wide spread effects on many of the major biological systems in human beings. Research over the past two decades has demonstrated that massage induces decreased levels of the stress hormones cortisol, adrenalin and noradrenalin. It can therefore decrease levels of anxiety, depression and pain. Further, massage has been shown to enhance immunological function and improve sleep. As well as these generalised body actions, massage has very specific effects on soft tissue such as muscles, ligaments and tendons. Physiotherapists use massage to elongate shortened tissues, separate scar tissue, improve circulation to an injury site and reduce inflammation. Hence it is used in the treatment of sports injuries, arthritis, work related injury, whiplash, back and neck pain, tendonitis and many other conditions. Mobilisation is another "hands on" physiotherapy technique used by the practitioners at The Clinic. It differs from massage in that mobilisation actually causes movement of a joint which massage does not. Such movement between the two bony surfaces forming a joint are called accessory movements and are an integral part of normal movement. Physiotherapists use joint mobilisation to restore normal range of movement in stiff or injured joints. |
Historically massage has been used in all cultures since early civilisation. The beneficial effects of massage have been widely reported since ancient times and modern scientific research has confirmed the therapeutic and biological effects. Scientific studies have demonstrated that massage stimulates nerve cells which block the perception of pain. Further, it promotes the release of endorphins and encephalins from the central nervous system. 
