Connective Tissue Massage

What is a connective tissue massage?

Connective tissue massage is a type of massage that is somewhat similar to reflexology. This type of massage therapy treats the body as a whole instead of just focusing on individual areas at a time. In this manner, a connective tissue massage can treat certain areas of the body by massaging certain tissues.

What are connective tissues?

Connective tissues fill the spaces in the body between muscles and fibers, and they form a layer around blood vessels to protect them. Connective tissues are very delicate and do not take stress well, therefore they can become injured and painful quite easily.

What is the history of connective tissue massage?

Connective tissue massage therapy was created by Elizabeth Dicke in Germany. She has a medical condition in her legs that caused them to stay cold and discolored, and they always had the potential to develop gangrene. While doing stretches in her lower back, she noticed warmth and a tingling sensation in her legs. When she continued the stretches, her legs gradually improved over time. Once this happened, she began to work to develop what we know as connective tissue massage with two medical doctors (Kohlrausch & Teirich-Leube).

What happens during a connective tissue massage?

First, there are techniques that will be used in preparation for the connective tissue massage. This will include the practitioner of the connective tissue massage testing the body to see how the patient reacts. This can help them determine what areas will need the most attention, as well as what types of techniques will work best. This can also be done so that the practitioner can determine if the proper sensations are being felt by the patient when certain techniques are used.
A practitioner of connective tissue massage doesn?t usually use oils or lotions, because the strokes and techniques are different than those in traditional types of massage therapy.

Who can benefit from a connective tissue massage?

Almost anyone can benefit from a connective tissue massage because each massage treatment is different (each one is designed to fit the needs of that individual patient). The most common patients for a connective tissue massage that enjoy the benefits are those with sports or other types of injuries, as well as people with a medical joint condition (such as carpal tunnel or arthritis).

Take advantage of the many benefits of a connective tissue massage and schedule an appointment with a therapist near you today.