Massage Therapy - St. John’s

At Avalon Laser Health Physiotherapy and Wellness, our therapists offer general Swedish massage therapy, deep tissue massage, perinatal massage, sports massage, and trigger point massage therapy. This direct, hands-on treatment has a therapeutic effect on the neuromuscular, circulatory and hormonal systems of the body.

We are committed to seeking best outcomes for all our clients. To achieve this, our massage therapists will recommend cross-referral to physiotherapy, acupuncture and/or laser therapy, if they identify clinical signs that are beyond their capability to remedy. Examples of these clinical signs may include severe pain, acute inflammation and muscle weakness.

Key results of massage therapy:

• Promote relaxation and release of stress
• Relieve pain
• Improve performance (mobility, flexibility, and repair)

Massage creates healing responses primarily in two ways

• By stimulating mechanical responses in the muscle tissue, which are physical effects that occur in the body when pressure is applied to the soft tissues (i.e. trigger point release).
• It stimulating the relaxation response (i.e. parasympathetic nervous system), which is an involuntary, yet predictable response of the nervous system to massage techniques and touch. It’s the opposite of fight-or-flight/stress response.

What to Expect

Initial massage appointments are usually 60 minutes. You will be asked to fill out confidential health history forms prior to your treatment. During the first 15-20 minutes of your appointment, our massage therapist will discuss your treatment goals with you and conduct an assessment to determine a safe and effective treatment plan. Once a treatment plan has been decided the therapist will initiate your treatment for the remainder of the visit. Subsequent massages may be booked for 30, 45, 60 or 90 minutes.

Book Massage Therapy

We regularly observe that many of our clients are well informed about their injury or pain condition by the time they seek care. This engagement serves to pre-educate and prepare our clients to actively participate in the design and conduct of their treatment plans. In the true spirit of ‘team’, we share some of our favorite sources of on-line information including:

• PhysioCheck - a physio specific database which can help match your symptoms to a diagnosis, provide injury specific info and sometimes exercise
• OrthoInfo from the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• MelioGuide for Osteoporosis Prevention
• Long Covid Info & Support Group
• Gla:d Support for Arthritic Hips and Knees

Your Interest in the injury & care process combined with participation in the treatment plan design and then compliance with the treatment plan will set you up for success. Best outcomes are achieved when we work together, client and therapist(s), with a keen eye on what you want to achieve from your rehab efforts.