Adelaide Massage Therapy

Myofascial Release (MFR): 

The John F. Barnes Myofascial Release Approach is a gentle but effective method of releasing myofascial restrictions and bringing fluidity back to the system. Treatment consists of sustained pressure applied into the fascial restriction to allow the tissue to elongate and release, thus putting less stress on the body. Reducing myofascial restrictions can help realign the body and has the potential to improve functioning of every body system!

So what is Fascia? Fascia is a 3-dimensional fibrous web that is bathed in a fluid (ground substance), and surrounds every structure in our body. The fascial system runs throughout our entire body without interruption, therefor connecting every system in the body. Restrictions in the fascial tissue caused by physical trauma, inflammation or habitual posture, just to name a few, can create enormous amounts of pressure on muscles, blood vessels, nerves, bones and organs, resulting in pain.

Craniosacral Therapy (CST):

Craniosacral therapy (CST) is a treatment designed by John E. Upledger, DO, OMM. It releases tensions deep in the body in order to relieve pain and dysfunction, thereby improving whole body health and performance. 

The central nervous system is of central importance in a person's overall health. And few body systems have more influence on your central nervous system than the craniosacral system - the soft tissues and fluid that surround your brain and spinal cord. You endure stresses and strains in your daily life. But your body can only endure so much tension before the tissues begin to tighten, and potentially affect the brain and spinal cord. This can unfortunately compromise the function of the central nervous system and therefor nearly every other system in your body. 

CST releases those tensions to allow the entire body to relax and self-correct. Using a gentle touch, your body is evaluated for patterns of strain, and then techniques are applied with the same light touch, to release these restrictions. By freeing the central nervous system and allowing it to perform at its best, CST has been shown to naturally reduce pain and stress, and enhance your health and well being. 

John E. Upledger DO, OMM, has found that “there is an innate ability of the human body to heal itself. Some practitioners refer to this as the Inner Physician...Craniosacral Therapy involves facilitating or enhancing the body’s own natural capacity to heal when trauma or disease processes become overwhelming for the system.” ¹

1. Discover Craniosacral Therapy; the Healing Power of Gentle Touch, Upledger Institute International, 2016

Visceral Manipulation (VM): 

"The purpose of Visceral Manipulation is to recreate, harmonize and increase proprioceptive communication in the body to enhance its internal mechanism for better health" - Jean-Pierre Barral, D.O.

Visceral Manipulation is a manual therapy consisting of gentle, specifically placed manual forces that encourage normal mobility, tone and inherent motion of the viscera (organs), their connective tissue and other areas of the body where physiologic motion has been impaired. This loss of normal tissue motion  occurs due to inflammation. Causes of inflammation can be from infections, direct trauma, surgery, repetitious movements, diet, environmental toxins and emotional stress. 

When there is a tissue restriction of the viscera, it can affect areas distant from it by means of neurologic pathways, bodily adaptations as the musculoskeletal system tries to protect the vulnerable area, and through fascial continuity. It is said by Jean-Pierre Barral, D.O., that over 90% of neuromusculoskeletal dysfunctions have a visceral component. 

Neural Manipulation (NM):

Neural Manipulation is treatment designed by Jean-Pierre Barral, D.O.. It is a light-touch, hands-on treatment that releases local nerve restrictions while at the same time examines the effect these local fixations have on the rest of the body, and by accessing this relationship, changes the more comprehensive (global) dysfunctional patterns. It enhances proper functioning of the nervous system – one of the communication highways throughout the body. 

Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD): 

Manual Lymphatic Drainage is a non-invasive manual technique, that can gently enhance recovery and facilitate drainage of lymph. It can have a positive influence on ALL other systems of the body by. indirectly stimulating the blood circulation and the immune system. As Dr. Andrew Taylor Still famously stated "The Rule of the Artery is Supreme"...meaning that when blood flows freely, the tissues can perform their physiologic functions without obstruction. 

Osteoarticular Techniques: 

Osteoarticular techniques will address the structural lesions or imbalances of the skeletal system, through gentle self correction.