Applied Modalities

Compressive effleurage: Compressive effleurage is very helpful to prepare tissue for fascial mobilization. It treats the tissue as a sponge creating healthy capillary flushing to soften tissue.

Compressive spreading: Like compressive effleurage, it is effective to mobilize tissue prior to seeking fascial adhesions and trigger points. 

Stripping tissue: Stripping fibers is very specific and intentional. Slow deliberate strokes are applied through the muscle belly from origin to insertion to find areas of fascial adhesions and restricted fibers.

Sports Massage: Each type of sports massage uses different massage techniques. Effleurage is a light stroking that can be performed with the palms or the thumbs. The pressure and speed is varied depending on the muscle and the desired result. Effleurage increases blood flow to the muscle. Petrissage is a form of two-handed kneading in which both hands pick up the muscle and compress it. This technique loosens tight bunches of muscles. Percussive strokes are blows or strikes on the muscle, often performed with the little fingers. They are used to tone the muscles. Cupping involves percussing or striking the muscles with cupped hands. It stimulates the skin and causes muscle contractions that help tone the muscles. There are variations on all these strokes, such as deep cross-fiber friction to separate muscle fibers and break down scar tissue, and jostling to relieve muscle tension 

Active Isolated-Stretching (AIS): Active Isolated-Stretching (AIS) is a flexibility system that involves working one muscle at a time. By actively contracting muscles opposite of the targeted muscle, Active Isolated-Stretching (AIS) automatically relaxes specific muscle in preparation of its stretch. Active Isolated-Stretching (AIS) is performed by gentle and quick stretches, and releases the muscle before it has a chance to protectively contract.Developed by Aaron L. Mattes, Active Isolated-Stretching (AIS) is a broadly-used method of stretching utilized by doctors, therapists and even athletes so to improve the body's potential to not only heal itself, but to enhance performance as well.

Cross Fiber Friction: A method of treatment that manually breaks down scar tissue and adhesions in muscles, fascia, tendons and ligaments using short, specific deep strokes that run counter to the direction that the fibers are laid down. This creates space within the tissue allowing for better metabolic exchange exchange . Scar tissue and adhesions weaken all tissue types, decrease function and lead to further injuries and pain both at the site of the dysfunction and distant to it. Scar tissue may persist for years and it is often the cause of chronic or reoccurring conditions. 

Multidirectional Friction: Is used to address and mobilize scar tissue that is newly formed. It softens the collagen and then using a method of eccentric lengthening enables the tissue to align itself in a striated manner to enhance the healing process and establish pain-free R.O.M. 

Eccentric Lengthening: Mobilizes collagen fibers previously softened, making them become striated and functional.

Trigger Point Therapy: A successful treatment protocol relies on identifying trigger points, resolving them and elongating the structures affected along their natural range of motion and length. Fascia surrounding muscles should also be treated to elongate and resolve strain patterns, otherwise muscles will simply be returned to positions where trigger points are likely to re-develop.

Trigger Point: It has been proposed that trigger points are spasms or contractures of voluntary muscle, possibly caused by an abnormality at the neuromuscular junction where the nerves controlling muscles connect to the muscle fibers (Travell & Simon). This theory seems unlikely because no contractions of voluntary muscle have been identified by traditional EMG and because the trigger points are often not in the location of the neuromuscular junction.

The most recent theory is that trigger points are muscle spindles made over-active by adrenalin stimulation. These very short muscle fibers, only about 1 cm in length, are called intrafusal muscle fibers to distinguish them from the voluntary muscle fibers which are called extrafusal muscle fibers. Only the intrafusal muscle fibers inside the spindle are activated by adrenalin via the sympathetic nervous system which also controls heart rate, blood pressure and other internal regulatory functions. The “sympathetic spindle spasm” theory of trigger points proposes that when spindles are over-activated by adrenalin they become painful.

Reciprocal Inhibition: When stretching, it is easier to stretch a muscle that is relaxed than to stretch a muscle that is contracting. By taking advantage of the situations when reciprocal inhibition does occur, you can get a more effective stretch by inducing the antagonists to relax during the stretch due to the contraction of the agonists. You also want to relax any muscles used as synergists by the muscle you are trying to stretch. For example, when you stretch your calf, you want to contract the shin muscles (the antagonists of the calf) by flexing your foot. However, the hamstrings use the calf as a synergist so you want to also relax the hamstrings by contracting the quadricep (i.e., keeping your leg straight).

Post Isometric Relaxation Technique: PNF refers to any of several post-isometric relaxation stretching techniques in which a muscle group is passively stretched, then contracts isometrically against resistance while in the stretched position, and then is passively stretched again through the resulting increased range of motion.PNF stretching is currently the fastest and most effective way known to increase static-passive flexibility. PNF is an acronym for proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. It is not really a type of stretching but is a technique of combining passive stretching and isometric stretching in order to achieve maximum static flexibility. Actually, the term PNF stretching is itself a misnomer. PNF was initially developed as a method of rehabilitating stroke victims.

Myofascial release: refers to the manual massage technique for stretching the fascia and releasing bonds between fascia and integument, muscles, and bones, with the goal of eliminating pain, increasing range of motion and balancing the body. The fascia is manipulated, directly or indirectly, allowing the connective tissue fibers to reorganize themselves into a more flexible, functional fashion.

Movement Behavior: All movement can be reduced to these three elements: Time, Space and Force. Each movement starts with a certain amount of exertion or force, is observable in a certain amount of space and continues over a certain amount of time. Movement Analysis concentrates on style and quality of motion. Kinesiology on the other hand, focuses on identifying joint actions and the muscles involved to accomplish the given action. Movement Behavior is thus the observation and analysis of the quality of movement patterns particular to that group or individual. A movement behavior specialist can determine one’s use of time, space and force and concise these observations into one’s movement profile. Qualitative movement analysis in Kinesio-Massage concentrates on the most efficient use of the body in accomplishing the same task.