First Appointment
What can I expect during my first appointment?
The session will be in 4 distinct parts as detailed below, beginning with collecting a case history.
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*If your complaint falls outside of the scope of soft tissue therapy, I will recommend a referral on to the relevant healthcare professional.
Subjective Discussion
The first step is a verbal conversation where I will gather information about your general health, past medical history and details of your injury/complaint. There are a few bits of paperwork that I’ll need to fill in, but this is an important step as it helps me collect all the information I need to help you as best as I can.
By finding out when, how and where the problem started and what the symptoms were, it’ll give me a clearer idea of what the problem could be and what areas to assess.
Finally, I will ask you what your aims and expectations from receiving treatment are so that we can both work together towards the same goal.
Objective Observation
This is where I'll take a look and palpate the site. This step can vary depending on the complaint but will generally include a postural assessment looking for any deviations or asymmetry which could be a contributing factor.
This will be followed by a muscle/tendon & joint assessment of the area, and possibly those surrounding it. I will be looking at range of movement, muscle strength, joint stability, muscle length, balance & co-ordination. From these findings we can discuss how soft tissue therapy can help you.
Treatment
Unless the condition falls outside of my scope, massage treatment will then begin. I will explain my findings and the areas that I’ll work on and why. Often, an injury is caused due to compensation for another, underused muscle group. So, the body will be looked at and treated as a whole to address the cause, not just the symptom.
Exercise advice & follow up appointments
After the session, I will create a bespoke exercise plan with some simple but effective exercises to help you get back to a pain-free life. My aim is to educate you well enough about your injury so that you don’t need to keep seeing me for it - unless treatment is to help manage a long-term disorder or for maintenance purposes.