What to expect

For your first appointment with me I would strongly recommend booking at least an hour.  This will provide enough time for a thorough assessment and an effective treatment.  Subsequent treatments can then be shortened to 45 or 30 minutes if you prefer.

If it is your first treatment with me you will need to fill out a health history form online and provide your health insurance details (if applicable).  To ensure you don’t miss out on any precious massage time it’s best to arrive a couple minutes early to ensure all the necessary forms have been completed.

Wear the clothes you feel most comfortable in –  I will take a few minutes to carry out a thorough assessment on the area you want me to treat.   The assessment may include tests to check postural alignment, range of motion, neurological function, orthopedic dysfunction or muscle strength imbalances – all of which will enable an effective treatment to be implemented.  Once the assessment is complete I will leave the room and let you disrobe to your comfort level.  This differs for every patient and can be discussed at the time.  During the treatment you will be draped accordingly at all times and only the area being worked on will be uncovered.

Many different techniques could be utilized depending on your individual needs.  These can include, but are not limited to,  hydrotherapy, trigger point therapy, myofascial release, joint mobilizations and neuromuscular therapy.  This of course will be discussed fully with you prior to the treatment starting so you’re fully aware of the process.

The treatment will finish with a few minutes to spare for us to discuss a gentle stretch, strengthening exercise, home hydrotherapy to try, or even just some tips to help prevent your pain from reoccurring.  It’s up to you whether you choose to follow the advice of course!

During the treatment you may experience some periods of discomfort when working within the deeper layers of muscles or when treating trigger points for example.  A pain scale will be established before the treatment begins to provide an effective way of communicating your pain tolerance so you, as the patient, are in total control of the amount of pressure used at all times.   Sometimes you may also feel a little sore in the areas worked after the treatment – this is a normal response and should leave you feeling better within a day or so.

Registered Massage Therapy is included by most health insurance providers so check your policy and make the most of it!  Direct billing is also available – I will just need your insurance details and can submit the claim for you making your appointment even easier.  This is also a good time to book a follow up treatment if required.

Thats it! If you are ready to make your appointment head back to the home page to book your appointment online, alternatively if you would like any further info head to the contact page – I would love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have.