Jeff Schoenheit
Licensed Massage Therapist
Services : Specific Massage Techniques
The following are techniques that I incorporate into my deep tissue, sports and medical massage sessions.
Myofascial Release
A blend of stretching and slow, sustained massage, myofascial release therapy uses hands-on manipulation of the body to promote healing and relieve pain. The technique is used to ease pressure in the fibrous bands of connective tissue, or fascia, that encase muscles throughout the body. (Myofascial comes from the Latin "myo" for muscle and "fascia" for band.) Sheaths of this dense and elastic connective tissue weave about blood vessels, bones, and nerves, forming an intricate web that supports your organs and joints from head to toe and acts as the body's shock absorber. Scarring or injury to this network of connective tissue is a major cause of pain and impeded motion. This therapy aims to alleviate these problems by breaking up, or "releasing," constrictions or snags in the fascia. People with longstanding back pain, fibromyalgia, recurring headaches, sports injuries, and a host of additional complaints benefit from this technique.
Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger points are areas of tenderness in a muscle. Active trigger points cause muscular pain and will refer pain and tenderness to another area of the body when pressure is applied. Latent trigger points only exhibit pain when compressed, they do not refer pain to other areas of the body. Latent trigger points are believed to be one of the causes of stiff joints and restricted range of motion of old age. Trigger point therapy is a bodywork technique that involves the applying of pressure to tender muscle tissue in order to relieve pain and dysfunction in other parts of the body. It was developed by Dr. Janet Travell in the United States in the 1940s. The purpose of trigger point therapy is to eliminate pain and to re-educate the muscles into pain-free habits.
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF)
PNF is an advanced form of flexibility training that involves both the stretching and contraction of the muscle group being targeted. PNF stretching was originally developed as a form of rehabilitation, and to that effect it is very effective. It is also excellent for targeting specific muscle groups, and as well as increasing flexibility, (and range of movement) it also improves muscular strength.
Jeff Schoenheit, LMT