Common conditions effecting the elderly
Canberra Mobile Massage Therapists are well experienced in treating people in their later years in life. Conditions being treated with massage include:
A health Questionnaire is first sought to assess and be made aware of your health conditions so that a safe and effective treatment can be made to suit your needs. Feel free to direct any enquiries by clicking on the Contact page.
- Oedema, where Manual Lymphatic Drainage is used to treat fluid retention
- Parkinsons, See below.
- Hemiplegia from strokes
- Exercises to improve/maintain balance, strength, mobility and independence.
- Muscular aches and pains
- Regaining healthy movement in joints which have become stiff and painful to move
- Relaxation massage to simply decrease anxiety, improve circulation and aid mental wellbeing.
A health Questionnaire is first sought to assess and be made aware of your health conditions so that a safe and effective treatment can be made to suit your needs. Feel free to direct any enquiries by clicking on the Contact page.
Parkinsons
How Parkinson's is treated with massage.
Maintaining proper alignment
Facilitated stretching and soft tissue techniques are used to lengthen shortened muscles. This can counter typical flexion patterns to aid healthy joint alignment and concurrent pain and/or dysfunction.
Decrease sympathetic nervous system firing
A variety of methods are used to induce a parasympathetic response ('rest and digest') such as encouraging slow diaphragmatic breathing, rhythmical massage techniques and providing emotional support. All to counter a sympathetic response which can increase tremors and rigidity.
Decrease Oedema
Manual Lymphatic Drainage is used to decrease oedema (fluid retention), if present which can occur in less mobile people.
Maintain Tissue Health
By improving circulation to affected areas.
Decrease Pain
By inducing relaxation and addressing postural dysfunctions or compensating structures (movement patterns developed to cope with restricted ability).
Address Postural changes and muscle imbalances
Minimising the effects of postural changes by maintaining and improving range of motion across joints and primarily addressing forward flexion of the trunk and neck. Other postural dysfunctions are assessed to treat short tight muscles contractures with heat and prolonged passive stretching + overpressure.
Reduce constipation
With abdominal massage if required.
Address diaphragm
To aid ability to breath deeply.
Maintain thoracic mobility
To maintain trunk mobility and breathing capacity. Also achieved by home care exercises.
Decrease Rigidity
Through relaxation massage techniques such as slow passive stretches, effleurage, palmer kneading.
Encourage integration of the body
Re-directing awareness to unaffected areas of the body if the person is too focused on the symptomatic rigid areas.
Self care
Encourage relaxation: diaphragmatic breathing.
Maintain functional ability with exercises to address deficits in strength, range of motion and movement control
Referral to support services such as Exercise Physiologist.
Maintaining proper alignment
Facilitated stretching and soft tissue techniques are used to lengthen shortened muscles. This can counter typical flexion patterns to aid healthy joint alignment and concurrent pain and/or dysfunction.
Decrease sympathetic nervous system firing
A variety of methods are used to induce a parasympathetic response ('rest and digest') such as encouraging slow diaphragmatic breathing, rhythmical massage techniques and providing emotional support. All to counter a sympathetic response which can increase tremors and rigidity.
Decrease Oedema
Manual Lymphatic Drainage is used to decrease oedema (fluid retention), if present which can occur in less mobile people.
Maintain Tissue Health
By improving circulation to affected areas.
Decrease Pain
By inducing relaxation and addressing postural dysfunctions or compensating structures (movement patterns developed to cope with restricted ability).
Address Postural changes and muscle imbalances
Minimising the effects of postural changes by maintaining and improving range of motion across joints and primarily addressing forward flexion of the trunk and neck. Other postural dysfunctions are assessed to treat short tight muscles contractures with heat and prolonged passive stretching + overpressure.
Reduce constipation
With abdominal massage if required.
Address diaphragm
To aid ability to breath deeply.
Maintain thoracic mobility
To maintain trunk mobility and breathing capacity. Also achieved by home care exercises.
Decrease Rigidity
Through relaxation massage techniques such as slow passive stretches, effleurage, palmer kneading.
Encourage integration of the body
Re-directing awareness to unaffected areas of the body if the person is too focused on the symptomatic rigid areas.
Self care
Encourage relaxation: diaphragmatic breathing.
Maintain functional ability with exercises to address deficits in strength, range of motion and movement control
Referral to support services such as Exercise Physiologist.