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Massage Therapy Applied Together With Low Intensity Laser Therapy What is Massage Therapy (MT)? Massage Therapy spans a wide variety of therapeutic approaches, working to improve an individual’s health and well-being. It involves the manipulation of joints and soft tissues (i.e. muscles, skin, connective tissue, tendons and ligaments) using a range of techniques: Swedish style massage, hydrotherapy, craniosacral therapy, rhythmic mobilizations, myofascial therapy; remedial exercise & laser therapy. These techniques help reduce and prevent stress, tension, and discomfort of injuries or chronic conditions encouraging the body’s own natural healing process. (Massage Therapy Act, 1991) Low Intensity Laser Therapy stimulates natural healing, effectively, together with massage therapy. Massage Therapy Scope of Practice The practice of massage therapy is the assessment of the soft tissue and joints and the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissue and joints by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function, or relieve pain. Low Intensity Laser Therapy is approved within this Scope of Practice by the Ontario Association of Registered Massage Therapists Low Intensity Laser Therapy (LILT) LILT is the application of super luminous and laser diodes for the treatment of a variety of medical conditions. LILT utilizes light energy to stimulate tissue for the purpose of regeneration, improved circulation and accelerated healing. This therapy is non invasive, easily applied, (no physical stress) & very effective.
* Musculoskeletal conditions * Inflammatory conditions * Sports & auto accident pathologies * Back and neck pain * Lumbosacral pathologies (chronic & acute) * Lymphedema * Arthritis * Fibromyalgia * Degenerative conditions (knee, hip, spine) References: Meditech International Inc., the manufacturer of the BioFlex Professional LILT system, compared the efficacy of laser therapy with and/or without massage therapy during over 4,800 laser applications and 1,200 massage treatments. Findings indicated that massage therapy with laser treatment yielded the best results. There was no statistical difference whether laser or massage was applied first (Kahn, 2003). Laser therapy combined with Manual Lymphatic Drainage (MLD) is the treatment of choice for lymphedema (Moore 2001). Scar contractures, hypertrophic scars and keloid scars are effectively treated with manual therapy (Brissett 2001) & laser therapy (Dyson 2001). Combined therapy provides physical remodeling & cellular healing. |
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