Techniques

Relaxation massage is all about giving your body and nervous system an opportunity to slow down, switch off and reset.

Using long, flowing strokes, gentle kneading and light to moderate pressure, relaxation massage aims to reduce general muscle tension and create an overall sense of calm throughout the body. Unlike remedial massage, the focus isn’t necessarily on treating a particular injury, painful area or movement restriction, sometimes your body simply needs a chance to relax.

Work, training, busy schedules, long periods of sitting or standing and everyday stress can all contribute to muscular tension and leave you feeling tight, tired or run down. Even when there isn’t a specific area causing you trouble, that tension can build up over time.

Relaxation massage uses slower, more rhythmic techniques to encourage the muscles to relax while providing calming sensory input to the nervous system. This may help reduce feelings of physical tension, promote circulation and support an overall sense of relaxation and wellbeing.

Your treatment is always tailored to you. Pressure can range from light to moderate depending on what feels comfortable, and your therapist can spend more time on particular areas where you tend to hold tension.

At My Body Clinic, not every treatment needs to be about addressing an injury or fixing a specific problem. Recovery also means giving your body time to rest.

Whether you’re feeling the effects of a busy week, carrying general muscular tension or simply want some time to switch off, relaxation massage gives you the opportunity to slow down, reset and leave feeling more relaxed and refreshed.

Whether you’re an elite athlete, a regular gym-goer, a weekend warrior or simply someone who likes to stay active, sports massage can be a valuable part of looking after your body.

Sports massage is a targeted treatment tailored to your individual activity levels, training demands and areas of muscular tension. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, each treatment is adapted to what your body needs on the day.

Regular training and physical activity place increased demands on the muscles and surrounding tissues, which can contribute to tightness, muscular fatigue, reduced mobility or a general feeling of stiffness and restriction. Sports massage can target these areas of tension and help you feel more comfortable and mobile between training sessions.

Treatment can focus on specific areas depending on your sport, training style and individual concerns, including the legs, glutes, hips, lower back, shoulders and arms.

Sports massage isn’t only for when something feels sore. It can also form part of your regular body-maintenance routine, whether you’re preparing for an event, recovering from a demanding training session, returning to activity or simply looking to maintain your mobility and muscle health.

Your treatment may incorporate a range of remedial and sports massage techniques, with pressure and intensity adjusted to suit your individual tolerance and goals. Communication throughout your appointment is encouraged to ensure your treatment remains comfortable, targeted and appropriate for you.

Whether you’re training for your next event, hitting the gym throughout the week, playing weekend sport or simply feeling the effects of an active lifestyle, sports massage can be a great addition to your routine.

Scraping, also known as Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilisation (IASTM), is a hands-on treatment technique that uses specialised tools to apply controlled pressure and movement over the muscles and surrounding soft tissues.

The technique allows your practitioner to work specifically through areas that feel tight, stiff or restricted. The amount of pressure and the way the tool is used can be adjusted depending on the area being treated, your individual presentation and your comfort throughout the treatment.

Scraping may be incorporated into treatment when muscular tension, soft tissue restriction or reduced mobility is contributing to the way you’re feeling or moving. It is commonly used alongside other techniques rather than as a stand-alone treatment and may form part of a broader approach that includes hands-on therapy, stretching, movement or rehabilitation exercises.

During treatment, you may notice a firm or slightly unusual sensation as the tool moves across the skin. Some temporary redness or mild tenderness can occur afterwards due to the pressure applied to the skin and underlying tissues.

Like all techniques used at My Body Clinic, scraping isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment. Your practitioner will assess whether it is appropriate for you and tailor its use to your individual needs, treatment goals and tolerance.

Dry needling aims to help reduce unnecessary muscle tension, improve muscle activation and encourage the body to start moving and firing more effectively again.

Using very fine needles, dry needling allows us to target specific muscles, trigger points and tissues that may be contributing to pain, tension, tightness or restricted movement. Rather than working broadly across an area, the needle provides a very precise stimulus exactly where we want it, essentially giving your nervous system some new information to work with.

When a muscle has been tight, irritated or not functioning as well as it should for a period of time, it can sometimes become difficult for the body to simply “switch it off” or change the pattern on its own. Dry needling can be one way of interrupting that pattern and encouraging the muscle and nervous system to respond differently.

The needle itself can create both local and neurological responses that may influence muscle activity, pain processing and the release and regulation of neurotransmitters and other signalling chemicals. In simple terms, we’re giving the system an opportunity to reset and helping create a better environment for movement.

You may experience a small twitch or ache when a particular area is targeted, while other areas may barely be felt at all. Everyone responds differently, and dry needling can be adjusted depending on the area being treated and your individual comfort level.

At My Body Clinic, dry needling isn’t necessarily used as a stand-alone treatment. Where appropriate, it can be combined with hands-on treatment, movement, rehabilitation or other techniques to address the bigger picture rather than focusing on one tight muscle alone.

The goal isn’t just to make a muscle feel looser for a few hours. It’s to help reduce unnecessary tension, encourage better muscle function and give your body an opportunity to move more comfortably and effectively.

Heat therapy, also known as thermotherapy, involves the controlled application of warmth to an area of the body as part of your treatment.

Heat can be particularly comfortable when muscles are feeling tight, stiff or generally fatigued. The warmth can help encourage relaxation and provide temporary relief from muscular aches and discomfort, making it a useful addition to hands-on treatment for some clients.

At My Body Clinic, heat therapy may be used before or alongside other treatment techniques. Applying warmth before hands-on therapy can help an area feel more relaxed and comfortable, while it may also be incorporated throughout an appointment simply to support comfort and relaxation.

The temperature, duration and area treated are carefully considered and adjusted to suit your individual needs and comfort. Your practitioner will also take into account your presentation and any relevant health considerations before using heat as part of your treatment.

Heat therapy isn’t appropriate for every injury or condition, particularly in some acute presentations. For this reason, it is used when clinically appropriate rather than automatically included in every appointment.

When suitable, heat therapy can be a simple and comfortable addition to a broader treatment plan, complementing hands-on therapy, movement and other techniques used during your session.

Lymphatic drainage massage is a gentle, specialised treatment designed to support the natural movement of lymphatic fluid throughout the body.

Unlike traditional massage, lymphatic drainage uses very light pressure with slow, rhythmic and controlled movements. Rather than working deeply into the muscles, the treatment follows the natural pathways of the lymphatic system to encourage the movement of fluid through the body.

The lymphatic system plays an important role in maintaining fluid balance and forms part of the body’s immune system. Unlike the circulatory system, which has the heart to continuously pump blood around the body, the lymphatic system relies on things like movement, breathing and muscle activity to help move lymphatic fluid along.

Lymphatic drainage massage uses gentle, repetitive movements to support this natural process. For some people, it may help with feelings of puffiness, swelling or heaviness, while the slower style of treatment can also provide a deeply calming and relaxing experience.

Because the pressure used is intentionally light, lymphatic drainage can feel quite different from remedial or relaxation massage. More pressure isn’t necessarily better here, the techniques are designed specifically to work with the lymphatic system rather than deeper muscle tissue.

At My Body Clinic, your treatment will be tailored to your individual needs and comfort level. Your therapist can adjust the treatment depending on what you’re coming in for and how your body is feeling on the day.

Whether you’re looking for a gentle style of treatment, experiencing feelings of puffiness or heaviness, or simply wanting to give your body some time to slow down, lymphatic drainage massage offers a gentle and restorative approach to supporting your body and overall wellbeing.

Pregnancy brings significant changes to the body, and as your pregnancy progresses, it’s common to experience muscular tension, fatigue, stiffness and general discomfort.

Pregnancy massage is a supportive treatment tailored to your individual needs and stage of pregnancy, with a focus on helping you feel comfortable and relaxed throughout your appointment.

As your body changes, shifts in posture, movement and weight distribution can place additional strain on areas such as the lower back, hips, glutes, shoulders and legs. Pregnancy massage can be tailored to focus on the areas that are feeling particularly tight, tired or uncomfortable on the day.

Your comfort is always a priority. Positioning, pressure and treatment techniques are modified to accommodate your changing body and individual preferences. Supportive positioning and pillows may also be used throughout your appointment to help you feel comfortable and at ease.

Pregnancy massage doesn’t need to be solely about addressing aches and muscular tension. It can also provide an opportunity to slow down, relax and take some time for yourself during what can be a physically demanding period.

Every pregnancy is different, and how your body feels can change considerably from one appointment to the next. For this reason, each treatment is individually tailored, with open communication encouraged throughout your session.

Whether you’re experiencing tension through your lower back and hips, feeling tight through your shoulders and legs, or simply looking for some time to relax, pregnancy massage can be a comfortable and considered addition to your self-care throughout pregnancy.

Ultrasound therapy uses high-frequency sound waves to treat soft tissue injuries, reduce inflammation, and relieve pain.

What It Does

• Creates micro-vibrations: Sound waves pass through the skin and cause microscopic vibrations in deep tissue.
• Increases blood flow: Enhanced circulation brings oxygen and healing chemicals to damaged areas.
• Heats or relaxes tissue: It can produce a gentle thermal effect to make tendons and muscles more flexible, or use pulsed waves to reduce swelling.
• Common uses: It helps treat conditions like tendonitis, muscle strains, ligament sprains, and plantar fasciitis.

How It Feels

• Painless: The treatment is generally non-invasive and does not hurt.
• Cool gel: A cold, water-based conductive gel is applied to your skin first.
• Warming or pulsing: As the therapist moves the device head in small circles, you might feel a mild, soothing warmth or a light pulsing sensation, though many feel very little at all.

How Many Treatments You Will Need

• Variable number: Most therapy plans involve about 3 to 12 sessions, depending on your specific injury.
• Condition-based: Acute swelling may require fewer visits, while chronic stiffness or deep tissue damage takes longer.
• Combined care: It is almost always used alongside other treatments like active exercises and stretching.

Shockwave therapy uses high-energy acoustic sound waves to break down scar tissue, increase blood flow, and trigger the body's natural healing response in injured tendons and soft tissues.

What It Does

• Sends rapid mechanical pulses through a handheld probe into deep target tissues.
• Breaks up fibrous adhesions and chronic calcifications or scar tissue.
• Stimulates new blood vessel formation and boosts local circulation to slow-healing areas.
• Reduces localized inflammation and promotes collagen production for tissue repair.
• Treats common overuse injuries like plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, and tennis elbow.

How It Feels

• Feels like a strong tapping, pulsing, or a faint rubber band snapping against the skin.
• Can cause mild discomfort or tenderness, especially when the device passes over injured or inflamed spots.
• Is generally well-tolerated because the practitioner can adjust the pressure and frequency to match your comfort level.
• May leave the treated area slightly achy, bruised, or tender for a day or two afterward.

How Many Treatments You Need

• Most people need 3 to 5 sessions in total.
• Sessions are typically spaced one week apart to allow the tissue time to respond and heal.
• Individual needs vary based on how chronic the injury is and how your body reacts, with some complex cases requiring up to 6 or more visits.

Chiropractic adjustments are about improving how your joints move. When a joint becomes restricted, the pressure and mechanics within the joint can change.

Adjustments aren’t all about cavitations, aka the “pop.” It’s about getting that joint moving better through different types of techniques, such as manual adjustments and low-force techniques like mobilisations. Some adjustment techniques can create a change in pressure within the joint, which may result in that familiar “pop.” But the sound isn’t the goal, better movement is.

When joints move well, the muscles and surrounding tissues can work more efficiently, helping your musculoskeletal system move, adapt and perform the way it’s designed to. Adjustments don’t just help joints move better; they can also influence the nervous system. Your body is constantly receiving information from your joints, muscles and surrounding tissues and using that information to coordinate how you move.

Chiropractic adjustments provide a burst of sensory input to the nervous system, which may help influence how your brain and body communicate and coordinate movement. This can help support better movement, muscle function and recovery.