It’s better to view massage as one aspect of the larger spectrum of Soft Tissue Therapy, rather than Soft Tissue Therapy being a type of massage therapy itself.
 
A Soft Tissue Therapist works with the soft tissues of the body. The soft tissues include: skin, fascia, muscles (superficial and deep), tendons, ligaments, blood vessels, fibrous tissues, fat, other connective tissues and nerves. 
 
The ‘soft’ in Soft Tissue Therapy doesn’t mean soft, as in gentle!
 
However, we feel its important for you to know that a properly trained Soft Tissue Therapist will work in such a way with you as to make your treatment as comfortable for you as possible. A Soft Tissue Therapist’s training places importance on dispelling the ‘no pain, no gain’ myth that has unfortunately been encouraged by the all too common idea that a massage, or sports massage, has to be painful in order for it to be - or do - any good.
 
A Soft Tissue Therapist will usually use any combination of the following massage, movement and neuromuscular techniques during a treatment or over the duration of a treatment plan:
 

• Myofascial Release (MFR)

• Soft Tissue Release (STR)

• Muscle Energy Techniques (MET) inc. Post Isometric Relaxation (PIR); Reciprocal Inhibition (RI); Strain/Counterstrain Technique (SCS); Positional Release (PR); Pulsed MET; Slow Eccentric Isotonic Stretch (SEIS); 

• Trigger Point Therapy (TPT)

• Therapeutic Stretching

• Deep Tissue Massage techniques

• Swedish Massage Techniques

• Taping or Strapping

• Exercise and movement guidance

• Lifestyle advice

​
Soft Tissue Therapy treatments are aimed at helping alleviate pain; resolving minor musculoskeletal injuries - whether they are sporting injuries or otherwise; improving and helping you understand any postural or movement pattern issues - including gait - you may be experiencing; reducing acute and chronic tension; increasing strength and flexibility; improving training performance; educating you about how our bodies work; and empowering you to be able to take responsibility for creating the changes you want to experience.  
 
Examples of some of the types of issues we work with clients on as Soft Tissue Therapists to resolve, or manage, include:

• Neck pain and stiffness

• Tennis elbow

• Shoulder pain

• Achilles tendinopathy

• Lower back pain

• Plantar fasciitis

• Sciatica 

• Upper back pain and tension

• Headaches

• Scoliosis

• Shoulder protraction (slouching)

• Postural issues that are causing problems

• Breathing issues

• Pre & post sport specific strength and performance work (prehab and rehab)

• Post-operation rehab

• Specific muscular injuries (e.g. strains

• Pre and post event massage work

• Fibromyalgia

• Arthritis

• Anxiety

• Osteoporosis