Marieta Akalski | Massage Therapy
Squamish Massage Therapy // Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, Active Release // Sports massage for Skiing, Climbing, Biking, Running and other sports
How is Marieta Different?
All Squamish RMT's graduate with the same base knowledge. Where approaches begin to differ, is with the choices made for continuing education. Marieta continues to strive to understand the body and its complexities through a variety of methods and has trained in numerous Massage Therapy techniques to be able to provide the best care for her Squamish clientele. In addition to being compassionate, caring, professional, and an excellent listener, Marieta's Massage Therapy success has come from the incredible knowledge she's been able to acquire. After understanding her clients goal, Marieta's treatment plan can include traditional modalities such as Deep Tissue and Myofascial Release, in addition to any of the following.
ART is a soft tissue technique combining manipulation and movement that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves. ART entails identifying, isolating, and targeting the affected area to break up scar tissue. It is the most commonly used massage technique in professional athletes and can treat overuse muscular conditions such as (but not limited to) back pain, neck pain, plantar fasciitis, tennis and golfers elbow, shoulder and knee injuries.
Benefits of ART®
Scar tissue (adhesions) is formed when there is an injury to a muscle, tendon or ligament. This dense fibrous tissue binds an injured area and unfortunately often sticks to surrounding structures. As scar tissue builds up, nerves can get entrapped within it causing them to fire pain signals, muscles can become shorter and weaker, and tension on tendons can lead to tendonitis. These adhesions lead to a decrease in range of motion, pain, and muscle weakness decreasing the load capacity for the given structure. ART is an effective Massage Technique to break down scar tissue.
How it Works
Using ART allows for simultaneous assessment and treatment of muscles, nerves, ligaments, and tendons. The technique involves precise pressure on the desired structure while the patient moves through the directed range of motion to break down the scar tissue most effectively.
Functional Range Conditioning is a system of mobility and joint control training. Mobility is the ability to move ACTIVELY through a range of motion which differs from flexibility which is the ability of a muscle to lengthen PASSIVELY through a range of motion. FRC therefore is a combination of flexibility and strength.
Benefits of FRC®
• Increase mobility and range of motion
• Prevent injuries
• Increase strength at the end-range of a joint
• Increase neurological control
• Decrease pain
How it Works
Active ranges of motion is attainable through the application of internal (muscular) force simulated by nervous system activity. It is through these active ranges that you can improve the ability to control and move your own body and increase useable ranges of motion.
Fascial Stretch Therapy is a system of table-based assisted stretching which focuses on the muscles, joints, and connective tissue as the key elements in achieving optimal flexibility, strength, performance, and pain relief. With the client on a treatment table, your body is stabilized as you are gently helped into specific stretches to help facilitate relaxation and movement into your joints and body.
Benefits of FST™
• Increase flexibility, mobility and range of motion
• Improve posture & muscle function
• Improve sport specific performance
• Increase muscular strength and endurance
• Reduce muscle tension and risk of injury
• Increase balance and symmetry of the body
• Reduce muscular soreness and fatigue
How it Works
Fascia is a network of layered connective tissue that surrounds muscles, bones and joints. Restricted fascia and joint capsules can lead to conditions such as osteoarthritis, painful movement, increased muscle tightness, strains, tendon injuries, headaches, scar tissue formation, decreased blood flow and reduced energy levels. FST helps your fascia move more fluidly in order to allow the muscles encompassed in it to contract and expand fully.
Graston technique® is an Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Method (IASTM) for scar tissue and fascial restrictions that allows for faster rehabilitation and with greater success when the goal is restoring range of motion, eliminating pain, and restoring normal function.
Use for Graston®
• Hamstring Injuries
• IT Band (Iliotibial Band)
• Back Pain
• Golfers Elbow
• Tennis Elbow
• Plantar Fasciitis
• Shoulder Pain - Rotator Cuff
• Scar Tissue
• Achilles Tendonitis
How it Works
A stainless steel instrument is used to assist in breaking down (scraping) scar tissue and fascial adhesions while the clients’ body part is moved in various positions. A very targeted technique that could feel quite deep.
Myofascial Cupping
Myofascial cupping is the use of plastic cups to create suction, lifting skin from underlying surface nerves and fascia. This gives the skin nerves (cutaneous nerves) more room to move freely and increases their oxygen supply. Cupping can be used in Massage Therapy to increases blood flow, lymph flow and provides relief from tension and pain.
Benefits of Cupping
• Decrease fascial adhesions
• Increase blood flow
• Improve lymphatic drainage
• Improve tissue pliability
• Decrease pain
How it Works
Cupping can be performed either dynamically which involves the movement of the cup throughout the area, or by leaving them in one place for a few minutes at a time. Depending on the health of the tissue, visible marks can be seen post-treatment.
Kinesiology tape is a therapeutic colourful tape that is applied strategically to the body to provide support, lessen pain, reduce swelling, and improve performance. It is commonly used in combination with massage or other manual therapy techniques for the most effective results.
Benefits of KT Tape
• Improve lymphatic drainage
• Enhance performance
• Decrease inflammation
• Decrease pain
• Re-educate muscles
• Improve Proprioception
How it Works
Skin, connective tissue, fascia and muscles have sensory receptors that feel pain, temperature, and touch. Those receptors all contribute to proprioception, your brain's sense of where your body is in space. Kinesiology taping creates a lift that unloads the underlying tissues. Decompressing these tissues can change the signals going to the brain. When the brain receives a different signal, it’s going to respond differently.
Swedish Massage Techniques
• Deep Tissue Massage
• Joint Mobilization
• Myofascial Release
• Trigger Point Therapy
• Muscle Energy
• Pregnancy Massage
• Lymphatic Drainage
• Relaxation Massage