Functional Therapy: Massage meets Pilates in this beneficial hybrid

11 Jun Functional Therapy: Massage meets Pilates in this beneficial hybrid

Functional Therapy sessions combine Massage therapy and Pilates, providing an environment of complimentary strategies for balancing the body in a single session.  Each appointment is designed for an individual client to release global muscle tension patterns through massage and re-educate under-recruited muscle fibers via Pilates, thus enhancing functional movement throughout the body.

We explored the benefits of Functional Therapy in our latest interview with Expert Level Pilates Instructor and Massage Therapist, Vienna Wilson:

Kinected: How does Functional Therapy differ from a regular Pilates session?

Vienna: Functional therapy combines the complimentary practices of massage therapy and Pilates to release binding muscle tension and reeducate healthy muscle/joint action.

Musculo-skeletal imbalances involve patterns of both muscle overcompensation and weakness. The dual strategy treats both essential aspects of the condition.

K: How will the full body massage directly affect a person’s performance/ability as they transition into movement?

V: During the full body massage, specific areas with heightened tension will be released and integrated into a whole body treatment balancing tone.

Reduced restriction and enhanced joint freedom aids a clients ability to engage movement through a greater range of motion. Clients that choose to begin with Pilates training and finish with massage get the benefits of enhanced recovery.

K: How often should one take Functional Therapy sessions, and how can this therapy be incorporated into a regular workout routine?

V: This very much depends upon the unique needs and goals of the client. The sessions evolve as the client does. They get to choose the pace and goals. Weekly often works well as a whole body tune up and getting new skills to practice throughout the week.

Functional Therapy sessions include the distinct but complimentary techniques of therapeutic massage and Pilates to restore healthy movement patterns throughout the body. 90-min sessions begin with a full body massage for muscle balancing and assessment, followed by strategic, core-based movement education designed for the specific body’s key needs. Mat-based ‘homework’ is also available for clients that wish to expand the benefits between sessions.  Clients who wish to start with movement, followed by release are welcomed to request it.

Read more about Vienna and schedule a session.

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