Treatment Spotlight: Soft Tissue Manipulation

As a Naturopathic Doctor there are many treatment “tools in my toolbox” that I use to help my clients.  These treatments can include botanical medicine, acupuncture, supplements, as well as hydrotherapy.   In addition to these, one therapy that I find especially helpful as a treatment option is Soft Tissue Manipulation.  Let’s learn a little more about this valuable, hands-on treatment!

What is Soft Tissue Manipulation?

Soft Tissue Manipulation is a treatment (such as massage) that provides a therapeutic action on the soft tissue in your body.  Examples of soft tissues include muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fascia.  Soft tissues are important to our health because they literally “hold everything together”.  Muscles and soft tissues influence our structure and movement, inadvertently influencing many functions of our body.   For example, if our muscles are tense, they can pull on other structures of the body.  This can alter how they function as well as create pain and discomfort, both locally and in other areas of our body.   

Conditions such as arthritis, nerve pain, and headaches can all have a direct connection to imbalances in our soft tissues.   

Thank goodness we have Soft Tissue Manipulation that may help to alleviate these concerns by restoring proper functioning and help you live a more pain free, healthy life.     

How Can Soft Tissue Manipulation Help Me?

There are many different reasons why you might want to include Soft Tissue Therapies in your treatment plan.  While we have briefly mentioned how this therapy can help, here are some additional benefits:

• Muscle relaxation
• Increased blood circulation and lymph flow,
• Improvements in healing time of strained ligaments and muscular tissue
• Reductions in joint inflammation
• Improvements in range of motion and joint flexibility
• Increasing endorphins (pain limiting messengers
• Supporting the immune system
• Decreasing muscle spasms
• Improving oxygen flow
• Helping relieve muscle tension

My training at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine included instruction in soft tissue massage, making me a qualified practitioner in this modality.  In addition to this, I have received further instruction from several qualified institutions. Techniques that I have been trained in include:

• Swedish Massage
• Active Release
• Dr. Wu Head Massage
• Shiatsu Massage

Clinical restrictions due to COVID-19 have been put in place in order to limit the spread of this global virus.  Consequently, the nature of your ND visit may be affected. That being said, I am always committed to the optimal care and wellness of my clients, whether in person or from a distance. If you’re interested in the benefits that Soft Tissue Manipulation can have on your specific concerns please contact Dr. Linda Shih, ND, at Spine Stretch Studio.   I look forward to helping you on the road to wellness! 

Author: Linda Shih

Dr. Linda Shih, ND is a licensed Naturopathic Doctor who is passionate about preventative and personalized health care, always striving to understand the root cause of her client’s conditions and concerns. She hold an Honors Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Toronto, a Diploma of Naturopathic Medicine from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine, Toronto, and is a member of the College of Naturopaths of Ontario.
Naturopathic Doctors are considered primary care physicians, and while Dr. Linda Shih maintains a wide scope of practice in her family clinic, she has a special interest in pain management, infertility, as well as digestive concerns.
Using a variety of different modalities, including acupuncture, botanical medicine, and nutritional counseling, Dr. Shih, ND, always aims to help her clients achieve their best health, both now and for the future.