In tune with your body - Phase 4 of a Journey to Wellness

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Thursday, 29 August 2024

Written by Agata Dudo

4 Phases of care is a remedial plan that helps to demonstrate the client’s journey of getting better and reaching their full wellness potential. At Fulham Massage & Wellness, we are passionate not only about getting people out of pain, but we truly believe that our job starts when that pain goes away. This is when we can find the root causes of the problems (Phase 2), strengthen the body’s musculoskeletal and neurological systems so that it can develop resilience in everyday life (Phase 3), and finally – deliver life-enhancing benefits (Phase 4).

The fourth Phase of Care, which focuses on the Proactive approach,  is becoming essential in times when we observe how overwhelmed our NHS has become. Changing our mindset from reactive to proactive is the direction we must take to stay well and feel in charge of our life & health. 

Phase 4 - Proactive care - has 8 main purposes that aim to improve and enhance our wellness and quality of life. It focuses on making us feel the best version of ourselves and also develops the awareness necessary for us to notice when our body is facing potential “dis-ease”. Here are the 8 areas where regular massage can be a shield against life’s daily wear and tear:

“Pain may visit but it doesn’t have to stay”

Preserving the results achieved in previous sessions and preventing the problems from coming back is our number 1. Now that the time and money investment into solving the issue has been made, it’s easier to maintain the results rather than allow for the problem to come back. Leaving pain in the past is possible. Schedule regular sessions to fortify your body and mind against pain.  Stay committed to self-care and keep your pain away.

“Massage is not just for the body. It’s a catalyst for your creativity, patience, focus, and sense of fulfillment”

Enhancement of creativity, work and family well-being is one of the biggest remedial massage benefits. Feeling the strain of everyday life can make us more irritable, tired and overwhelmed. It leads to burnout, feelings of indifference and compromises relationships or our satisfaction in life. Regular massage can help to restore energy and bring back the feeling of vitality! It improves clarity of mind, and sleep quality, helps us make decisions faster, better, find more ideas, and feel enjoyment again. Regular remedial massage isn’t just self-care. It’s a gift to ourselves to excel at work and cherish our families even more.

“Unlock your potential, push your limits, make new records.”

Regular massage helps to enhance physical performance. And not only for elite athletes. It is common knowledge that sports and being active make us feel better. We often need a goal to keep us going and that’s why many of us use sporting events to work towards something and achieve goals. Regular massage can help us realise these goals, recover faster, make our body feel ready for challenges and when the time is right - set new personal records. These personal bests is what often keep us motivated so why not use massage to get your performance to a new level? The difference between ordinary and extraordinary lies in details. Regular massage can be that detail. Let’s elevate our physical abilities to new heights!

“With each massage session, you’re not only releasing tension. You’re reclaiming your inner peace and resilience”

Stress Management. Around 75% of Londoners feel stressed and overwhelmed to the point of struggling to cope. This is extremely worrying. Feeling so stressed over a period of time has a negative impact on our physical and mental wellness. Lowering stress levels is now more important than ever before. There are multiple stress management strategies and regular massage can be a powerful tool to manage daily stress. It lowers stress hormone levels, helps us feel more relaxed by removing physical tension, and clears our mind so that we can think more positively and make better life choices. It anchors us down. This form of self-care allows us to empty the bucket of stress so that it never reaches the top or overflows.

Can your body keep up with your awesomeness?

Optimal muscle function. Our body has a certain way of moving and functioning. Our life’s demands often put us under physical and mental stress that can compromise these optimal patterns. Especially if these demands are repetitive or present over a longer period of time. Our body will always find a way to move, one way or another. Some of these ways unfortunately come at a cost. If certain groups of muscles or body parts are unable to perform the action, our body will use other groups to do it, even if they are not designed for it. Over period of time, this causes long-term imbalances, postural issues, biomechanical holding patterns, and injuries. Regular remedial massage helps to adverse these negative changes and bring our body to the place where it functions as designed. These positive movement patterns are not only going to stop the body rolling into a direction of injuries and pain but also help to restore energy – moving easily, as designed, without spending energy in unnecessary places. This can quickly result in us feeling less lethargic and more vibrant, full of life and vitality – like a well-oiled machine! Regular remedial massage is a key that unlocks the door to our optimal health.

“Conquer the stagnation of 300 hours of stillness with just 1 hour of massage a month” 

Counterbalancing inactivity is probably one of the most essential aims for the Proactive phase. With up to 20 hours a day (including sleep) in a static position or over 10 hours a day in a sitting position, our bodies are feeling the impact of lack of movement and stagnation. Sitting is now proven to be the most demanding and negative “activity” on the body! 1h of remedial massage can compensate for over 250 of sitting hours and bring the flow and movement into our bodies. Our bodies are designed to move in order to pump the blood, prevent clots, keep the energy going, flush acids and waste products, de-toxifying and cleanse our organs, distribute oxygen levels to the brain and other body parts, prevent muscle stiffness, keep our spinal engine in the best possible condition, protecting our joints from deteriorating, etc. Movement is vital! Massage can make up for the lack of movement on a daily basis. We often compare it to a car service. Why not invest in a remedial massage every 250-300 sitting hours to boost the body’s efficiency and prevent wear and tear?

“Chronic condition may be a part of the story, but remedial massage can be the chapter of comfort and healing”

Managing chronic conditions. As therapists, we love getting people better and our primary goal is always to “fix” what is broken. But there are a number of conditions that we see every day at Fulham Massage & Wellness that we simply can’t fix. Our goal changes then as we focus on how we can help to manage them. Now, as much as it can feel like a second-best result, sometimes these results are proving to be life-changing. Remedial massage regularly serves people who live with conditions that cannot be cured, like Parkinson's Disease, MS, neuropathy, fibromyalgia, arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, old injuries (e.g. back injuries, untreated whiplash or ankle injuries, etc). These conditions compromise the quality of life and are often associated with long-term pain or impaired movement. Remedial massage helps to manage these symptoms, calms the nervous system, and slows down the path to regression for many chronic conditions.  

“Stand tall and own your presence! Good posture is a key to self-confidence and success”

Improving posture and alignment. Our posture plays a big role, not only in keeping us in good shape or preventing pain and injuries, but it also influences our confidence and body image. Many clients state that improving their posture has helped them feel more confident and in charge of their lives; and that a great posture is a foundation for a great life! How we see ourselves is how other people see us so why not invest in giving ourselves the highest chance of success, acceptance and love? Regular remedial massage can help us keep our chin up, and shoulders back, and conquer the world!

What does “regular massage” mean? Frequency of visits:

Most clients choose to have their regular massage treatments every 4-6 weeks, but the proactive phase must support individual needs. Those with chronic conditions often need treatments more frequently, e.g. every 2 weeks, in order to stay pain-free or manage the symptoms of discomfort. Others can opt-in to have their treatments even every 2-3 months. It’s not only how often, but also how regularly the sessions are scheduled that makes this Phase so effective! The frequency is usually discussed between therapist and client based on individual life demands, treatment goals, the client’s physical and mental condition as well as the effectiveness of the treatment.

To find out more about Proactive Care or how we can enhance your life through remedial massage, give us a call at 02037949760 or email us using This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. We cannot wait to meet you!