Massage

Penny White, LMT

Is your desk job causing neck strain and back stiffness? Are you an athlete with muscle strain or residual pain from joint injuries? Do your daily activities leave you tied up in knots? Would you like to re-claim your life and live without constant discomfort?

I can help! My name is Penny White, LMT. I am a Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Medical Massage Practitioner. I have experience in many different pain management techniques and therapeutic modalities including:

  • Neuro-Muscular Therapy
  • Trigger Point Therapy
  • Myofascial Release
  • Orthopedic (corrective) Bodywork
  • Rehabilitative Sports Massage
  • Postural Distortion Correction (functional/muscular)

All treatments are tailored to your specific needs and condition, and each treatment protocol is designed with results in mind.

I am available for these services by appointment.

Fees: Treatment is $60 per hour.

For an appointment call: 281-440-5216

FAQ’s about our massage services:

Q: What is Neuro-Muscular Therapy?
A: Neuro-muscular therapy is also known as Deep tissue massage. It is a type of massage therapy that focuses on realigning deeper layers of muscles and connective tissue.  It is especially helpful for chronically tense and contracted areas such as stiff necks, low back tightness, and sore shoulders.

Q: How does neuro-muscular therapy work?
A: When there is chronic muscle tension or injury, there are usually adhesions (bands of painful, rigid tissue) in muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Adhesions can block circulation and cause pain, limited movement, and inflammation.

Deep tissue massage works by physically breaking down these adhesions to relieve pain and restore normal movement. To do this, the massage therapist often uses direct deep pressure or friction applied across the grain of the muscles.

Q: Does Neuro-muscular therapy hurt?
A: At certain points during the massage, most people find there is usually some discomfort or pain. It is important to tell the massage therapist when things hurt and if any soreness or pain you experience is outside your comfort range. There is usually some tenderness and/or soreness after a deep tissue massage, but it should subside within a day or so. The massage therapist may recommend applying ice to the area after the massage.

Q: What is Trigger Point Therapy?
A: Trigger Point Therapy is a subset of neuromuscular therapy which examines and treats muscles and muscle attachments in layers from superficial to deep, ligaments and connective tissues.

Q: What is a Trigger Point?
A: Trigger points are accumulations of waste products around a nerve receptor. Often times they feel like nodules (knots) or taut bands of fibers within the soft tissues. Trigger points form in muscles which have been overused or injured due to an accident or surgery. Common characteristics are increased muscle tension and muscle shortening. Increased muscle tension is the primary side-effect of trigger points and pain is the most common secondary effect. Trigger points can present themselves as referred patterns of sensation such as sharp pain, dull ache, tingling, pins and needles, hot or cold, as well as can create symptoms such as nausea, ear ache, equilibrium disturbance, or blurred vision. Often, trigger points may create a referral pattern, wherein you may feel pain, numbness and other discomforts in areas not immediate to the triggerpoint itself.  Many times, when a trigger point has been present for a long period of time as either an active or latent triggerpoint, it may cause satellite trigger points to form. For example, a tight trapezius may cause trigger points to form in the deeper posterior cervicals, which may cause tightness in the temporal muscles…leading to an uncomfortable TMJ case!

Q: How does trigger point therapy work?
A: To diffuse a trigger point, static compression (pressure) is applied for 7-10 seconds, released, then pressure applied for 7-10 more seconds in a pumping action while the client breathes deeply. This action flushes the toxins and calms the nerves. Releasing trigger points releases endorphins so the result is elimination of discomfort as well as being energized.

Q: Does Neuro-muscular trigger point therapy hurt?
A: Trigger point massage is not a relaxing, “fluff and buff” technique.  It requires the participation of the client to communicate the presence and intensity of pain and discomfort. The therapist and client work together as a team to maximize the effectiveness of the treatment.

Q: What is rehabilitative sports massage?
A: Sports massage is a form of bodywork geared toward participants in athletics. It is used to help prevent injuries, to prepare the body for athletic activity and maintain it in optimal condition, and to help athletes recover from workouts and injuries. Rehabilitative sports massage deals primarily with soft tissue injuries caused by repetitive stress, strains, sprains, or muscle tears. A special focus is placed in increasing range of motion, muscle tone and flexibility.  It is specifically geared towards minimizing downtime, and allowing you to return to your chosen sport– sooner and pain free.

Q: What is Myofascial Release?
A: Myofascial Release is a specialized stretching technique used to treat patients with a variety of soft tissue problems.

To understand what Myofascial Release is and why it works, you have to understand a little about fascia. Fascia is a thin tissue that covers all the organs of the body. This tissue covers every muscle and every fiber within each muscle. All muscle stretching, then, is actually stretching of the fascia and the muscle, the myofascial unit. When muscle fibers are injured, the fibers and the fascia which surrounds it become short and tight. This uneven stress can be transmitted through the fascia to other parts of the body, causing pain and a variety of other symptoms in areas you often wouldn’t expect. Myofascial Release treats these symptoms by releasing the uneven tightness in injured fascia.

In other words, Myofascial Release is stretching of the fascia. The stretch is guided by feedback the therapist feels from the patient’s body. This feedback tells the therapist how much force to use, the direction of the stretch and how long to stretch. Small areas of muscle are stretched at a time. Sometimes the therapist uses only two fingers to stretch a small part of a muscle. The feedback the therapist feels determines which muscles are stretched and in what order.

Q: What is [functional] postural distortion correction?
A: This treatment is typically integrated into all of my sessions, and focuses in returning balance to the musculo-skeletal system. Functional postural disortion is different from Structural postural misalignments. Most cases of (functional) postural misalignments are caused by tight muscles. By assessing and treating areas of muscular tension and dysfunction, functional posture distortions can be corrected.

Note: Structural misalignment corrections (spinal adjustment) should only be performed by Licenced Doctor of Chiropractic.

Q: What can I expect during my visit?
A:  As your massage therapist, I may use fingertips, knuckles, hands, elbows, and forearms during the deep tissue massage.
Before the treatment starts a short assessment may be performed to test range of motion restrictions, determine areas of pain and tenderness and a treatment protocol will be determined according to these findings. Most of my treatment protocols include all the massage modalities mentioned above.  All treatments are goal oriented and a documented report of treatment progress is kept to ensure quality of treatment and monitor results.

Q: Is there any other techniques that are used?
A: Yes. I utilize many other techniques when necessary.  Facilitated Streching and MET (muscle energy techniques) are used in most of my sessions to help improve flexibility and fascial mobility. When necessary, ice massage or spray-and-stretch techniques (using a vapocoolant spray) are used.

Q: Is there any contraindications (precautions) that I should be aware of?
A: Massage is not recommended for certain people or people with some of the following conditions:
• Infectious skin disease, rash, or open wounds
• Immediately after surgery
• Immediately after chemotherapy or radiation, unless recommended by your doctor
• People with osteoporosis should consult their doctor before getting a massage
• Prone to blood clots. There is a risk of blood clots being dislodged. If you have heart disease, check with your doctor before  having a massage
• Pregnant women should check with their doctor first if they are considering getting a massage. (Adrian is certified in pre-natal massage)
• Massage should not be done directly over bruises, inflamed skin, unhealed wounds, tumors, abdominal hernia, or areas of recent fractures.

Click HERE to view an article about massage therapy published by the Mayo Clinic.