Massage Therapy

Massage Therapy tailored to your needs

Massage Therapy works with the soft tissues of the body (muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue/ fascia) to initiate changes, which begin to aid healing processes from within. At Active Health, the ideal outcome of each treatment is discussed during your consultation and your massage is tailored to your needs. With the variety of bodywork and massage therapy methods that exist, it can be confusing to understand what to ask for. The therapists at Active Health can explain the differences to you and answer any questions you may have, ensuring that the best treatment approach is given to each person. There are also descriptions of the types of massage therapy styles found below.
The evidence of massage therapy is present in many ancient eastern and western civilizations. The instinct of human nature to heal through touch and understand the body, mind and spirit has developed to what we know today. The current massage therapy techniques like those practiced at Active Health, have been based on medical studies and have proven modern hands-on treatment approaches. The therapists at Active Health pride themselves on continuing education and developing their massage therapy skills to give you the most positive outcome from your treatment.

The benefits of massage therapy are plentiful and varied. These benefits are both physical and psychological and promote optimal health and wellbeing. Generally, the purpose of massage therapy treatments at Active Health is to alleviate pain and to assist relaxation from the many stresses and strains that our fast paced, pressured world brings.

Graded Massage Therapy

30 min consultation60 min consultation
Remedial£39£55
Senior Remedial£42£58
Principal£45£62
Hot Stone Massage-£62
We recommend that your first massage consultation at Active Health is booked for one hour to ensure the therapist has time to assess you and discuss your massage requirements. Massage Therapy block packages are available.
1.5 hour & 2-hour consultation/ treatments are also available on request.

Types of Massage Available

Remedial Massage

All therapists
A treatment aimed at specific area(s) of dysfunction or pain. During your consultation, a thorough case history is taken accompanied by an assessment of the affected area(s). Treatment of the area may include specific after care advice too.

Sports Massage

All therapists
A treatment for those athletes in training, in competition or focused on fitness in general. A pre or post event massage is modified appropriately for the sporting event and several areas can be treated during your appointment. Occasionally stretching techniques may be included in the sports massage.

Deep Tissue Massage

All therapists
This is a general approach to rid the body of knots, tension and stress. The pressure is monitored closely, and several areas can be treated.

Relaxation / Swedish

All therapists
This is a blissful experience, designed to allow the stresses of everyday life to dissipate. It involves the use of soothing massage techniques to completely relax the body and mind.

Pregnancy massage

Ask for Agnes or Catriona
There are two types of pregnancy massage. Prenatal which you receive during your pregnancy and postnatal which you have within the first few weeks of having your baby.

There are a wide range of benefits for pre and postnatal massage. Both are relaxing and relieve your body of aches and pains and reduce your levels of stress. Prenatal massage promotes circulation and can help to relieve pain which may be associated with pregnancy like lower back pain and sciatica.

Postnatal massage helps ease soreness from the pregnancy and feeding positions and is a great opportunity for getting some time for yourself.
If you are in your first trimester, please call to discuss with your therapist to make sure there are no contraindications to treatment.

Hot Stone Massage

Ask for Agnes, Catriona or Paula
This is a unique massage technique where the therapist uses the power of smooth basalt stones, heated to a high temperature allowing deep relaxation of the body and helps to warm up tight muscles in a gentle and pleasant way. During this treatment some stones are placed in key points along the spine, hands, belly and between your toes to improve the flow of energy in your body. Therapists also combine the use of a variety of different massage techniques to massage certain areas of the body using their hands heated by stones followed by the stone itself. Due to this combination of harmonious movements and the warmth of stones, balance can be brought to the body, mind and spirit by providing a unique, deeply warming experience.

Hot Stone massage is not appropriate for people with certain conditions, such as: pregnancy, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or any other condition that requires thinning blood medications. We also discourage this massage if you are menopausal, as it may trigger a hot flush.

Manual Lymphatic Drainage

Ask for Agnes
Vodder’s technique is a specialised manual lymphatic drainage massage. This gentle and rhythmical massage is used to stimulate the lymphatic system and promote an incredibly deep relaxation. It helps with the removal of toxins, lactic acid and waste products, ultimately improving the circulation of both blood and lymph. This technique is very useful for clients on a detox/weight loss program, those suffering from fluid retention, lymphoedema, digestive problems and athletes with achy, overworked muscles.

Chinese Bubble Massage

Ask for Agnes
This is an ancient healing method used extensively in Chinese medicine. According to the knowledge developed over many years, the rubber bubbles are used to massage the body which promote benefits such as improved blood and lymph circulation, cleansing the body of toxins and excess metabolic by-products. It effectively reduces swelling and any other problems caused by poor circulation. In cases of very tight muscles, Chinese Bubble massage has a long-term influence on their relaxation by improving the circulation within the muscle.

It is also one of the most effective anti-cellulite treatments, helping to slim, firm-up and make the skin more elastic.

This massage should not be performed on people with a tendency to breaks in capillaries, who may bruise easily or have hypersensitivity.