I think you have found exactly what you are looking for!
Google and I have teamed up to make this page really easy to find. Whether you type in 'massage Rockingham', 'massage Secret Harbour',
'remedial massage Baldivis', 'massage Baldivis', 'remedial massage Secret Harbour', my google plus page usually comes up in the first page of results, and then you can find this page. This page used to appear in the first page of results until Google advised me that it was not mobile friendly.
Please park in our driveway or on our lawn please - not on the opposite neighbours' verge, thanks!
Cold, Flu and Coronavirus Policy
If you have a cold or flu, please don't make an appointment!
If you wake up with a cold or flu and have an appointment, or if any of your family have a cold/flu, please cancel your apppointment.
There has never been a cancellation fee and there never will be.
I have a HiCaps terminal. This means I can process ADF Family Health Cards online.
Look at the power of Remedial Massage and Postural Bodywork!
These are photos of me before and after 12 sessions of bodywork. You can see that my right shoulder was down before session 1 at the start of the bodywork, and sorted by the 12th session. Visit the Postural Bodywork page
Next Clinic Closure
None planned..
Clinic Prices and Regulars Discount
If you have had 6 appointments in last 12 months:
$5 off appointments of less than 1 hour
$10 off appointments of 1 hour or more
Remedial, Sports and Pregnancy Massage Prices
30 minutes $50
45 minutes $65
One hour $80
75 minutes $95
90 Minutes $110
Instant Health fund rebates (you just pay the gap fee) using HiCaps. Instant Health fund rebates (For almost all health funds I swipe your card and you just pay the gap fee).
I don't know what the gap fee will be in advance, you need to find out from your health fund before booking if it is a concern.
EFTPOS facilities available, but payment by Direct Debit is preferred as it saves 2% or more transaction fees.
Discounts for APOD Veteran Card
20% off first consultation, 10% thereafter
Note for mobile massages that you pay the full amount and I issue you with a receipt so you can claim a rebate from your health fund. This will normally be less than the receipt, unless you use a Bonus Package.
Why use my services?
Having worked on so many thousands of people, the chances are that I have worked on people with your problems many times before!
And I have refined techniques for more rapid improvement.
I also made a bold and risky decision to change careers in my fifties because I had spent years in pain, and spent a great deal of money looking for a solution but without getting any long lasting results.
I had lower back pain, shoulder pain and neck pain and had difficulty turning my head. Then I tried Remedial Massage and my pain went after a weekly session for three months. This prompted me to devote the rest of my life to relieving aches and pains and headaches. But don't expect expensive treatment plans with me, as I try and deal with your problems in as few visits as possible! People who have tried other types of therapy are often pleasantly surprised by how quickly they get results with me.
Naturally, I encourage people to come on a regular basis for maintenance, but many people only come when they are in pain!
Many of my clients are not coming to me for a massage, they are coming for pain relief, and couldn't care if I am a Remedial Massage Therapist, chiro, physio, acupuncturist, shaman or witch doctor as long as it works!
We live in a time of great underemployment and uncertainty and financial insecurity with people working part time or casual or short term contracts. Australia has one in four workers employed as casuals. Many are on low hourly rates in cleaning, security guards, carers, retail and hospitality. I try to enable as wide a section of the community to have access to my services. The UK has ZERO HOUR CONTRACTS which I find hard to believe and could take hold here.
In more recent times I have added a second string to my bow, with a treatment focussing on face and neck so you can turn your head more freely, relieve tension in face and neck muscles, tighten chin muscles and help with a natural facelift using cupping. Includes exercises to strengthen face and neck muscles and aims to reduce lines such as frowns, crows feet etc. Treatment includes a set of cups and an email full of links to useful videos as a refresher.
A bit about myself
I love dancing! I also like photos that have me in them, say something about me, but, through distraction, people can walk past me in the street and not recognise me. Here is one (amazing how much fun you can have with a red top hat!) :
Note for mobile massages that you pay the full amount and I issue you with a receipt so you can claim a rebate from your health fund. This will normally be less than the receipt, unless you use a Bonus Package.
Relaxing Massage
Is also available but is
not eligible for Health Fund Rebates
I put the prices first so if you don't like them you need look no further. But what is not to like? I am one of the most affordable remedial practitioners around!
Stockist of Karma Rub
Back Exercises
I have included a section on Back exercises which are great for everyone, but particularly people suffering from lower back pain.
The oils I use in my clinic
You can now select from four oils! Unscented, Relaxation (Lavender), Muscle & Joint (Eucalyptus) or Detox (Rosemary, Geranium, Juniperberry, Fennel and Carrot Seed). Your feedback is welcomed...
Unscented
..is a nourishing blend of soya bean oil, jojoba and grapeseed oil
enriched with Vitamin E to promote smoother, younger looking skin. Leaving a silky moisturised finish,
the light texture is easily absorbed and is ideal for all skin types. Odourless, this blend is perfect
for use with essential oils without altering their fragrances.
Relaxation
uses a calming blend of Lavender and Tea Tree essential oils to soothe tired, aching muscles, while also promoting relaxation for the mind and body. With a light, refreshing fragrance, this oil will encourage a peaceful nights sleep and help the body unwind after a busy day.
Muscle & Joint
is a deeply penetrating blend of wintergreen, eucalyptus, pine, rosemary and pepper essential oils, to help relieve inflamed joints, stiffness and muscle pain. Massage into sore, tight muscles to supercharge circulation and reduce pain and inflammation. This oil is ideal for athletes or anyone experiencing aching muscles and joints.
Detox
Detox is a combination ofRosemary, Geranium, Juniperberry, Fennel and Carrot Seed with a pleasant aroma
Karma Rub Liquid Magnesium
This is not an oil at all! Straight from a natural spring in Queensland. Also contains traces of elements such as zinc and lithium.
Great to have a massage with Karma Rub after vigorous exercise, which depletes magnesium from the exertion itself and through sweat. Great for muscles, bones and for producing cellular energy.
I am hopeful that people with Fibromyalgia will find that Karma Rub helps their cells, particularly in muscles, produce more energy, as many symptoms of fibromyalgia are caused by the body not producing enough energy (ATP, or adenosine triphosphate.)
I am a stockist of Karma Rub, including the newly released Sports Spray on bottle
ADF Family Health Card
Since May, 2017, the ADF Family Health card can now be used for any of the following: Radiology, pathology, exercise physiology and most importantly from my point of view, Remedial Massage.
I have also been lobbying for over four years now for serving members and DVA Gold card holders to be eligible for Remedial Massage.
In 2017 I sent emails lobbying the Ministers of Defence, Health, DVA and also the ADF Joint Health command once more. Pretty silly to offer Remedial Massage to the families and dependents, but not to the serving ADF members themselves! Get on to it Madeleine King! Please earn your corn! Unfortunately I have found her office to be ineffective,
Gravity is a formidable opponent. We fight the effects of gravity 24/7. Over time gravity wins and changes our posture. My job is to help correct gravity induced problems.
Helping you fight the effects of stress.
Stress is not just something you feel in your mind. It has significant impacts on your physical health, too. In particular, you have tight muscles which need lengthening, your body starts being on guard protecting your vital organs as in the fight or flight response. I can assist in relieving many of the symptoms of stress.
I offer instant health fund rebates and EFTPOS facilities at my clinic.
My aim is to provide long lasting pain relief, and to do so takes time, which is why I do not recommend half hour sessions except for minor problems. However, I recognise that half hour sessions are great for people who are time poor,
so they can have a treatment or relaxing massage in their lunch hour.
Services now include modern myofascial cupping. Cupping has many uses from easing pain and restrictions and tightness, lengthening soft tissue such as muscles, fascia, but it also draws toxins to the surface of the skin.
These days people suffer more pollution from many sources than ever before. The skin is a major way of eliminating toxins through sweat, but cupping can greatly enhance it. I will soon be charging more for sessions which include cupping as
I believe such sessions will amplify the benefits to make relief last longer, so get in soon and give it a go!
Hi! I'm Arthur Galletly. (That's Scottish for Go Lightly!)
I trade as The Remedial Massage Guy, so I clearly practice Remedial Massage but I also provide Sports massage, Pregnancy massage and rehabilitation work for injuries. I am best known for relieving aches, pains, headaches and stress, and correcting posture via techniques known as structural bodywork and structural integration. I also do relaxing massages.
I live in an area where massage seems to be the solution to the unemployment problem and there are between 150 and 170
(I estimate) people keenly vying for your custom, and so you have many choices available. Indeed, there are 18 places (that I know of) where you can get a massage or Remedial Massage within just 2 kilometres of my clinic!
Some other reasons you may want to give me consideration include:
I have THREE diplomas of Remedial Massage. This is in addition to the 5 years I spent at University in the UK in my youth, at the universities of Sheffield, Canterbury and London
I spent two and half years studying bodywork. Many colleges offer a Diploma of Remedial Massage in a year or less, which is insufficient time to learn everything in my view. I would prefer for Remedial Massage to become a University degree of 3 years so that Remedial Massage gets the recognition it deserves.
I initially started attending weekend courses simply as a body to see if my pain could be relieved by massage, I wasn't expecting to change career to become a bodyworker! I then studied Myopractic with Dr Neil Skilbeck who worked with Tom Bowen, which gave me a good grounding in Bowen techniques and Neil's own contributions of postural assessments. However, although I only had the clinical hours to complete to get his Certificate of Myopractic, I moved on because at that time the Certificate was not recognised by the health funds, and being able to offer health funds was critical to me in an industry where there is no regulation. I also had a minor philosophical difference of opinion with the Bowen technique. With Bowen, often the benefits are said to be felt days after the treatment. I want people to walk out of the room after treatment feeling much better, that the symptoms have been reduced from 10 to 3 or below, and that they have had good value for money!
Having decided to move on to remedial massage to gain a recognised Diploma (although the Myopractic has now been belatedly recognised),
I studied at Barry Harwood's Centre for Health and Healing, Central TAFE, PANT (Perth Academy of Natural Therapies) where I also started studying Naturopathy until PANT went broke without paying the teachers and so the exam papers were not marked and students didnt get any results! I have also studied numerous short courses, including courses with the Upledger Institute (for Craniosacral Therapy), Rodney Hunt. I also studied from a huge collection of DVDs I purchased from Terra Rosa which helped flesh out my knowledge of different techniques (today youtube probably provideds a lot of this info for free where I spent thousands!). I also have a really comprehensive library more suited to a college than a solo practitioner. This shows I cut absolutely no corners in training myself up to be the best that I can be and to provide the most cost effective ache, pain and headache within cooee.
I am a member of AAMT,the Australian Association of Massage Therapists, having changed from the Association of Remedial Masseurs (which folded)
I am registered with the Insurance Commission of WA to assist people with injuries sustained at work or in traffic accidents.
I offer instant health fund rebates and EFTPOS facilities at my clinic
I served my apprenticeship by working at the Rockingham Rugby Union Club for three seasons!
My prices are well below the prices set by Medibank Private. Most clinics in Perth charge $80 or more per hour. However, not everyone has a good income so my modest price of $60 is very attractive and does not deter people who are in pain from getting treatment.
I specialise
in ache, pain and headache relief
I have studied craniosacral therapy with the Upledger Institute and Rodney Hunt and refined their techniques into what I now call the Galletly Method, described further below.
Many of my clients travel long distances to see me, Bibra Lake, Byford and Baldivis, Success, Spearwood and Secret Harbour and many of the suburbs around Kwinana / Wellard. This is partly due to the recommendations given to me on some Facebook groups such as Baldivis Chat, Baldivis Mums and the Buy and Sell groups. I would like to take this opportunity to thank those people who have recommended me.
My pre-natal or pregnancy massage is very popular. You can get relaxing pregnancy massages anywhere, but during pregnancy you tend to experience some pain and headaches,
and I help to relieve that pain. Much of this work is done in the side lying or recovery position. My post-natal massages are equally as popular!
I am also an authority on Stress Urinary Incontinence and how to prevent it, starting during pregnancy. See the section Secret Women's Business below for more details
I specialise in sports massage to prepare athletes to achieve personal bests in races such as the ironman or half
ironman etc and to minimise muscle soreness after the race. I have also worked at sports events such as the Cape to Cape Mountain Bike Race. Check out the Sports Massage or Busselton Ironman pages. Here is the massage team relaxing at the end of the Cape to Cape
event one year..
And here is my receptionist, Mishka with her medals at the Dwellingup 100 MTB Race in Dwellingup 2017. It was also the first running of the Mighty Jarrah Trail Run on the same day and location!
And here she is again with a pumpkin and some marrows we purchased at the Dwellingup Pumpkin Festival!
Mishka's interests include being cuddled and stroked, nuzzling your legs, lying on your feet to stop you escaping, going for walks and a run, and having a splash in the ocean.
Mishka also loves riding shotgun, and helps me put the van out in the morning before she takes me for a walk down the beach
Mishka loves the new jetty near The Cruising Yacht Club, and likes to say hello to the crew of the Dolphin boat.
Most of the time Mishka takes her duties as receptionist very seriously and gives
people an enthusiastic welcome. However when it is hot, sometimes she prefers to chill out and take a nap and
conserve her energy for the evening.
Coccyx or tailbone pain
Happens more in women as the coccyx is bent back during childbirth and if it gets stuck, causes pain sitting down.
I have written some notes in this PDF file which opens in a new tab...
The Galletly Method and 'Neck Yoga'
The strange thing is that much of the work I do involves craniosacral therapy, but if I called myself The Craniosacral Therapy Guy, I think I would starve! I studied CST with the Upledger Institute and Rodney Hunt, and read and own all the books by Upledger.
I incorporate some cranio sacral therapy and what I call 'Neck Yoga' in a special routine I developed to relieve and prevent headaches, relieve stress and tension in the neck, shoulder and back, and to enable people to turn their heads further to the right and left without stiffness, pain or pulling sensations. I have decided to call my approach the Galletly Method.
Instead of using pills to mask the symptoms, I help address the cause of the issues using a combination of methods such as craniosacral therapy, PNF stretching, trigger point therapy, positional release, myofascial release and Bowen.
One of the most important of these techniques is craniosacral therapy, which is an orphan. It is not claimed by any one profession. It is not covered in the Diploma of Remedial Massage for example. The odd chiropractor, osteopath or physiotherapist might do it. The strange thing is that I only use a small subset of what I know to get some great results in terms of headache relief and prevention, in combination with the trigger point therapy, myofascial release and PNF stretching. Most people benefit from being able to turn their heads further to the left and right without stiffness or pulling sensations and stop getting headaches.
Just like your phone is different now from what it was 10 years ago, I would like to think that if I demonstrated my refinements to Dr Upledger he would approve of them and might even adopt one or two in his teachings! I also use his craniosacral therapy for problems in the jaw. It also helps with lower back issues, but again I use this in combination with other techniques I learned along the way.
The Galletly method also deals with correcting posture, and stretching and strengthing exercises to keep you in the new (correct position).
The fancy title given to balancing muscles and correcting posture is called "structural bodywork" or "structural integration.", which I have been practising for 10 years. I first studied this in 2005 after being introduced to it by the lecturer in a Myofascial Release Class, the fantastic Subhadra Gerard at the now defunct Perth Academy of Natural Therapies.
I do a lot of work in the side lying position for people with problems with their iliotibial bands (ITBs), knees, compartment syndrome or athletes and cyclists who benefit greatly from work in this position.
Instant health fund rebates are available for most health funds at my clinic and EFTPOS facilities are also available.
I use iSOFT HealthPoint. This is a competitor to HICAPS.
I provide services at my clinic, and also a mobile service, which is generally for people with disabilities.
I can provide mobile massage in the suburbs of Rockingham, Baldivis, Kwinana etc, mainly for emergency cases. However, in accordance with the rules of the health funds, please note that health fund rebates only apply at my clinic and are not available for mobile consultations.
Gift Vouchers are available! These are personalised for the recipient.
As a former lecturer in IT, I view Google as a golden retriever dog that I have trained to obediently read your secret wishes so that Google always retrieves my website and presents
it in a prominent position for you to find me, whatever you type in!
Having spent a bit of effort making it easy for you to find me, I thought I would try and make a site that is interesting, informative, and perhaps mildly entertaining in places.
(Google loves my site because it contains a lot of content and explanations.)
Strangely though, most of my clients have not even seen the website, as they were referred by friends, relatives, work colleagues or medical professionals!
Double click on the map above to open a Google map in a new window...
Hammer toes and claw toes
Do you have hammer toes or claw toes? Stand up and look down. Are your toes all flat? If the big toe is flat and the rest are all bent, you need my help!
This summer I have seen many such cases. The general convention is that it can be caused by having shoes which are too short.
In Australia I believe wearing thongs causes this and other problems. You have to curl the toes up to keep the thongs on, otherwise when you swing your leg forward, the thong could fly off.
A session with me to help reverse this problem involves working not just on the toes, but also on the feet and the legs. (Throw a rock into a pond and see how far the ripples travel). Book in now! If you are in a health fund, you have just had your annual allowances renewed from Jan 1st.
Feedback via my facebook page received September 2014
From someone with Fibromyalgia
I went to see Arthur because I was in so much pain from a whiplash injury.
After one session I could turn my neck with significantly less pain and stiffness. But I also noticed feeling better in general, more alert and energetic. It seemed like there was a flow on effect through the rest of my body, I have Fibromyalgia so live with chronic pain and this relief was a surprise.
I went back for a second longer session and again had great results with pain relief, daily headaches less debilitating and I feel better mentally. I've tried everything under the sun to manage my Fibromyalgia and its definitely trial and error in finding what helps. For me its a combination of many things and now Arthur is one of them!
It's been a few weeks where my flare ups have been shorter and less debilitating but I'm feeling the muscle tension creep back and the headaches and joint pain get worse. So its time for a tune up I techniques think ;-). Arthur's techniques have been of such benefit to me that I wanted to take the time to leave a review, and praise is not something I'm overly generous with! I also like his attitude about having fair prices (they are the best I've come across... I've paid much more at a beauty salon for a massage with no therapeutic value at all!).
He also works long hours which makes it easy to get in if there's an emergency and he's both professional and friendly.
There are more reviews on my Facebook page, and you can make a review there if you wish, although I do not solicit them!
"It is not about how old you are or what you have done that matters.
It is about how long you plan to live and how you plan to contribute and
spend your time left on this planet that counts..."
Cleaning up the unexploded bombs in Laos and Cambodia
The USA dropped a tonne of bombs for every man, woman and child in Laos without even declaring war. That was about 240 million bombs. A third of the bombs did not go off. It is estimated that it will take 2,000 years to clean up the unexploded ordnance. There are 80 million unexploded bombs, and only 1 million have been cleared since the end of the Vietnam war. If I can help reduce that by a single day I will be able to feel I have justified my existence.
I have created a website to raise awareness and encourage people to donate funds towards the clean up and assist rehabilitate those injured in explosions. Click here to open cleanupthebombs.org in a new window
I have raised and donated $3,000 so far to COPELaos (http://www.copelaos.org/) - Cooperative Orthotic and Prosthetic Enterprise - in Vientiane, who provide prosthetics etc.
I have also donated $280 to http://www.mivac.org to donate to clean up the bombs. MiVAC is an Australian organisation formed by Australian Vietnam Veterans who initially cleared landmines in Vietnam and are now also working in Laos. The receipt for $250 is shown, I also donated $30 for an annual membership
I have also sponsored five Cambodian Self Help Deminers to date, at a cost of $240 a month each, totalling $1200
I have also donated $2,750 to Apopo.org for HeroRats to clean up unexploded mines in Cambodia. In August 2016 we dropped off $2,000 at the minefield an hour out of Siem Reap in Cambodia. Watching the rats in action was inspirational, especially seeing how a rat reacts when it detects a mine!
Some of the ways I am raising money are by selling products such as a Cambodian equivalent of Tiger Balm for headaches and sinus relief for $10, any tips I may get, half of my earnings on a Sunday and anything else I can afford. In the general scheme of things it is not as much as I would like, but it is still way more than our big four banks are donating between them, and they are making billions of dollars profits annually including a substantial sum out of me! And not one of them replied to my requests to help the cause!
I have decided to set a target for fundraising.
It might sound ambitious, but I am trying to raise $100,000. In particular I want to seed a project in Laos using Hero Rats to detect the 80 million unexploded bombs. Eventually whenever and wherever peace breaks out I see a role for these wonderful rats to rid the planet of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in places such as Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq etc. It has taken me some 3 years to get to $6,500, so I am either going to have to live a long time or I am going to have to speed up! You can also click on the GOFUNDME graphic to the left and donate. If you donate $1 and share it on Facebook and ask all your friends to do the same it will soon spread.
Each time I raise another $250 or so I will fire it off to one of the charities. That should clean up some bombs and provide prosthetics and rehabilitate people!
Please click here to view my crowdfunding website and if you can post the link or this page on facebook to increase awareness among your friends and encourage them to pass it on!
I am also interested to transfer the technology of 3D printers to create prosthetics that are good looking as well as functional.
Receipts below show how I have spent the money so far
That makes $4,000 for prosthetics in Laos! In my clinic there are now some photos of a donation brick in the donors wall at the Cope Laos centre in Vientiane.
Overall now $9,650 raised and donated. $3250 for the Hero Rats. $900 to Mag International, but awaiting a means of donating in AUD without incurring bank fees.
After visiting the minefield in Cambodia in 2016, I suggested to Apopo, who train the Hero Rats, to put the project on the website below, where people in Australia can donate directly in AUD with no loss of bank fees or charges,
and get a receipt emailed to you for a tax reduction.... Apopo later advised that they had received a $10,000 donation via the Global Development Group portal.
I have suggested Mag International also put their projects on board the Global Development website to attract more donations without bank fees being lost...
Welcoming clinic
The approach to the clinic is full of welcoming plants and trees and a fish pond with fountain. The clinic is warm in winter, or cool in summer, there is a sofa if you have a friend or relative attending. The clinic is an unusual feast for the eyes. It is an art gallery with original artworks from Australia and several Asian countries, including Cambodia and Laos, and Bagan, the ancient royal capital of Burma, now Myanmar and home to thousands of temples. Want to know more about any of the artwork, please ask. I refer to my clinic as the Ian McConnell Room after the Broome artist featured inside...
There is also an ambient waiting room with many plants, a water fountain and my receptionist, Mishka the female Samoyed dog
Bulk billing for X-rays and Ultrasounds and the Rockingham Medical Centre
If, after a couple of treatments I feel I am not getting the results I am looking for, I usually recommend getting an X-Ray and Ultrasound done to find out if there is
structural damage to the spine or intevertebral disks or damage to soft tissue such as muscles, tendons and cartilage.
Many GPs will refer you to a company which does not bulk bill. Health funds don't help with this, and Medicare only rebates about 50%. So I suggest you go to the Rockingham Medical Centre in Civic Boulevarde /Leghorn St at the back of the Council building. They are open 7am to 10pm. Ask for the first available GP. Go at the right time and sometimes you only
wait five minutes. Get your referral. There is an inhouse service for X Rays which bulkbills, and charges for the ultrasound at the moment although they plan to bulkbill in the future. I recently went to Global Diagnostics in Kwinana which bulkbilled my ultrasound. The doctor gives you a list of places which bulk bill. You can also front up at the Rockingham Hospital and get both X-Ray and Ultrasound done at no cost.
Dear Ms Googlebot
In order to make my website easier to find, I have to nicely ask google's web crawler, Googlebot, to list me on the first page of results if people type in massage, remedial massage, sports massage, Swedish massage, relaxing massage and any of these postcodes
6167, 6168, 6169, 6170, 6121,6160, 6171, 6172, 6210, 6000, 6173 as this is where my clients mainly come from, or if they type in massage rockingham, pregnancy massage rockingham, cranio sacral therapy rockingham, remedial massage Baldivis etc. In particular, as ten percent of my clients come from Baldivis, it would be really helpful if you could put me on the first page of results if someone types in remedial massage baldivis or massage baldivis and if you could also display my google plus page for Baldivis as well as Rockingham
You can view the full letter to Ms Googlebot in a new tab. This letter is already famous. Just type in Dear Ms Googlebot into Google and see what happens!
Visiting Mobile Massage Service Prices:
Rocky city central and Safety Bay first hour $85
Port Kennedy and Baldivis first hour $90
Kwinana and suburbs first hour $95
Mandurah and suburbs first hour $100
Then $66 per additional hour
I have also created a facebook page which allows clients to provide feedback on my services.
Laws governing massage and the health industry
Laws regarding client confidentiality include the federal The Privacy Act of 1988. In WA, relevant laws include:
Working with Children Act 2004
Children and Community Services Act 2004
Information Privacy Bill 2007
Health Services (Conciliation and Review) Act 1995
However, it is the lack of laws that is the problem!!!
Massage is unregulated in Australia, ie anyone can advertise massage. It is possible to have a massage with someone
who has no qualifications, no training, and no public liability insurance. So even if you are not a member of a health fund, it pays to look for someone
offering health fund rebates as you know that they are qualified, are a member of a professional association, have public liability insurance, a current First Aid Certificate and abide by a Code of Ethics.
Complaints in relation to healthcare providers in Western Australia
Generally it is better to first try and discuss and resolve any issues with the provider (whether remedial massage, GP, chiro, naturopath, dentist, osteopath etc). If you do not reach
a successful outcome, then this is the procedure:
There are two types of healthcare providers, those who are registered as Medicare Providers, which includes dentists etc and those which aren't, which includes remedial masseurs. If you wish to make a complaint against a medicare registered provider, Hadasco refers the matter to Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (AHPRA)
With practitioners of remedial massage and other therapies not registered with Medicare, The Health and Disability Services Complaints Office attempts to reach a satisfactory result
using a case manager to either reach a negotiated settlement done using emails, phone calls, or a face to face conciliation
What does a remedial masseur do?
In terms of ache and pain relief, my services can be viewed as
either a complement to, or a natural alternative to, chiropractic or
physiotherapy treatment.
There are many types of practitioner dealing with aches, pains and
headaches. I have created a website to make it easier to find the type
of treatment that
suits you best, and by listing the professional assocations, to make it
easy to find someone near you. Check out achesnpains.info
Do you suffer from Rockingham Syndrome??
Some of the signs and symptoms of Rockingham Syndrome include:
You look after your car better than you look after your body
You give your car the good oil and eat junk food
You service your car but not your body
You put up with aches and pains because you are too busy to deal with them but you fix a flat tyre straight away
You expect aches and pains to heal themselves like they did when you were 18 and Superman or Superwoman
You dont give anything a chance to heal
After getting pain relief you dont follow up with a maintenance treatment but wait for the pain to come back
You would rather buy a flat screen tv or an electronic gadget or an accessory for the car than spend money on your health
Be honest, how many of these symptoms do you recognise in yourself?
A favourite with FIFO Workers - relieving Swing Lag
I have many FIFO workers as clients because I understand
your needs!!! 'Swing lag' is a term I have coined to cover the symptoms people get on return from their swing.
Like jetlag, it can take a couple of days to get back to normal after your swing.
Many of you have a massage as soon as you get back from your swing to
help you unwind and make the most of
your time off.
Many FIFO workers are performing repetitive tasks for many hours a day for many days straight. As a result, many of you come to have aches and pains treated.
The FIFO lifestyle is not natural, and can affect
your health in many ways, some of which I can help with, namely tight
muscles, stress, aches, pains and headaches. Now if only I could get
Twiggy Forrest and BHP and Rio Tinto to accept
that Occupational Safety and Health means more than Occupational
Safety, it also refers to Health!!
And not just preventing ill health,
it should be about promoting good health! If that were the case, then I
and others like me would also be working in mine camps looking after
the work force.
Working 14 hour days for 12 days straight doing
repetitive jobs produces aches and pains and tight muscles! Having a massage would give
relief and improve worker morale. I'll get off my soap box now, but one
day I am hopeful Twiggy or one of his head honchos might stumble across
this website and see that what I suggest will also save them money!! I would love to work in a large mine. I could
be holding my breath for several years though!
A favourite with Shift Workers
As with FIFO workers, Shift Workers are doing something the body wasn't exactly designed for. We weren't designed to work night shifts!
The results are tight muscles, stress, difficulty sleeping and so on, and massage can help relieve these symptoms.
Flexible hours (7 days and most evenings) and mobile massage service
People want to relieve their aches and pains when they are not
working! This is pretty obvious, but people are generally more
interested in my services in the evenings and at weekends than they are
between 9am and 5pm on Monday to Friday. It makes no difference to a
FIFO worker on their week off, but some people want a massage in the
evening or at weekends and or prefer the convenience of having it at
home. The mobile service may not be cheap, but I have to come from
Rockingham.
You may be able to find someone closer to you from my other website, www.achesnpains.info
Insurance / compensation claim prices
Due to the extra time spent on paper work, writing reports, submitting invoices, and costs due to delays in payment,
charges are $77 per hour for consultations at my clinic.
Services offered:
Sports massage and injury rehabilitation
Pregnancy massage
Ache, pain and headache relief
Treatment of and relief from:
Aches and pains
Tradesman's back
iPad neck
Texter's thumb (aka De Quervain's Tendonitis)
Whiplash
Sciatica
Headaches and migraines
Frozen shoulder
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Lower back aches
Fibromyalgia
Head forward, round shoulders posture
Tingling, pins and needles and numbness
Peripheral neuralgia
Tennis / golfer's elbow
Etc
Sports / Deep Tissue
Cupping
Pregnancy Massage
Massage parties. Everyone gets a turn at the following:
craniosacral therapy, chair massage, deep tissue massage with ache and
pain relief. Can do it in a room or by the pool with a gazebo set up
for your comfort. I have done a few of these now.
2 Hour Deep tissue massage
- like you service your car, but
this is to tune up and tone up your body for better performance in all
aspects of your life, at work and at play, in sports or the bedroom.
Includes:
I have trialled this product on the world's elite
athletes at the 2007 Ironman event in Busselton with proven results. If
it can produce dramatic results such as slashing 45 minutes off course
records in elite athletes, imagine what it can also do as a body tune
up for the average person! Definitely performance enhancing! This
includes:
Deep tissue massage
Postural assessment and correction
PNF stretching
Craniosacral therapy
Trigger Point Therapy
Myofascial release
Positional release
Reflexology
The long sessions of 90 minutes or two hours are popular. I have had people driving
long distances to my Rockingham clinic to avail themselves of the
service. Not many practitioners
offer a 2 hour deep tissue massage. I started it because often in an
hour I am dealing with symptoms, whereas I am interested in long term solutions
so people don't have to keep paying for treatment. My philosophy
includes giving people homework to do in terms of dealing with trigger
points themselves, and stretching and strengthening exercises to
improve posture. I may lose in the short term, but the number of
referrals I get helps my business to grow in other ways!
Health Fund Rebates apply
My services now attract rebates from over 30 health funds! Most are online so I swipe your card and you pay the gap fee. Others, such as HCF or Police Health require me to give you a receipt with a provider number for you to claim back yourself. Most health funds have phone apps for you to take photos of receipts if technology breaks down!
My services are recognized by approximately 40 health funds.
Most of the health fund rebates are instantaneous and you just pay the gap fee, but there are a few funds where I need to give you a receipt with a provider number.
Health funds include:
To treat every client as the most important client I will ever have
To provide the kind of service I wish I could avail myself of. (Unfortunately I can't find anyone locally who provides a similar service, charges the same price and offers instant health fund rebates!)
To provide accessible, cost-effective relief from aches, pains,
headaches, stress, whiplash, restricted movement, tight muscles, sports
injuries, etc.
To give people homework to do in the form of stretches and
exercises so they can stay healthy and flexible with minimal healthcare
maintenance
To provide affordable sports / deep tissue or relaxing massages
To lobby to have GST removed from remedial massage!
To lobby to have GST threshold changed. If the average income is $80,000, it doesn't make sense to impose GST at $75,000, which is REVENUE, not income. Someone's income might only be $30,000 after expenses are deducted from revenue, and then another $7,500 tax penalty for reaching $75,000 is such a huge deterrent for micro businesses which are the green shoots of our economy
To try to continually update my skills and knowledge
From spending too long looking down, puts tension in muscles in neck, shoulder and back to support the head
The scary thing is that in a couple of years I will have clients aged nine suffering from iPad neck.
Frozen shoulder
..restricted arm movement, can be due to tight muscles or bursitis,
impingement at the acromion process or other injury. If due to tight
muscles I get excellent results. If due to injury then some improvement
is likely to be the result. Takes time to work on all the muscles that
attach to the shoulder!
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Sadly many people have operations when tight forearm muscles are the
original cause. Involves working the forearm and wrist in a detailed
systematic way
Arm nerve pain
The problem is that the nerve can be pinched in a variety of places
and in more than one place, causing pain, tingling, pins and needles or
numbness. Arm nerve problems are as difficult to treat as sciatica, but
I have had plenty of good results.
RSI Forearms
RSI - Repetitive Strain injury (these days known as Overuse Injury)
can happen to people bashing away at computers. Deep tissue and trigger
points really get to the crux of the matter before you get carpal
tunnel syndrome.
Relaxing forearms and hands
Oil based work on the forearms and hands, and upper arms if you
wish. When did you last reward your hands? Consider how much they do
for you!
Lower back ache relief
Tradesmen's back I call this, people bending over all day, resulting
in a dull ache across the lower back. This routing includes some
stretches for homework to keep the problem at bay
Lower back pain
This is much trickier than lower back aches as there can be a whole
host of causes including prolapsed disks and nerve pain, damaged
vertebrae and so on so takes rather longer.
Sciatica
There are generally three places where the sciatic nerve is trapped
and remedial massage seems to be more effective than physiotherapy or
chiropractic work in the relief of this condition. I have worked on a
number of people who have been in pain for many years who have been
astounded at the relief they got from me in just one treatment! A lady
still drives down from Perth once every six months or so when the
problem starts to recur, and she had been in pain for over 20 years.
Pecs, posture and breathing
This improves breathing, loosens the pectoral muscles and gets the
shoulders back. If you are hunched over a hot computer all day, this is
the one for you!
Deep tissue for legs
Hamstrings, calves and quadriceps includes stretching and trigger point therapy. ITB work a speciality Great for sports people.
Reflexology
A really nice foot pamper with the added benefits of working on other parts of the body at the same time
I enjoy massaging clean, well manicured feet. Feet which are dirty or smelly or have cracked heels or athletes foot, not so much! It is amazing how many people neglect their feet!
Calves and feet
For people on their feet all day it can be tiring particularly on
the feet and calf muscles. Doesn't spend as much time on the feet as
reflexology, but does deep tissue and trigger point therapy on the calf
muscles
Leg length discrepancies
Sometimes the bones are of different lengths in which I can't help!
However, often tight muscles are responsible for hiking a hip up one
side or rotating the hip forward or back, in which case I can help. Use
some Bowen techniques among others.
TMJ dysfunction
Temporomandibular joint, basically means you have jaw problems. A
little bit tricky to fix as it has two joints. Uses craniosacral therapy
Arthur was formerly a TAFE lecturer in IT (for 15 years!, having
previously worked for multinational computer companies in the UK),
specialising in databases and information systems. Arthur suffered from
scoliosis. He was in a great deal of pain, spent years going to chiros, physios and acupuncture but was only ever able to
get temporary relief. Then he tried remedial massage. The results were
such a dramatic improvement that Arthur could do all sorts of
activities he couldn't do before. So impressed with the improvement in
his quality of life, Arthur decided to make a career as a Sports and
Remedial Masseur, and trained with Barry Harwood, Australian College of
Myopractic, Central TAFE, Perth Academy of Natural Therapies and the
Upledger Institute. Arthur has special interests in headache relief and whiplash injuries, sciatica, fibromyalgia and
carpal tunnel syndrome, and in preparing athletes prepare for events.
Arthur is proud to be the first person to gain a Diploma of Sports and
Remedial Massage from Barry Harwood. Barry is an accredited teacher of
the Association of Remedial Masseurs and has been teaching remedial
massage and kinesiology for over 20 years. With a TAFE Diploma of
Remedial Massage to boot, it means Arthur is better qualified than most
masseurs.
Arthur was masseur at the Rockingham Rugby Union Football Club
for 3 years. The players, over those three seasons, gave me
plenty of experience of working with sporting injuries! This was a
vital part of my training. I thank the Rugby Club for the opportunity
to develop and hone my skills.
Arthur is a member of the Australian Association of Massage Therapists.
"Remedial massage is the systematic assessment and treatment of the muscles, tendons, ligaments and connective tissues of the body to assist in rehabilitation, pain and injury management.
It is performed to create favourable conditions for the body to return to normal health after injury and is defined by the premise that the treatment can reasonably reverse certain physical effects a patient may be presenting.
If a patient has suffered a moderate injury resulting in structural pain and/or loss of function, then remediation is required to reduce or eliminate pain and restore that function. Remedial massage is designed to balance muscle/soft tissue length, tension, tone which will in turn promote the return to normal joint/capsular/bone position; increase the flow of blood and lymph, particularly in the injured areas, thus removing blockages, damaged cells, scar tissue and adhesions resulting from injury."
A remedial therapist must have knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology to determine where to treat patients. Their services must be based on best practice principles and before any remedial massage treatment begins, a thorough patient consultation and assessment is to be performed to ascertain the patient's current health status. If the patient is suitable for remedial massage and relying on the patient's feedback to identify the areas that require attention, the therapist can then apply the relevant and appropriate treatment.
I think it is safe to say that remedial massage is the most
misunderstood branch of the healthcare profession. The politicians
certainly don't understand it, otherwise it wouldn't be the only branch
of the healthcare industry attracting GST. Why a visit to a
chiropractor or physiotherapist does not attract GST whilst a visit to
a remedial masseur DOES attract GST is a mystery to me, and something I
have lobbied to have changed, so far unsuccessfully.
When studying for the Diploma of Remedial Massage at TAFE I could
not get an answer from any of the lecturers I asked when I requested a
definition of remedial massage. In my Medical Dictionary, a thick tome,
remedial massage does not warrant a mention. So here then is my
definition:
Remedial Massage is a holistic treatment; that is, a treatment for the
whole of the body, as well as the area being treated. The primary aim
of Remedial Massage is to find and treat the cause of the disorder, not
only the symptoms, and that can mean correcting your body posture by
stretching dominant muscles and exercising and strengthening weak muscles.
Remedial massage can afford relief from:
I am fighting a campaign to have GST dropped from remedial massage.
It is the only branch of the healthcare industry which attracts GST
whilst remedial masseurs are also the lowest paid health care workers.
It makes no sense when chiros and physios dont pay GST and charge a lot
more.
My letter to the treasurer Wayne Swan proved that he has even less
understanding of the benefits of remedial massage than Peter Costello.
However, in the 2020 summit they announced proposals for, guess what, a
national agengy for preventative health issues! I'd say it is
impossible to find anything that helps prevent health problems than
regular remedial massage. Accordingly, I have taken up the issue with
Kevin Rudd and the Health Minister Nicola Roxon to regulate the massage
industry properly and drop the GST. The GST drives the industry
underground, forces remedial masseurs to work part time or to leave the
industry. Few remedial masseurs gross the average wage of $80,000, and
you have all your expenses of towels, heating, oils, advertising etc to
take off. If you gross $80,000 you have to pay $8,000 GST. If you gross
below $75,000 then you pay no GST. I rest my case, but it seems that
politicians are incapable of grasping the simplest ideas, and it also
seems that none of them has discovered the benefits of remedial massage.
I also lobbied the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow Gold Card
holders to have remedial massage expenses covered. Gold Card holders
are entitled to free health care with the notable exception of remedial
massage! I received feedback from the Department that this is under
consideration and that the matter had also been raised by the AAMT
(Australian Assocaition of Massage Therapists).
Well the truth is that there aren't that many secrets for men! Men
do not have to endure anything like the suffering that women do. Men
who stretch and exercise regularly and don't sit on their wallets
(which can cause sciatica) are likely to be the picture of health. The
reality is that men who have finished with sport tend to stretch less
than ladies. Guys tend to shy away from yoga and pilates classes for
example. Often lower back pain is due simply to tight muscles in need
of a good stretch. A good stretch of the glutes and the psoas muscles
often provides relief from lower back pain. I have had a few male
clients with sciatic nerve pain caused by years of sitting on their
wallets, so guys, wise up on this one!
Wallets and back pockets don't mix
Sitting on a wallet for years whilst driving, sitting at a puta or
couch potatoing squashes the sciatic nerve until one day you experience
nerve pain in the leg.
Get into and out of a car like a lady with a miniskirt on
Ladies know how to get into and out of cars properly as a result of
wearing skirts, ie both legs together. Guys need to do this too to
avoid muscle damage! Typically men lunge to get in and out of cars and this can strain the psoas and other muscles.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia
The majority of men eventually end up with this problem sooner or
later, generally starting in their fifties. The prostate glands enlarge
and the urinary flow is restricted. You urinate smaller amounts, the
flow is not as strong, and you have to urinate much more frequently,
often in the night. You can turn the tide on this using herbs such as
Saw Palmetto or Pygeum. Chemists and health stores stock products
containing both, such as Prostate Eze.
Weak pelvic floor muscles and urinary incontinence
As men age often the prostate enlarges and in some cases needs to be removed. As many as 1 in 10 men can end up with urinary incontinence.
Help is at hand! Check out a device to assist in strengthening the pelvic floor muscles at restore the floor
The things we do! Ladies, you look great in high heels, but the
truth is that pointy shoes and high heels are likely to cause grief
later in life, requiring treatment from the likes of me. Shoulder bags
cause you to hike your shoulder to prevent the shoulder bag slipping
off. This causes trigger points in muscles such as the upper trapezius
and levator scapulae. Trigger points in the upper trapezius refer pain
to the back of the neck. This stimulates the development of trigger
points in the suboccipital muscles, and these in turn can cause
headaches. All this just from a shoulder bag!
The fact is that women cop a lot more pain than men do. Women suffer
a lot more than men do from fibromyalgia, autoimmune diseases such as
rheumatoid arthritis, and the list just goes on and on... did I mention
headaches already?
On the subject of headaches, I find that a craniosacral technique helps relieve headaches in many cases, a service I provide at the beachfront.
Preventing and curing urinary incontinence
If you have this problem, you are not on your own!
It is estimated that over 1 in three women get this problem, usually related to the trauma caused downstairs by the birthing process
Now here is some good news:
There is a new device out called the Pericoach, produced by an Australian company Analytica, which you insert for a few minutes a day while you do your exercises and it sends signals to your mobile phone and optionally to your clinician, monitoring how well your pelvic floor exercises are doing.
For more details of the Pericoach, visit pericoach.com. A product which wraps around you and
vibrates as an alternative to an inserted device can be found at restore the floor
Preventing breast cancer
The government's emphasis is on using mammograms when you are 50 plus to DETECT cancer. Alas, it does very little to promote PREVENTING breast cancer!
I believe that breast cancer is a disease that has significantly increased in incidence since women
started wearing bras. Bras constrict the breast and reduces the flow of
lymph, which carries waste away to lymph nodes in the axilla (armpit) where the lymph is cleaned and eventually returned to the heart as blood.
Blood is pumped out from the heart via arteries, and carries
nutrients to every cell in the body. It returns in the form of blood
(via the veins) and lymph, via the lymphatic system of lymph vessels
and lymph nodes. The lymphatic system is like a railway system with
stations and trains. Lymph is the liquid which returns toxic wastes,
via lymphatic vessels, to the nearest lymph nodes for processing. Most
lymphatic vessels are very close to the surface of the skin, so any
tight clothing restricts the flow of lymph. The build up of lymph in
the breast means that toxic waste accumulates in the breast over a
period of years, resulting in breast cancer. You can do yourself a huge
favour by regularly draining this lymph when you have a shower. And if
this sounds an improbable way to prevent breast cancer, just ask
yourself how many men get breast cancer?
Alternatively, have a look at breasthealthproject.com/, which recommends self breast massage or lymphatic drainage
Message to the McGrath Foundation
I wrote in a couple of years ago and didnt get a reply which I found very disappointing. I wrote on the subject of PREVENTING breast cancer.
I think your foundation should be trying to explain measures women can take to reduce their chances of contracting the cancer in the first place.
Why has the incidence of breast cancer increased?
Answer: Women spend more time wearing bras than at any time in history, especially with increased life expectancy. Bras inhibit the flow of lymph which carries toxins to lymph nodes where the lymph is cleaned and returned to the blood system. Also self lymphatic drainage whilst having a shower is something which should be encouraged in women from puberty.
I will be publishing this comment on my website, arthurgalletly.com together with your reply.
Self massage: Breast lymphatic drainage
You can perform lymphatic drainage of your breasts every time you
have a shower. Do this every day and you will significantly reduce your
chances of contracting breast cancer. Using your
hands, properly draped, I can show you how, in a none invasive way, or
simply explain what to do, by demonstrating the lightness of touch
required on another part of the body. Alternatively, get the DVD,
entitled Therapeutic Breast Massage, from Terra Rosa.
Basically,
these techniques should be being taught to girls in high school. Hello?
Are the Ministers for Health or Education listening? Is there anyone
out there?! Throw a little more money at prevention rather than just treating the aftermath of the disease,
the results will be far more satisfactory!
Secret Everyones' Business: Preparing for holidays, moving house and other events
Athletes have massages BEFORE the event to get the muscles all nice and loose, to improve performance and prevent muscle soreness post event.
Too frequently I get people coming to me with back aches etc AFTER moving house, or AFTER doing some unusual activity whilst on holiday! Try having a massage BEFORE the activity your body in not accustomed to instead of waiting for an outbreak of pain!
Baby massage
There is a DVD available from Terra Rosa so you can learn to massage your baby. I have a number of these in stock at $20 each
Fibromyalgia
As stated above, significantly more women suffer from fibromyalgia
than men. Often it is caused by physical or emotional trauma which then
results is some chemical imbalances so that muscles do not function
optimally, resulting in trigger points, pain, and in many cases,
insomnia. Some supplements are worth trying. Another is endep
(amytriptiline). This prescription drug in larger doses is an
antidepressant. In small doses it acts as a muscle relaxant and helps
improve sleep. One of my clients heeded this suggestion of mine, went
to her GP and tried endep, and got immediate relief from the pain and
insomnia of fibromyalgia and now I see her about once a year.
This is an article published by the Association of Remedial Masseurs
in their quarterly journal years ago. I used to be a member of ARM until it folded. I have a Diploma of Remedial Massage, so I feel Remedial Masseur describes best what I do!
The article resulted in a hostile reaction from some
quarters who don't want to see the standards / barriers to entry to the
industry raised. However, I see it as the only way forward for the
industry in terms of remedial massage earning the respect of the
general public and the healthcare industry at large, and in terms of
remedial masseurs being able to earn a competitive salary. Here is the
article:
Remedial massage isn't an alternative or complementary therapy. It
is the most mainstream health care you can possibly get! I take that as
my starting point and wish to paint a case for going about improving
our lot as remedial masseurs.
Firstly, there is GST on remedial massage. Chiropractors, doctors,
physiotherapists don't pay GST. All the GST does is drive our industry
underground or force masseurs to work part time and work in another
occupation. Why should we be operating from spare bedrooms while the
chiros operate from the choice corner blocks with free 24/7
advertising? We clearly need to lobby the Treasurer and Health Minister
of the incoming Government to have the GST removed.
Next: The health funds don't understand the benefits of remedial
massage. You often have to have additional cover to get rebates for
remedial massage, whereas chiro and physio are covered in more basic
packages. Remedial massage would save the health funds and their
members a fortune if it were covered in basic packages, as members
would increasingly turn to remedial massage which is cheaper and more
effective than chiros and physios for many aches, pains and headaches.
We clearly need to lobby the health funds and incoming Health Minister
on this matter.
Next: The massage industry is completely unregulated. In the USA they
have LMTs, Licenced Massage Therapists, so the consumer knows where
they stand. Here anyone can advertise massage services, so we are up
against people who have done a weekend Swedish course, often on
centrelink payments who advertise massages for cheap rates, undermining
the industry. We need to lobby for regulation of the industry.
Next: Remedial massage training is insufficient and does not cover a
wide enough range of techniques. In my view Remedial massage should be
a four year course, probably at University rather than TAFE or other
providers. At the moment a Diploma of Remedial Massage is not an end
point, it is a starting point. We also have the problem that some
providers offer a Diploma of Remedial Massage in just one year.
I studied with four providers, Barry Harwood, the Australian College
of Myopractic, Central TAFE and the Perth Academy of Natural Therapies,
so I think my comments about training in general have validity. The
problems I see from the learning of techniques point of view is that
typically a lecturer demonstrates a technique on a student, then
students pair off and practice on each other. Most students don't know
what it is supposed to feel like, and the students don't get to work on
the teacher. There are also so many techniques that are not included in
the Diploma of Remedial Massage that would be covered in a four year
course, such as Positional Release / Counterstrain / Orthobionomy,
Bowen or Myopractic, Craniosacral therapy, Acupressure, intro to
chiropractic and physiotherapy, kinesiology and acupressure, tui na,
intros to Rolfing, Touch for Health etc. Release of nerve entrapment is
a must. Nerve mobilization, a DVD from Real Body Work is most helpful
in relieving nerve issues in the arms for example. The course I
attended covered the upper limb tension tests, but failed to adequately
address how to relieve the problems you encounter during the tests.
Counselling and psychology could also be included. More should also be
included on stretching and strengthening. More on postural corrections
for head forward, scoliosis etc is an absolute must. Marketing is also
a must! I would also envisage much more detailed knowledge of anatomy
and physiology, nutrition, pathology, medical terminology, than is
currently required, even a course in Latin. Students would be required
to spend hundreds of hours simply reading their medical dictionaries
with a test from a random page from the dictionary. We need to be able
to speak to doctors on their level to gain their respect. Sports
massage should be much more prominent. Some courses require you to work
30 or 50 hours at a sports club with a log book in an unsupervised
capacity. This is woeful! You should be supervised initially, to deal
with sports injuries. I have spent three years working at Rockingham
Rugby Union Football Club for three seasons, and it has been a great
learning experience. On match days I do warm ups and warm downs and
treat injured players when not busy, and on training nights I deal with
the injuries they sustain during the games.
I also have a problem with massage clinics in education. Typically the clients are
massage junkies who like regular, cheap massages, and are used to
Swedish massages given by first year students. There simply isn't much
in the way of remedial massage happening. The procedure is for a full
body massage, half hour face down, half hour face up, without doing
postural assessment. The clients don't want the postural assessment to
eat into their massage time, they just want to hop onto the table! This
is not how the real world works or should work. I don't ask clients to
remove clothing unless it is warranted, as I often assess mid treatment
to ask them to walk around, sit down, stand up etc to see if the pain
has eased. The third and fourth year students should be operating a
centre of excellence dealing with people with real injuries, sciatica,
frozen shoulder, car accidents, workers compensation etc which charge
top dollar and have a teacher supervising only a handful of students.
More use should be made of DVDs in courses. I have a library of DVDs,
many from Real Body Work which I got from amazon.com and the australian
website, terra rosa (Terrarosa.com.au), which I view over and over when
I am not working. These will all end up as downloadable videos over the
internet in the not too distant future I am sure. They help you keep up
to date, and I believe that you should be able to cover 10 or 15 of
your CPE points simply by purchasing DVDs as a separate issue from
books.
Students who have finished such a four year course would have no
problem making a career from remedial massage. As matters stand, I know
many who have completed their Diploma but have switched jobs because
they cannot make a living from remedial massage. Most remedial masseurs
earn less than the average wage. Why? This manifesto aims to correct
this in the long run.
Next: Naming. I am a remedial masseur. I am most certainly not a
massage therapist! That is my main reason for being a member of ARM
rather than AAMT. To me a massage therapist is someone who has
completed a level four Certificate in Remedial Massage. (This was written before ARM folded)
Next: Veterans. Veterans get free health cover for everything.
Everything except remedial massage that is. I once received a reply from
the Minister of Veteran Affairs that Massage and Myotherapy has put forward a proposal to
have their members services recognised.
Lastly: We need to create a better definition for remedial massage,
as no one has ever been able to give me a short, concise, definition I have been completely
satisfied with. Once we can do that, we can start promoting it to the
general public, for this is what we must surely do to ensure a
successful career.
I provide the following services - massage, remedial massage, sports massage, pregnancy massage, trigger point therapy, postural correction, deep tissue massage, structural integration, structural bodywork, postural correction craniosacral therapy, myofascial release, mobile massage, PNF stretching for people in the suburbs of Waikiki, Warnbro, Safety Bay, Port Kennedy, Shoalwater, Rockingham, Bertram, Orelia, Medina, Kwinana, Baldivis, Wellard and Leda, Phoenix, Spearwood, South Lake, Bibra Lake SOR.
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