Meet Akiko - Massage

Akiko joined us in October of 2008.

Massage complements your chiropractic care by focusing on returning a healthy balance to the muscles that tend to pull your bones out of alignment. There are a number of different techniques and each technique aims to achieve a different response from the muscles. Some techniques are used to increase circulation and reduce toxins, while others are used to break-up adhesions.  We believe there are numerous benefits to massage including increased relaxation, improved circulation, increased flexibility and range-of-motion, decreased chronic pain, lowered blood pressure and heart rate, improved digestion, increased recovery from injury and illness, strengthened immunity, reduction in tension headaches, and reduced stress and anxiety.

Before coming to the United States, Akiko was a Scrub, or Operation Room, Nurse in Tokyo, Japan. Upon realizing that she would prefer to focus on wellness and preventative care, Akiko became a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist. Akiko is trained in a number of techniques and will be able to tailor your body work to your individual needs.

Education:

• The Massage Therapy Institute of Colorado
• BSN, Tokyo, Japan

Licensure:

• Nationally Certified Massage Therapist

Techniques:

• Swedish Massage - A soothing stress relieving treatment designed to increase circulation, reduce toxins and supply oxygen and nutrients to muscle tissue.
• Deep Tissue Massage - Muscle-specific treatments designed to optimize musculoskeletal function and relieve muscle pain.
• Neuromuscular Therapy/Trigger Point Therapy - A technique used to work on trigger points.  Trigger points are a focus of hyperirritability in a tissue that, when compressed, is locally tender, or gives rise to referred pain and causes dysfunction between the nervous and muscular systems and can lead to chronic pain.  Neuromuscular therapy seeks first to identify trigger points, then apply steady, appropriate pressure to the point to "release" it.  This is usually followed by massage to the surrounding area to help treat the cause ot the trigger point.
• Myofascial Release - A technique used to stretch and release connective tissue throughout the body to help reduce chronic stress patterns.
• Joint Range of Motion - A technique used to increase the performance and efficiency of joints.
• Reflexology - A relaxing therapy working pressure points in the feet and hands which correspond to various organs and systems throughout the body.
• Sports Massage - Sports massgae therapies are used for athletes during warm ups, training, and competition to treat and/or aid in the prevention of injuries and to help improve flexibility, range-of-motion, performance, and mental clarity.
• Prenatal (Pregnancy) Massage - Prenatal massage uses gentle techniques to help alleviate some of the ailments associated with pregnancy, including lower back, neck, and shoulder pain, fatigue, joint tenderness, mental stress, and stretch marks.

Some of the Known Benefits of Massage:

• relaxes the whole body
• improves circulation
• loosens tight muscles
• relieves tired and aching muscles
• increases flexibility and range-of-motion
• increases strength of joints
• diminishes chronic pain
• lowers blood pressure
• lowers heart rate
• improves digestion
• enhances skin tone
• assists in recovery from injuries and illness
• strengthens the immune system
• reduces tension headaches
• reduces mental stress and anxiety
• improves concentration
• promotes restful sleep