Tom Cowan - Qualified Sports Injury & Remedial Massage Therapist

Qualified Sports Injury & Remedial Massage Therapist

Welcome to Tom's Sports Injury & Remedial Massage Therapy.

Definition:-

Massage is the manipulation of soft tissues to produce therapeutic effects. It enhances the performance of all eleven of the body’s systems.

Tom's Sports Injury and Remedial Massage Therapy is based in Livingston Village, West Lothian.
Tom's qualifications are:

RMT.
DSM.
DOSM

Tom Cowan, DSM, RMT, DOSM, Reiki Master

Tom was born and brought up in West Calder, West Lothian. He was educated at the local high school which he left at the age of sixteen to seek employment. He studied engineering and became a design draughtsman – a career he followed until he was offered early retirement in 2003. Having spent most of his working life on military applications Tom decided to redress the balance in retirement and commit to helping others.

Tom's interest in alternative therapies was sparked quite some time ago. A keen sportsman in his youth, Tom was a brown belt in Karate and enjoyed swimming and playing rugby and badminton which was curtailed in 1985 when Tom injured his back. Having tried conventional medicine without success, he began to investigate alternatives. Osteopathy, chiropractic, acupuncture and kinesiology all gave a measure of success but it was not until he discovered Massage Therapy that Tom found long term relief and he has not looked back.

Tom attended the Scottish Massage School in Lothian and attained a Diploma in Swedish Massage. He followed that with a Diploma in Remedial and Sports Massage and a Diploma in On-Site Massage. Tom is currently enrolled at the Western School of Massage in Glasgow where he is studying Advanced Remedial and Sports Massage. He also has Certificates in Trigger Point Therapy and Indian Head Massage and is a Reiki Master.

Tom has been in full time practice since 2002 and works from a treatment room attached to the family home.

Tom and Christine have been married for thirty five years, have two children and two grandchildren.

Tom's qualifications are:

Diploma in Swedish Massage
Diploma in Remedial and Sports Massage
Diploma in On-site Massage
Certificate on Trigger Point Therapy
Certificate in Emergency First Aid procedures
Certificate to practice and teach Indian Head Massage
Reiki Master

Member of Scottish Massage Therapists’ Organisation

The Scottish Massage Therapists’ Organisation (SMTO) is the premier Massage Therapists’ organisation in Scotland.

The SMTO exists to provide a service to the public, the massage therapist and the profession, and works with the General Council for Massage Therapy in developing and maintaining standards.

The SMTO was formed in 1992 and since then has grown from strength to strength, and now covers the whole of Scotland, parts of England and Wales and beyond.

Tom offers the following services:

Sports Injury & Remedial Massage
Trigger Point Therapy
Swedish Massage
On-Site Massage
Indian Head Massage
Reiki

Sports Injury & Remedial Massage

Sports Injury and Remedial Massage involves skilled physical treatment of muscles, tendons, joints and ligaments. Therapists realise that the mental, physical and emotional stresses involved in competitive sports often contribute to injuries by affecting the muscles.

80% of all injuries can be successfully treated.

So what can Sports Massage do?

Assist in your warm-up routine preparing your muscles for action.
Aid flexibility - massage can stretch your muscle fibres in every direction - not easy to achieve with stretching alone - better flexibility means you can train for longer and at a higher level.
Increase the circulation of blood with its oxygen, nutrients and healing hormones and also the flow of lymph assisting in draining and detoxifying.
Decrease tension and tightness that persists long after the exertion.
Speed up recovery time.
Allow you to train more easily and without discomfort.
Repair the muscles more easily with less scar tissue and adhesions. Any scar tissue formed is laid down in the direction of the muscle fibres so is less likely to re-injure (a common problem).
Help you to train at a higher level because of reduced tension.
Help to restore or maintain a healthy structure - essential to avoid chronic conditions developing and to keep in peak condition.
Improve whole body awareness - you will know when you’ve trained enough or when it is time for another massage.
Encourage relaxation - increased alertness - leading to better concentration and focus.
Give an opportunity for specific focusing - such as visualisation techniques.

Common conditions that respond well are:

Low back pain.
Sciatica.
Sprains and strains.
Tennis Elbow.
Golfers’ Elbow.
Cartilage problems.
Frozen Shoulder.
Repetitive strain.
Arthritis.

Trigger Point Therapy

Another aspect of Remedial Massage is trigger point release. These are identified by slight or severe localised pain which on applying pressure is felt in other areas. They can be caused by small parts of a muscle going into contraction. Using massage techniques these trigger points can be mechanically drained, relieving pain. This would be followed by light stretching.

Swedish Massage

Swedish Massage is used to relieve muscular spasm & pain, improve blood circulation, reduce swelling due to accumulation of fluid in the tissues and increase energy levels. It enhances the performance of all eleven of the body’s systems. Consequently, it can have a profoundly positive effect on mental and emotional well-being. It is less intense and more gentle than Remedial Massage as the therapist does not work as deeply into the muscle tissue.

On Site Chair Massage

Time lost due to stress related ailments is rapidly increasing, which in turn creates more problems for employers.

A 15-20 minute Acupressure Chair Massage, carried out in the work place can reduce these statistics.

Chair Massage has long been recognised by major companies in the U.S.A and more recently in Britain, as a positive step towards a happier and more healthy work force.

Acupressure Chair Massage uses a traditional Chinese massage technique and uses no oils. The sequence is specifically designed to enhance the body's circulation, leaving the client feeling relaxed and energised.

Indian Head Massage (IHM)

Indian Head Massage is a treatment based on old Ayurvedic techniques involving work on the upper back, shoulders, neck, scalp and face. A variety of massage movements are used to relieve accumulated tension, stimulate circulation and restore joint movement. IHM is also used to aid the condition and health of the hair, particularly when combined with the use of natural organic oils.

Indian Head Massage is used by practitioners to help reduce stress and fatigue, increase mental clarity, and relax and rejuvenate the receiver. A treatment will last between 20 minutes to one hour.

Massage is recommended by the Arthritic Association as it is known to greatly increase the client’s range of movement and reduce pain.

Remedial and Sports Massage Therapy is being used more and more by sports people of all ages and disciplines. It is used in training and is now offered at the Olympics!

Who is the athlete anyway? The painter, window cleaner, computer operator, lorry driver, etc…all require the above care.

Information on REIKI can be found here.

Tom offers massage visits to your local business. Please contact Tom for further information regarding onsite massages.

If you wish to make an appointment or require further information please contact us

Email ~ cowan382@aol.com

Tel ~ +44 (0)1506 411 487

Mobile ~ +44 (0)79697 50719