Reference
Remedial massage, explained properly
Most of what is written about remedial massage online is either an advertisement or a guess. This is our attempt at something better: what the treatment is, how it actually works, what the research genuinely supports, and what your health fund will and will not pay for. Where the evidence is weak, we say so.
Two places to start: what remedial massage actually is, and the difference between remedial and relaxation massage, which is the question we are asked most and the one the research answers least the way the industry sells it.
How to read these pages
- Every claim carries a source. Numbered markers in the text link to the reference at the foot of the page, and every one of them opens. The full library is on the sources page.
- We say when the evidence is thin. Massage helps a lot of people, and the research behind it is more mixed than the industry usually admits. Both of those things are true, and pretending otherwise would make this section worthless.
- Rules change, so pages carry a date. Anything involving health funds is checked and stamped, because those rules move at least twice a year.
- This is general information. It is not advice about your own body or your own cover. For anything specific, talk to your GP or your fund.
Start here
What remedial massage actually is
The term has no legal definition in Australia. Here is what it actually describes, what a session involves, and what the research does and does not support.
16 sources
Remedial or relaxation massage: does the difference matter?
They differ in intent, in assessment and in what your health fund will pay for. What the only head-to-head trial found is not what the industry sells.
5 sources
How it works
How massage actually works
Not flushing, not releasing, not breaking down. The explanation that survives the research is that massage works through the nervous system.
6 sources
Does massage flush lactic acid?
The one study that measured this found massage impaired lactate removal rather than helping it. And lactic acid is not what makes you sore anyway.
6 sources
Does massage release toxins?
The claim cannot be tested, because no specific toxin is ever named. Here is what is actually happening when you feel wrung out after a deep session.
6 sources
Does massage improve circulation?
Skin blood flow goes up and that is real. Muscle blood flow does not. Moving the limb yourself does roughly three times more than any massage technique.
5 sources
What does fascial release actually do?
The technique can work while the mechanism given for it is false. Those are two separate claims, and the research separates them cleanly.
3 sources
Does massage lower cortisol?
The effect on cortisol is very small and usually not distinguishable from zero. The effect on anxiety and depression is the largest in the whole literature.
4 sources
The evidence
Does massage help low back pain?
The most common reason people book a massage is also the condition where the honest answer is least comfortable. The reviews, the Australian care standard and the guidelines, quoted as written.
6 sources
Does massage help neck pain?
The headline result is unimpressive and the review says so. The subgroup analysis underneath it is the most commercially useful finding in the entire massage literature, and almost nobody quotes it.
4 sources
Does reflexology work, and can you claim it?
Two separate questions with two clear answers. The evidence does not support the medical claims, and no Australian fund may lawfully rebate a reflexology session.
5 sources
What does lymphatic drainage massage actually do?
One condition where it genuinely helps, a compression garment doing most of the work, and a large commercial practice with almost no controlled evidence behind it.
4 sources
Money and cover
The treatments themselves
This reference covers the evidence. If you are ready to look at a treatment, sessions and prices are here:
- Remedial massage in Innaloo, Perth
- Lymphatic drainage massage in Innaloo, Perth
- Pregnancy massage in Innaloo, Perth
The full treatment menu and prices covers the other seven.
Reviewed by our lead remedial massage therapist, a member of the Australian Natural Therapists Association.
50 sources in the library so far, all public. Browse them.
Verified reviews
What people say after a treatment
“What an incredible experience! Amy’s attention to detail, her obvious high level of training and knowledge, and the beautiful premises made for what was one of the best, if not the best, remedial massages I have ever had. I have had a lot of massages in my time and this was something else. The only downside is that I had to leave. Thanks Amy, I know your practice is going to get quite popular!”
“Such a great experience at Fern & Soul. The clinic itself is modern and beautifully presented, with a calm and relaxing atmosphere from the moment you walk in. Amy was incredibly welcoming and made me feel comfortable straight away. I had a remedial massage and was really impressed with her technique — she clearly knows what she’s doing and worked on exactly the areas that needed attention. I left feeling so much better and will definitely be back. Highly recommend Amy and Fern & Soul if you’re looking for a great remedial massage in a welcoming, calming space.”
Read every review on FreshaLeft by clients after a completed appointment. We cannot edit or remove them.