Garioch Massage Therapy

Have you bought tickets for 100 Years of Magic, our centenary celebration at Aberdeen Arts Centre, on 4-5 September? With a different line-up each night, there is more opportunity than ever to see the north east of Scotland's best magicians in action!

Appearing on Friday 4 September are...

Carl Howse - The Great Hootini
Chris Begg as Kreestan Sennachie
Dave Goulding - Sponsored by AXV Audio Visual
David Anderson - The Magician's Apprentice - Sponsored by Garioch Massage Therapy
Eoin Smith - Sponsored by Streamline Shipping Group
Four Magicians - Sponsored by Streamline Shipping Group
Garry Seagraves the Magician
James Dickson (Ideas of James)
Jim Aitken (Magic And Mind of Jim)
Paul Rae Mentalist (Mystery Magic)
Smith & Burns (Fifth Dimension) - Sponsored by Flexistore Aberdeen

Plus, all ticket proceeds go to the Save Aberdeen Arts Centre campaign!

📆 4-5 September at 7pm
🎟️ https://www.aberdeenartscentre.com/whats-on/100-years-of-magic

Delighted to be sponsoring my good friend David as he’s shows of his Magic in the upcoming show.
Grab a ticket for the show while you can. You definitely won’t be disappointed

Introducing the performers for our centenary celebration, 100 Years of Magic...

David Anderson aka The Magician's Apprentice - Performing Fri 4 September - Sponsored by Garioch Massage Therapy

David became a magician's apprentice due to the wonder of magic, the entertainment it gives people, and making the impossible... possible.

🌟 100 Years of Magic - Celebrating Aberdeen Magical Society's centenary and raising funds to Save Aberdeen Arts Centre
📆 4 & 5 September 2026 at 7pm
🎫 https://www.aberdeenartscentre.com/whats-on/100-years-of-magic

🏃‍♂️ Run Garioch 2026 - this Sunday 🏃‍♂️

I’ll be one of the on‑site massage therapists supporting runners throughout the event this year.

If you’re taking part, you can find me offering:

• Sports Taping - for niggles, support, or last‑minute reassurance

• Remedial & Sports Massage – pre‑race loosening or post‑race recovery work

Whether you’re chasing a PB or just aiming to enjoy the day, feel free to stop by for advice, taping, or a quick treatment to help you move well and finish strong.

Good luck to everyone running - it’s always an amazing community day for Inverurie.

Look forward to seeing you all there.

✨ A quick note: I’ve only got a few clinic appointments left this week, so if you need pre‑race prep, just give me a shout.

Why I Chose Massage Therapy as a Career

People often ask why I retrained as a Remedial & Sports Massage Therapist and honestly, it’s been a long journey shaped by injury, experience, and a real passion for helping people move and feel better.

My first introduction to massage therapy was over 12 years ago after slipping a disc in my back. The pain was intense, and massage was what got me back on my feet. Since then, I’ve seen first‑hand how powerful hands‑on treatment can be for pain, recovery, movement, and overall wellbeing.

Sport has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in gymnastics, became a Scottish Champion, and represented Scotland in my early teens. Football then took over, 26 years of Amateur football (on and off), and at 44 I’m still playing. I credit that to understanding my body, staying injury‑free, and recovering properly.

Running has also been a big part of my life, and like anyone active, I’ve had plenty of injuries. Massage therapy and medical acupuncture helped me through countless niggles and setbacks, teaching me the importance of flexibility, strength, and proper movement - lessons I now pass on to clients.

About seven years ago, I started planning a recovery centre with ice baths, sauna, compression boots and more. During the research, one thing kept coming up: people wanted massage therapy. That’s what first pushed me toward retraining.

Then Covid hit. Life changed, priorities shifted, and I focused on family and work. But after another round of redundancies and only a year left in my job, I decided to be proactive. I retrained, completed my Swedish Massage Diploma and my Remedial & Sports Massage Diploma and it’s genuinely the best decision I’ve made.

Helping people is what drives me. Whether it’s getting someone back to the sport they love, helping them move more freely day‑to‑day, or easing pain they’ve lived with for years - that’s the real reward.

This career isn’t just a job, it’s everything I’ve lived, learned, and experienced. And I’m grateful I get to use it to help others.

Thank you to everyone who continues to put their trust in me. It’s a pleasure to be able to help you all.

A few weeks ago I had my first non‑verbal autistic client, I realised how much more there was to understand about how massage therapy can support neurodivergent people. The constant movement and sensory seeking sparked my curiosity and led me down a path of research into what benefits massage could bring and how I could adapt my treatments.

Through my training I’ve always been aware it’s not just about muscles - it’s about looking at the body as a whole, it’s about the nervous system and how we experience the world through touch.

For autistic and ADHD clients, massage can help:
• Reduce sensory overwhelm
• Improve emotional regulation
• Support body awareness
• Ease restlessness and tension
• Encourage better sleep and focus

Recent research backs this up.
A 2024 systematic review and meta‑analysis in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork found that massage significantly reduced self‑regulatory difficulties, tactile/oral abnormalities, and parenting stress in children with autism.
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11623315/?utm_source=copilot.com

The American Massage Therapy Association also highlights how creating safe, sensory‑aware environments helps neurodivergent clients feel included and supported.
https://www.amtamassage.org/publications/massage-therapy-journal/safe-space-neurodiverse-clients/?utm_source=copilot.com

Other clinical reviews note that predictable, rhythmic deep pressure activates the parasympathetic “rest‑and‑digest” response, improving calm and focus.
https://link.springer.com/rwe/10.1007/978-1-4614-4788-7_132?utm_source=copilot.com

The research is still in its early stages, but what we’re learning is incredibly encouraging.

Massage isn’t a “treatment for autism,” but it can be a powerful tool for sensory regulation, emotional calming, and reducing stress - when adapted appropriately.

Every neurodivergent client is different, and every session is shaped around what feels safe and supportive for you.

If this resonates, tag anyone who this may interest or benefit, and feel free to share.

Drop me a message if you’d like more information on how I would adapt my treatments for your individual needs.

If you’ve been carrying pain for longer than you should…
You don’t have to keep pushing through it.

At Garioch Massage Therapy, medical acupuncture can help most muscle areas of the body - hands & feet, legs & arms, neck & jaw, and face & head.

Acupuncture works by stimulating sensory nerves under the skin and in the muscles, prompting your body to release natural pain‑relieving chemicals like endorphins and serotonin. These help reduce inflammation, ease tension, and restore balance to the nervous system.

It’s a gentle, precise technique that supports recovery and helps you move more freely again - often bringing relief where other treatments haven’t quite reached.

Small changes can make a big difference in daily life.

🔥 Heat vs Ice 🧊: What Should You Use for Pain, Tension, or Injury?

Choosing between heat and ice shouldn’t feel like guesswork. Here’s a simple, clinically sound guide to help you understand what each does, when to use it, and why it matters.

🔥 HEAT: Best for Stiffness, Tension & Chronic Aches

What heat does

• Increases blood flow
• Relaxes tight muscles
• Reduces joint stiffness
• Helps tissues move more comfortably

Use heat for

• Muscle tension (neck, shoulders, lower back)
• Chronic aches or long‑standing niggles
• Warm‑up before activity
• Stress‑related tightness

Avoid heat when

• The area is swollen, red, or warm
• There’s a new injury (first 48–72 hours)
• You suspect infection

❄️ ICE: Best for Swelling, Sharp Pain & Fresh Injuries

What ice does

• Reduces inflammation
• Numbs pain
• Slows excessive swelling
• Helps calm irritated tissues

Use ice for

• New injuries (sprains, strains, impact injuries)
• Swelling or visible inflammation
• Sharp, acute pain
• Post‑exercise flare‑ups

Avoid ice when

• You’re already stiff or tight
• Before heavy lifting or sport
• If you have circulation issues or nerve sensitivity

Dr. Sanjay Gupta recently explained on the Mel Robbins Podcast why icing an injury in the first 48 hours can actually slow healing. Inflammation is your body’s natural repair system, and ice shuts down the blood flow needed to kickstart recovery. Instead of reaching for the ice pack, focus on compression, elevation, and gentle movement when tolerable - these support healing without interrupting the body’s early repair phase.

🔄 What About Using Both?

Contrast therapy (alternating heat and ice) can help with stubborn, chronic issues where you want to reduce pain and improve mobility.
Think: long‑term tendon irritation, chronic low‑back tightness, or post‑training recovery.

🏋️‍♂️ Remember

Heat and ice are tools - not treatments on their own.
They help manage symptoms, but long‑term recovery comes from:

• Load management
• Strength & conditioning
• Mobility work
• Hands‑on therapy when appropriate

Why I Won’t See You Immediately After an Injury

When you’ve just hurt yourself, it’s completely natural to want help straight away. But in those first 48 hours, the most important thing your body needs isn’t hands-on treatment - it’s time.

What’s happening in those first 48 hours?

Your body launches an inflammatory response the moment tissue is damaged. This isn’t something to “calm down” or “get rid of.” It’s a controlled, purposeful process that clears debris, increases blood flow, and sets the stage for repair.

Inflammation often gets a bad reputation, but in the early phase of injury it’s essential. Without it, tissue healing is slower, less organised, and more prone to future issues.

Why I don’t treat during this phase

Hands-on work too early can interfere with what your body is trying to do. Pressure, stretching, or deep work on freshly injured tissue can disrupt clotting, increase bleeding, and aggravate swelling. Instead of helping, it risks prolonging recovery.

Giving your body those first 48 hours allows the inflammatory phase to run its course so that when you do come in, treatment is safer, more effective, and better aligned with the natural healing timeline.

What you should do in the meantime.

• Protect the area from further strain
• Use gentle movement within comfort
• Manage swelling with elevation
• Avoid heat, alcohol, or heavy loading early on

These simple steps support the healing process without disrupting it.
(There’s a bit of a debate on applying Ice within the first 48 hours but more on this in my next post)

📅 When to book in

After the initial 48 hours, I can assess the injury properly, guide you through the next stage of healing, and help you move forward with a clear, structured plan. That’s when treatment becomes genuinely beneficial - not before.