Physiotherapy vs Massage: What’s the Difference?

Introduction

Both physiotherapy and massage can reduce pain, but they serve different purposes. At Atlas, our physiotherapist can assess you to see which option is better for your pains, and sometimes the answer is a combination of both!

Massage Therapy

Massage focuses on muscle relaxation, circulation, and short-term relief. Useful to address tension or "knots" in muscles. Can be gentle and relaxing or more vigorous- a "sports massage".

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy treats the root cause of your symptoms. This is done through a thorough assessment, specific and targeted exercises, movement correction, and education about your symptoms.

Which Should You Choose?

For ongoing pain, injury recovery, or movement issues, physiotherapy offers longer-term solutions. However, massage can be an incredibly useful part of that treatment.

Unsure which is best for you? Book an assessment appointment and we can explore your pains, your goals and discuss what option is best for you, allowing you to decide on your treatment with all the available information.