Medical Massage Therapist...

Donna Bishop, BS, LMT

...is licensed in the state of Arizona, located in the Sonoran Desert, in northwest Tucson. She is Nationally Certified with the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), and is dedicated to being a facilitator of healing.

Therapeutic Massage is...

The scientific art and system of the assessment of and the manual application to the superficial soft tissue of skin, muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and the structures that lie within the superficial tissue by using the hand, foot, knee, arm, elbow, and forearm through the systematic external application of touch, stroking (effleurage), friction, vibration, percussion, kneading (petrissage), stretching, compression, or passive and active joint movements within the normal physiologic range of motion. Also included are external applications of hydrotherapy for the purposes of establishing and maintaining good physical condition and health through normalizing and improving muscle tone. Massage promotes relaxation, stimulates circulation, produces muscular relaxation, preventing fibrosis and adhesions in muscles, decreases the tendency toward muscular atrophy, decreases pain, stress, anxiety and tension, and improves immune system functions while producing therapeutic effects on the respiratory and nervous systems, and the subtle interactions between all body systems. These intended effects are accomplished through the energetic and mind/body connections in a environment that respects the client's self-determined outcome for the session.

History of Massage...

Massage is considered to be among the oldest of all treatments used by man. Records dating back as far as 3,000 years were made by the Chinese, documenting its use. The ancient Hindues, Persians, and Egyptians used forms of massage for some ailments and Hippocrates wrote papers recommending the use of rubbing and friction for joint and circulatory problems. Today, massage is an accepted part of many physical rehabilitation programs and has been proven a benefit to many chronic conditions such as low back pain, arthritis, and bursitis. Massage helps relieve the stress and tension of everyday living.