Massage therapy now offered at the Fitness Center

  • Published
  • By Valerie Mullett
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  The newest service to be offered at Malmstrom is massage therapy and it became available at the Fitness Center July 1.

"Therapeutic massage has been found to enhance performance, improve circulation, joint range-of-motion and flexibility," said Gene Watson, licensed massage therapist and certified neuromuscular therapist. "It can reduce many common ailments such as stress, muscle tightness, aches and pains - even anxiety and depression."

Mr. Watson feels military members are prime massage therapy candidates because of what they do for a living.

"Active-duty military members in the 18-40 year old range are under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform their jobs and maintain their physical fitness," the retired Air Force veteran said. "Military members are dependent on their bodies to keep them in action."

By working with an experienced massage therapist practicing a proper massage routine, many Airmen can keep their body in peak performance condition, he said.

Mr. Watson is licensed to perform sports massage, cryo therapy, hot stone therapy, deep and soft tissue mobilization, trigger point therapy and chair massage. He can also personally tailor sports-specific therapies.

Massages are available by appointment only from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. To make an appointment, call 731-3600 or 731-3621. Costs and types of massages offered are below. Fees are payable in cash or check to the Fitness Center and gift certificates are available. No club card discount is being offered at this time.
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Massage/Neuromuscular Therapy: $30/30 minutes; $50/hour
Massage is the practice of soft tissue manipulation/mobilization with physical (anatomical), functional (physiological), and in some cases psychological purposes and goals.
Neuromuscular therapy is a thorough program of recovery from acute and chronic pain syndromes which utilizes massage therapy, flexibility stretching and home care to eliminate the causes of most neuromuscular pain patterns.

Chair Massage: $1 per minute for 5 to 20 minutes
Chair massages help decrease stress and increase energy.

Sports Massage: $1 per minute for 5 to 60 minutes
Sports massage is an invigorating, stimulating, heat producing technique given to the athlete set to a fast paced, rhythmic and upbeat tempo. It concentrates on the major muscle groups.

Hot Stone Therapy: $75 for 90 minutes and includes a free hot paraffin dip
Hot stone therapy is water-heated stones used to apply pressure and heat to the body. The hot stones used are commonly river stone which, over time, have become extremely polished and smooth. As the stones are placed along the recipient's back, they help to retain heat which then deeply penetrated into the muscles, releasing tension.

Cryo (Ice Massage) Therapy: Included free in above rates
Ice massage allows for a better penetration of the cooling effects of ice therapy when compared to traditional ice bags. It also uses the effect of massage to mobilize the soft tissue. When applied to superficial muscles, it can help to decrease inflammation and to reduce pain.