Massage Therapy in Idaho Falls
Common Conditions or Concerns
We care for a wide range of conditions and concerns related to massage therapy, including:
• Muscle tightness or chronic tension
• Back, neck, and shoulder pain
• Stress and anxiety
• Headaches and migraines
• Sports or overuse injuries
• Poor circulation or limited range of motion
• Post-surgical recovery and scar tissue restriction
Treatment Options or Services Provided
Our massage therapy sessions are tailored to meet your individual needs, combining relaxation with targeted techniques to promote healing and restore balance. During your visit, your therapist will assess your areas of concern and adjust the session based on your comfort level and goals.
Services may include:
- Deep tissue and therapeutic massage
- Swedish and relaxation techniques
- Myofascial release and trigger point therapy
- Prenatal massage for pregnancy-related discomfort
- Sports massage for injury prevention and recovery
- Coordination with physical therapy or primary care for integrated treatment
We focus on improving both physical and mental well-being—helping you feel more comfortable, move more freely, and recover more effectively.
When to Seek Care
You don’t need to wait until symptoms become severe. Consider scheduling a massage therapy session if you experience:
- Persistent muscle soreness or stiffness
- Stress or tension affecting your sleep or daily comfort
- Limited mobility or pain following activity or injury
Regular massage therapy can complement your overall health plan, promoting relaxation, recovery, and long-term wellness.
Massage Therapy Services
Trigger Point Therapy
Focuses on localized knots or spasms in muscle tissue that may be causing pain elsewhere (referred pain)
Deep Tissue Massage
Slow strokes and deep finger pressure used to work on deeper layers of muscle, tendons and connective tissue.
Prenatal Massage
Used to treat muscle aches and joint pain that can be exacerbated by pregnancy. Manipulating the soft tissues of the body can help to reduce painful water retention.
Lymphatic Manipulation
Focuses on areas of the body affected when a medical condition blocks the lymphatic system, causing swelling and fatigue.
Craniosacral Therapy
Gentle technique focusing on relieving tension in the central nervous system and improving mental/emotional state.
Pain Management Massage
Helps to relieve pain by decreasing muscle tension, increasing blood flow and releasing endorphins.
Sports Massage
Similar to deep tissue massage, but focused on a specific area of the body that needs healing and relief. May use a combination of light and deep techniques or modalities to provide relief and promote healing, and promote optimal athletic performance.
Trauma Massage
A soft tissue approach to address the negative effects induced by a traumatic accident such as a fall or a car accident. This is also an effective technique to be utilized with chronic pain that stems from a chronic condition.
Visceral Mobilization
Visceral manipulation is a gentle, hands-on manual therapy used to help your internal organs (viscera) glide smoothly within your body according to their natural movement patterns. This is especially important if these small but significant movements are restricted by scar tissue from abdominal surgeries or congestion/inflammation in the connective tissues that surround your abdominal organs. Your massage therapist can use these techniques to treat abdominal pain, constipation, cramps, indigestion, and much more.
Sports Therapy Massage
Elite athletic programs have long understood and enjoyed the benefits of therapeutic sports massage, and in more recent years athletes of all ages and competition levels have increasingly taken advantage of these same benefits. Local high school athletes, collegiate athletes, and many weekend warriors have all employed the services of our local massage therapists for their sports therapy needs. Since massage promotes increased blood flow, it is pretty obvious that massage can help promote faster healing with sports injuries. However, there are many other ways that massage can be used to benefit athletes.
Massage Therapy FAQ
What is Massage Therapy?
Massage was once primarily connected to day spas, which offered local massage services for those seeking a little luxurious pampering! While a massage from a professional massage therapist can certainly feel luxurious, massage therapy is now an essential part of integrative medicine. There are many different situations and emotional and physical health conditions where a qualified, professional massage therapist can be a key part of your wellness team. For those seeking local massage therapy, Idaho Falls is home to the distinguished Physical Therapy Department of Family First Medical Center where two very skilled massage therapists are a key part of the health and well-being of their patients. At Family First Medical Center, we understand the many health benefits of therapeutic massage and feel that it is essential to provide high-quality local massage therapy services for our patients and for our community at large.
What are the physical health benefits of massage?
There are many physical benefits, which is why therapeutic massage is often prescribed in conjunction with physical therapy and other medical treatment. Massage can be extremely beneficial following joint replacement surgeries or injuries and other post-operative care. However, many people do not realize that massage therapy can also promote healing and improved wellness in many other areas as well including:
● Soft tissue injuries
● Sports injuries
● Nerve pain
● Digestive disorders
● Headaches
● Insomnia
● Scar tissue treatment
● Temporomandibular (commonly referred to as TMJ) disorders
● Joint pain
● Improved immune function
● Lower heart rate
● Fibromyalgia
● Chronic neck or back pain
The health benefits of improved circulation and flexibility, decreased muscle stiffness and soreness, and decreased inflammation and pain are well known in the medical community and are reported almost universally by our clients! It’s no surprise then, that after experiencing an appointment with one of our highly skilled local massage therapists, clients of all ages and physical conditions choose to return for regular massage treatments.
What are the mental health benefits of massage therapy?
Massage therapy promotes the overall well-being of our clients, including emotional and mental health. If you have ever experienced a really good massage, this probably comes as no surprise! Massage clients experience improved relaxation and mood, lower stress levels and decreased anxiety. This makes sense intuitively, but there are also clear biological reasons for these results. You just feel better when tension that has been building up in your muscles is released through massage, but there is much more to it than that.
When we are experiencing stress or anxiety, a hormone called cortisol is released and accumulates. Massage therapy demonstrably reduces cortisol levels. At the same time, massage can also increase oxytocin levels. Oxytocin is the hormone connected to human touch and connectedness. Increased oxytocin decreases the sense of isolation or separateness that is very common in people who are experiencing physical and emotional challenges. Oxytocin levels as well as levels of the “happy hormones” serotonin and dopamine are often increased with massage treatments, significantly impacting feelings of well-being and emotional and mental health.
Can massage therapy treat insomina?
Regular visits to a massage therapist can be instrumental in the treatment of insomnia. We have all been there, but insomnia can sometimes be chronic, and it is so much more than an inconvenience! Even in the short term, insomnia has been found to increase the risk of accidents due to slower reaction time, and the development of mental health disorders such as depression and generalized anxiety disorder. In the long term, insomnia is linked to hypertension, strokes, heart attack, diabetes, weakened immune system, and many psychiatric disorders. Therapeutic massage is one of the best non-pharmaceutical treatments for insomnia. Not only can massage decrease pain and increase relaxation, but it also naturally increases the chemicals and hormones that contribute to improved mood and happiness. All of these things can impact the quality and duration of sleep. If insomnia is a familiar struggle for you, please consider taking advantage of massage therapy right here in Idaho Falls, at Family First Medical Center.
Does massage therapy promote healing and reduce muscle soreness?
Many studies concur that sports massage helps to reduce muscle soreness and reduces healing time. This includes decreasing the likelihood of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) which, for many athletes, is the bane of the type of high-level physical activity that is required in their sport. There are multiple reasons for the undeniable efficacy of sports massage in this area.
1. Sports massage therapy employs both light and deep tissue techniques to release tight muscles, soothe aches and pains, and relax connective tissue.
2. Sports massage helps reduce a buildup of lactic acid in muscles, as well as flushing toxins that tend to build up around the joints. This not only can reduce soreness, but can aid in the prevention of oedema.
3. Sports massage encourages increased blood flow and improved circulation, which aids in the healing of both superficial or chronic sports-related injury and pain.
What is the benefit of a sports massage?
Sports massages can have a real impact on an athlete's performance and generally fall into three categories.
1. Pre-event sports massage: focuses on relaxation, flexibility and joint mobility.
2. Post-event sports massage: can include deep tissue massage and focuses on healing and recovery of specific muscle groups.
3. Maintenance sports massage: Employed by many athletes. These are regularly scheduled massages (often once a week) ensuring optimal benefits and optimal performance during a sports season and beyond.
4. Sports massage therapy helps to improve flexibility and increases the efficacy of stretching exercises which are important to improve or maintain appropriate flexibility. Flexibility is crucial in order to reduce the risk of injury while participating in athletic activity.
Our Commitment to You
At Family First Medical center, we understand that while many people regularly enjoy the benefits of massage, for some clients, getting a massage may be a new experience. Our massage therapists are committed to doing everything possible to make each client comfortable and are always attentive and responsive to individual needs and preferences. For your physical and mental health, or even just to experience some well-deserved pampering, call for an appointment today!
Family First FAQ
How do I schedule an appointment?
Call our office directly or send us a message. We offer convenient scheduling options for new and existing patients across all our medical services.
Do you accept insurance?
We work with most major insurance providers. Our billing team can help verify your coverage and explain any out-of-pocket expenses before your visit.
What are your hours?
We are open Monday through Thursday from 7:30am to 6:30pm and Friday from 7:30am to 4:30pm. We offer same-day treatments when possible.
Can I see multiple specialists?
As a comprehensive medical center, we have multiple specialists under one roof. This allows seamless coordination of your healthcare needs across different medical disciplines.
Do you offer telehealth?
Yes, we provide telehealth consultations for certain medical services. Our providers can assess your needs and determine the most appropriate care method.
Testimonials
Everyone who works at Family First Medical is so kind and professional! Whether I’m working with my doctor or nurses, receptionist, or billing, they are knowledgeable.
Morgan
Family First is our family's first choice for our medical care ... health care here has been our family's "go to" provider years.
George
From the moment you walk in, you're greeted by a warm and friendly staff that truly makes you feel at home.
Angie