Touch Physique Therapies

17/10/2025

2014 One of the most valuable courses I did was AiM (Anatomy in Motion with Gary Ward. On this course I learnt to understand the biomechanics of movement, focusing on how the body functions as a whole rather than in isolated parts. Unlike traditional anatomy courses that often isolate muscles or joints, AiM emphasizes how the entire body moves as a connected system.
It taught me to see patterns in motion rather than just individual parts so I learnt movement in context, not just theory.
Years later in 2022, I followed it up with the Closed Biomechanics of the Lower Limb.

17/10/2025

Neck pain? So, one may ask why do I work on the ankle/foot?
Understanding the bigger picture is much better thank working on symptoms.
• If your ankle is injured (sprain, instability, or chronic pain), your gait changes.
• Walking differently can affect your posture, which travels up through the knees → hips → spine → neck.
• Over time, muscles in the neck and shoulders may tense to compensate, causing pain.
1️⃣ Talus and Foot Mechanics
if the talus is misaligned or restricted, it alters ankle and foot motion:
• Overpronation (foot rolls inward)
• Supination (foot rolls outward)
This changes how weight is distributed and how the tibia rotates.
2️⃣ Knee and Hip Compensation
The altered tibial rotation affects:
• Knee tracking → patellofemoral pain, ligament strain
• Hip rotation and tilt → one hip may be higher or rotated more than the other
Essentially, the lower limb tries to compensate for the foot’s dysfunction, which changes the alignment of the pelvis.
3️⃣ Spine Adjustments
When the pelvis is tilted or rotated, the lumbar spine compensates to keep the body upright:
• Side-bending or rotation in the lower back
• Increased stress on certain spinal muscles
This propagates upward through the thoracic spine and into the cervical spine (neck):
• Neck muscles have to work harder to keep the head level
• Over time, this can lead to chronic neck tension, pain, or even headaches
4️⃣ The Full Chain
Here’s the kinetic chain in one flow:
Talus misalignment → ankle/foot dysfunction → tibial rotation → knee strain → hip/pelvic compensation → lumbar/thoracic spine adjustments → cervical strain → neck pain
This is why I may check ankle mobility, and talus alignment even when a person’s main complaint is neck tension. Small issues in the foot can echo all the way up.

17/10/2025

Why Knee Pain may be due to weak glutes.
The glutes — especially the gluteus medius and maximus — play a key role in stabilizing the pelvis and controlling hip movement. When they’re weak or inhibited, the body compensates, and this can directly affect the knees.
1. Gluteus Medius and Knee Alignment
• The gluteus medius controls hip abduction and stabilizes the pelvis during single-leg stance (like walking, running, or climbing stairs).
• If the glute medius is weak, the thigh (femur) tends to rotate inward, which causes the knee to collapse medially (toward the other leg).
• This misalignment is called dynamic knee valgus and increases stress on the kneecap (patella), ligaments, and tendons, leading to pain.
2. Gluteus Maximus and Knee Mechanics
• The gluteus maximus helps with hip extension and external rotation, supporting proper leg alignment during movement.
• Weak glute max allows the hamstrings and quads to compensate, which can overload the knee joint, particularly the front (patellofemoral joint).
3. Chain Reaction
• Weak glutes → Hip instability → Poor femur tracking → Knee joint stress → Pain and potential injury.
• Common knee problems linked to weak glutes include:
o Patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner’s knee)
o Iliotibial band syndrome
o Knee osteoarthritis progression due to misalignment

17/10/2025

At Touch Physique Therapies, I always look behind the symptoms — because pain or restriction is often just a message from the body pointing toward an underlying imbalance. Pain or discomfort is never just a surface issue. Every symptom is a signal from your body, pointing to underlying imbalances, weak muscles, or altered movement patterns.

For example, tight hamstrings or lower back pain might not start there at all — they may stem from weak or inhibited gluteal muscles, altered posture, or compensatory movement patterns. By testing and assessing the glutes and other key muscles through touch and functional movement, we can identify the root cause rather than just treating where it hurts.
This deeper, hands-on understanding allows us to design treatments that restore proper function, balance, and movement, helping your body work the way it’s meant to.
By understanding how your glutes are functioning, I can tailor your treatment — whether that involves manual therapy, corrective exercises, or activation techniques — to restore balance, stability, and strength.

www.touch-physique-therapies.co.uk

15/10/2025

Deep tissue works on structure, that is why a many of my clients with chronic pain prefer more in-depth work such as the Bowen and Fascial unwinding. In some cases, advance deep tissue massage can help, by understanding what and why it would be ideal for that specific person.
For chronic pain, it’s often that communication — not just tissue tightness — that needs to change.
Bowen and unwinding are neuro-fascial techniques — meaning they talk to the brain’s control system, not just the muscles.
They stimulate sensory receptors in skin, fascia, and muscle that send calm, reorganizing messages to the brain.
That can lead to:
Downregulation of pain and tension
Resetting of muscle tone
Improved proprioception (body awareness)
Better balance and coordination
Essentially, you’re helping the body reboot its software, not just fix its hardware.
The results after one session is very noticeable, mobility, range of movement has improved!

💡 Why Deep Tissue Massage Alone Will Never Be Enough for Chronic Pain
Deep tissue massage can feel great — it releases tension, increases circulation, and helps you relax. But when pain has become chronic, the problem usually runs much deeper than tight muscles.
Chronic pain often involves:
• Fascial restrictions — the body’s connective tissue becoming thickened or stuck
• Nervous system sensitivity — the body staying “switched on” in protection mode
• Old injuries and scar tissue — hidden adhesions that limit movement and alter posture
• Compensations — the body adapting over time, creating new areas of strain
Deep tissue massage addresses symptoms, but not the underlying structure. To create lasting change, we need to go beyond muscle work and help the whole system re-pattern itself.

14/10/2025

Deep Oscillation Therapy offers positive rehabilitation post- surgery, and following knee replacement can help to reduce swelling, soften tissues, and improve mobility, enabling
earlier independence.
www.touch-physique-therapies.co.uk

14/10/2025

🌿 What Is Deep Oscillation® Therapy?
Deep Oscillation® Therapy is a gentle and highly effective treatment that supports recovery after surgery, injury, or trauma.
It helps to:
✅ Reduce pain and inflammation
✅ Decrease swelling (oedema)
✅ Relax tight muscles
✅ Soften and improve scar tissue
✅ Enhance and speed up wound healing
The therapy is delivered using a small handheld device that creates a gentle, pleasant “buzzing” sensation on the skin. It’s completely painless — in fact, most clients find it deeply relaxing.
Deep Oscillation® is excellent for post-surgical and post-trauma recovery, helping your body heal comfortably and naturally.

14/10/2025

10/10/2025

Advanced vs. Traditional Deep Tissue Massage
Advanced Deep Tissue = deeper insight + precision + long-term results
Traditional Deep Tissue = immediate symptom relief
Most massages relax tight muscles and improve blood flow, reducing pain temporarily. But if the underlying causes — like poor posture, repetitive strain, emotional stress, or structural imbalances — aren’t addressed, the tension often returns.
Key reasons massage provides only temporary relief:
• Nervous system reset: Massage calms the sympathetic (“fight or flight”) system and activates the parasympathetic (“rest and digest”) system. This lowers pain perception and promotes relaxation, but the effect is short-lived if stress or poor movement habits continue.
• Tissue memory: Muscles and fascia adapt to daily habits. Massage temporarily loosens them, but without corrective posture or movement, old patterns return.
• Circulation effects: Improved blood and lymph flow helps reduce soreness, but benefits fade within hours or a day unless supported by activity, hydration, or self-care.
In short: Massage soothes the body but doesn’t retrain it. It’s like rebooting a computer — helpful, but if the same faulty program runs again, the problems come back.
At Touch Physique Therapies, I specialise in advanced bodywork designed to help relieve pain, restore balance, and enhance mobility. Each treatment is tailored to your needs, whether you’re recovering from injury, addressing chronic tension, or seeking preventative care.
Specialist Treatments
• Advanced Deep Tissue, Remedial & Sports Massage – targeting muscular tension and sports-related strains
• Bowen Therapy (NST) – gentle, effective technique for pain relief and body rebalancing
• Deep Oscillation Therapy – advanced vibration therapy for injury recovery and lymphatic support, nerve pain, post op, joint pain
• Cupping with Massage – improved circulation and release of muscle adhesions
• fascial Unwinding – restoring freedom of movement in connective tissue
• Injury Rehabilitation – structured support to aid recovery and performance
• Relaxation & Stress Relief – restorative treatments for mind and body
• Postural Correction & Mobility Work – improving alignment and long-term movement quality
Why Choose Touch Physique Therapies?
Personalised treatment plans tailored to your needs
A balance of clinical precision and compassionate care
Trusted by clients who return and refer with confidence
Book Your Appointment
Take the next step towards moving better, feeling stronger, and living the life you want.
Based in Henley-in-Arden
www.touch-physique-therapies.co.uk

10/10/2025

When I asked ChatGBT about Touch Physique Therapies.....well, I didn't make that up!🤓

👩‍⚕️ Practitioner Profile
Maria Christoforou, the lead therapist, brings nearly 20 years of professional experience to her practice. Her background includes:
A deep understanding of movement dynamics and human function.
Membership in reputable organisations like the Bowen Professional Therapy Association (BPTA) and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC).
Voluntary work with organisations such as Macmillan and international humanitarian efforts in Sarajevo, providing therapeutic support to individuals facing significant medical challenges.
Maria emphasises a personalised approach, focusing on treating the individual rather than just the symptoms, aiming for safe, effective, and lasting results.

✅ Final Thoughts
Touch Physique Therapies stands out for its holistic approach, combining various therapeutic techniques to address a wide range of conditions. The practitioner's extensive experience and commitment to personalised care contribute to the clinic's reputation for effective and compassionate treatment.

06/10/2025

Fascia is more than just a layer of connective tissue; it’s an extensive, body-wide network that surrounds muscles, organs, nerves, and blood vessels. The idea that fascia can “hold memory of trauma” comes from both biomechanical and neurophysiological perspectives.
• Fascia doesn’t have memory like the brain, but it retains physical and neurological imprints of trauma.
• These imprints show up as tightness, stiffness, pain, or restricted movement, and may influence posture, movement, and even emotional patterns.
• Releasing fascia (through movement, stretching, massage, or specialized therapy) can help reshape these patterns, effectively “updating” the tissue’s memory.
Fascia “holds memory” through:
1. Structural changes (collagen realignment, fibrosis)
2. Cellular changes (myofibroblast contraction, persistent tension)
3. Biochemical changes (hyaluronic acid viscosity, cytokine signalling)
4. Neurological feedback loops (mechanoreceptor sensitivity and altered nerve signalling)
This creates a living tissue record of past trauma, which can influence movement, posture, and even emotional state. Releasing fascia is not just physical—it’s retraining the tissue and nervous system.

06/10/2025

What Happens When You Apply Pressure with lymphatic massage
1. Too much pressure collapses lymphatic vessels
• Lymphatic capillaries are fragile and thin-walled.
• Firm or deep pressure can compress them shut, reducing lymph flow rather than improving it.
• That means the tissue can actually retain more fluid (swelling or oedema can worsen).
When excessive pressure is applied:
1. Lymphatic capillaries collapse → no space for lymph to enter.
2. Interstitial fluid builds up → swelling or stagnation.
3. Flow slows or reverses near that area because the pressure gradient is disrupted.
4. Once the pressure is removed, vessels reopen — but if done repeatedly, the area can stay congested.
✅ In short:
Massage moves tissue — deep oscillation moves fluid.
That’s why for lymphatic drainage, post-surgical recovery, chronic swelling, or inflammation, deep oscillation is typically more effective and safer than manual massage.

⚙️ Why Deep Oscillation Works So Well When Used Knowledgeably
It applies precisely the right type of stimulus — oscillation, not compression.
It enhances what the body already does naturally (microcirculation, drainage, cellular repair).
It avoids the common mistake of overworking tissue.
It’s the perfect example of how technology + correct understanding of physiology outperform traditional “hard pressure” methods.