Medical Massage in Woodinville
Targeted, hands-on treatment for muscle pain, tightness and restricted movement.
Medical massage focuses treatment where you need it most. We combine deep tissue work, trigger point therapy, targeted stretching and other hands-on techniques to address painful or restricted muscles and soft tissues.
30-minute appointments · Treatment through comfortable workout clothes · Most insurance accepted
No referral from your medical doctor or primary care physician is necessary.
Focused soft-tissue work through clothing, aimed at the area you came in for.
Focus on the Areas That Are Actually Bothering You
When your shoulder hurts, your hip feels tight, or a stubborn knot in your neck won’t let go, you may not need a traditional full-body massage.
Medical massage is focused treatment. Your appointment is spent working on the muscles and soft tissues related to the problem you came in with.
Treatment may include sustained pressure to tight or sensitive areas, deeper soft-tissue work, assisted stretching, pin-and-stretch techniques and instrument-assisted treatment.
The goal is simple: spend your treatment time working on the areas that need it most.
Work at the base of the skull. Street clothes, no oil, no draping.
What Our Patients Are Saying
Dr. Penner is exceptional! I came to him three months ago dealing with frequent headaches, severe neck stiffness, and a tight upper back. Today, my headaches are completely gone, my neck mobility has improved drastically, and I’m sleeping better than I have in a long time.
Dr. Penner is incredibly gentle, knowledgeable, and insightful in his approach. Seeing such steady, solid progression over the past few months has been incredibly uplifting and restored my confidence. I highly recommend Dr. Penner.
Matt B.
I’ve seen Dr. Penner off and on for years now and have always been given good information and received the appropriate treatment that involved only a necessary amount of visits—no pressure to come for weeks and weeks if things were improving; which they always did. Dr. Penner has a calm and friendly manner and is a great communicator.
Deborah Ferguson
Dr. Penner consistently nails it every time. I know I can come to him for amazing care and quality!! I always leave his office feeling so much better!!
Sara Adkisson
Medical Massage for Pain, Tightness & Restricted Movement
Medical massage can be useful for a wide range of muscle and soft-tissue complaints, including:
Neck and upper-trapezius tightness
Shoulder and rotator cuff discomfort
Mid-back and low-back muscle pain
Tight or painful glutes
Hip and hip-flexor tightness
IT band and lateral thigh tightness
Hamstring and calf tightness
Elbow and forearm pain
Tendon and overuse complaints
Muscle knots and trigger points
Sports and workout-related soreness
Repetitive strain and work-related muscle tension
Muscle tightness following an injury
You don’t need to know which muscle is causing the problem before you come in. We’ll help determine which areas should be addressed and focus the treatment accordingly.
More Than One Way to Treat a Tight Muscle
Different problems respond to different approaches. Your treatment may combine several techniques depending on what we find and what feels appropriate for you.
Pin and stretch, calf. Anchored, then taken through range.
Trigger Point Therapy
Focused pressure is applied to sensitive, tight areas within a muscle—often called trigger points or muscle knots—to help decrease tenderness and muscle tension.
Deep Tissue & Focused Soft-Tissue Work
Slow, firm pressure is used to work through tight or restricted muscles and connective tissues. Treatment is targeted to the problem area rather than automatically treating the entire body.
Pin and Stretch
A muscle or soft tissue is held at a specific point while the body part moves through a controlled range of motion. This allows us to combine direct soft-tissue pressure with movement.
Contract-Relax Stretching / Muscle Energy Technique
Instead of simply holding a passive stretch, you’ll gently contract a muscle against resistance and then relax as we move into a new stretch. This can be particularly useful when improving flexibility and range of motion is part of the goal.
Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM)
Specialized handheld instruments allow us to apply controlled pressure to muscles, tendons and other soft tissues. IASTM can be particularly useful for treating areas such as the forearms, elbows, shoulders, knees and surrounding tendons.
Myofascial Release
Sustained pressure and slow movement are used to address areas of soft-tissue and fascial restriction. The amount of pressure can be adjusted based on the area being treated and your comfort.
Your treatment isn’t limited to one technique. We can combine approaches within the same visit based on the area being treated and how your body responds.
Built for People Who Want Focused Treatment
Some people want a relaxing, full-body massage. There’s nothing wrong with that—but it isn’t what this service is designed to provide.
Medical massage at SoundCare is intended for people who have a specific painful, tight or restricted area they want addressed.
That might be a shoulder that bothers you at the gym, a chronically tight neck from working at a computer, a hip flexor that limits your movement, a sore forearm or elbow, or muscle tightness that has persisted after an injury.
Your appointment is focused on the problem you came in with rather than following a predetermined full-body massage routine.
Stay Comfortable. Stay Dressed.
Medical massage at SoundCare is performed through comfortable workout clothing rather than with traditional draping.
We recommend wearing flexible clothing such as athletic shorts, leggings, a T-shirt or other clothing that allows you to move comfortably.
This works especially well with our treatment style because your visit may combine soft-tissue work with assisted stretching, movement and muscle-energy techniques.
There’s no need to undress, use oils or prepare for a traditional massage session.
Assisted hip-flexor stretch, face down, fully clothed.
Your Medical Massage Appointment
Tell Us What’s Bothering You
We’ll start by talking about where you’re experiencing pain, tightness or restricted movement and what activities seem to aggravate it.
Focused Hands-On Treatment
Your treatment is directed toward the muscles and soft tissues related to your complaint. Depending on your needs, we may combine trigger point work, deep tissue techniques, stretching, pin and stretch, IASTM and myofascial techniques.
Leave With a Plan
When appropriate, we may recommend simple stretches, mobility exercises or other things you can do at home to help maintain your progress between visits.
Appointments are approximately 30 minutes, allowing us to keep the treatment focused and efficient.
Your Treatment May Be Covered by Insurance
SoundCare participates with many major insurance plans including Regence, Premera, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Ambetter, Coordinated Care, Uniform Medical Plan and others.
No referral from your medical doctor or primary care physician is necessary. You can book directly with us.
Coverage varies by plan and benefits, so having health insurance does not necessarily mean every service will be covered.
Treatment for Active Bodies
You don’t have to be injured to have an area that isn’t moving or feeling the way you want it to.
Running, cycling, weight training, skiing, hiking, golf and other activities can leave particular muscles and soft tissues sore or tight. Repetitive work and long hours at a computer can do the same thing.
Medical massage allows us to concentrate on those specific areas rather than spending your appointment on muscles that aren’t bothering you.
Common treatment areas include the shoulders, forearms, elbows, hip flexors, glutes, IT band, hamstrings, calves and surrounding tendons.
Whether your goal is to get back to an activity or simply move more comfortably, treatment can be adapted to what you need.
Range of motion measured at the exam, so the area treated is the one that is actually restricted.
Medical Massage After an Auto Accident
Muscle pain and tightness are common after auto accidents, particularly around the neck, shoulders and back.
Medical massage can be incorporated into an injury-treatment plan when soft-tissue treatment is appropriate for your condition.
Washington auto insurance policies may include Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits that can help pay for medically necessary treatment following a collision. Coverage depends on your individual policy and claim.
Neck and shoulder pain is often the first thing felt after a collision.
If you’ve recently been in an auto accident and aren’t sure how to get started, contact us and we’ll help you determine the appropriate next step.
Experienced, Hands-On Care
SoundCare Chiropractic was founded with a straightforward approach to musculoskeletal care: listen to the patient, identify the areas that need attention, provide effective hands-on treatment and give people practical ways to help themselves between visits.
Our medical massage appointments follow that same philosophy.
Treatment is individualized to the problem you came in with rather than following the same routine at every appointment. We combine hands-on soft-tissue techniques, stretching and movement-based treatment as appropriate to help reduce pain and improve mobility.
There are no treatment contracts, prepaid plans or pressure to schedule more care than you need.
Dr. Joshua L. Penner, DC — the same person who examines you and does the hands-on work.
Medical Massage FAQs
What is medical massage?
Medical massage is focused soft-tissue treatment directed toward a specific painful, tight or restricted area rather than a general full-body relaxation massage. At SoundCare, treatment may combine deep tissue work, trigger point therapy, stretching, pin and stretch, IASTM and other hands-on techniques.
Do I need to undress?
No. Treatment is performed through comfortable workout clothes. Athletic shorts, leggings, T-shirts and other flexible clothing work well.
How long is an appointment?
Medical massage appointments are approximately 30 minutes and are designed to concentrate treatment on the areas that need attention.
Does medical massage hurt?
Some techniques involve firm pressure and may temporarily reproduce tenderness in a tight or sensitive muscle, but treatment should remain tolerable. Tell us what you’re feeling and we can adjust the pressure or technique.
Do I need a doctor’s referral?
No. You can schedule directly with us without a referral from your primary care physician or medical doctor.
Does insurance cover medical massage?
It may. SoundCare participates with many major insurance plans, but coverage depends on your individual plan and benefits. Contact us if you’d like help determining whether your insurance is one we accept.
How many visits will I need?
It depends on the problem, how long you’ve had it and how you respond to treatment. Some people come in for a short episode of care while others occasionally return when a particular problem flares up. We don’t require treatment contracts or prepaid plans.
Is medical massage the same as a relaxation massage?
No. Although both involve hands-on soft-tissue treatment, this service is designed around a specific musculoskeletal complaint rather than relaxation or a full-body massage routine.
Can medical massage be combined with chiropractic care?
Yes. Muscle and joint problems often occur together, and soft-tissue treatment can be used alongside chiropractic care when appropriate. You don’t have to receive chiropractic treatment to schedule a medical massage appointment.
Ready to Work on What’s Bothering You?
Get focused, hands-on treatment for painful, tight or restricted muscles and soft tissues.
30-minute appointments · Most insurance accepted · No referral required · Convenient Woodinville location
SoundCare Chiropractic — Woodinville
Questions about treatment or insurance? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
17924 140th Ave NE, Suite 100, Woodinville, WA 98072 — inside Tree of Health Integrative Medicine
Monday 9–5 · Friday 9–4 · 425‑215‑1880