Remedial massage
Firm pressure
30–60 min $$$
Explore Remedial massageTypes of massage compared in Perth
Remedial, deep tissue, relaxation and the rest — what actually differs once you are on the table. Pressure, what you wear, whether anyone assesses you first, and whether your fund will pay.
Deep tissue massage
Firm pressure
30–60 min $$$
Explore Deep tissue massageRelaxation (Swedish)
Quiet Light touch
60–90 min $$$
Explore Relaxation (Swedish)Sports massage
Firm pressure Sound-led
30–60 min $$$
Explore Sports massageAt a glance
Where these differ most. Everything is a description of the session, never a promise about you.
| Attribute | Remedial massage | Deep tissue massage | Relaxation (Swedish) | Sports massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure | ●●●●● 4/5 High | ●●●●● 5/5 Very high | ●●●●● 2/5 Low | ●●●●● 4/5 High |
| Quietness | ●●●●● 3/5 Moderate | ●●●●● 3/5 Moderate | ●●●●● 5/5 Very high | ●●●●● 2/5 Low |
| You are | Face down, then face up, on a table | Face down, then face up, on a table | Face down, then face up, on a table | On a table, sometimes in shorts for leg work |
| What you wear | Undressed to your comfort, draped with a towel | Undressed to your comfort, draped with a towel | Undressed to your comfort, draped with a towel | Draped, or shorts and a singlet |
| Assessed first | Yes — questions, and often movement tests | Brief — where it hurts, and how firm you want it | A short intake form, no testing | Yes — what you train and what is sore |
| What gets worked | Usually one or two areas | One or two areas, worked slowly | Whole body, in one flowing sequence | The muscles your sport loads |
Scroll sideways for the rest
Oria Haven insight
- Deep tissue massage works the firmest of these; Relaxation (Swedish) is the lightest touch.
- Relaxation (Swedish) is the quietest room of the set.
Scores describe a typical Perth session — what the hour is like, not what it will do for you. Individual studios vary; their listings carry the specifics.
On the table
| Attribute | Remedial massage | Deep tissue massage | Relaxation (Swedish) | Sports massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressure Resting hands (1) to as firm as you can take (5) | ●●●●● 4/5 High | ●●●●● 5/5 Very high | ●●●●● 2/5 Low | ●●●●● 4/5 High |
| You are | Face down, then face up, on a table | Face down, then face up, on a table | Face down, then face up, on a table | On a table, sometimes in shorts for leg work |
| What you wear | Undressed to your comfort, draped with a towel | Undressed to your comfort, draped with a towel | Undressed to your comfort, draped with a towel | Draped, or shorts and a singlet |
| Quietness Talking throughout (1) to near silence (5) | ●●●●● 3/5 Moderate | ●●●●● 3/5 Moderate | ●●●●● 5/5 Very high | ●●●●● 2/5 Low |
How the session runs
| Attribute | Remedial massage | Deep tissue massage | Relaxation (Swedish) | Sports massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessed first Whether anyone asks questions or tests movement before starting | Yes — questions, and often movement tests | Brief — where it hurts, and how firm you want it | A short intake form, no testing | Yes — what you train and what is sore |
| What gets worked | Usually one or two areas | One or two areas, worked slowly | Whole body, in one flowing sequence | The muscles your sport loads |
| Typical session | 30–60 min | 30–60 min | 60–90 min | 30–60 min |
| The next day How the modality usually leaves people feeling, not a promise | Can be tender for a day afterwards | Commonly tender for a day or two | Rarely any soreness | Can be tender, depending how close to an event |
Practical
| Attribute | Remedial massage | Deep tissue massage | Relaxation (Swedish) | Sports massage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical price | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ | $$$ |
| Private health Always confirm with your own fund and therapist | Often claimable with an accredited therapist — check your fund | Sometimes, where an accredited therapist bills it as remedial | No — relaxation massage is not claimable | Often claimable with an accredited therapist |
Which one sounds more like you?
A summary of the differences above, not advice — only you know which you would rather walk into.
Still not sure?
Four questions, about a minute, and the Finder narrows it to what fits — drawn from practices checked by hand.
Take the Wellness FinderReady to explore?
Try them for yourself
A few places offering what you compared — somewhere to start, not a shortlist.
The Joondalup room of the national endota chain, inside Lakeside shopping centre. The menu is the full spa spread: relaxation, remedial, hot stone and pregnancy massage, organic and clinical facials including LED, microdermabrasion and peels, plus body wraps and scrubs and the usual beauty services. Packages run from half an hour to three hours. A separate endota operates at Joondalup Resort, so check which one a booking is for.
Remedial massage inside a physiotherapy practice on Cambridge Street, with therapist Yoko Murai (Massage & Myotherapy Australia member) working 45, 60 and 90-minute sessions on deeper muscle tension and chronic tightness. Health-fund rebates process on site, and Saturdays are covered.
A Perth day-spa institution running since 1994, with rooms in Nedlands and at Carine Glades in Duncraig. The massage menu spans relaxation, full-body, deep tissue, hot stone, pregnancy and remedial work, sitting alongside facials, infrared sauna and full spa packages — the classic long-afternoon escape as much as a treatment stop.
Claimed
A small network of remedial rooms across Wembley, Subiaco and Nedlands, built around assessment-led treatment rather than a fixed rub-down — remedial and sports massage, pregnancy massage, manual lymphatic drainage, with dry needling and myofascial cupping where the practitioner judges them suitable. Each clinic books separately through Fresha.