📍 20 Ainsdale Close, Worthing BN13 2QX
📞 07947502512
jan@zendenworthing.com
Clinical soft-tissue therapy · Worthing

Remedial Massage Therapy in Worthing — assess, treat, restore function

Jan Bugar performing a remedial shoulder-mobility treatment at Zen Den Worthing
L5
FHT Jan BugarSports & Remedial Therapist

Assessment-led treatment for a specific problem — back, neck and shoulder pain, sciatica, frozen shoulder, sports injuries and postural strain. Not a generic rub-down: I find the cause, then choose the right techniques to fix it. With Jan Bugar, Level 5 FHT-registered.

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  • 5.0 · 66 Google reviews
  • Level 5 FHT-registered
  • Fully insured
  • Since 2021
Jan Bugar, Zen Den Worthing

Written & reviewed by Jan Bugar Level 5 FHT-registered Sports & Remedial Massage Therapist · About Jan → · LinkedIn ↗

FHT member · fully insured Worthing · since 2021
The plain-English version

What is remedial massage?

Remedial massage is an assessment-led, outcome-focused soft-tissue treatment for a specific musculoskeletal problem. The aim isn’t just to feel good for an hour — it’s to find what’s actually causing your pain or restriction and treat it.

In practice that means I start by assessing you — how you move, where it hurts, what makes it worse — and then select the right hands-on techniques for the job: deep tissue, myofascial release, trigger-point work, soft-tissue release, muscle-energy technique and targeted stretching. Remedial massage isn’t one technique; it’s the clinical use of all of them, chosen from what the assessment tells me.

Book remedial if you have…

  • Lower back pain or sciatica
  • Neck & shoulder pain or stiffness
  • Frozen shoulder or rotator-cuff trouble
  • A sports injury or recurring strain
  • RSI or desk-related postural pain
  • Tennis/golfer’s elbow or ITB pain
  • Tension headaches with a muscular cause

Probably not the best fit if…

Quick start

What’s bothering you?

Tap your issue to jump to how I treat it — or pick a different treatment below if remedial isn’t quite the right fit.

Conditions I treat

Looking for something else?

Which one do I need?

How remedial differs from my other treatments

All six treatments share the same skill set — the difference is intent. Remedial is the one to choose when you have a specific problem you want fixed. If a different treatment fits better, the table links you straight to it.

Comparison of massage treatments at Zen Den Worthing by intent
Treatment Main intent Best for
RemedialThis page Diagnose → treat → resolve a specific problem Assessment, treatment plans, conditions, rehab
Deep tissue Sustained firm pressure for chronic tightness & knots Stubborn knots, full-body decompression
Sports Pre/post-event maintenance & performance Athletes, event prep, DOMS recovery
Myofascial release Release fascial restriction & scar tissue Fascia, scars, gentle sustained holds
Lymphatic (MLD) Stimulate lymph flow for swelling/immunity Oedema, post-surgical recovery
Swedish Whole-body relaxation & stress relief Stress, sleep, switching off
Inside the studio

A calm, private space in Worthing

Tranquil treatment room at Zen Den Worthing with soft green walls and botanical decor
Jan applying a remedial shoulder-mobility technique on a client
Treatment room with calming green walls and plants at Zen Den Worthing
Targeted remedial massage technique applied for pain relief
A remedial session in progress at Zen Den Worthing
How a session works

Your assessment & treatment, step by step

Every remedial session follows the same clinical path — assess first, treat second. That’s what separates remedial work from a routine rub-down.

  1. 1

    Online consultation form

    Before you arrive you complete a short health-history form — current medications, past injuries, what you want from the session. It saves hands-on time on the day.

  2. 2

    In-clinic assessment

    We talk through what’s going on, then I assess: range-of-motion testing, postural analysis and palpation to find the real source of the problem.

  3. 3

    Treatment plan agreed with you

    I tell you what I’ve found before I start, in plain English, and we agree what we’re working on and why — no mystery, no surprises.

  4. 4

    Hands-on treatment

    I work through the plan, checking pressure and comfort as I go. You’ll understand what I’m doing rather than just receiving it.

  5. 5

    Aftercare & rebooking guidance

    Simple self-care for between sessions, realistic spacing for the next few appointments, and what to watch for. If it’s outside my scope, I refer you on.

The techniques I select from

These are tools, not packages — I choose the right ones based on what the assessment shows.

  • 1

    Myofascial release

    Gentle, sustained pressure to free restrictions in the connective tissue.

  • 2

    Soft-tissue release (STR)

    Targeted pressure combined with movement to release adhesions.

  • 3

    Sports massage

    Faster, rhythmic strokes to flush muscle and support recovery.

  • 4

    Deep tissue

    Slower, deeper work for chronic tightness and stubborn knots.

  • 5

    Assisted stretching

    Lengthening shortened muscles to improve range of motion.

  • 6

    Muscle-energy technique (MET)

    You gently engage and relax muscles to restore length and range.

  • 7

    Trigger-point therapy

    Releasing the specific knots that refer pain elsewhere.

What I treat

Conditions I commonly treat in Worthing

Remedial massage is well suited to muscular and soft-tissue problems. Here’s what people most often come to me for — and where it sits alongside the wider evidence.

  • Lower back pain

    Lumbar, glute and piriformis soft-tissue work for muscular low-back pain. If it’s disc-related, I’ll refer you on.

    Read: lower back pain relief →

  • Sciatica

    Piriformis and glute release for sciatic-type symptoms with a muscular cause. Disc-origin sciatica gets a referral.

    Read: sciatica & deep tissue →

  • Neck pain & stiffness

    Releasing tight upper-trapezius, levator scapulae and deep neck muscles that build up from screens, driving and stress.

    Read: neck pain and stiffness →

  • Shoulder pain & frozen shoulder

    Staged work for adhesive capsulitis, rotator-cuff dysfunction and the postural shoulder tension of desk work.

    Read: shoulder pain relief →

  • Tension headaches & migraine

    Addressing the neck and shoulder muscle tension that drives many tension-type headaches.

    Read: headache & migraine relief →

  • Sports injuries & DOMS

    Soft-tissue rehab for strains and overuse injuries, plus recovery work for delayed-onset muscle soreness after training.

    Read: sports injuries & muscle strains →

  • RSI & postural pain

    For desk workers and repetitive-strain patterns: forward head posture, rounded shoulders, tight hip flexors and thoracic stiffness.

What I see in clinic

On low back pain

Most clients with back pain come in convinced it’s a disc or something structural. In the great majority of cases it’s muscular — glutes, piriformis and lumbar tightness from too much sitting. One focused session is usually enough to restore most of the movement. If it doesn’t respond, that tells me to refer you on.

On long-standing shoulder pain

Shoulder clients often come in having lived with the same pain for years, assuming it’s just how they are now. In most cases it’s tight rotator-cuff muscles, fascial restriction and postural drift accumulating slowly. The first session usually unlocks more movement than people expect, and a few more sessions consolidate the change.

On sitting-related stiffness

The most common cause I see isn’t the gym — it’s the chair. Plenty of Worthing clients exercise two or three times a week and are still stiff because they sit eight hours a day. Hip flexors, glutes and lower back tighten until something gives. Massage doesn’t replace moving more, but it does break the pattern.

These are patterns I see in clinic, not promises — every body is different. What I always promise is honesty: if your problem needs a GP, physio or specialist, I’ll tell you straight.

First time? Read this

What it actually feels like

Honestly: for remedial work to do anything, I need your muscles soft and pliable. When you tense up against the pressure, I can’t feel what’s actually happening in the tissue, your muscle is pushing back against my hands, and I’d have to work harder to get anywhere — which helps nobody. So no grit-your-teeth ten-out-of-ten pain. If you’re bracing, the pressure is wrong. The session needs to be genuinely comfortable — firm where it needs to be, but always at a level where your body can stay relaxed. I check pressure constantly, and you can ask me to ease off any time.

You stay covered with a towel throughout — only the area I’m treating is uncovered — and I’ll talk you through what I’m doing as we go. A day or two of mild tenderness afterwards can be normal, especially after deeper work, and shouldn’t last longer than that.

1Before

Wear loose, comfortable clothing and complete the online consultation form from your booking email. Come a little hydrated and avoid a heavy meal right beforehand.

2During

We confirm the plan, you get comfortable on the table under a towel, and I work through the agreed areas — checking pressure and comfort throughout. Speak up any time; communication is the whole point.

3After

Drink plenty of water, keep moving gently, and take it easy for the rest of the day. Mild tenderness can last 24–48 hours. I’ll give you simple self-care and realistic timing for any follow-up.

Transparent pricing

Remedial massage prices & session length

The vast majority of clients feel the difference right after the session. Sometimes one session is enough; sometimes a follow-up consolidates the work; more stubborn or long-standing problems can take a few more sessions to fully resolve.

  • Remedial · 30 min

    £30

    Focused single-area treatment

    Book 30 min
  • Most popular

    Remedial · 60 min

    £60

    The standard remedial session

    Book 60 min

  • Remedial · 90 min

    £80

    Complex or multi-area cases

    Book 90 min

No hidden charges

Save with packages

  • Membership — £50/year: £10 off every 60 & 90-minute session for 12 months.
  • Silver — £200: four 60-minute sessions, ideal for working through a recurring issue.
  • Gold — £280: four 90-minute sessions for deeper or multi-area work.

See the full pricing page for every treatment. FHT membership is recognised by some private health cash plans — always check your individual policy before booking, as cover varies.

Jan Bugar, Level 5 FHT sports and remedial massage therapist at Zen Den Worthing
Your therapist

Jan Bugar

Sports & Remedial Massage Therapist · Member of the Federation of Holistic Therapists · Worthing

I’m the only therapist at Zen Den Worthing, so every appointment is with me — same hands, same notes, same understanding of your case from one session to the next. I trained through Brighton Holistics, working up to the Level 5 Diploma in Sports Massage Therapy, the highest sports-massage qualification the FHT recognises, and I’ve been doing this full-time since 2021.

Remedial work is what I most enjoy — the detective side of finding why something hurts and actually resolving it. I’m not a miracle worker, and if your problem is outside the scope of massage I’ll tell you and refer you on. Your recovery matters more than my appointment book.

  • Level 5 Diploma — Sports Massage Therapy (FHT)
  • Level 4 Diploma — Sports Massage (FHT)
  • Level 3 Diploma — Body Massage (FHT/ITEC/VTCT)
  • Full FHT member
  • Fully insured
  • DBS-checked
  • Worthing & Adur Chamber of Commerce
More about me → LinkedIn ↗
Safety first

When remedial massage needs care or clearance

For most people remedial massage is safe and well tolerated. In some situations it isn’t suitable, or needs medical clearance first — including:

  • Active infection or a high temperature
  • DVT or a known blood-clotting disorder
  • Recent surgery (within ~6 weeks, unless cleared)
  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure
  • Cancer in active treatment (without oncology clearance)
  • Pregnancy at any stage (specialist pregnancy therapist needed)
  • Broken skin or active inflammation in the area

Please flag any of these on your consultation form — I’ll always check first. If massage isn’t the right or safe option for you, I’ll say so and point you to the right professional.

Client outcomes

What remedial clients say

5.0 from 66 Google reviews

  • ★★★★★

    “Jan is amazing! Two remedial massages greatly improved my back. Very professional and relaxing space.”

    — Occy B., Google review

  • ★★★★★

    “Expected sports massage, got remedial. Best massage ever. Highly recommend.”

    — Lorraine C., Google review

  • ★★★★★

    “It’s been a delight receiving remedial treatment from Jan.”

    — Mark R., Google review

Read all 66 reviews on Google →
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