Altea Centro & Jim Radcliffe Sports Massage

After living in Lanzarote for over 20 years, the name Jim Radcliffe at Altea Centro in Tías had been recommended to me countless times. It was only this year, after struggling with an arm injury for well over a year and trying multiple other treatments with little improvement, that I finally decided to book an appointment with him — and I honestly wish I’d done it sooner.

Getting in touch was really easy through WhatsApp, and although Jim is understandably very busy, it’s definitely worth booking ahead if you can. That said, cancellations do happen, so if you have an urgent issue it’s always worth checking if he can fit you in. His clinic is conveniently located on the main street in Tías, just five minutes from Puerto del Carmen, with easy access and parking nearby.

Jim is incredibly professional, knowledgeable, and experienced. My first appointment was for an hour (€50, which I found very reasonable), and from the first session I could tell I was in good hands. Since originally going to him for my arm injury, I’ve also been back with other issues, all of which he’s helped improve significantly. Some problems naturally need multiple sessions, but the progress has been clear every time.

One treatment Jim uses is dry needling, which I’d never heard of before seeing him. Dry needling is a modern therapy technique used by trained therapists to treat muscle pain, tension, tight knots, and injuries. It involves inserting very fine sterile needles into specific trigger points within the muscles — areas that are tight, inflamed, or not functioning properly. Unlike acupuncture, which is based on traditional Chinese medicine, dry needling is focused on the muscular and nervous systems and is used specifically to help with pain relief, mobility, and recovery.

The treatment works by helping muscles release tension, improving blood circulation, reducing inflammation, and encouraging the body’s natural healing response. Sometimes you can actually feel the muscle twitch or release during treatment, which is a strange sensation at first but often brings noticeable relief afterwards. It’s commonly used for sports injuries, repetitive strain problems, chronic pain, trapped nerves, shoulder and arm injuries, back pain, and muscle tightness.

I’ve now had several dry needling sessions on my arm with Jim, and the improvement has honestly been dramatic. After trying so many other things over the past year, this was the first treatment that genuinely made a real difference.

Yesterday Jim also used Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM), another treatment technique I hadn’t experienced before. This involves using specially designed handheld tools to work on muscles, tendons, and connective tissue. The tools help identify areas of tightness, scar tissue, restrictions, or inflammation that can sometimes be difficult to target with hands alone. The treatment helps break down scar tissue and adhesions, improves mobility and blood flow, reduces pain and stiffness, and encourages the body’s healing process. Although some areas can feel tender during treatment, afterwards you can really feel the difference in movement and reduced tension.

What I really like is that Jim doesn’t use a “one treatment fits all” approach. He adapts the treatment depending on the injury and what your body actually needs at the time, combining different techniques where necessary to get the best results.

On top of all that, Jim is genuinely friendly, easy to talk to, and immediately puts you at ease the moment you walk in. He takes the time to explain what’s causing the issue, answers questions clearly, and never makes you feel rushed. You can tell he genuinely cares about helping people recover properly rather than just treating symptoms temporarily.

I can 100% recommend Jim Radcliffe at Altea Centro to anyone dealing with sports injuries, muscle pain, recovery problems, or ongoing physical issues. Absolutely first-class treatment and service.

Altea Centro is located in Tias, just five minutes from Puerto del Carmen and itself also offers a wide range of other health and wellbeing services, which makes it a fantastic place overall. They offer things such as Yoga, Pilates classes, Pelvic Floor Classes, Physiotherapy & Rehabilitation, Advanced Beauty Treatments, Massages, Chinese medicine including Accupuncture, Osteopathy, and various other therapies and treatments, it´s really a holistic approach to health and recovery all under one roof.