Why Am I Always Told to Work on My Core?!
As a therapist I love giving analogies, probably because this is the way I like to learn. Common sense, applied to other scenarios and easy to understand. The body is not so easy to understand but some of the basic principles are when you break it down. I am always asked about low back pain, […]
The Mind Body Connection
Sometimes during certain soft-tissue release techniques in treatment, I will instruct my client on their breathing, asking them to “breathe up into my contact”, or to expand their lungs slowly on the inhale and visualize the area we are working on softening, relaxing and “letting go” as they exhale. The result is a faster tissue release […]
Visceral Massage
Sounds strange doesn’t it? Most people don’t really know what it is but it’s less complicated than you think. Viscera is a term used for our organs and visceral massage works to release the adhesions around the organs and position them in proper alignment for optimal function. Tension within the abdomen, pelvic dysfunction, and poor posture […]
Referred Pain
Here are some scenarios I see as a massage therapist: “I had this chest pain that radiated to the arm last week but had gone to emergency and had all of the tests and nothing could be found.” Or “I have low back pain that keeps recurring intermittently for the last few years. But no […]
Whiplash 101
What is Whiplash? Whiplash is a sudden acceleration-deceleration of the head, most often during a motor vehicle accident, can cause injury and strain neck muscles and surrounding soft tissues. This type of injury is commonly referred to as whiplash. In such an event, the neck and head are suddenly forced backward and then forward, putting […]
Diaphragmatic Breathing: Take a Deep Breath
Take a deep breath…. When you inhaled did your belly inflate? If so, great! You were breathing through your diaphragm. If not, you are among the many and all too common chest breathers. Throughout our lives many of us start using our chest to breathe. Stress, poor posture, excess weight and many other reasons, encourage […]
Shoulder Pain
This time of year, we start seeing a lot of shoulder injuries pop up as volleyball, baseball, and ultimate seasons start up. Although we’ve been waiting all winter to get back into action, we have to remember that we don’t go from zero to hero in one day. So try these few pointers to get […]
Delayed Onset of Muscle Soreness
You just finish a great workout. Your muscles are warm, your heart rate is up, and you feel pumped up. You’re feeling energized with a sense of accomplishment. The exercise gives you gratifying deep and restful sleep at night. You wake up the next day and BAM! You feel stiff and sore and the simple […]
What do you do (as a massage therapist) to prevent injuring yourself?
Honing technique – As an RMT, it helps to pay attention to your workload in relation to your schedule. Hopefully, at the end of the day, you are not working so much or so hard as to injure yourself. A common example I see with RMTs, are thumb injuries. If injuries are common, then using […]