|
|
Massage Blog
Active Blog List:
Therapeutic Massage
The Big Difference
On-Site Massage
Lower Back Problems?
Therapeutic Massage
Overview
Therapeutic massage is a term used to include a variety of massage working for the improvement and well-being of a body's musculature where it relates to management of muscle pain, range of motion, alignment of spine, control and aspect of bone and joints through muscle attachment points. Included are medical massage and work in physical therapy, accident / injury rehabilitation, chiropractic adjunct, orthopaedics, pregnancy, stress management and various alternative and complimentary medical practices.
I personally also include any kind of urgent care of aches and pain resulting from muscle pull, sprains and strains, overwork, hyperextension, trigger points and repetitious movement and static stress.
How Therapeutic Massage Works
Most therapeutic massage involves manipulating muscle tissue and tendon to relax and elongate to its normal length, allowing the body to recover and operate normally, without pain or stiffness.
Essentially, a muscle that is abnormally contracted creates chain reaction of pain and misalignment that eventually affects how our skeletons position bones and joints. When muscles contract for too long a time, our bodies compensate to make up for the dis-ease in musculature. In other words, we develop limps, subluxations and misalignments develop in our spines and joints. We may carry one shoulder higher than the other. We might develop a twisted or improperly curved spine or carry our head at an angle without even realizing it. We might not be able to turn our heads properly, raise our arms or legs, stand or sit straight or result in any number of other postural changes and poor habits.
In other situations, we may develop aches and pains associated with hyper/hypotonic (overly or underly contracted) muscles. These may result in headaches, tingling in the arms or legs, feeling of limitation in the costal region (ribs) and may eventually cause syndromes such as carpal tunnel and restless legs.
Finally, trigger points result in localized and what we call referred pain. Trigger points are commonly known as "knots" in your muscles. While they can appear nearly anywhere you have muscles, people tend to notice them more grouped in the upper back, neck and face. Pain from trigger points can be felt right at the "knot", but it may also be felt elsewhere in the body where no trigger point exists. There are many reasons for this, but primarily, referred pain is idiopathic -- we simply don't know the cause. Luckily, a vast majority of these points have been mapped along with the location of where referral generally appears. So don't be too surprised if you complain of pain somewhere in your face and your therapist works on your neck.
Therapeutic Massage vs Medical Massage
Massage performed by script from your healthcare provider is considered Medical Massage. Otherwise, it is more generally referred to as Therapeutic.
Relaxation Massage vs Therapeutic Massage
This blog directly concerns therapeutic massage, which is more rehabilitory than relaxing or pampering. When I perform therapeutic massage on a client, it is problem area-specific. For instance, a client may come to me because of a minor shoulder rotator cuff injury they acquired playing a family baseball game over the weekend. I would focus the majority of the session on the shoulder in question. If it's a carpal tunnel issue, I might work on both the area around the wrist, but also the entire arm and perhaps the neck because some symptoms of carpal tunnel result from a cinched nerve passing through a region of tight neck muscles. The point of therapeutic massage is that there is a problem area that needs to be addressed, the body is out of balance and bodywork may help soft tissues return to a pain-free, normal existence.
I've never had someone come to me asking for me to search their entire body for "knots" and get rid of them. Usually, people don't complain too much about knots for some reason. Maybe because they don't know that they have them -- they're not always evident. Sometimes, we think our backs are in knots, but there might only be a general tension in the upper back or neck. Trigger points are not always easy to find, either. They may be superficial, that is, close to the surface of the skin or they might be deep and hidden way down in tissue well-below layers of body fat and more superficial muscles. I always ask if people want me to try to release knots if I find them. Probably 95% of my clients say yes.
I personally try to incorporate a little therapeutic massage in every massage session if the client is interested in it. Think of it as making the best of a good situation. You're there, I'm there, you may have trigger points, I might as well work them out if I can. Likewise, I think there's a lot to be said for working some relaxation into a therapeutic massage session. You get a more well-rounded massage and more long-term benefits from combining the two. Moreover, I believe that working solely on an area or two on your body may help that area, but the idea of massage aims to help the entire body return to balance, not just an area.
How I Can Help You!
About 60% of my clients ask particularly for or need therapeutic massage; that is, they present with aches, pains or particular work they want done because it's causing them discomfort, they're losing sleep or having symptoms of other problems. Included in these are clients who are seeing a chiropractor on a regular basis and have found that massage works very well with their chiro adjustments. Others have diagnosed symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome or do a lot of repetitious movement such as typing or production line work and their bodies have become accustomed to limited movements.
Although sports massage is not entirely different from medical massage, therapeutic massage may well come into play for the sports enthusiast. Not only for the removal of trigger points, but to elongate shortened muscles from working out, running, jumping and other rigorous exercise. In fact, massage is not good just for the post-workout, but pre-workout as well. Massage warms up the soft tissues in preparation for work and helps stretching become more completely activated than trying to warm up cold muscles.
What Are You Waiting For?
You generally watch what you eat, get some exercise and enjoy feeling good. Try incorporating my massage work into your body's preventive maintenance program and see how it helps YOU! Book your appointment online TODAY and start enjoying the benefits of massage!
June 25, 2010
The Big Difference
I've been working on this one for years, believe it or not. Let me explain. Bodywork on the whole is a series of different therapies which have evolved through the millenia to essentially promote a body's return to wellness. Using the presumption that your body is 100% fine at some point in your life and for any number of reasons is no longer, bodywork proposes to help your body return to proper pain-free alignment, range of motion and ability ON ITS OWN, facilitating this by various forms of muscle release and elongation, assisting in the movement of lymph and blood circulation and so on.
So if all bodyworkers, including massage therapists, are working towards this end, how do we individually stand out from the crowd? Every business tries to find its niche in society and markets itself to the consumer its basis of thinking for why you should patronize IT over its competitors. Massage is no different. Every therapist within a given radius of another therapist is a competitor in some respect. Thus, I've tried to locate my little niche in the world of therapeutic massage.
I believe I've found it!
Personally, my belief is that massage therapy can be reduced to three distinct types of work -- medical, general therapeutic and relaxation. All are therapeutic in nature and can, therefore, be described as therapeutic massage or massage therapy without ruffling any feathers. I believe in all three types of work as beneficial to any living thing. Touch therapy is proven as a necessity among most forms of life, humans included...humans especially! Unless you're terrifically avert to physical contact with another person, chances are that your life is vastly improved by reaching out and touching or being touched by someone.
I love doing relaxation massage and I love how people tell me how incredible they feel after receiving a Swedish relaxation or spa massage. Specifically therapeutic work, however, requires significantly more thought to troubleshooting a complaint, ache, pain, limitation or misalignment for the therapist to come up with the best combination of bodywork to resolve the client's problem.
And this aspect of the work is where I've found my niche -- troubleshooting a client's problem and getting right to the root of it through consultation, testing, evaluation, doing the massage work and giving the client homework (stretching or strengthening exercises) between visits. Right here in Manchester, NH!
While we all do this to some extent or another, the troubleshooting and fix are where I stand out amongst my peers. I'm good at it, I enjoy it and my clients all benefit greatly from this talent.
It's nice to know yourself.
So if you're looking for an outstanding massage therapist, one that can really help you, whether it's stress reduction, recovery from sport activities or rehabilitation from accident or injury, please see me. I have accommodating hours and very reasonable rates. You'll be glad you did.
NOTE: I should state here in no uncertain terms that licensed massage therapists are legally unable to diagnose medical conditions -- it is beyond our scope of practice to do so without medical field licensing.
June 17, 2010
On-Site Massage
A growing number of businesses are providing wellness programs in the workplace. Some offer wellness days a few times a year, some bring healthcare providers into the workplace on a regular basis for their employees. All are invited to attend, usually during specific hours or during work breaks, with the intention of being proactive in the health and welfare of their employees.
It's good for both sides: employers see an increase in productivity and awareness in their workers, a reduction in healthcare costs and out of work time, and a chain reaction that makes employees become more aware of what they eat, how they exercise and so on.
Employees become more alert, fit and able to do the jobs their employers require of them, increase stamina and trade poor health habits for a good diet and exercise program, improve immunity to colds and other illnesses. They are happier, healthier, less stressful and more vital on the job. An additional benefit is that the program brings together employees who may not otherwise bond or have something in common with their fellow workers, increase the good feelings about the workplace and loyalty to the company that cares.
Some of the most pervasive and costly health problems in the workplace include stress, physical problems associated with workers jobs -- sitting or standing for long periods, repetitive motion syndrome, heavy and improper lifting and carrying and many others. Cost of these health problems to employers in lower productivity, lost work days, worker's compensation claims and other health care expenses is staggering.
Enter Massage Therapy
Massage has long been associated with reducing stress, relieving muscle aches and pains and improvement in range of motion. What's more, massage is becoming more available in the form of On-Site Massage. Here's how it works:
On-Site Massage offers the beneifts of massage in a public area by using a massage chair or desktop station instead of table and the recipient remains fully clothed. No oils or lotions are used. Massage techniques which are effective through clothing are used and the session focuses on the upper body -- head, neck, shoulders, upper and lower back and arms. The session can last anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes.
On-Site Massage is convenient, time efficient and relatively inexpensive. It offers a high return on your investment and has proven to be highly popular in workplaces which provide it.
Call me today to discuss bringing On-Site Massage into your workplace and let's get started!
June 12, 2010
Lower Back Problems?
A lot of people have them. Did you know the European Union did a study on the subject of lost-time injuries in its community and found back injury led the way for time lost accidents, injuries and causes of employees missing work. Second place wasn't even close.
You've probably seen the commercial here in the states for Dr. Scholl's shoe inserts benefitting those of us with nagging back problems. I'm no expert in proper shoe wearing, but there is a connection between your feet and back, especially lower back. However, there are many other things at work back there and shoe inserts aren't always the answer you're looking for.
In fact, there are a laundry list of check points when diagnosing lower back problems. What's worse is that it may not be simply one cause of back pain; there may be many separate issues at work. As a massage therapist, I can't legally diagnose your problems. What I CAN do is help eliminate some of them.
Massage works directly with the soft tissues of the body -- skin, muscle and connective tissue. Therapeutic massge helps these tissues return to a normal state of being -- no pain or constriction (that's right -- healthy muscles don't hurt and don't contain knots!), proper elongation, appropriate tensioning and de-tensioning as you move -- so your body will work as described in your DNA and genes. In other words, the way it's supposed to.
Suffice to say that pain in your back very well may result from any number of causes and therapeutic massage is proven to help.
Enter my newest service: isolating those specific muscles that report lower back pain and improving their condition to help your body return to a normal, pain-free existence. I do that by working directly on structural and integral muscles deep down at the bone that are difficult to stretch yet do the most work. Remember that old children's sing-song, "...the thigh bone is connected to the hip bone..."? It's all connected.
So if you have lower back pain, come see me for a 20 to 30 minute tune-up massage of those nagging muscles and feel the relief! Better yet, combine the tune-up with a full-body relaxation massage -- great idea!
May 22, 2010
|
|
|
|