So many people say that they have Sciatica, but they don't. Actual sciatica refers to a herniated disc in your back that presses on the sciatic nerve. This obviously needs to be examined and diagnosed by a Dr. This condition causes pain in the low back that refers down thru the hip and into the back of the though all the way down your leg. A lot of people experience this type of pain but do not actually have nerve compression between L5 and S1. Often this painful syndrome is caused by tight hip muscles. The sciatic never comes out of the back and runs between a posterior hip muscles called the Piriformis. If this muscle is tight, it can impinge the nerve and cause the same symptoms as actual sciatic compression in the spine. Also, there are a few other hip muscles (like the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, other deep hip rotators) that when they are tight and consist of Trigger Points, the referral pain pattern will mock sciatica. This is where I come in. I can get in their (usually with my elbow) and release the Trigger Points in these muscles and manipulate the soft tissue so that you can have some relief. It is especially important to have a massage therapist work on these muscles as we will know where all of the structures and attachments are. Plus, we will be able to work on the related muscle groups to alleviate the tightness from the domino affect of everything be connected.
If you have sciatic type pain from these tight muscles, you can prevent by avoiding prolonged standing or leaning, not sitting on a thick wallet, making sure you are properly warmed up for sports events and especially walking uphill as well as stretching your hip out afterwards, proper foot support, and using cruise control on your car when appropriate.
4/16/2010
4/02/2010
Plantar Fasciitis
Plantar Fasciitis is an umbrella term for the inflammation of the connective tissue on the plantar (bottom) surface of the foot connecting on your heel and up towards the toes. It can range from being mildy uncomfortable to excruciatingly painful. Anyone can acquire it, but mostly it occurs to athletes, people standing on their feet for long periods of time, pregnant women, and those with inadequate support. How do you know if you have it? Easy. Does the bottom of your feet hurt when you wake up in the morning? Does the pain return if you've been standing or when you get up from sitting for awhile? If you answered yes, you more than likely have plantar fasciitis. Of course you would need to see a doctor to diagnose this.
For those that have suffered from this condition know that it is quite painful and seems to take forever to heal, but there are a few things that you can do to avoid it:
For those that have suffered from this condition know that it is quite painful and seems to take forever to heal, but there are a few things that you can do to avoid it:
- Avoid walking in barefeet (In shoe-less households try having house-shoes or wearing slippers)
- Make sure you have appropriate support in your footwear.
- Wear orthotics if necessary
- When standing for long periods, take a break and stretch and sit with your feet up.
- Have someone you live with massage your feet at the end of the day.
If you think you have plantar fasciitis, make an appt. with your doctor so that you can start to heal as quickly as possible. Your recovery might include new shoes, orthotics, stretches, exercises, massage, anti-inflammatories, and/or a special boot from your Dr. it is very important to treat this as soon as possible as it can get worse and start to effect the rest of your body. If your foundation is off, it is going to reverberate up your whole body and effect the muscles in your legs, hips and back.
Massage can tremendously help to alleviate the pain and discomfort of plantar fasciitis. During the day (and while you sleep) fluid builds up in your feet. Massage geared towards this condition will assist the body in circulating the fluids back up as well stretching the fascia, tendons and ligaments. With your feet in pain, you are most likely walking differently. This is going to effect the muscles all the way up to your back. To prevent or troubleshoot this chain reaction, a deep tissue massage is your best bet.
3/19/2010
Yoga and Self-Care Stretching
You all know my lectures on daily stretching so I won't go into that. What you don't know is that yoga is not sufficient for self-care. I have had enough clients report this as to make me want to inform you that you need more. Yes, yoga does stretch out your body and make you more flexible and resilient. What it does not do is replace the need for you to stretch out your overworked, muscles from daily wear and tear. Yoga in of itself is a strength training workout. That is why in class the teachers warm you up and stretch you out during the session. I think yoga is a wonderful thing for your body, but it does not replace a daily stretching routine.
2/19/2010
Common Thread
Is it your imagination, or does every single blog and newsletter article go back to you using your body correctly and applying workout principles to everyday activities? NO, it is not.
I obviously cannot stress this point enough. The body is a very intricately designed piece of machinery whose parts were made to function in a certain way. When we use them incorrectly, the parts do not work as well and will end up having some signs of wear and tear. I am clearly an advocate of prevention and good health so I try to always emphasize that you have the power and responsibility to avoid many everyday muscular injuries. One might say it is adventagous of me to keep proclaiming this, after all, don't I want people to be in pain so they will make more appts?? No; I see myself as a medical health professional so I want and strive for you to be well. I see myself as a coach. I am here for support and to help guide you in your health, and when that is not enough I can troubleshoot the problem for you so you are 3 steps ahead than where you were before.
I obviously cannot stress this point enough. The body is a very intricately designed piece of machinery whose parts were made to function in a certain way. When we use them incorrectly, the parts do not work as well and will end up having some signs of wear and tear. I am clearly an advocate of prevention and good health so I try to always emphasize that you have the power and responsibility to avoid many everyday muscular injuries. One might say it is adventagous of me to keep proclaiming this, after all, don't I want people to be in pain so they will make more appts?? No; I see myself as a medical health professional so I want and strive for you to be well. I see myself as a coach. I am here for support and to help guide you in your health, and when that is not enough I can troubleshoot the problem for you so you are 3 steps ahead than where you were before.
2/05/2010
Insurance & Massage
Insurance companies have been covering massages for quite awhile now. Some of them cover the full cost, some partial. Some need a Dr.'s a note saying that you need them and some you can just pay out of your pre-tax account. Either way, this is always good news. To some of your dismay I do not accept insurance. I will provide you with a receipt, and excel chart of your appts, and/or a write up of the work we did, anything for you to be able to get reimbursed. Why don't I just accept your insurance and be done with it? My dad is a dentist and I grew up listening to him and all of his friends gripe about the insurance companies. Problems such as cost and care control or the driving factors. I cant have someone telling me I can only provide a 15 minute massage for someone that needs a full hour etc. I went into private practice for a multitude of reasons, a top one being control issues. I love what I do for a living and I prefer to do it all on my own terms. One simply cannot do that when they are chained to an insurance company. It may be a slight pain in the rear for you, but in the end you really get the most benefit in the current scenario.
1/22/2010
Winter Sports
No one is a bigger kid than me; my favorite holiday is Halloween, I can't resist jumping in a pile of leaves and winter is definitely my time of year. The snow ball fights, sledding, building a snowman, nothing is more fun than playing in the snow knowing at any time I will be able to smush snow in my husband's face without any repercussions.
OK, so let's bring this around to your body and massage. Think of all the other winter pastimes: sledding, skiing, even shoveling. These are all body intensive activities. it is truly imperative that you treat all of these as workouts. You must warm-up, stretch, and make sure you are using proper form. Not only are your muscles working hard to perform the action, but you also have to add the element of keeping balanced, trying to see etc. Without recognizing these are workouts, you could put yourself in a position where you wake up the next day sore and in a lot of pain. To make sure you remain well and can get up early the next day for something else fun, treat these winter activities as workouts. Warm up and stretch with winter sports. Stretching does not include lifting a glass of hot cocoa or Irish coffee, so make sure you get it in before. When performing a snowy clean-up task, remember to warm-up and lift from your legs. If you keep bending over with all the weight of the snow you will most likely hurt your back. Lift with your legs and not only will you avoid the later pain, but you will get an amazing leg and glute workout in the meantime!
OK, so let's bring this around to your body and massage. Think of all the other winter pastimes: sledding, skiing, even shoveling. These are all body intensive activities. it is truly imperative that you treat all of these as workouts. You must warm-up, stretch, and make sure you are using proper form. Not only are your muscles working hard to perform the action, but you also have to add the element of keeping balanced, trying to see etc. Without recognizing these are workouts, you could put yourself in a position where you wake up the next day sore and in a lot of pain. To make sure you remain well and can get up early the next day for something else fun, treat these winter activities as workouts. Warm up and stretch with winter sports. Stretching does not include lifting a glass of hot cocoa or Irish coffee, so make sure you get it in before. When performing a snowy clean-up task, remember to warm-up and lift from your legs. If you keep bending over with all the weight of the snow you will most likely hurt your back. Lift with your legs and not only will you avoid the later pain, but you will get an amazing leg and glute workout in the meantime!
1/08/2010
Ice & Your Low Back
There are multiple muscles that are used in keeping balance; spinalis group, quadratus lombardum, gluteus group, IT etc. These are just the major and larger muscles that assist in this action. All of these large muscles also have a few common boney attachments which leads to a lot of pulling and tugging in the same area in different directions. This can lead to a lot of lower back pain and discomfort.
When we are walking our muscles are functioning in a certain way to provide you with that bipedal action. If we slip on the ice, snow or slush, these muscles are jerked in one direction or another quite quickly. It is not to the degree of a whiplash, but enough of a stretch for a comparison.
So be careful when walking in the winter. Try to wear boots of some sort to keep you stable. if you do fall or slip and are i n pain, of course call me and we can work that out. ;)
When we are walking our muscles are functioning in a certain way to provide you with that bipedal action. If we slip on the ice, snow or slush, these muscles are jerked in one direction or another quite quickly. It is not to the degree of a whiplash, but enough of a stretch for a comparison.
So be careful when walking in the winter. Try to wear boots of some sort to keep you stable. if you do fall or slip and are i n pain, of course call me and we can work that out. ;)
1/05/2010
Maternity Leave
As a reminder, my maternity leave is February thru March. I will be completely connected at this time so please feel free to call or email me with any questions or concerns you may have. Also, you may schedule an appt. for when I return so you do not have to wait for your care. My returning schedule is as follows:
April - I will be back to work on Saturdays from 8am-5pm
May - Along with Saturdays, I am adding my Monday and Thursday evenings where I will be seeing clients in the 5:20, 6:40 and 8pm appt. slots.
June - I plan on being back to on full schedule with Mondays and Thursdays from 9-9 and Saturdays 8-5.
This is the plan. I really love what I do and take a lot of pride in the practice I have developed. I do plan on sticking with this return-to-work schedule.
Thank you for understanding and I look forward to seeing you soon!
April - I will be back to work on Saturdays from 8am-5pm
May - Along with Saturdays, I am adding my Monday and Thursday evenings where I will be seeing clients in the 5:20, 6:40 and 8pm appt. slots.
June - I plan on being back to on full schedule with Mondays and Thursdays from 9-9 and Saturdays 8-5.
This is the plan. I really love what I do and take a lot of pride in the practice I have developed. I do plan on sticking with this return-to-work schedule.
Thank you for understanding and I look forward to seeing you soon!
12/25/2009
Chilled thru your Muscles
We can get chilled to the core, but what about a few layers up? Being cold, especially to the point of shivering has a strong impact on our muscles.
When we get cold or are chilled, we scrunch our upper body inwards (yes, scrunch is the technical term) and sometimes curl our lower body in. These isometric contractions are keeping our muscles in constant flexion or extension. One can definitely become sore as if they took a hard yoga class and did not stretch. Picture walking around with your arms straight up in the air; same concept.
Shivering is a reflex response to keep our internal organs warm. when we shiver, we burn calories and produce the byproduct of heat. When we shiver, our muscle are obviously contracting over and over again. Again - overworked. Not to mention, if you are shivering you are putting your health at risk by not keeping your body warm enough.
You can prevent muscular discomfort by dressing appropriately, not sitting or sleeping under an air vent, or staying outside longer than you should.
When we get cold or are chilled, we scrunch our upper body inwards (yes, scrunch is the technical term) and sometimes curl our lower body in. These isometric contractions are keeping our muscles in constant flexion or extension. One can definitely become sore as if they took a hard yoga class and did not stretch. Picture walking around with your arms straight up in the air; same concept.
Shivering is a reflex response to keep our internal organs warm. when we shiver, we burn calories and produce the byproduct of heat. When we shiver, our muscle are obviously contracting over and over again. Again - overworked. Not to mention, if you are shivering you are putting your health at risk by not keeping your body warm enough.
You can prevent muscular discomfort by dressing appropriately, not sitting or sleeping under an air vent, or staying outside longer than you should.
12/11/2009
Why does Spa = $$$
Well, in most cases it is not the quality of the massage therapist you are paying for... Spas are notorious for employing mediocre massage therapists. Why? Well, that is a different topic for a different day. Nor is it the length of the session... Most spas offer 25, 50, and 75 minute sessions instead of the usual 30, 60 and 90. If they say the service is 30, 60, or 90 minutes, they usually tell you that 10-15 minutes of that time is used on your initial interview and changing time. I don't know about you, but it does not take me 10 minutes to take undress and get on a massage table. So why are the massages so much more money at a spa then with a private practitioner? It is all about the ambiance and experience. You pay more money for less time and less quality, buuuut you get to change into a comfy robe in a locker room where you lock all of your electronics away. Then you shuffle in your terry clothe slippers into a lounge where you may lay on a comfy sofa with your choice of beverage: a variety of teas, citrus water, juice, or sparkling cider. Perhaps a cookie, brownie or fresh fruit will be provided. You can enjoy these treats while you relax to the peaceful new age music and possibly watch a screen of fish swimming in the ocean. Then the therapist will take you back to their assigned room and offer a selection of oils that can be personalized by their aromatherapy (for an extra fee of course). After your OK massage where you still feel the tightness, but are content nonetheless, you shuffle back to the lounge and relax before re-entering the real world again. It takes multiple employees much more time to make sure all of this is enjoyable enough so you don't care that you still have that crook in your neck. This is why it costs so much more.
11/25/2009
Not Just the Turkey Suffers
Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks and appreciating all that you have, yaddi yaddi yah....
It's also a day of pain, aggravation and stress. Some thing to remember for Thanksgiving so you are not left feeling with anything more than a little bloating from the food.
Stress - The planning, the organizing, the family politics... Do you feel it yet? Form previous blogs you are ware that stress does effect the body and our muscles. To avoid this, take some time to write a few lists so everything is in order. Try to make time for yourself this day by reading a book, listening to your favorite album, or going for a walk.
Cooking & Cleaning - Our kitchen counters are not set up ergonomically correct for bodies. So what? Well, with all of the slight bending and twisting, you could be in store for a lot of lower back pain. Think of this prolonged activity like a workout. Warm-up before you begin and stretch out afterwards. Try to cook and clean in intervals instead of all at once so your body gets a break. Also, ask friends and family to help (even if it is your mother-in-law) Your guests might appreciate getting up and doing something and you can keep each other company in the meantime.
It's also a day of pain, aggravation and stress. Some thing to remember for Thanksgiving so you are not left feeling with anything more than a little bloating from the food.
Stress - The planning, the organizing, the family politics... Do you feel it yet? Form previous blogs you are ware that stress does effect the body and our muscles. To avoid this, take some time to write a few lists so everything is in order. Try to make time for yourself this day by reading a book, listening to your favorite album, or going for a walk.
Cooking & Cleaning - Our kitchen counters are not set up ergonomically correct for bodies. So what? Well, with all of the slight bending and twisting, you could be in store for a lot of lower back pain. Think of this prolonged activity like a workout. Warm-up before you begin and stretch out afterwards. Try to cook and clean in intervals instead of all at once so your body gets a break. Also, ask friends and family to help (even if it is your mother-in-law) Your guests might appreciate getting up and doing something and you can keep each other company in the meantime.
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