Make your massage a retreat this fall

5 ways to really unwind

It's a busy time of year. Remember your body and mind are wired to need breaks from stress. Here are five ideas to help you turn your massage session into a mini-retreat.

1. Schedule your massage sessions ahead. This can help you avoid being overwhelmed by pre-event anxiety or post-event let down.

2. If possible, sweat in a sauna or soak in a hot tub or herbal bath before your massage to give your muscles a chance to warm and relax. Afterward, sit or lie quietly in the massage room or other quiet space before reentering the world.

3. Don't go back to work or run errands. Go home and avoid the computer and telephone. Lie down, listen to music, or do simple activities such as drawing or folding laundry to keep your mind in a dreamy state.

4. Take a leisurely walk or simply sit by a window with a view of trees, water or a garden. Relax your eyes and focus on the colors and textures of the earthly environment.

5. Before bed the evening after your massage, drink a cup of herb tea such as chamomile or lavender to help you sleep. Sleepytime(R) is a popular commercial tea many people like to help them get a good night's rest.

Glossary of Massage and Bodywork Techniques

First: I did not feel the earthquake. I was in the backyard playing with my dog when I heard a rumble and a rattle that must have been my gutters/porch/entire house. I thought it was weird, and my dog heard it too. I don't think he felt it. We just looked at each other and I shrugged. I'll bet he would have, too, if he could. Then I quickly forgot about it. Just a few minutes later I got a call from my mom, whose first words were, "Are you okay?" Um, what? She felt it in Pittsburgh. But we're all okay here at the Haddock house. I hope you are, too.

Second: Follow the link below for a great resource on different bodywork modalities, from the popular to the obscure. I haven't even heard of half of them. Enjoy exploring!

Glossary of Massage and Bodywork Techniques

Low Back Pain: Five Tips for Massage Therapy Clients

Massage therapy has been a coveted way to relieve low back pain for as long as historical documents on the subject exist. However, a new study commands an even greater level of respect for massage's effectiveness at helping this problem. As published in a July 2011 edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine, a study funded by the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine evaluated the effectiveness of massage therapy for chronic low back pain.

In this study, over 400 participants with chronic low back pain either received weekly whole-body massages for relaxation, weekly massages that focused on specific muscle problems around the lower back and hips, or usual care. Those receiving usual care typically took pain medications or muscle relaxants, saw doctors or chiropractors, received physical therapy or simply did nothing. The researchers found that both types of massage therapy were much more effective at relieving low back pain than usual care. After 10 weeks of intervention, the following was reported:

• 36 percent of patients receiving weekly whole-body relaxation massage said their pain was nearly or completely gone.

• 39 percent of patients receiving weekly massage that focused on specific muscle problems around the lower back and hips said their pain was nearly or completely gone.

• Just 4 percent of patients receiving usual care said their pain was nearly or completely gone.

Tips to Prevent Back Pain
Massage therapy's ability to relieve back pain is rarely disputed, but therapists can also help their clients prevent low back pain recurrence. The following suggestions can help prevent low back pain from returning:

1. Quit Smoking - Smoking cigarettes seems to worsen just about every known health condition, including low back pain. Likely because smoking hinders blood circulation, experts assert that smokers are 30 percent more likely to suffer from back pain than non-smokers.

2. Get Up and Move - Whether behind a wheel, in front of a computer or just watching TV, sitting for extended periods of time is one of the worst positions for the low back. The spinal discs are spongy and cushion the vertebrae, but they naturally have poor blood supply. Upon getting up and moving, fluid circulates around the discs. On the other hand, sitting starves the discs of fluid making them vulnerable to damage.

3. Stretch and Strengthen Core Muscles - Most physicians agree that regular stretching and strengthening of the core muscles constitute the most important lifestyle practices for preventing back pain. Advise clients in a safe stretch and strengthen program with a focus on back, abdominal, oblique and leg muscles.

4. Lift Properly - Those who lift heavy objects for a living are well aware of the importance of body mechanics, but the rest of us may not be. Always engage abdominal muscles during a lift, bend the knees, keep back straight, don't bend at the waist, keep object close to the body, do not hold an item higher than armpits or lower than knees, don't move something over 20 percent of your body weight, don't pivot, twist or turn while lifting, point feet at the item being lifted, and only change direction with the feet (not the waist). These instructions will help prevent back muscles from being strained.

5. Wear Back-Friendly Shoes - Supportive, low-heeled or flat shoes are crucial for preventing back injury. Although high heels may be high fashion, they increase the arch in the low back. This spinal alignment change increases one's susceptibility to low back injury.

Source:

Low Back Pain: Five Tips for Massage Therapy Clients

Pathology and Massage: ADD/ADHD

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) when diagnosed in children, and known as Adult Attention Deficit Disorder (AADD) when diagnosed in adults, is typically defined as an inability to focus. However, the ADD characteristics an adult or child may display can be quite different from that of another person with ADD. Along with hyperactivity, one may be exhibit hyperfocus, impulsiveness, mood swings, forgetfulness, inattentiveness, restlessness and sluggishness. Children are often willingly disobedient, whereas adults find it difficult to complete plans or structure a routine for necessary daily tasks.

            

ADHD is diagnosed based on a symptoms checklist from the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (Text Revision) (DSM-IV-TR). Clinical interviews reviewing this checklist and computerized attention tests are psychological methods of ADD assessment. Neurometrics, PET scans, or SPECT scans of the brain can be used as well.

           

Possible causes of ADD include genetics, neuro-chemical imbalances of dopamine transporters, smoking during pregnancy, nutrition (specifically, lack of omega-3 fatty acids; the average American household is severely underprovided of its sources, which include fish), sleep apnea in infancy, and head injuries. Mainstream treatments of ADD include medication (most often methylphenidate, most commonly sold as Ritalin), behavior-changing therapies, and educational interventions. Alternative therapies have included the Feingold Diet, vitamin B6, Pycnogenol, neurofeedback, audio visual entrainment, and cerebellar stimulation.

ADD is most usually thought of as having negative effects on those with it and those who surround them. Children tend to have behavior or learning difficulties, including depression. Adults may be forgetful, easily distracted from their tasks at work, or easily irritated at home. ADD patients may not be mindful of their bodies’ natural rhythms, therefore creating eating disorders, chronic constipation, anxiety, or difficulties with sleep. An ADD patient may be calm and quiet, but is unable to pay attention as she is too focused on her own thoughts. ADD is thought to contribute to accidents on the road or at work. However, ADD patients are also intelligent and creative due the focus on their own thoughts and exploration of their imagination.

ADD is an indication for massage. Stimulation of the iliotibial tract through therapeutic massage can prompt bowel movements, relieving chronic constipation. Massage raises cortisol hormone levels, placing the body in a state of parasympathetic dominance, making sleep more restful and easy. In school-aged children, regular therapeutic massage was found to decrease anxiety and hyperactivity, including fidgeting, in the classroom. Students were able to focus more on tasks set before them. Adolescents in a Touch Research Institute study reported feeling happier after their massage sessions and were able to stay on task longer in the classroom as exhibited lower Conners Hyperactivity scores (10-item Conners Rating Scale). The study found that massage therapy “could become an important tool in the management of ADHD, in conjunction with currently used therapies. It may, for example, potentiate methylphenidate and other drugs” (Field, 1998). Massage has been known to alleviate problems associated with depression and anxiety, two secondary problems that can arise from ADD.

            

Massage should not be the only therapy, but it can help directly and indirectly to relieve some of the signs, symptoms, and secondary conditions associated with ADD.

For additional reading, check out this article about children, ADD and massage. It also references studies done on massage and adults with ADD and how it helps them. I have ADD and I know the regular massages I receive help keep me focused on the massages that I give.

Are You Dehydrated?

A trip to the loo is a clue! This is a great blog post on easy ways to determine if you are dehydrated, and how to get and stay hydrated if you are.

Be sure to check out the refreshing lime and cucumber spritzer recipe as well. It's super easy, actually: a bit of lime juice and club soda or seltzer over some ice with a few thin cucumber slices. I plan on drinking it all summer long!

first sign of dehydration - Simply Stated Blogs | Real Simple

USDA ditches food pyramid, adopts a plate | SimpliFried

Finally, it is simple to understand how much of what kind of food should be on your plate. Why did it take so long?

USDA ditches food pyramid, adopts a plate | SimpliFried

Pathology and Massage: Anterior Shin Splints

What are shin splints?

Shin splints is a blanket term for a number of lower leg problems. It causes pain and sometimes swelling on the lower leg. Shin splints is an inflammation of the periosteum (the membrane that lines the outer surface of all bones) and the attached muscle fibers. The muscles attached to the tibia are tearing loose. Generally, when someone gets shin splits, it is due to excessive or repeated pounding, or “impact loading”, on hard surfaces during athletic activities, such as running or tennis. The condition worsens with the actions the affected muscles do. Other technical terms a doctor might use when diagnosing shin splints are idiopathic compartment syndrome, acute and chronic exertional compartment syndrome, periostitis, traction periostitis, tibial fractures, and medial tibial stress syndrome. These different titles account for location of pain and severity of the condition. Most commonly, shin splints are medial or lateral. Lateral shin splints are also called anterior shin splints, because the anterior muscle compartment is lateral to the tibia.

Which muscles or other structures are involved?

Principally, the tibialis anterior muscle and the tibia are involved in anterior shin splints. Tibialis anterior originates along the lateral  surface of the tibia. Tibialis anterior is responsible for dorsiflexion (flexing your foot toward your leg) of the ankle and sustains tears along the tibia when overused or constantly impacted. It’s possible the interosseous membrane could also be involved as tibialis anterior also originates there.

How are shin splints assessed?

Chances are, if a client had shin splints, I would know. For instance, if they stood up and grimaced and then proceeded to gingerly walk across the room. They may even limp or hobble a bit. Walking would be uncomfortable for anyone with shin splints. If you superficially massaged the anterior leg muscles, it would probably feel tender, but good; a deeper massage would most likely be uncomfortable or painful. Lesser muscle injuries would not be visible on the leg, nor would they be palpable, but more severe injuries would exhibit red, hot puffiness around the tibia. Pain along the tibia is an indication, and may be superficial or deep, mild or severe. The location of the pain would indicate the injured muscles. Someone with anterior shin splints may describe the pain as an ache that runs the length of the lateral tibia.

How are shin splints treated?

Shin splints require first and foremost, rest. Ice, stretching, strengthening and massage are also indicated.  Massage is only contraindicated if the condition is advanced: that is, if the leg looks and feels hot and swollen, or is extremely painful. Once the inflammation and pain begin to subside, massage is beneficial. If the condition does not improve within a couple of days, it could be a sign of a more serious condition and requires medical attention. Massage is an excellent treatment as it increases circulation and releases adhesions. Massage can also prevent shin splints from advancing into more serious complications, such as exertional compartment syndrome. Proper stretching is a necessary preventative measure. Plantarflexion (pointing the foot down) and eversion (pointing the foot in toward the mid-line of the body) will stretch the tibialis anterior muscle. Stretching the lower leg muscles can be difficult through exercise alone, but massage can work every inch. Regardless of where the injury is, all the lower leg muscles should be stretched and massaged. The feet should be worked as well, as the lower leg muscles insert into points throughout them. Myofascial Release is a desirable modality for shin splints, as it can release the fascia binding all four muscle compartments. Plus, as it works superficially, it would most likely be more comfortable than Deep Tissue techniques.


These pictures are from Trail Guide to the Body, Second Edition, by Andrew Biel, illustrated by Robin Dorn (both massage therapists) and published by Books of Discovery.