Article 1
Quick’n Easy Pre, Mid & Post Flight Stretches to Ease Your Travel
Pains
Traveling is tough on the body, no doubt about it. As a massage therapist
and personal trainer, I’ve seen it all; wrenched necks from heaving
luggage, frozen shoulders from slinging bags, swollen ankles, low back pain,
muscle spasms, slumped posture, stiff muscles. Many a vacation has been
ruined just by the getting there and back. But don’t lose hope, there’s
much we can do to make traveling more comfortable.
Have the best trip of your life with these 15 quick’n easy pre, mid
& post flight stretches. Use stretches 1-5, your “Pre Flight 5”,
before you get on the plane to prepare your body for inactivity. Use “The
Mid flight 5” (stretches 6-10), during the flight to ease cramps,
restore circulation and prepare for landing. Use 11-15, “The Post
Flight 5”, while waiting for your luggage to wake the body up gently,
warm up the muscles, loosen joints and prepare yourself for getting to your
final destination. If your flight is delayed, you can use all 15 stretches.
Find a private corner and start stretching, just make sure you can see your
belongings at all times!
The Pre Flight 5
Standing stretches that will prepare you for flying, increase circulation,
decrease cramping and spasm, so you aren’t crippled from sitting!
1. Upper Back Stretch (palms, forearms, posterior shoulders & upper
back): Interlace fingers in front of you, invert so the palms face away
from you, press forward as you round your upper back backward. Imagine pressing
your sternum backward. Repeat 3 times.
2. Ear to Shoulder Dip (upper trapezius, neck): Tilt head gently and slowly
to the right, center, left, center. Imagine you are listening for the muscles
to relax. Repeat 3 times.
3. Cross Leg Butt Stretch (gluteals, piriformis, thighs): Sit, cross ankle
on top of thigh, allow space in the crook of the knee of the top leg, send
tailbone backward till you feel the stretch. Imagine your hip joint melting.
3 times each leg.
4. Stork Stretch (front of thighs & shins): Stand, pull foot toward
your bottom, press knee behind hips, balance on one leg. If you can’t
reach your foot, put your foot up on a chair behind you, legs in a small
lunge position and sit a bit on the standing leg. Imagine you are a tree
rooting into the ground. Repeat 3 times each leg.
5. Hamstring Stretch (back of thighs & calves): Place one heel flexed,
toes up in front of you on a curb, bag or step, place your hands on that
thigh, send your tailbone back as you flat back forward lean from the hip
joints. Imagine rocking forward on your sit bones like a rocking chair.
Repeat 3 times each leg.
The Mid flight 5
Seated Stretches. You should be able to perform these stretches in your
seat, while flying on the plane!
Note: Seats are made for impact, not postural support and comfort alone,
so during the flight, save your back by rolling up an extra sweater behind
your low back for lumbar support.
6. Overhead Reach (palms, forearms, chest, shoulders & back): Interlace
fingers, invert and press overhead. Imagine your armpits opening upwards.
Repeat 3 times.
7. Shoulder Rolls (shoulders): Roll shoulders loosely up, back and down,
then reverse. Imagine locomotives’ wheels. Repeat 3 times.
8. Pectoral Stretch (chest): Hands behind head, press elbows back. Imagine
a clamshell opening. Repeat 3 times, space providing.
9. Seated Spinal Twist (back & abdominals): Sit up tall, place right
hand on outside of left thigh, look left behind you, pull yourself around
in a spiral. Imagine a corkscrewing action upwards. Repeat 3 times each
side.
10. Ankle Circles (feet, shin & calves): Lift one knee, loosely circle
foot clockwise 3 times, then counter clockwise 3 times. Imagine circling
around a clock face. Repeat other ankle.
The Post Flight 5
Standing Stretches. Ever wondered what you could do while waiting for your
luggage?
11. Knee to Chest Pull (gluts, thighs, hip flexors): Stand, grab and pull
one knee toward chest and briefly balance for 2 counts. Imagine standing
leg growing stronger and longer. Repeat 3 times each knee.
12. Upper Arm (triceps): Pull elbow to ceiling, hold 2 counts, release.
Imagine hanging from your elbow from the ceiling. Repeat 3 times each arm.
13. Standing Heel Press Back (calves, thighs): Stand facing a wall or column,
anchor forearms against wall, walk feet back 3-4 feet from wall, press heels
gently down, hold 2 counts. Imagine your leg is a rubber band being pulled
apart at both ends. Release and repeat 3 times.
14. Countering Sitting Stretch (front of thighs, hip flexors, abdominals,
chest, shoulders, arms): Stand, feet shoulder width apart, interlace fingers
behind back, press palms toward each other, down to the floor and out behind
you (keep the shoulders back and down). Imagine the chest opening across
the front. If you’ve got this so far, add: look up as you slowly thrust
pelvis forward. Hold 2 counts, release and repeat 5 times.
15. Hamstring Stretch (back of thighs): Tap heel on floor in front of you,
hands on hips, flat back forward lean from the hip joints. Imagine tailbone
moving backwards, keep hips level. Repeat 3 times each leg.
Ask a fellow passenger to figure them out with you.
Bon voyage!
Sherrin Bernstein is a freelance writer with a private practice in NYC.
She is located in Midtown Manhattan and the West Village.
For information and appointments,
contact Sherrin at 917-415-6539 or at TouchFitness@mac.com.
Please visit her web site at www.touchfitness.com.
Article 2
TEN STEPS TO MORE FLEXIBILITY SKATING
Discover your inner gumby with these10 inline skating-specific stretches
to free you from the chains of your tension and tight muscles.
Stretch Your Skating Ability
Develop longer strokes, relax tight muscles, and stay off the Missing
in Action list with these10 exercises to limber out your inline physique.
Stretching, to put it plainly, doesn't seem to be a very glamorous activity.
It's tedious, potentially boring and consumes yet another chunk of precious
time. No wonder it's often put on the back-burner; people focus their
skating hours on more tangible skate-related activities, like weight training,
dry-land training, technique work, plyometrics and, well, just plain skating.
But to overlook stretching is to rob yourself of the ability to expand
beyond your body's current limitations. Better flexibility allows your
muscles to move faster and easier, translating into more tweakable moves
on the street course, more air off the coping, better 10K times without
the backache and greater options for goalies to deny the biscuit.
Stretching, of course enhances flexibility, allowing you to move more
fully and without strain through your joints' range of motion. It also
decreases your risk of injury by decreasing the resistance of your muscles
when they're being extended to their limits.
Increasing the elasticity of your joints by stretching regularly also
improves coordination, reduces muscle soreness and stress, improves posture
and balances out your muscle strength surrounding your joints. All of
this amounts to stretching your skating limits while protecting against
injury.
Think some of these benefits would appeal to you? I thought so. Freeing
yourself from the limitations of muscle and joint tension is as easy as
incorporating the following 10 stretches into your weekly inline repertoire.
These moves can even be accomplished while you remain on your skates,
although it's easier and safer to do them off of your wheels. Breath in
and out gently, fully and slowly 5 times during each stretch (and for
each leg), focusing more and more on relaxing the body and the target
muscle. You can use the stretches any time, but only push them the most
when your muscles are very warmed up. Therefore, post-skating is the best
time to do these stretches, although you can skate for 5 minutes and then
use smaller, gentler pre-skate stretching to prepare the body for the
larger movements in skate workouts.
Stretches 1-5
1. Quadriceps/Shin Pull
2. Modified Hurdler's Hamstring
3. Hip Flexor Lunge
4. Cross-legged Gluteal Sit
5. Samurai Adductor Squat
Stretches 6-10
6. Lower Back Hug
7. Back Spiral with Abductor: Top Leg Out
8. Elbow-Supported Abdominal Sphinx
9. Clasp Forward Upper Back Spread
10. Clasp Behind Chest Spread
1. Quadriceps/Shin Pull
Stand or lie on your side and pull one foot behind you. Squeeze your butt
forward to protect your lower back from over arching and to intensify
the stretch. Pull your abdominals in and up along your spine with each
exhale to further protect your back and intensify the stretch. Focus on
feeling a gentle stretching sensation at the front and center of your
thigh and from your shin along to the top of your foot (if your skates
permit). Make sure the foot is lined up with the shin line.
FINE-TUNING: If this hurts your knee, try holding the foot with your
opposite hand and, instead of pulling the foot close to your butt,
gently pull the knee behind your hips.
2. Modified Hurdler's Hamstring
Sit with the stretching leg extended in front of your hip joint. Bend
the
other leg in front of you into a cross legged position. While keeping
your back from rounding, bend forward from the hip joint. Hold onto your
legs or toes. Concentrate on feeling a gentle pulling sensation behind
the thigh of the extended leg.
FINE-TUNING: If you feel this behind your knee, slightly bend the knee
until the sensation of stretching travels to the middle of your hamstring.
If you feel this in your lower back, make sure that your hips are facing
squarely forward in the same direction as your shoulders, and get some
leverage over the stretch by elevating your hips higher than your legs.
One
way to do this is to sit on a rolled up towel.
3. Hip Flexor Lunge
From an upright kneeling position, roll one foot forward, as if you were
going to
stand up on it. Put your hands forward on the ground, or on your front
thigh above your knee. Lunge your hips forward towards your front heel
without moving your
back leg. Make sure you have enough room between your legs to allow your
hips to drop through your thighs into the stretch. Position your front
foot so that the angle of its knee bend is 90 degrees. Wait to feel this
stretch on the back
leg, at the top of your thigh, just below your hip bone.
FINE-TUNING: Do not place your weight backward on the back kneecap. Instead,
place your body weight on your front leg and hands and ease some weight
into the stretch slowly. Then switch legs.
4. Cross-legged Gluteal Sit
Sit cross-legged and lean forward (again bending as much as possible from
the hip joints, not the lower back). Switch legs and repeat. You should
feel this in your butt, hips or thighs.
FINE-TUNING: If your knees ache, try supporting them from underneath by
putting a rolled-up towel or a skate under each knee. If your back feels
strained from reaching foward, try pushing yourself forward from behind
instead.
5. Face up Straddle
Lie face up with your knees apart and your feet together so that your
legs form a diamond shape. Hold the inside of each leg just above the
knee joint. Gently press your knees apart with your hands. If you want
to work on balance at the same time, stand with your feet wide and legs
turned out to natural external rotation of your hip joints. Slowly sit
until your hips are at knee level. Press your knees apart with your hands
or elbows. Allow yourself to feel your inner thighs stretching.
FINE-TUNING: If you are shaky on your skates, use the face up position
to do the stretch.
6. Lower Back Hug
Lie on your back with your knees pulled into your chest. Try to hold your
legs from underneath the bend of your knees instead of from the shins.
Allow gravity and the weight of your legs to spread your back out along
the
ground.
FINE-TUNING: If your spine is uncomfortable on the ground, go for the
old
towel again.
7. Back Spiral with Abductor Stretch: Top Leg Out
Lie face up in the Lower Back Hug position. Put your arms out to your
sides to steady yourself against the ground. Slowly lower your knees to
one side and put them on the ground. Extend your top leg out to the side
if you can. Turn your face in the opposite direction of your legs.
FINE-TUNING: Bend your extended knee a little if you have trouble resting
your foot on the ground.
8. Elbow-Supported Abdominal Sphinx Stretch
Lie on your stomach and prop yourself up on your elbows (like a sphinx).
Using your elbows as leverage, pull your chest forward out of your hips.
You can also angle this stretch to the right and left to stretch your
oblique abdominal fibers. Focus on feeling a pulling or lengthening along
the abdominal muscles.
FINE-TUNING: If you feel pressure or constriction in your lower back,
try
squeezing your gluteals down and pulling your abdominals in and up along
your spine.
9. Clasp Forward Upper Back Spread
Stand up, clasp your hands together, shoulder height in front of you with
your
fingers interlaced. Invert your hands so that your palms face away from
you. Press your palms forward and your ribs backward. Drop you chin for
comfort and don't let the shoulders hike up. You should feel a loop of
stretch across your back and through your arms and hands.
FINE-TUNING: If your hands aren't flexible enough for this hand grip,
modify it to your comfort or remove your wrist guards.
10. Clasp Behind-Chest Spread
Stand up, interlace your fingers behind your lower back. Try to keep your
palms
pressed together during the entire stretch. Gently push your arms down
your
back, trying to straighten the elbow joints first. If you can do this
stage
completely, then press the arms down and backwards away from you. Keep
your
chest lifting and try to wrap your shoulders backward to spread the chest
open
even more.
FINE-TUNING: If you have trouble with this stretch, do it more gently
and
slowly and repeat it several times.
General Stretching Rules:
A. Perform all stretches after at least a 5-10-minute warm-up.
B. Bring your body slowly and carefully toward the stretch sensation
(where the target muscle feels like it's pulling gently). Don't push
the position to the point of pain, instead back off an inch and hold.
C1. Hold each stretch for 2 seconds, 15 times if you are not warmed up
or have an injury. Try holding for 5 breaths when you are very warmed
up and have no injuries. Holding the stretch until the muscle cools leads
to plastic deformation, or new length, but be careful of stretch fatigue,
that’s not what you want. Use your instincts, if you even think
you might be hurting yourself, come out of the stretch and seek help.
C2. If holding is too painful, move through cycles of "holding"
each
stretch for two seconds and briefly "releasing" from the stretches.
Try to hold the stretch for 30 seconds after 15 cycles.
D. Breathe slowly, rhythmically and gently as you stretch.
E. Concentrate on relaxing, lengthening and softening the targeted
muscle.
F. Approach each stretch while exhaling, back out of each stretch on
inhales, and deepen each stretch on exhales.
G1. If you feel pain from a stretch, release the intensity of the stretch,
or discontinue the stretch and seek a physician's care.
G2. If you don't feel pain but can't seem to get through a stretching
block, go get a massage or get a personal trainer to try some PNF stretching
on you (make sure they are experienced, not just certified).
Sherrin Bernstein is a part-time freelance writer who owns Touch Fitness,
a service that provides, personal training, licensed massage therapy and
inline skate instruction in Manhattan.
See her previous article in the January 2000 issue of Out of the Loop,
Vol. 4, No.1.
--
Ten Steps to Stronger Skating
What you can do to boost your skating performance.
By Sherrin Bernstein, LMT, Fitness Consultant
With skating season upon us, get the most out of your workouts to boost
your race performance and prevent injuries by complementing your road
training with some sport-specific strength training. The following ten
exercises enhance athletic performance. They address muscle groups that
spark your sprint, add power to your stroke, lengthen your glide, increase
your balance and agility and improve your endurance. They also help you
stay out of physical therapy.
Proper Positioning
If you want to maximize your time spent in the gym, it's important to
maintain your form during the entire performance of each exercise. Remember,
it's not a contest to see how much you can lift. It’s about seeing
how long you can maintain form while adding sport specific movements.
So, keep your body in alignment, start at a slow, comfortable pace, avoid
unnecessary strain and add speed, depth, repetitions and weight load when
you feel you have mastered the alignment.
What is Alignment?
Alignment is the standard “loose packed” relationship of your
bones to each other that you were born with (vs. position, the relation
of your bones to the space around you). In standing position, a properly
aligned pelvis is called “neutral pelvis”. That is, that in
the side view, the ASIS (Anterior Superior Iliac Spine, otherwise known
as the hands on the hips bone) will be directly vertically above your
pubic bone (if it’s not, you have either anterior or posterior pelvic
tilt) and in the front view, the ASIS are level horizontally. From the
side view, a plumb line dropped from the ears should pass through the
shoulders, the hips, just behind the patella, through the arches of your
feet.
If you deviate from the natural relationship of your bones to each other
for whatever reason (ie. bad posture resetting the natural ratio of normal
resting tone or some movement has made you too tired to maintain your
alignment) then, if you were exercising target muscles, you will no longer
be exercising them. If you insist on continuing the exercise, you will
become stronger, but out of alignment and you will become less and less
efficient the stronger you get, or you will cause little micro-tears and
set your body up for injuries. If you become stronger out of alignment,
nature will know. Gravity and wind resistance will weigh and slow you
down. So, the goal is that you have to take your alignment with you as
you move, for the duration of the race (or dry land training session or…)
despite the factors that want to throw you out of alignment (gravity,
wind, increasing speeds, fatigue, distractions, old injuries...)
In general, all exercises should be performed with your eyes, pelvis,
shoulders and toes pointing straight ahead. Don’t worry if you can’t
do them absolutely perfectly this way at first, this is why we do these
exercises, so that we can work toward our ideal, in a safe environment.
Exhale during exertions.
Speed
Perform the exercises slowly and carefully so you can develop an awareness
of alignment. The speed at which each repetition is performed may be increased
gradually to mimic a racing pace. However, in the learning stages of each
exercise, speed should be kept slow to moderate. Use the mirror. Use your
internal eye. Use the feedback of the floor, the walls and the straight
lines around you. Try to notice as you move where it is that you start
to deviate from neutral alignment. There you will find your weaknesses
and areas of decreased flexibility. Resist letting your back round or
arch with the challenges of the exercises. Resist it for as long as you
can, then stop shake out, stretch it out and resume the exercise. Resist
rotating, hiking or tucking your pelvis, all of which send stress out
of weak muscles and into general areas typically injured (the lower back,
hip flexors, knees and shins…).
Slower, Softer, Smoother
If you feel discomfort, pulling, pain or injury, slow down, soften the
tension in the muscles, smooth out the movement, relax, check your alignment
and positioning. You’ll be able to do it faster later. Plus, slower,
softer, smoother movement also allows you to become more efficient in
energy expenditure later and concentrates the work into the targeted muscles
to enhance fiber recruitment.
Starting Weight Loads
A good starting weight load is one that allows you to maintain good form
while performing the exercise, but which also leads to muscle fatigue
of the target muscle(s) at the end of the set so that when you sleep and
eat your proteins, the body repairs itself stronger than it was before.
Generally, for strength gains, you want to work with a weight load that
only allows you to complete 8-10 reps in the first set. For endurance
gains, you want to be able to do 15-30 repetitions minimum. From a racing
perspective, you want to be able to do as many repetitions as you will
have to do for the race. So, theoretically, if you stroke 1000 times in
a race you want to be able to do 1000 strokes of abduction with a weight
load equal to or greater than the load of your skate. That’s why
batters warm up with more than one bat. But, we don’t want to spend
all of our time in the gym. So, when you are ready, increase your loads
from the weight of your sneaker to a load that’s a little greater
than the weight of your skate, but not if your alignment is affected.
Strength vs. Endurance
Keep in mind that as a competitive skater, you want to work on strength
and endurance, power and persistence. Conveniently, this will help protect
you from injury and overtraining. Ideally, separate your workouts (strength
training from endurance training, gym workouts from distance skating,
dry-land training from distance training, loaded exercises from agility
exercises). Put six to eight hours between strength workouts and skating
workouts. Allow rest days and/or easy days (active rest) between strength
workouts to let your muscles repair themselves and grow to meet the demands
of your next workout. Allow 30 seconds to 2 minutes between sets to ensure
that your muscles are recovered and ready for more work and that your
heart rate stays out of the aerobic zone. Greater rest periods for higher
weight loads, greater efforts, explosive movements like plyometrics, shorter
rest periods for easier exercises.
Order
You want to have your core muscles and smaller muscle groups available
for large and/or heavily weighted movements, so always work the larger
muscle groups first (ie. gluteals before calves, back before shoulders)
and the support muscles last (abdominals). Also, you want to prioritize
your workout based on the muscles you use the most in skating, so spend
the most time on your lower body and core first, and the least time on
the upper body, and save it for last.
The Top Ten
These are the top ten exercises to improve balance, lengthen stride, and
increase power.
1. Squats Jumps
2. Step Up Hops
3. Cable Glut Kickback
4. Cable Hamstring Curl
5. Cable Knee Extension
6. Abduction
7. Adduction (adductor magnus)
8. Inverted Trunk Curl (rectus abdominus, transverse abdominus, obliques,
hip flexors)
9. Hyperextension (erector spinae, gluteals, hamstrings)
10. Single Arm Back Flye (erector spinae, trapezium, rhomboids, posterior
deltoid, triceps)
When performed properly and consistently, two to three times per
week, combined with your race training, eating well, getting 8-10 hours
of sleep per night, these exercises will greatly improve your alignment,
strength, agility, balance and endurance. Always warm-up prior to your
workouts.
Sherrin Bernstein, LMT, Fitness Consultant is a part-time freelance journalist
who owns Touch Fitness, Informative Bodywork, Personal Training and Massage
Therapy based in Manhattan. She can be reached at 917-415-6539 and TouchFitness@mac.com.
Massage Therapy
Informative Bodywork Massage gets you in touch with your body. It gives
you feedback on where you’re holding tension, assists the body in
relaxing muscle spasm and tension, increasing circulation, breaking up
scar tissue and adhesions and replacing unproductive muscle holding patterns
with more functional patterns. It can also be used to deepen and re-route
breathing, induce the relaxation response, decrease stress which can help
lower cortisol levels and help you lose weight and communicate alignment
and postural concepts. All this helps you feel, move and look better.
Your appointment is all about you. From the intake form, to listening
very carefully to your needs, to communicating with your physical therapist,
M.D. or chiropractor, to the special pregnancy pillow, the custom blends
of essential oils and the itunes massage playlist, it's all about you
and giving you the most effective, relaxing and satisfying massage you
can possibly get. Touch Fitness uses Informative Bodywork to help you
do this.
Massage Therapy Services
• Medical Massage/Deep Tissue
• Maternity & Post-Natal Massage
• Essential Oil Delicious Massage
• Swedish/Relaxation Massage
• Sports/Event Massage
• Table Stretch
• Shiatsu/Acupressure
• Thai Massage
• Chair Massage
Rates…
Intake Forms…
So start now, click on Email now to take that joyful leap into feeling
better and having the energy to get what you want and deserve out of life!
Article:
What Massage Therapy Can Do For You
Massage and Daily Living
Massage aids all the normal processes of the body and helps the body combat
all kinds of stresses that it encounters on a daily basis. For example,
massage stimulates circulation, which brings nutrients and oxygen to all
the cells of the body, via the bloodstream, and aids in the elimination
of wastes and toxins, via the lymphatic and other body systems.
Massage also helps refresh posture and stimulate more efficient and easier
movement patterns by breaking down scar tissue, adhesions and muscle tension
holding patterns with specific strokes, “range of motion”
assisted movements, exercises and stretches.
Massage can cause the body to secrete “feel good” substances
(i.e. endorphins), which combat prolonged states of stress, which tax
and fatigue the body and our immune systems. Massage also relaxes tense
muscles and calms our nerves, helping us to get to sleep and get better
quality sleep.
So basically, as long as you’re human, you can benefit from massage.
In fact, there also exist infant massage and pregnancy massage, and pet
and equine massage. But, in case you had some question about the pros
and cons of massage related to certain conditions, massage therapy, with
your doctor’s permission, uses specific medical techniques and protocols
for helping to treat all sorts of conditions. Here is a brief list of
specific conditions and how massage can actually assist people in coping
with them:
Muscle, Tendon, Connective Tissue Problems
(Strains/ Tears/ Inflammation/Myositis/ Fibromyalgia (Fibrositis, Fibromyositis,
Fibromyitis, Tension Myalgia)/ Myofascitis/ Tendinitis/ Plantar Fascitis/
Osteoperiostitis (Shin Splints)/ Epicondylitis (Golf and Tennis Elbow)/
Tenosynovitis/ Tenoperiostitis/ Repetitive Stress Injuries…)
In general, massage seeks to help break the pain-spasm-pain cycle, present
in most chronic physical conditions, injuries and accidents, which eventually
result in emotional responses.
Massage, during the acute stages of inflammation of a muscle, tendon,
tendon sheath, or connective tissue (fascia), is contraindicated directly
at the site of inflammation, except where your doctor may prescribe the
Cyriax Technique (transverse friction massage protocol arranged by orthopedist
James Cyriax, MD).
However, once a problem becomes chronic, massage therapy is used to assist
in healing by breaking the cycle, treating the soft tissues (muscles,
tendons, ligaments) and joints, breaking and re-educating compensatory
movement and tension patterns and assisting in overcoming negative feelings
which surface with chronic injury.
For instance, assisting circulation increases the availability of oxygen
and other nutrients needed in tissue repair. This is especially useful
when spasm (increased tension with or without shortening of a muscle due
to non-voluntary motor unit potentials that cannot be terminated by voluntary
relaxation[i]) causes ischemia (lack of adequate blood supply to an area),
which can lead back to the pain-spasm-pain cycle and eventually cause
Trigger Points (hyperirritable spots in skeletal muscle that is associated
with a hypersensitive palpable nodule in a taut band… painful on
compression and can give rise to characteristic referred pain, referred
tenderness, motor dysfunction and autonomic phenomena[ii]).
Also, certain massage strokes are mechanically very helpful because they
help break through and realign scar tissue and adhesions, which though
necessary for healing, often outdo themselves and outlast their usefulness.
For instance, muscle stripping (long thin strokes) and myofascial (slow
strokes that mechanically soften and realign tissue) facilitates movement
between muscle fibers and connective tissue (fascia) and vibration and/or
friction, which can be used to facilitate movement and circulation through
joints.
So, massage therapy, with your doctor’s permission, has specific
medical techniques and protocols for helping to treat many aspects of
injuries, accidents and conditions.
In Fibromyalgia (Fibrositis, Fibromyositis, Fibromyitis, Tension Myalgia),
the relaxing affects of massage can combat the chronic widespread muscle
pain that characterizes this condition and help with associated symptoms
such as headaches, poor sleep and fatigue. Massage can also help with
many secondary problems this condition may predispose a person too, for
instance: depression; stress; sleep disorders; viral infections; and hypothyroidism.
Note: Fibromyalgia is not the same as myofascial pain syndrome. People
with fibromyalgia can develop trigger points, but don’t necessarily
need Trigger Point therapy. Also, massage helps prevent the development
of fibrosis by improving circulation and elimination of waste and excess
materials of inflammation from affected areas. Friction strokes break
up fibrous nodules, which results in better circulation and movement,
which in turn accelerates their elimination.
Joints/ Ligaments
(Sprains/ Synovitis/ Bursitis/ Arthritis/ Spinal Tuberculosis (Pott’s
Disease)/ Ankylosing Spondylitis (Marie-Strumpell Disease/ Spondylitis
Ankylopoietica/ Arthritis of Spine)/ Lupus/ TMJ/ Lyme Disease (Lyme Arthritis)
Sprains involve ligaments and joints. Ligaments (which wrap around joints)
are less vascular than muscles, meaning they don’t have as great
a blood supply. Therefore, when they are injured, they take longer to
heal than other structures. Massage therapy specifically pushes blood
around the body into all areas and therefore greatly decreases healing
time. Massage therapy is thought to reduce the healing time for Sprains
by as much as a third the time! Scar tissue and adhesions occur as part
of the normal healing process, but often build up too much and interfere
with normal movement. Friction technique actually acts as an analgesic
(pain killer), breaks down adhesions and re-aligns scar tissue and therefore
facilitates normal movement (so that you don’t limp around as much
and cause secondary spasms, strains and pains) and therefore, healing.
Manual rolling of tendon and ligament sheaths (and gentle pinching of
tendon and ligament sheaths during assisted movements through affected
joints) will smooth their gliding surfaces, break down adhesions and scar
tissue and further increase pain free movement.
In Synovitis, (trauma induced, bacterial or secondary to arthritis) inflammation
of the synovial membrane of a joint leads to a thickening of the membrane,
which is roughened by fibrinous deposits and causes crepitus (grating
or creaking noise during movement). Massage during chronic stages helps
decrease swelling, stiffness and discomfort and increase circulation thereby
helping to maintain motion. Friction strokes break up fibrous nodules,
which results in better circulation and movement, which in turn accelerates
their elimination.
In Bursitis, massage, after the acute stage of inflammation can increase
circulation, reduce adhesions and cramping, assist lymphatic drainage
to combat swelling, and provide passive range of motion exercises that
can break through adhesions that may form in the joint.
In Arthritis and/or Rheumatism, during chronic stages of Arthritis, after
your MD has ruled out and/or treated any infections, massage techniques
help alleviate pain, swelling and inflammation, and therefore allow greater
activity of the muscles and greater range of motion through the joints,
which helps to prevent muscle weakness, atrophy, stiffness and later,
in advance stages, deformation. Massage improves the metabolism, circulation
and nutrition and helps remove toxic and waste materials from the affected
joints, which would otherwise cause even greater inflammation and pain.
Massage also alleviates muscle spasm and twitching which are common in
these disorders.
In Tuberculosis that affects the joints, such as in Pott’s Disease,
massage is not permitted when the TB is active. However, after it’s
been treated by an MD, massage can help deal with atrophy, cramping, decreased
range of motion around affected joints, usually the spine and knee and
any other discomforts, mood fluctuations resulting from being ill in general.
In Ankylosing Spondylitis (Marie-Strumpell Disease/ Spondylitis Ankylopoietica/
Arthritis of Spine), a systemic, rheumatic disorder of the axial skeleton,
massage during chronic stages can help increase flexibility, nourish and
release tense muscles, reduce pain and adhesions and help prevent deformity.
In Lupus, a chronic, rheumatic inflammatory connective tissue disorder
(there’s lots of connective tissue in joints), massage helps as
in arthritic conditions.
In TMJ, trauma, infection, rheumatoid arthritis and structural and muscular
problems cause pain, tenderness, limited jaw motion, clicking or popping
sounds, weakness and spasm in jaw muscles, sometimes Trigger Points and
always, discomfort. Massage during chronic stages help deal with all of
the above symptoms.
Lyme Disease was named after Lyme, CT, where the first cases showed up,
first diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. It is caused by a bacterium (Borrelia
burgdorferi) transmitted by mainly deer ticks. A bull’s eye looking
rash may develop around the often unnoticed bite site within a few weeks,
then other symptoms may appear: joint pain and stiffness, fever and chills,
headache, stiff neck, nausea, low back pain, then cardiac abnormalities
(weakness, lightheadedness, chest pain, irregular heart beat), neurological
problems like Bell’s Palsy (sudden paralysis of one side of the
face). In the third stage, arthritis comes in, usually involving the hips,
knees, ankles, elbows or wrists. Massage during chronic stages help deal
with all of the above symptoms as is those listed under the arthritis
section of this article.
Fractures
After your MD/surgeon has approved massage therapy, massage can be used
to speed healing and deter complications. You can even get a massage with
a cast on, provided your MD has proclaimed you have “bony union”!
Massage above and below the site flushes circulation to and from the break
site to keep the skin and muscle nourished under the cast. After the cast
is off, add all the other benefits of massage that help inactive, injured
muscles and joints. Massage can be used to increase range of motion and
nutrition and decrease swelling, spasm, scar tissue and adhesions. Massage
Therapists are taught how to bolster your body or limb for comfort during
the massage and exercises and stretches you can do to combat muscle atrophy,
weakness, cramping, stiffness and tightness, all of which are normal during
the healing process.
Headaches/Cephalagia
Headaches can be caused by a many things, which your physician must rule
out before coming in for a massage. Massage deals with headaches that
are either vascular or muscular in origin. Migraines and cluster headaches
are vascular and tension headaches are muscular. Massage helps for migraines
before they come on, but is not usually useful during the actual migraine.
Cluster headaches sometimes benefit from massage of the muscles of the
head, neck, face and back. Tension headaches often involve contraction
of facial, neck, and jaw muscles and therefore benefit greatly from massage
techniques that reduce spasm of those muscles.
Cancer
Lipomas, Fibromas, Polyps, Nevus and Moles are examples of benign (simple)
tumors that are NOT cancer. Local massage therapy (directly on the area)
is not recommended, however, massage therapy to the rest of the body is
permissible with your MD’s approval.
Sarcomas, Carcinomas, Lymphomas and Melanomas are malignant tumors that
are cancer. On a purely medical level, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, a massage
technique, can help reduce lymphedema (swelling). On other levels, massage
has many functions including TLC, mood enhancement, as well as all the
other things it does for the body: Strokes should be slow, shallow, calming,
nurturing. Petrissage, traction and neuromuscular work are contraindicated.
You, your family, your MD and your massage therapist should discuss how
and when to use massage therapy as part of your treatment plan.
Digestive Disorders (Hiatal Hernia/ Constipation/ Crohn’s Disease/
Hepatitis/ Cirrhosis/ Cholecystitis/ Diabetes Mellitus/ Indigestion)
In Hiatal Hernias, massage in done full body to relax the whole cycle
of stress, self-worry and muscle tension. The head and upper body should
be positioned higher than the rest of the body.
In Constipation, abdominal massage will help stimulate peristalsis and
therefore bowel movements, in functional (atonic) cases. Friction technique
mechanically softens fecal matter in the colon, in cases of impacted feces
in organic (mechanical) cases, but MD approval is necessary to identify
and rule out other causes.
In Crohn’s Disease, local massage is contraindicated in the abdomen,
but the rest of the body is allowed.
In Hepatitis, Cirrhosis, Cholecystitis, massage is contraindicated in
all cases.
In Diabetes Mellitus, massage is used to improve circulation, bring an
appropriate sugar source to your massage appointment.
In Indigestion/Congestion of the Liver abdominal massage may be beneficial
with the use of long, slow, firm stroking of the skin over the abdomen
to expel gas.
Circulatory Disorders/ Heart Conditions
In Inflammatory Conditions (Endocarditis/ Myocarditis/ Pericarditis) and
in Phlebitis, massage is completely contraindicated.
In Degenerative Conditions such as Thrombosis, Embolism, Arteriosclerosis,
and Atherosclerosis, consult your MD before having a massage.
For Cardiac Patients recovering from heart attack or heart failure, after
approval from your MD, Swedish and lymphatic massage strokes work toward
decreasing edema (an abnormal buildup of serous fluid between tissue cells[iii]),
assist the venous return of blood to the heart (to provide rest for the
already overworked heart), and increase the use of the vital capacity
of the lungs by correcting poor posture and relaxing breathing.
In Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident) victims, massage helps treat the
affects of spastic paralysis.
In Varicose Veins, there is some controversy about what is permitted.
Generally, your massage therapist should avoid the swollen, twisted veins,
yet massage adjacent to them should assist in blood flow.
In Anemia, massage helps stimulate red blood cell production as well as
assists the body in many of its functions (for instance of circulation),
which in turn helps combat the general sense of fatigue, which generally
accompany this condition.
Nervous System Disorders
(Flaccid, Spastic Paralysis/ Alzheimer’s/Cerebral Palsy/ Parkinson’s/
Multiple Sclerosis/ Ulnar, Median and Radial Paralysis/ Volkmann’s,
Erb’s and Bell’s Palsy
Neuritis/ Brachial Neuralgia/ Sciatica/ Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Injury or disease may cause lesions which cause acute inflammation or
chronic degeneration within the nervous system. Scar tissue may replace
neural tissue. Processes of the PNS neurons may regenerate if conditions
are favorable. Massage works to restore functional ability, relieve symptoms,
train replacement faculties, prevent contracture and deformity, maintain
and improve motion, and help people emotionally adjust to disability.
In Peripheral Nervous System Disorders, such as Ulnar, Median and Radial
Paralysis, Volkmann’s, Erb’s and Bell’s Palsy, massage
works to promote venous return and lymphatic drainage of the affected
area (effleurage and petrissage towards the heart), and gentle friction
around joints, as well as passive movements helps maintain healthy tissue
and flexibility.
Neuritis (nerve inflammation) and neuralgia (nerve pain), includes things
like: sciatica, Brachial Neuralgia (Thoracic Outlet Syndrome), Trigeminal
Neuralgia (Tic Douloureux) and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. In these cases,
massage seeks to help break the pain-spasm-pain cycle, present in most
chronic physical conditions, which eventually results in emotional responses.
Massage therapy helps by loosening contracture of spasmed muscles, increasing
circulation, relieving trigger points, increasing range of motion, assisting
in postural education, relieving pressure on nerves.
Respiratory Conditions
Asthma, Bronchiectasis, and Bronchitis occur in the bronchioles of the
lungs, but they also affect the muscles which over-work and fatigue in
their quest for more oxygen. Panic can set in, then, hyperventilation,
dehydration and irritation of mucus membranes, increased mucus secretion,
need for more oxygen and a whole cycle sets itself up. Massage techniques
such as: clapping, cupping, jostling, shaking, and vibration, in postural
drainage positions can help dislodge mucus and pus from the trachea and
bronchi and therefore assist breathing, bringing about a release from
the stress response. Relaxing massage to the chest, diaphragm and other
breathing muscles can help increase vital capacity by relaxing restrictions
to breathing.
Skin Disorders
(Dermatitis/ Psoriasis/ Varicose Ulcers/Bruises/Scleroderma/ Impetigo,
Herpes Simplex Virus, Herpes Zoster, Athlete’s Foot and Plantar
Warts)
Dermatitis is contagious and spreads, so get your MD’s approval
before getting any massage. Alert your massage therapist and then, collateral
(to the sides of) massage can be used to speed healing.
Psoriasis is not contagious and has no limitations for massage therapy.
In Varicose Ulcers, centripetal Massage (massage directed toward the center
of the ulcer, yet avoiding the actual ulcer itself) will encourage elimination
of suppurative materials from the ulcer and improves the circulation and
therefore nutrition to the area, which aids healing.
In bruises (contusions), massage around (not directly on) the affected
area can relieve pain by flushing oxygenated blood to the affected areas
and pleasing sensations to the brain. Also, massage helps disperse excess
fluid and debris which accumulate at the site of injuries causing pressure
on nerve endings and blocking oxygen and nutrients from entering the areas
needing healing. Stroking massage movements disperse accumulated fluids
and help disperse blood clots. Massage helps maintain and/or restore normal
ranges of motion in areas where movement and/or nerve supply may have
been affected. Direct massage is contraindicated until the color turns
yellow or disappears, however.
In Scleroderma the goal of massage therapy is to increase the flexibility
of the skin, the mobility of the joints and assist drainage of edema.
Impetigo, Herpes Simplex Virus, Herpes Zoster, Athlete’s Foot and
Plantar Warts are all contagious and need to be thoroughly treated by
an MD.
Fatigue/ Nervousness/ Neurasthenia/ Insomnia/ Listlessness/ Depression
Rhythmic stroking movements are very relaxing and accelerate the elimination
of toxins and waste products, which may contribute to feelings of fatigue,
listlessness and depression. Massage also causes the body to secrete “feel
good” substances (i.e. endorphins) and relaxes tense muscles and
nerves, helping us to get to sleep and sleep better.
Convalescence
Severe and long-term illnesses heavily tax the body, the spirit and the
immune system leading to fatigue, decreased immunity and depression. Massage,
in assisting the body’s systems, helps deal with the exhaustion
and feelings of being overwhelmed by the condition. By relieving this
sense of exhaustion, if only temporarily, a sense of wellbeing is nurtured.
Also, massage affords a degree of activity, though passive, which might
normally be impossible. You, your family, your MD and your massage therapist
should discuss how and when to use massage therapy as part of your treatment
plan.
Operations cause many discomforts from back pain and bed sores from sleeping
in a different bed, to stress from having your life disrupted. Massage
diminishes pain and muscle tension from stress responses, surgery, inactivity,
enforced bed rest, and/or damaged tissues. When approved by an MD, abdominal
massage after abdominal operations can help improve circulation and help
prevent the formation of adhesions (sticking between body tissues), which
might, when left alone, cause sensations of tightness and discomfort.
Massage of scar tissue helps realign it and increase its suppleness. In
addition, massage can stimulate bowel activity often interrupted by operations.
H.I.V./ A.I.D.S./ A.R.C.
Massage for people with these conditions is gentle, supportive and nurturing,
with respect for all the physical and emotional complications that may
arise. You, your family, your MD and your massage therapist should discuss
how and when to use massage therapy as part of your treatment plan.
Elderly
Massage, which may include the use of a variety of strengthening and stretching
exercises, make movement possible when fear is present. This, and the
secretion of “feel good” hormones, nurtures sensations of
independence, self-control and well-being. Circulation is stimulated and
tension is reduced. The stimulation of kinesthetic (pressure and touch)
receptors and both relax muscle contraction or increase muscle tone. Abdominal
massage helps stimulate peristalsis, and therefore bowel movements, to
combat constipation resulting from any inactivity.
Face/Hair
Gentle facial massage relaxes muscles of expression, which, trapped in
tension holding patterns, may contribute to wrinkles. It stimulates circulation
to and from the muscles and the skin, improving complexion. Gentle scalp
massage improves circulation and nutrition to the hair roots, stimulating
the secretion of natural oils, which protect the hair and keep it lustrous
and soft.
Weight Loss/ Working Out
(Delayed Muscle Onset Soreness)
Gentle massage accelerates the elimination of fluids held by the tissues,
and in conjunction with appropriate and healthy lifestyle changes, like
exercise, increases general and local tissue metabolism, muscle tone and
caloric expenditure. The secretion of “feel good” hormones
reduces the need for “comfort food” and increases sensations
of well-being, both of which support positive actions toward weight loss.
Massage speeds recovery from workouts and lessens delayed onset muscle
soreness, which makes working out and working out more often, less painful
and more palatable.
Pregnancy
Massage in pregnancy relieves fatigue, pain, tension and stiffness, promotes
feelings of well-being, assists circulation, reduces swelling, energizes
and helps fight stress and in general helps to create a nurturing environment
for the mother and baby.
Definition of Practice of Massage Therapy - Education Law, section 7801
The practice of the profession
of massage therapy is defined as engaging in applying a scientific system
of activity to the muscular structure of the
human body by means of stroking,
kneading, tapping and vibrating with the hands or vibrators for the purpose
of improving muscle tone and circulation. |
