May 8, 2008
This Week's Massage News
Throughout the week I am always coming across interesting articles about massage therapy. I plan to gather these links into a weekly post and share massage therapy news.
Here are this week's interesting links:
Osteopathy a Growing Trend in Treatment of Children
"Oestopathy is intended to work preventatively and early in life, making it especially suitable for children," said Prediger. It can be used to detect and treat something like a displaced vertebrae very early. Also among children who have conspicuous behavioural issues, Prediger has achieved noticeable success.
Students Benefit From Pre-Exam Massages
"Everyone has described it as a positive experience and I think innovation is vital. We believe in doing things in a different way and our results are improving year on year. The school spent £150 subsidising the first massages, but now the 10 pupils who regularly have appointments are paying £5 for the half-hour slots.
Staying Active Can Help Keep You Pain-Free
Most adults know being active is important to being healthy but many admit they don't do what they know they should. Those who suffer from [pain] are even less likely to be active. Medical experts confirm that one of the ways to avoid pain, or to manage it, is through regular exercise.
The best way to treat pain, says Dr. Jamie Henderson, a Fredericton rheumatologist, is holistically. "It's not just the physician. I rely heavily on physiotherapists, massage therapists, acupuncturists and psychologists.
Cure For Hot Spots
The solution of equal parts Listerine, baby oil and water for dogs' hot spots is the most fantastic remedy I've read about in a long time! The minute my dogs start "worrying" a spot, I get out my spray bottle, spray the area thoroughly, massage the solution into their skin, and the problem stops immediately. No more hot spots that involve trips to the vet.
The Demartini Method
“The Demartini Method is a logical, learnable process that leads one through a series of high quality questions that equilibrate the mind and open the heart,” she wrote to describe it. “The experience that follows radically shifts one’s world view, collapses useless baggage, alters physiology and transforms relationships. It is, in my opinion, the most powerful healing tool on the planet.”
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
May 7, 2008
Five Easy Ways To Make Mother's Day Massage Day
Women are the greatest consumers of massage. And it only makes sense that beleaguered mothers, especially, deserve an escape from a job where you're never really off the clock.
Massage can be combined with many gift options to create something positively decadent or a special treat on a budget.
Suggestions:
1) If money is no object, go for a day of beauty, complete with massage, manicure, pedicure, hair care services (cut, style, color, etc.)
2) If money is a bit of an issue, you can just book a one hour massage, and while she's being pampered, detail her car. Oh, and don't forget to fill up before you return the car to her.
3) With really little ones, you may not want handle the crew on your own, and your budget may be stretched thin with all those diapers and formula. A half hour massage may be the way to go. It gives her time to relax on her way to the massage, and time to reorient to the real world while on her way home. That and you know there's a light at the end of the tunnel if Jr. becomes inconsolable.
4) If a family outing is more her style for Mother's Day, a walk in the mall with the family might lead you to a seated massage venue at a kiosk (plan ahead and make sure they're actually there). What a nice surprise! You can take the kids for dippin' dots while Mom gets 15 minutes of stress busting.
5) Dead broke? A home cooked meal and a do-it-yourself back rub can go a long way in making Mom feel special. Oh, and that back rub is not a precursor to anything but relaxing, unless she decides to show you her appreciation for your thoughtfulness.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
May 6, 2008
Stress Management
I've had quite a bit of stress surrounding finals week. The worrying actually distracted me from studying and so I may not have performed as well on a couple of my exams as a result.
Worry: 1 a: mental distress or agitation resulting from concern usually for something impending or anticipated : anxiety b: an instance or occurrence of such distress or agitation
2: a cause of worry : trouble, difficulty
Physical effects of stress: a cascade of biological chemicals floods the body including adrenalin, norepinephrin and cortisal. The body reacts to these chemicals by increasing blood flow to large muscles and decreasing blood flow to skin. Pupils dilate, and blood sugar levels go up. At the same time, digestive and reproductive functions go down, growth hormones are switched off, and the immune system is inhibited. Prolonged exposure to stress increases your risk of everything from heart disease, obesity, and infection to anxiety, depression, and memory problems.
Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in your life. This isn’t as easy as it sounds. Your true sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook your own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.
I've taken up running to deal with my stress, and while I'm becoming more healthy (at least that's one less worry) and have lost a bit of my middle-aged belly, it is not adequately addressing my mental stress. Some suggestions for dealing with internal stressors such as worrying follow:
1) imagine the worst case scenario--how bad would it really be if I fail?
2) change my internal talk--catch when I worry about inadequacy and change it to competence
3) make time for worrying--keep a journal and write down your worries with a mental note to worry later (which, interestingly, you don't have to do)
4) pray or meditate--observe the worrying thoughts as they move across your mind but don't dwell on them
5) use a little worry to motivate, prioritize and act--don't procrastinate
I didn't do so great on everything during my finals, but I passed everything well enough to stay in school--I'm not perfect, but I can dwell on the positives.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
May 5, 2008
Textbooks On The Cheap
Have you priced textbooks lately? It's been a while since I was in college, but it seems like the price of textbooks has gotten outrageous.
Before every semester, we are given a book list with campus bookstore prices. I generally compare prices among a variety of sites including eBay, Half.com, and various online textbook retailers, but usually find myself buying the books through Amazon.com. Amazon's low pricing combined with free shipping for any order over $25 makes the site hard to beat. Often the site lists third-party vendors whose pricing is even cheaper than its own, even when shipping is included.
When I was preparing to enter graduate school, I often picked up gently used (no highlighting and in almost new condition) textbooks. Now that I am in graduate school, I plan to keep my textbooks and have only been buying brand new books. The difference in price is astounding, especially when you consider I haven't added the sales tax (ours is over 9%) to the campus bookstore prices, or the time spent going to the bookstore.
Following is this semester's book list with the campus bookstore's price and the price I paid:
1) Pathophysiology: The Biologic Basis for Disease in Adults And Children Fifth Edition by Kathryn L. McCance;
Amazon: $82.57
Campus bookseller: $93.00
2) Pharmacology in Rehabilitation (Contemporary Perspectives in Rehabilitation) by Charles D. Ciccone
Amazon: $51.88
Campus bookseller: $76.95
3) Muscle and Sensory Testing by Nancy Berryman Reese
Amazon: $66.95
Campus bookseller: $58.95
4) Neuroanatomy Through Clinical Cases by Hal Blumenfeld
Amazon: $64.80
Campus bookseller: $57.00
5) Neuroscience: Fundamentals for Rehabilitation by Laurie Lundy-Ekman
Amazon: $58.46
Campus bookseller: $64.95
6) Measurement of Joint Motion: A Guide to Goniometry 3rd Edition by Cynthia C. Norkin
Amazon: $32.64
Campus bookseller: $36.95
7) Muscles: Testing and Function, with Posture and Pain (Kendall, Muscles) by Florence Peterson Kendall
Amazon: $49.99
Campus bookseller: $58.95
8) Wound Management: Principles and Practice by Betsy Myers
Amazon: $31.24
Campus bookseller: $51.33
9) Stedman's Medical Dictionary Package (Including Stedman's Medical Dictionary Hardcover and in CD for PDA)
Amazon: $26.19
Campus bookseller: $49.99
alt. 9) Dorland’s Illustrated Medical Dictionary, Ed. 30
Amazon: $46.50
Campus bookseller: $95.00
alt. 9) Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary Ed. 19
Amazon: $30.51
Campus bookseller: $31.90
Some of the books I got through Amazon.com were just a few dollars cheaper at the campus bookstore. However, when we factored in tax, our time, and the cost of gas to go get the books, we decided to get them all at once.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
May 2, 2008
Pain Scale
Yesterday, I talked about range of motion with regard to joint architecture and circumstances. One circumstance for conservative approaches to range of motion involves client pain. With any therapy that is being "done to" a client, it is always crucial to establish good communication. Part of that communication should help to develop rapport and trust. The other is to convey information and demonstrate good common sense when administering a modality.
With my clients, if I'm working with a condition that is painful, I like to establish what I call a pain scale. If I know therapy is uncomfortable, I warn them that it may not be pleasant. I also explain my rationale why we have to do the therapy and what it should accomplish. I explain the pain scale as follows: "Let me know if this hurts you. For example, on a scale from one to ten, one is no pain, ten is unbearable. I don't want your discomfort over a five, which is the therapeutic level."
We proceed with the modality, and sometimes, people say five right away out of fear of anticipating pain. It is imperative at this point to stop or back off and "check in" again to see if they are okay. This helps build trust. If your client is expecting therapy and not straight up relaxation, they should relax knowing that they truly are in control. Therapy should go a little easier after that. If the client cannot relax or continues to exhibit pain beyond what would be expected for a given condition, it would probably be a good idea to refer out to another professional. Better safe that sorry--better not to inflict undue pain--it could be something beyond your scope of practice.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
May 1, 2008
Range Of Motion
I remember in massage school where we were taught that our clients demonstrate their range of motion so that we could determine where we needed to work when they came in with a complaint. Each joint, because of its architecture, has it's own variety of ranges for motion. For example, the shoulder, a true hinge joint, allows for flexion and extension. If a client has limited range in that motion, we knew to work with the structures that would limit normal motion.
However, in PT school, we're learning that unassisted range of motion, as demonstrated in the above example, only represents a portion of possible range of motion options at a given joint. Depending upon a patient's status (post-op, paralysis, marathon training), range of motion can be passive, assisted, or unassisted, either by necessity or by a doctor's orders.
Especially in the case of passive range of motion, good communication is required so that the patient is not put into a range that creates pain. The same was true of any modality that we used with massage, because, frankly, most people are not coming to us to be put into pain. There is some expectation for discomfort in recovery therapy, however, but excess pain causes splinting. When splinting occurs, trust may have been broken, range of motion decreases (whether consciously or not) and little good is being done for the patient/client.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
April 29, 2008
Plantar Fasciitis & Massage Therapy
Massage magazine reports that the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) has released a new statement on Plantar Fasciitis, and recommends several treatment options including massage therapy.
The AAAOS noted that patients living with plantar fasciitis have treatment options including:
• Non-operative treatment: Foot and toe exercises, massage techniques, stretching and cortisone injections.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health plantarfasciitis
Posted by linda | permalink
April 28, 2008
The Positive Effects of Touch
Canada.com explores the positive effects of touch, and includes massage therapy.
Touch's comfort can extend to older kids, too. After receiving massage sessions, adolescents with ADHD expressed feelings of happiness, and their teachers noted a decrease in the adolescents' fidgeting and off-task activities. Even self-massage has benefits, as proven by a study of people trying to deal with the cravings and anxiety associated with quitting smoking. When they felt the urge to smoke, test subjects were advised to rub their hands together or stroke their ear lobes. Rubbed away with the tension was the urge to light up.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
April 25, 2008
Dupuytren's Contracture
We're studying the forearm (antebrachium) this week, so I decided to develop a theme for the week. It only seemed appropriate to blog about an entire array of disorders that commonly occur in the upper extremity.
Dupuytren's contracture is a hand deformity, usually rare, that creates involuntary bending of the fingers. It's usually affects the 4th and 5th fingers and is painless. Severe cases may inhibit use of the hand. Usually there is a family history in people of northern European decent, along with a possible history of alcoholism, epilepsy or diabetes.
Interestingly, I noticed that my anatomy instructor may have this condition, only because his hands remind me of my grandfather's hands. My grandfather had bilateral contractions of both of his ring fingers and tended to perform many activities using the first three fingers of his hands.
Complications of the condition include contracture disorders in other parts of the body: Plantar fibromatosis, Peyronie's disease, knuckle pads (Garrod's nodes).
While Dupuytren's contracture is irreversible, like any contracture syndrome, early intervention with massage may slow or limit the progression of contracture.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
April 24, 2008
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
We're studying the forearm (antebrachium) this week, so I decided to develop a theme for the week. It only seemed appropriate to blog about an entire array of disorders that commonly occur in the upper extremity.
Carpal tunnel syndrome was a popular topic discussed a few years ago by the massage industry. The syndrome is characterized by inflammation, usually due to overuse, that causes swelling in a very narrow tunnel that passes through the wrist. Inside this tunnel is nine tendons to the fingers wrapped in synovial sheaths and the median nerve. Because of a limiting tendon that wraps around the carpal tunnel, inflammation of the synovial sheaths cause impingement on the median nerve.
Symptoms include:
* Tingling or numbness in your fingers or hand
* Pain radiating or extending from your wrist up your arm to your shoulder or down into your palm or fingers
* A sense of weakness in your hands
* A constant loss of feeling
Initial treatment options are usually conservative. Rest, ice, taking frequent breaks, and wrapping the affected wrist in a brace, and anti-inflammatory drugs are usually tried first to see if they will help. The implementation of massage early in the manifestation of the syndrome may prevent it from getting worse to the point that the patient is required to seek surgery.
Keep in mind if you are a massage therapist assisting a client with carpal tunnel syndrome, it is important to consider what is happening in the shoulder and neck on the affected side. Like many conditions, the problem isn't always limited to where the pain is.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
April 23, 2008
Rotator Cuff Injuries
We're studying the forearm (antebrachium) this week, so I decided to develop a theme for the week. It only seemed appropriate to blog about an entire array of disorders that commonly occur in the upper extremity.
Four muscles make up the rotator cuff, whose purpose it to hold the humeral head into the shallow indentation known as the glenoid fossa of the scapula. The scapula acts as a base of support for the humeral head, allowing the arm the most freedom of range of motion of any joint in the body. But that freedom comes at a price: stability.
Rotator cuff injuries are fairly common and can be cause by a variety of ways. Falling, lifting and repetitive arm activities, especially those done overhead, are scenarios that cause rotator cuff injuries.
* Pain and tenderness in the shoulder, especially when reaching overhead
* Weakness in the shoulder
* Loss of range of motion
Can massage help a rotator cuff injury? Since it's important to keep the joint mobile and supple, massage would be good for prevention and rehabilitation, but not for the acute phase of the injury or immediately post surgery. Following surgery, with doctor's clearance, massage therapy could help restore mobility and suppleness to the affected shoulder.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health
Posted by linda | permalink
April 22, 2008
Golfer's Elbow
We're studying the forearm (antebrachium) this week, so I decided to develop a theme for the week. It only seemed appropriate to blog about an entire array of disorders that commonly occur in the upper extremity.
Medial Epicondylitis or golfer's elbow is similar to tennis elbow, except it occurs on the inside of the arm. It is considered a deceleration injury, where trauma occurs due to taking too much of the ground with the ball when you swing your golf club. Inflammation occurs at the tendons that attach to the common flexor tendon on the medial epicondyle (the bump on the inside of your elbow that houses the "funny bone").
The most common cause of golfer's elbow is sports activities, but a variety of other activities can also result in inflammation. Painting, raking, hammering, chopping wood, typing and other repetitive wrist, hand or arm movements can result in golfer's elbow as well.
The number one treatment for golfer's elbow is rest. However, ice, physical therapy, and in severe cases, surgery, may be recommended. Massage can help give temporary relief, but again, administration of the massage over an inflamed area may be very painful or even contraindicated in severe cases.
So, try to avoid taking divots when you swing to hit the ball. Not only could it mess your elbow, it'll mess up your golf score, as well.
tags: massage massagetherapy wellness massage therapy bodywork health golf
Posted by linda | permalink
