The shoulders play a pivotal roll in the distribution of force from the upper extremities to the rest of the body so their alignment is crucial for staying pain free. When force is applied through the fingers and hands it passes through the wrist, up the forearm and humerus, and through the scapula to the spine.
[Read more…]Serratus Anterior-Why you should pay attention to this muscle.
This month we are talking about the serratus anterior muscle. Let’s start with where this muscle is and what it is meant to do. This muscle starts under the arm and attaches to the upper 8 or 9 ribs then wraps around and attaches under the scapula at the medial border (the side closest to the spine).
[Read more…]Neck Tension
Today’s topic is a very common area of concern for many people, the neck. The function of the neck is to balance the head over our shoulders but too many time’s our daily routine stops that from happening. Overall body alignment starts with proper head positioning so let’s explore why it is so important and when thing’s go wrong what we can do to correct the problem.
[Read more…]Foam roller for back pain
Get yourself a foam roller and loosen up those back muscles with this simple self massage:
[Read more…]The Benefits of a Scalp and Face Massage
When thinking of getting a massage most people think of getting those pesky shoulder or back muscles worked out but there are benefit’s to working the scalp and face. So I’m going to briefly go over those benefits this month.
[Read more…]How to help neck and shoulder pain at home.
The muscles in the back of your skull work all the time to keep your head stable on top of your spine. It’s alluring to give them a fast rub with your hands, but there is a better way to give them a little bit of affection. Click read more to learn how.
[Read more…]Raindrop Therapy!
By Jess
The 8 Essential oils used during the Raindrop Technique:
- Oregano: Has been tested and found to be 4x’s as powerful as penicillin
- Thyme: attacks viruses and bacteria, Purifying
- Basil: anti-spasmodic, headache relief, anti-inflammatory/bacterial
- Wintergreen: Pain relief for arthritis, joints, muscles and nerves
- Cypress: Improves circulation, Anti-infections
- Peppermint: anti-spasmodic, assists in “pushing” in all other oils
- Marjoram: relaxes musculature, lowers blood pressure and Herb of Happiness”
- Aroma Siez (blend):Basil, Marjoram, Lavender, Peppermint and Cypress
- Valor (blend): Spruce, Rosewood, Blue tansy and Frankincense
The Benefits of Massage for Physical Fitness
With more and more of people focusing on becoming more physically active during the summer, I feel this is a good time to talk about the benefits of massage after physical activity. During physical activity multiple systems of our body are being used like the: circulatory, respiratory, muscular, endocrine and nervous systems and they all receive benefits from massage.
Constricted muscles act like dams, blocking fluids from flowing freely throughout the body. Muscles need a steady flow of blood to get adequate oxygen and nutrients for energy necessary for muscular contraction and relaxation. The waste products of muscular metabolism are released into the venous blood supply to be transported out of the muscle and processed for removal from the body. When this process is disrupted the muscles become toxic from lack of nutrients and build-up of waste products and they can no longer perform their job effectively. Muscles that are chronically contracted disrupt the symmetry of balanced forces acting on the skeleton. When this happens our bones get out of position, causing postural imbalances that result in structural stress. This stress causes pain, loss of range of motion in a joint and loss of performance during physical activities.
We can counter those problems with regular massage and here’s how. First off, massage moves fluid through the body by manually flushing tense muscles of trapped blood and toxic waste. Secondly, massage can relieve the tension in muscle and get rid of trigger points that are causing pain. Thirdly, massage helps activate the lymphatic system alloying all of the toxic fluids that were building up to be released from the body. Lastly, massage calms the sympathetic nervous system (Fight or Flight) so the parasympathetic nervous system (Rest and Digest) can take over the bodily functions. With these benefit’s you can become physically active and stay that way for year’s to come.
Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say.
Sean M. Devine, LMT
Reference- The Balanced Body, A Guide to Deep Tissue and Neuromuscular Therapy, 3rd Edition by Donald W. Scheumann
Acupressure for migraines..
By Jess
Having a migraine can make life come to a halt. There are some massage techniques that can help relieve that pounding head and uncontrollable nausea. Acupressure on different parts of the face can help, by applying pressure to different facial points to release that blocked up feeling and help your head feel clearer.
[Read more…]White Flower Oil
By: Jess
Have you heard of white flower oil? If not, this website is very informative. It explains how white flower oil can help with minor aches and pains. If you already know of white flower oil and its amazing benefits, you may find it interesting to learn how it came about and what else it can be used for other than aches and pains. Click the link below to read more about white flower oil.