East Wind Acupuncture

Restoring Health Naturally

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Reciprocal Inhibition

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I feel reciprocal inhibition is a simple concept to grasp but most people are just not aware of what it is. Simply put, reciprocal inhibition is the process of a muscle or group of muscles on one side of a joint having to relax so the the muscles on the other side of the joint can contract creating movement. There is some more in-depth processes that go along with that but hopefully you get the idea. If you suffer from chronically tight muscles or loss of range of motion than that means your nervous system is not allowing this reciprocal inhibition to happen. There are different ways to correct the imbalances of the muscles but massage is always a good start so come see one of our massage therapist to talk about any areas you might be having troubles with.

Sean LMT

Types of Massage Therapy!

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Regular Massage – Helps with pain relief, decreases anxiety, depression and stress. Improves flexibility and range of motion. Not to mention that great feeling after each massage and knowing next month you will get another one.

Swedish Massage – This type of massage is a great choice for anyone wanting to relax. During this massage you will experience – soft, long, kneading strokes, light, tapping strokes on occasion.

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Glute Amnesia

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Yes, you read that right. Glute amnesia is a condition and I’m going to briefly go over here. So hopefully this information helps you in taking steps to correct this condition or prevent it all together

Glute amnesia is when your glute muscles (those are the muscles of you butt) stop firing. The problem with that is when we do movements, that this powerful muscle group is supposed to do, we recruit different muscle to do the movement. In turn this overworks the other muscles causing them undo stress. It is prevalent, but not limited too, people who sit a lot or are leaning forward for long periods of time. The concerns that arise from this is dysfunction in the in the low back, along the hip, and into the quads. So typically I see 2 types of low back pain. One is above the PSIS (Posterior Superior Iliac Spine) and usually is caused by problems along the lumbar and sacral spine area. The other is pain below the PSIS that is usually dysfunction in the gluteal muscles and typically is under activity of this group. Massage along with some simple exercises can help improve this condition.

If this sounds like something that you might be dealing with come see one of our massage therapist and we can help determine if you are suffering from glute amnesia or if there is something else going on and what you can do to help the situation.

Thank you for reading

Sean LMT

4 Tips for Daily Stress Management

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Mindfulness Breaks- Take a few minutes 3-4 times a day to destress. First close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Start to relax your shoulders, let the rest of the body follow. Take a few deep breathes in and exhale all the tension.

Give Love- Experts say physical contact helps encourage you to see new solutions to problems that can appear difficult and studies show petting an animal can decrease stress and lower blood pressure. Give a few hugs a day to reduce stress levels.

DANCE- For 2-3 minutes put on your favorite upbeat song and DANCE like no one is watching! Let out all the stress and tension. Listen to the music and focus on how it makes you feel.

Exercise- Releasing your endorphins feels energizing as you move. Take 30 minutes to 1 hour, 3-4 times a week to help release your endorphins. If you are just starting out take 10-15 minutes every other day and see how you feel afterwards. Then make it your goal to reach 30 minutes to 1 hour, 3-4 times a week.

Back Pain Stretches and Exercise

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This time of year in Indiana can be challenging for our bodies due to the change in weather. The cold seems to make the body stiff for many people restricting their range of motion. I found this video to share with you that talks about a couple of common back pain areas and what you can do at home to help yourself out. Don’t forget that massage therapy is always a great complimentary modality to home/self care. Just a heads up, we will be having our Black Friday specials soon so keep an eye out.

Sean LMT

Hand and Forearm Tension

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With the quarantine forcing more people to work remotely with computers and more typing I am seeing quite a bit of dysfunction in the finger, hands and wrists. So in this blog I’m going to go over a little bit about the anatomy that is in play and what steps you can do to help improve the tightness in your fingers, wrist and forearms.

Let me start by explaining that in the hand we have intrinsic (within the hand) and extrinsic (away from the hand) muscles that move the fingers and the wrist. Each group is used simultaneously whenever we use our fingers but the extrinsic are more geared to strength and intrinsic for fine movement. So hopefully you can see how extra typing can start to cause issues for people in their hands and wrists. If we go long periods with tension in these flexors we start to run into problems like carpal tunnel syndrome or nerve impingements. Stretching is one of the best ways to keep balance in this area. All you have to do is hold your hand up like you are holding a tray and gently bend your fingers down then do the same for the thumb. If you are having persistent problems then you may need a massage or other treatments depending on your individual situation. For a more detailed assessment come see us for a massage.

Thank you for taking the time to read what I have to say. If you have any questions please reach out to me at 219-395-9928.

Sean Devine LMT