Hot Yoga

Recently, a co-worker of mine introduced me to Hot Yoga. It is essentially yoga in a room that is heated to about 100 degrees with 60% humidity. Hence the title.

I loved it.

Yoga is fantastic for your body for multiple reasons as with any exercise. Many people immediately think of flexibility. Yes, yoga does help to increase flexibility, even areas you never thought could be stretched. It also increases muscle tone and lubrication of the joints. This makes yoga great for younger generations as well as elderly.

When you Google "yoga" you probably come across pictures such as this one below.

Picture thanks to freedom festival.

Many people would obviously have trouble with this position. As with anything, you do what you can. Yes, push your body, but you also need to listen to your body. If in reaching for your toes you can only get to your knees then so be it. If you want to be able to touch your toes then you practice, gently stretching your body, and eventually you will get there without injuring yourself. This is key. Yoga is a great activity to enable one to tune into his or her body. 

In reality, doing yoga looks more like this for the average person. See below.

Picture thanks to Your Body Center

When I do yoga, I think of it as massaging my body. I "massage" the aches out of my body. I stretch and work the muscles to loosen them up. And breathe! You'd be amazed at how many people don't. 

I'm serious.  

Do a stretch right now. 

.......

Did you breathe out or did you hold your breath? 

If you don't know, do the stretch again and pay attention. Paying attention to your body is something that yoga is also good for. With an increased awareness of your body you will know when you are about to "dork something up", when you start to come down with something, and when stress begins to settle in. Knowing that these things are about to happen is majorly beneficial in preventive care. 

Even if you think yoga is not for you, give it a try. You may discover that it is for you. :)

~The Kneadonator

Rice Therapy Bags

I mentioned rice therapy bags in my last blog post. I have had people ask for more information, so thought I'd blog about them.

When I was first introduced to the idea of rice bags, it was by an older lady who told me to put rice in a sock, tie off the end, microwave it, and then enjoy. Since then, I have discovered people who have crafted multi-use rice bags. And not just grabbed a (clean) sock for therapy.

It's a wonder my family doesn't think I'm strange. :)

You can find rice therapy bags in some stores, but the best place I've found besides making them yourself, is Etsy.

Rice bags on Etsy.

They have ones made for the shoulders. Some for the entire back. Others that wrap around the knees and elbows. Some that wrap around the wrists or for the hands to rest on during computer use. A few for sinus or headache relief and others for kids when they get "boo boos".  Below are some examples (all from Etsy).

Boo Boo Bears

Knee and Elbow Wrap

Lumbar Cozie

Neck wrap, Eye pillow, and Feet warmers

Wrist Support

They are amazing! You can not only microwave them, you can also freeze them. The olden days icy hot packs! Hope you try these for yourself. Don't just take my word.

Back Pain

The majority of my clients come to me because of some kind of pain. Of those, back pain holds the lead. The pain is usually in the low back area and spreads down into the hips and legs, and/or up into the shoulders and neck. When the pain spreads it leads to additional symptoms that we therapists work to relieve in order to reveal the real culprit.

Back pain can be caused by a number of things:

1. Poor posture
2. Heavy lifting or just lifting wrong
3. Sitting for long periods without the proper support or posture
4. Wrong mattress or pillow
5. Standing for long periods of time
6. Lack of exercise or stretching
7. Accident (i.e. fall, trip, car accident, etc)
8. Sports, physical activity (Only if not done properly and not warmed up)

Ways to avoid or relieve back pain:

1. Massage
2. Stretches and exercise
3. Conscious of proper posture, lifting techniques, and warm-up before physical activity and cool down after
4. Drink plenty of water
5. Soak in the tub, use rice therapy bags or heating pads, and ice to prevent injury and relieve soreness

You would be surprised by how many people tell me that they don't stretch. Or how many warm up, but don't cool down after a work out or vice versa. There are reasons that people stress the importance of warming up and cooling down. You need to literally warm up the muscles in your body. They heat up, which increases your energy because heat is a by-product of making ATP, and this increases oxygen flow to your muscles. This also pumps more fluids, nutrients, etc through the joints. Cooling down has a similar affect, but allows the muscles to shake off any excess. This excess is what makes your muscles hurt. It has to go somewhere and if you don't get rid of it then it stays where it shouldn't. Your body is telling you there's a problem.

If you have to work all day standing on your feet there are still ways to help prevent pain. Wearing the right shoes. Investing in a great pair of shoes is absolutely worth every penny in the long run. A nice soak in the tub or a hot tub is a wonderful way to end a work day. However, this is unlikely for the majority of busy people. The next best thing is using a rice therapy bag. Heat it in the microwave for just over a minute, then sit back and enjoy the heat easing your tense, hard worked muscles. Alternating heat and ice is a good way to ease tension, reduce any inflammation, and just basically cover the bases. This is something I do after a long day giving massages. It keeps my arms and hands loose and flexible, keeps carpal tunnel at bay, and prevents aches and pain.

Have more ideas or suggestions? Please feel free to leave your comments in the comment section. I'd love to hear them! :)

~The Kneadonator

Top 5 Fears of Massage

I have heard of many reasons why people do not try massage therapy. From those that I have heard, I thought I would post the top 5.

Fear 1 - Sexual Touch

Many do not get massages because they associate the touch with something sexual. Massage Therapy is not sexual. It is therapeutic touch in order to improve one's health by manipulating the muscular structure of the body. This happens to be done through skin to skin contact, but it can also be done through a sheet or clothes. To help ease this fear, therapists conduct their business in a professional manner maintaining proper boundaries, dress code, and draping.

Fear 2 - Undressing

When getting a massage, the client is asked to undress to their comfort level. Usually that is to the underwear. Some undress to the nude. I have personally had people who undressed to their thermal underwear, a spandex body suit, and some who remained completely clothed. Your comfort is what is import because if you are uncomfortable, your body will remain tense throughout the duration of the massage session. Your therapist will work with your comfort level.

Fear 3 - Draping/Modesty

Sheets and blankets are used to cover you while you are getting a massage. This is for modesty and warmth. The draping will be tucked around the legs while they are being worked on, tucked around the hips to work on the back, and tucked under the armpit to work on the arms. Some people may need their glutes worked one. These are the muscles essentially that make up your buttocks and hips. There is a particular technique for draping that exposes the side without exposing the entire area for a therapist to target the necessary muscles. However, therapists can also work on the glutes over the sheet. My rule of thumb is to use the client's underwear as the boundary line. If your underwear stops at the knees, then I don't go above the knees. If you aren't wearing any, then you are comfortable with work higher up within proper modesty draping procedures. Keep in mind that no matter what the underwear boundary is, I will ask if I may work on the glutes before hand.

Fear 4 - Talking

If you want to talk or not, that is up to you. Therapists will inquire about your areas of focus prior to beginning the massage. During the massage a therapist will only talk to make sure you are enjoying the massage (i.e. how's the pressure?). If you don't want to talk or chit chat, then the therapist will not. If you want to talk, then your therapist will, but not unless you engage and start the conversation. That way the talking ball is on your side of the court, so to speak. :)

Fear 5 - Cost

There are many places to get a massage. Spas and salons are usually the most expensive. Then comes franchises like Massage Envy. Chiropractors may also employ or work with Massage Therapists. Self-employed therapists are usually the most cost friendly. The cost of a massage will depend on not only where and who, but also what kind. Some types of massage therapy are more expensive than others due to the tools or supplies and the time involved. Some insurances are now covering massage costs if prescribed by a doctor. Something to look into if that interests you. Look around in your area, see what you can find, and  be smart just like you would be in who you take your car to get fixed or what doctor you see.

Prevent the Sniffles with Massage

I recently came across this article by CNN with the headline reading "Massage: It's Real Medicine".

This made me laugh out loud. Heads up people, massage is real medicine now because CNN says it's so! Ha! Because massage isn't real medicine unless approved by CNN. Duh.

With the changing of the seasons and the cooler temperatures, I have begun seeing many clients who have the sniffles and sinus problems rearing their ugly heads. It is that time of year again. If you are someone who gets sick easily or frequently during the colder seasons then massage therapy may help.

Massage aids in:
1. Improving circulation
2. Boosting the immune system
3. Reducing anxiety, depression, and stress hormones
4. And more!

How does massage boost the immune system? Well, first of all, increasing circulation not only affects the blood, but also the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system involves the lymph nodes, certain organs, and vessels just like the blood. Ever have swollen lymph nodes due to a sore throat or your sinuses backed up and trying to drain? Massage therapy helps to improve and increase the lymphatic circulation, which helps to better filter waste out of the body. Waste examples being bacteria, excess fluid, dead cells, and viruses.

A study done with blood work drawn before and after receiving massage showed that massage does indeed  cause changes in the lymphatic and endocrine systems of the human body. For example, the study results showed that massage causes an increase in lymphocytes, which are part of the body's defense system in fighting harmful substances. In the process of winning a battle it helps to have soldiers to fight.

Starting to see where massage therapy can be beneficial in preventing illness? If you would like read more on this subject I have linked below a few articles for you:

CNN. Massage: It's Real Medicine

LA Times. Research Study (brief article)

ABMP. Boost Your Immune System

If you've done research papers for school, then you know any website that ends in ".edu" or ".org" are usually reliable sources, medical journals are another, along with other massage therapy websites, blogs, and associations.

Don't take my word for the boosting benefits of massage therapy. Check it out for yourself and come to your own conclusion. :)

~The Kneadonator

You Do Massage Therapy?!

When people find out I am a massage therapist I get one of several responses and I will admit that sometimes I just want to sigh and walk away from some people's replies. However, professionalism and my bubbly personality usually win. I say usually because there's always the possibility of something being said in the future that walking away is my best option. I will let you know if that does ever happen.

1. That's awesome! You know, I have this knot in my shoulder that I just can't seem to get out. Would you mind?

I don't mind giving someone a few minutes of my time to massage that knot in their shoulder. I became a massage therapist because I want to help people over come pain. This just helps to strengthen my passion. It is also a great way to spread the word about massage therapy. If a five-minute massage releases a shoulder, think of what an hour long massage could do! 

2. Do you give happy endings?

Let me just clear the water now on the issue of happy endings. I do not, never have, and never will give happy endings. The number of people who do such things are actually very low and they do not usually call themselves massage therapists or therapists at all. Unfortunately, it's one of those only-takes-one-to-ruin-it-for-the-rest things.

We massage therapists work hard in maintaining our professionalism and strive to provide the highest quality of therapeutic bodywork to aide the body's healing processes. We respect and honor everyone's bodies and maintain proper boundaries through proper sheeting and covering during every session. 

3. I don't like massages. 

For those of you who respond that you don't like massages, expect my first question to be "Have you had one before?" If your answer is no, I will retort, "Well then how do you know you don't like massage?" You can thank my grandparents for teaching me such language.

If you say yes, I may ask you where and what kind. For example, a deep tissue massage differs from a Swedish massage in the pressure and techniques used. Deep tissue implies what it is. Deep. The pressure is hard, but slow. On the other hand, a Swedish massage uses light, flowing strokes which can be slow or somewhat vigorous depending on the stroke being used, but the pressure will remain light and gentle. If you are a body builder who received a Swedish massage, chances are you hated it, felt like the massage did nothing, or that the therapist just rubbed skin the entire time. You may want to try a Deep tissue massage or a sports massage instead. With deeper pressure and other strokes utilized to target the underlying muscle tissue and break up lactic acid buildup (which causes soreness in muscles, among other things), this will feel as if the massage did something. The opposite goes for someone who says they felt beat up and bruised after a massage. You may want to try a Swedish massage, Reflexology, or Reiki instead. If this is your first time experiencing massage therapy, ask your therapist what he or she recommends.

Please note that I will respect your opinion. It is okay to not like massage. I don't like certain foods. So certainly there are people who won't like massages. 

4. But you're so tiny! 

It does not matter the therapist's size when it comes to giving a good massage. The key lies in proper body alignment. Yes, I am of small stature. Petite, some may say. Yet I can give a solid, deep massage through proper body mechanics and with my table at an appropriate height. If I need to go deeper, I can sink and/or lower the table. If I need to go lighter, I can straighten up and/or raise the table. Amazing what the correct leverage can achieve. Physics! Who knew?

~The Kneadonator

Welcome!

Thank you for visiting my blog!

In case you're wondering what the heck is going on. Please allow me to give you a short explanation. 

This blog has been created so that I may share with you my passion for massage therapy and learning new ways to shake off stress. We all want to be able to do what we love and spend time with loved ones. We don't want to be focused on pain or let it hinder us. Right? I thought so. 

Yes, I am biased in support of massage therapy. However, I do understand and recognize that massage therapy is not for everyone. Some because it is contraindicated due to health complications or others just because it's not their thing. 

That is OK.

Knowing that massage therapy isn't everyone's cup of tea is what has inspired me to blog. Not just posts on how massage is good for you, but also ways to help shake off that stress and relieve pain at home on your own or through other therapies. 

Thanks for reading. I hope you will come visit again soon! 

~The Kneadonator