How Often Should You Get a Massage?

One of the most common questions I get asked is "How Often Should I Get Massage?"  The answer can vary from person to person depending on the reason you seek out massage.

For clients with a chronic pain issue, I usually see them once a week at first, and then adjust to fewer appointments over time as the injury/range of motion improves.  Most likely, you will feel better immediately after the massage, and most people make a big mistake here.  They think, "My shoulder feels way better.  I'll just call when I am hurting again."  My job isn't to relieve pain until you hurt again.  My job is to make you feel good enough to not need me anymore.  Regular massage is an all-natural, non-invasive, safe way to relieve pain, but it isn't like taking a Tylenol.  Relief from chronic pain requires a combination of regular appointments with client self-care in between those appointments.

Many people also seek out massage for relaxation and stress-relief.  For these clients, the frequency can vary from once a week, to once a month, to once a year.  If you want to receive the full benefits of massage for relaxation, anxiety relief, and overall health, I recommend at least a one hour massage every 1 to 4 weeks.  A weekly massage may not be in everyone's schedule, but I feel that even a monthly massage can still give you great benefit.  The act of taking time out your schedule just for yourself, can be a powerful catalyst to pursuing better health in your life.

You will see the best results with massage therapy if you schedule it in advance on a regular basis.  To encourage this, I offer several packages to help my regular clients save money.  You can save up to 20% of the regular price of your massage by buying them in sets of 3 or 6 at a time.  If you are stressed, in pain, or just need a little "me" time, now is the perfect time to start investing in yourself and your health.  Call 479-301-2800 or visit inspire-ecosalonspa.com to book your next appointment today.

Office Injury Rehab: Mouse Arm

Now more than ever, we are relying computers for entertainment, communication, and our livelihood.  Having worked in an office environment for years before being a massage therapist, I have firsthand knowledge of how brutal the office can be on your body.  Office Injury Rehab's goal is to shine a light on common injuries from office work, and give concrete ways to stop pain. 

Today, I want to examine an injury I've actually had myself.  About a year ago, the combination of giving 25 massages a week, spending hours on the computer to market my own practice, and then blowing off some steam by playing a few hours of a certain PC game, created the perfect storm.  At first, my hand mildly hurt.  I booked a massage for myself, and then I went about my usual arm abuse.  Soon after, my whole arm started going numb.  My hands swelled up.  I couldn't open a jar or even a door knob.  Losing the function of your hands is scary for anyone, but it's a massage therapist's worse nightmare.  What made matters worse is that I couldn't put a name to what was wrong with me.  My doctor had suggested carpal tunnel syndrome, but this wasn't a chronic problem.  After doing some research on my own, I found out about a little known condition called "Mouse Arm."  It sounds funny, but it can mean serious pain if you have it.

"Mouse Arm" is a common repetitive strain injury in which one might feel numbness or tingling in the hands, a weakening of your grip, or even a pulling sensation felt throughout the arm.  Mouse Arm is often caused by having the mouse in an awkward position which requires one to reach, but it can also be caused by simple overuse of the mouse.  Ideally, your mouse should be as close to the keyboard as possible, and not any wider out than shoulder-width.  You also don't want the mouse to be positioned to high or low.  The keyboard and mouse should be around the level of your waist so that your arms are at a 90 degree angle.  

I am very fortunate that my injury has healed, and my hands and arms are pain free.  A repetitive strain injury can turn into a chronic pain if neglected.  Here are some ways you can assist your body in becoming pain-free:  

1.  Get regular massage therapy.

2.  Take regular breaks from the computer (even if you aren't in pain!).

3.  Do some joint rotations.

4.  Create an ergonomic workspace.

Sources:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/technology/how-to-avoid-mouse-arm/2007/09/11/1189276708235.html

Do You Do "Deep Tissue"?

One of the most asked questions of a massage therapist's career is about deep tissue. "Do You Do Deep Tissue?" is asked by employers and clients alike.  The term "Deep Tissue" Massage can evoke strong reactions from clients ranging from elation to anxiety. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about what this modality is and what it can do.

Deep Pressure is not the same as Deep Tissue.
The two terms get confused frequently by MTs and the general public. The amount of pressure used in the massage generally refers to the force or weight used by the massage therapist on the client. This can vary from light grazing of the skin to putting my full body weight against someone. In my opinion, one is not necessarily better than the other. What pressure is best for the client is largely dependent, if not totally, on the client's comfort.

Deep Tissue is a technique of massage that involves manipulating musculature that is under the superficial muscles. Mostly this involves moving superficial muscles out of the way. What are superficial muscles? Simply put, they are the muscles you can see when moving: Biceps, glutes, quads, pecs, etc. For example, the picture here shows Pectoralis major (also known as the pec). If you notice on the right side, Pectoralis minor is located under Pectoralis major. An MT could just press really hard on pec major in hopes that they are massaging pec minor too. However, by utilizing deep tissue techniques, they can position the body and their hands to manipulate the muscle more effectively and efficiently.

Deep Tissue Massage does not automatically mean pain.
Many people equate deep tissue massage with painful massage. The truth is, it can be very painful during and after when you are in unexperienced, unknowledgeable hands. Deep tissue massage requires that the MT and the client are in constant communication. If you are looking for a massage where you can lay on the table for an hour and not talk to anyone, deep tissue is not the massage for you. If you are currently receiving deep tissue massage and the MT never asks you about your comfort or pain level, they are not the MT for you. I always tell my clients that on a scale from 1-10, if their pain goes over a 7, I need to know. Always let your therapist know when you are in pain. Your body has a natural reflex to brace itself when it is in pain, and this can be counterproductive in a massage. Deep tissue may mean some discomfort, but in the right hands can be used to provide great relief and benefit.

Deep Tissue Massage isn't necessarily a better massage.
I have a lot of clients that receive great benefit from regular deep tissue massage. I also have a lot of clients who benefit greatly from a light pressure, Swedish massage. Which one is better? The one that the client likes and gives them the most benefit. I LOVE a good Swedish massage. I also, LOVE a good deep tissue massage. The most important part is finding someone who understands what your goals are (relaxation, chronic pain relief, a hour away from your job) and the ability of that MT to help you reach that goal.

Massage Voodoo Myths: "Toxins"

There are a lot of myths out there that massage therapists repeat. Maybe, they learned them in massage school. Maybe they heard it somewhere, and it sounded really smart and worth repeating. Unfortunately, no one ever thought to consult the actual laws of science, fact, and logic. So I wanted to start a column called, "Massage Voodoo Myths" in an effort to dispel some myths that are often repeated, but never really tested. Massage Voodoo Myth #1: Massage removes toxins from the body.

Yes, TOXINS. Did you know you are just a flesh sack full of poison, and you need someone to rub them away?! Well, you aren't, but this is the number one myth I hear repeated by too many people who should know better. First of all, what are toxins? I don't know, but it sounds pretty scary. Have you ever asked a massage therapist or any other holistic practitioner to actually NAME the "toxins"? You should try it, because the look on their face will be priceless. If they are truly on top of their game, they might even pull out things like, "calcium, lactic acid, metabolic waste, steroids, etc."

The truth of the matter is, we have a system in our body designed to remove waste. The kidneys, liver, digestive system, all have means of moving waste through the body. If I drink 5 tequila shots, the tequila stays in my digestive tract. I don't get tequila soaked muscles (I really want tequila muscles now though.). If you are poisoned, rubbing your muscles is not going to remove anything. You can only remove it by sweating it out, vomiting it up, urinating, or defecating. If massage did remove toxins from the body, we wouldn't need modern medicine for things like lead poisoning, alcohol poisoning, edema, salmonella, e coli, we could just rub it out! I honestly, wish everyone had that kind of power, but we don't. Massage is great for pain relief, relaxation, and improving rage of motion, but it isn't a magical antidote for everything.

A video by Laura Allen, MT sums up this point nicely. And I agree with her: Massage is good enough to stand on it's own without making wild, false claims about what it will do.

Roll with It: Foam Rolling Has a Place in Your Self Care Routine

I have recently started running. Well, it hasn't been that recent, but let's just say I've recently started running enough that I feel comfortable saying, "I'm a runner." In my new title of "runner," I've started talking to other runners about how they treat any muscle pain or tightness after their runs. To my disappointment, the answer was rarely, "I regularly seek out a licensed professional to manipulate my soft-tissue." About 90% of people I talked to, even my own massage clients, said, "Get a foam roller."

If you aren't familiar with them, a foam rollers can look like anything from an over-priced bumpy PVC pipe to a glorified pool noodle that can be used as a tool for Self-Myofascial Release. That's right I said "self." Everyone can now be their own massage therapist, and I'm officially out of a job. Just kidding, of course! You can check out various foam rollers yourself at Foamrollers.com. They are actually great for self-care, and I actually have started recommending them to clients and other massage therapists. However, I quickly learned in the beginning that many foam rollers don't come with adequate instructions. I actually started getting numerous appointments from people seeking relief from an injury they received from using a foam roller.

I promise that this wasn't some genius money-making scheme:

• Step 1) Recommend Foam Roller
• Step 2) Client injures themselves
• Step 3) Client has to get more massage
• Step 4) PROFIT

I had made a mistake. I was relying on people to read instructions that may or may not exist/be adequate. Also, I assumed that everyone knew what a massage therapist knows. Here are a few things I have learned that I wanted to pass along to any person using a foam roller, and it's even great to give to clients if you regularly recommend them.

1. Stay away from small muscles. Save those tiny muscles (like the ones in your neck) for your massage therapist. A foam roller can give pretty firm pressure along a broad surface. It's fairly easy to overwork small muscles, like the sternocleidomastoid, which really require a more delicate, specific, and knowledgeable touch in order to prevent further injury.
2. More Pain = No Gain Foam roller fans often say things like, "Oh it is so painful, but it works!" Well, more pain during foam rolling doesn't mean less pain in the future. If you are experiencing a 7 or above on a 1 to 10 scale, SLOW DOWN. Use static pressure instead. Static pressure means just allowing the foam roller to be stationary and sink into the skin (and fascia).
3. SLOW DOWN The foam roller (or any massage tool) shouldn't be used as a masochistic battering ram. You can't beat the pain away. You will get more benefit, in my opinion, by going slower and allowing the muscle and fascia to melt into the foam roller. Go slow enough so that you can pay attention to what is going on in your body.
4. Know when to quit Many people make the mistake of using the foam roller too much. They use it for hours on end to try to "rub the pain out." Try it for a few minutes, and wait a several hours (even a day) before rolling again. Like massage, the results may not be immediate, but you may find that you have more relief in several hours or the next day than you did immediately after.