Massage Warsaw- Massage Therapy – Warsaw Acupuncture

Year: 2009

  • Massage Research – Low Back Pain

    A study published June 2000 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal:

    “Effectiveness of massage therapy for subacute low-back pain: a randomized controlled trial”

    The study followed about 100 people suffering from sub acute lower back pain.  They were divided into 4 groups: those receiving a placebo, those receiving only exercises and posture education, those receiving only Swedish massage, and those receiving “comprehensive massage therapy” (Swedish massage, posture education and exercises)

    The comprehensive massage therapy group had 50% improved function  , 70% less intense pain and a 50% decrease in the quality of pain compared with the other 3 groups.

    At the 1 month follow-up 63% of subjects in the comprehensive massage therapy group reported no pain as compared with 27% of the soft-tissue manipulation group, 14% of the remedial exercise group and 0% of the sham laser therapy group.

    The results not only show that massage therapy is an effective means of pain management, but also that a more comprehensive approach to massage therapy yields the best results.

    Ken Shim, RMT

  • Happy Canada Day, eh?

    flag_canadian_maple_leaf

    Hope everyone has a great Canada Day.  Sorry but I won’t be available for treamtments today.  I’ve decided to treat myself to a day off and hopefully enjoy some of the festivities.  The Festival of Fire is top on my list.  I will be available at my regular schedule from tomorrow.  Cheers.

  • Can I get a massage for free?

    cost of massage

    Yes Virginia, you can get a free massage.

    Most of my clients actually don’t pay a cent for massage.  They have extended health benefits through work which pays for their massages.  Everybody with extended health benefits actually pays a little bit every month to cover the cost of the insurance policy with their employer paying the balance, so it’s not exactly free.  But it’s pretty close to it.  These benefits don’t cover just massage but typically also include dental, medicine and other expenses.

    The process is pretty simple.

    1. Most plans require a doctor’s note or prescription for massage.  Most doctors understand that 80% of illnesses are stress related and will sign off without hesitation.
    2. Come in to see me for a massage and enjoy some stress pain and tension relief.
    3. After you pay I will give you an invoice with my registration number and details which you can mail in with your doctor’s note to your insurance provider.
    4. In about a week or two you will receive your reimbursement for the cost of the massage.

    Total cost to you is $0.

    The benefits of getting rid of the stress and pain…… priceless.

    Some details:

    • Most of my clients are entitled to $500 per year.  That works out to about 6 massages per year.
    • Plans usually run from January to December.  The benefits don’t roll over to the next year.   A new claim starts the following year.  So it’s a bit of a “use it or lose it” situation.  This is why one of my busiest times is from September to December.  Everyone ends up wanting to use up all of their benefits at the end of the year.  But why wait and rush?  Your best benefit will be from regular massages throughout the year.
    • Most plans cover 100% of the cost of each treatment, but some have a cap or a percentage per treatment.  You should call your insurance provider to find out the details of your plan.
    • The average plan is $500 for all expenses, but some are less, some are more, and some will give dedicated amounts.  For example Some plans will cover $500 for massage, another $500 for acupuncture, $500 for chiropractic, etc etc etc. Again, call your provider and get the details

    So, what are you waiting for?

  • "My Shoulders Hurt When I Jog"

    jogging and shoulder pain

    We expect pain and discomfort in just about every muscle from the waist down when it comes to jogging, but why would we get a pain in the shoulder?

    First of all many of us have some sort of postural imbalance where the shoulders aren’t lined up well.  Also, there is muscle tension and stress that we keep in our neck and shoulders.  This means that there might be decreased flexibility, mobility, health and strength leading to early muscle fatigue, pain and cramping.  Treating the stress in the neck and shoulders with massage or acupuncture can free them up so that they perform better when jogging.

    Another approach is to look at how we jog.  Many jog in a way that increases shoulder tension.  A quick check is to look at your hands.  Are they loose or clenched in a fist?  They should be loose.  If they are clenched in a fist, then we are likely activating and clenching every muscle from our fingertips, arms and shoulders up to our neck when jogging.  This constant tension leads to early muscle fatigue and pain.  A simple remedy is to keep our hands, arms and shoulders loose as we jog.  It can be hard to be constantly thinking of our arms while jogging, so try this simple technique: touch your thumb to your middle finger lightly and keep it there the whole time that you are jogging.  In this position it is really difficult to have any real tension in our arms and shoulders.  The shoulders will stay loose and the pain will go away.

    Stay loose.

    Ken Shim, RMT

  • Learning to Sit: Posture & Ergonomics for Work & School

    Office Ergonomics
    Don’t just sit there…. Get to work!”  used to be a familiar sound from the boss.  These days, however, most of us do all of our work sitting down on the job.

    As you can imagine, spending 8 hours a day in one position is not the best for our bodies.  Improper sitting can subject your body to unnecessary stress that may eventually lead to pain and discomfort in the neck, shoulder or low back.  Here are some tips to reduce discomfort:

    • Don’t remain in one position for long periods. Try standing up or walking around about every 20 minutes.This routine can be incorporated into your work routine by taking phones calls, filing or reading while standing up rather than sitting. Try delivering a message to a co-worker in person rather than e-mailing or using inter-office mail.
    • Try using the hands-free option on your telephone or a headset rather than holding the phone to your ear with your shoulder as this practice over time can lead to neck and shoulder strain.
    • Listen to your body. When you feel tension or stress in certain area of your body like the neck, back and shoulders, change positions or try some gentle stretching exercises

    Position your chair at a height where:

    1. The work surface is “elbow high.”
    2. Your feet are comfortably positioned flat on the floor
    3. When working, your elbows & knees are bent at 90 degree angles

    If your chair is not adjustable, use a foot rest such as a phone book to attain this more ideal position

    Position the height of your computer screen:

    1. Sit comfortably in your newly adjusted chair
    2. Close your eyes and relax, then, slowly reopen them.
    3. Where you first gaze as you open your eyes is the place to put the center of your screen

    You can raise the height with books or a stand if needed.

  • Does it hurt to breathe?

    rib pain

    Have you ever experienced a sharp pain in your ribs, abs or back from breathing?  There is a possibility that you might have had a “rib out” or a dislocation of your costo-vertebral joint (the joint where the rib joins the vertebrae).

    Surprisingly this is more common than you might imagine.  The joint that holds the ribs to the vertebrae is quite weak and shallow giving a range of movement to the ribs.  Unfortunately this means that it is easier for the joint to get out of place.  Typically ribs pop out with something as simple as a sneeze or reaching for something on the top shelf.  The pain comes on quickly and intensely and can feel aggravated with movement or breathing.  When it is new and acute the pain may be felt just about everywhere in the upper body and be triggered by a variety of movents.  After a few days the pain may become more localized to one area (typically along one of the ribs) and to a few different types of movements.  Oftentimes ribs will pop back in on their own, but the best plan of action is to have it treated soon so that things don’t worsen.

    I have found success in treating this condition with a combination of acupuncture, massage, mobilizations and stretching techniques.  In a successful treatment the rib literally ‘pops’ back into the joint.