Massage Warsaw- Massage Therapy – Warsaw Acupuncture

Author: Admin

  • Massage Therapy vs. Physiotherapy

    The professions of physiotherapy and massage therapy are closer than you think.

    The current scope of practice for Physiotherapy in Ontario is:

    “The practice of physiotherapy is the assessment of physical function and the treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of physical dysfunction, injury or pain, to develop, maintain, rehabilitate, or augment function or to relieve pain.”

    The scope of practice for Massage Therapy in Ontario is:

    “The practice of massage therapy is the assessment of the soft tissue and joints of the body and the treatment and prevention of physical dysfunction and pain of the soft tissue and joints by manipulation to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical function, or relieve pain.”

    The two professions have virtually the same scope of practice.  It should be known that as of January 2012, physiotherapists will have a new scope of practice that enables them to order MRI’s, X-rays and further tests with the accompanying right to diagnose.  However, at current, massage therapy and physiotherapy have essentially the same scope of practice.

    Let’s consider how massage therapy is carried out.  For the purposes of this article, we will be looking at massage therapy in a therapeutic, clinical setting.

    While many consider massage therapy a wonderful way to relieve stress or tight muscles, massage therapy is in fact quite effective at helping people find relief from the following (to name a few):

    Tension & Migraine Headaches, Strain, Sprain, Tendonitis, Tennis Elbow, Tingling or Numbness in Your Fingers, Tingling & Numbness in Feet, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Whiplash, Torticollis/Wry Neck, Peripheral Nerve Lesions, Nerve Impingements, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Dislocated Shoulder, Frozen Shoulder Syndrome, Rotator Cuff Injuries, Patello-Femoral Syndrome, (ITB) Iliotibial Band Syndrome, Scoliosis, Degenerative Disc Disease, Prolapsed/Herniated Disc, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis, Flat Feet, Conditions such as: Parkinson’s Disease, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, TMJ Pain

    As you can see from the list, there is more to massage therapy than relief from stress and tight muscles.

    A therapeutic massage session can be a very powerful experience.  For example, in treating a rotator cuff injury, a massage session could include:

    1. Fascial Techniques such as: Active Release Technique (A.R.T), Myofascial Release Technique (MRT), Rolfing, Myofascial Release or Frictioning to release scars or fascial adhesions that develop as a result to tears on the tendons or muscle bellies of the rotator cuff muscles.  These fascial techniques can also be used to free muscles that become stuck together as a result of fascial adhesions.
    2. Acupuncture to stimulate nerve functioning, activate the release of endogenous anti-inflammatories, analgesics and endorphins.
    3. Advanced reflexive techniques to reduce muscle spasm or trigger points such as: muscle energy technique (MET), Trigenics, and Post Isometric Relaxation.
    4. Strengthening and Stretching Exercises to resolve muscle imbalances in the rotator cuff and promote strength and stability in the joint.
    5. General massage techniques to increase blood flow to the shoulder increasing oxygen and nutrient supply while improving waste removal
    6. As well, many RMT’s are qualified in the use of ultrasound, interferrential current, and TENS (transcutaneous electrical stimulation).
    7. Hydrotherapy applications of hot and cold to reduce inflammation or increase blood flow to an area

    If this seems like an effective,  complete treatment protocol, it is because it is.  It might be expected from a physiotherapy session and can also be provided in a massage therapy session.  Looking at this, it is easier to understand that the scope of practice between massage therapy and physiotherapy are very similar.  Both professions offer a flexible framework that allows for the practitioner to design an effective treatment plan for their client.

    In choosing between massage therapy or physiotherapy for your injury, consider the following:

    • How much “face time” do you want.  A 1 hour massage therapy appointment means that you will spend 1 hour with a massage therapist (inclusion of acupuncture or other modalities will mean less “face time”).  A physiotherapy appointment can often mean very little time with your physiotherapist after the initial assessment.
    • If looking for a massage therapist, it is important to consider which modalities and techniques they are familiar with.
    • Ask your physiotherapist how much face time or hands on time can you expect to receive during your treatment plan.  Will it be a one on one experience or will you be led from machine to machine?
    • There is no real need to choose.  Massage Therapy and Physiotherapy work very well together.  In fact, in many physiotherapy clinics, you can find a registered massage therapist as well.

  • Nerve Mechanics and Stretching

    There is a 3 part series of articles explaining how the nervous system is related to pain on Todd Hargrove’s blog.

    I would strongly recommend all bodyworkers to have a look at it as it is a very simple explanation of some key concepts.

    Some points he raised:

    • Nerves are flexible and slide back and forth as the body moves.
    • Nerves are very large consumers of blood and oxygen, consuming 20% of the body’s oxygen while only making up 2% of the body’s mass.
    • Nerves can become irritated when they are not allowed to move as freely as they need.  eg. when a vertebral disc is pushing against them, when an arthritic porion of a bone presses on them.
    • When the nerves become irritated, the body will react by limiting the motion that causes irritation or damage.  eg. if the sciatic nerve is irritated, the central nervous system will prevent the hamstrings from lengthening in order to prevent over stretching or injuring the nerve.
    • In this way it is possible that a hamstring may be tight due to a damaged sciatic nerve, in which case traditional stretching techniques may not be best.
    • Traditional stretching techniques often can be uncomfortable and use a certain “no pain no gain” attitude.  This in turn can overstretch a damaged nerve and actually slow down your chances of pain relief.
    • Understanding the nerve may be irritated at some point in its path, the following principles should be used when stretching:
      • It is necessary to move very slowly and calmly, staying within the pain free range.
      • The central nervous system needs to accept that the new range can be achieved without pain or discomfort in order for the stretch to work.
      • Feldenkreis method and Tai Chi are stretching techniques which incorporate these

  • Your Computer Is Hurting You

    The average person that comes in to see me is not an athlete, does not lift heavy objects, and cannot, for the life of them, understand why they are in so much pain. Truth is that you are more likely to suffer from that cushy desk job than from anything else.

    Simply sitting in front of a computer for hours on end day after day slowly but surely does some serious damage to the body.  Here is how:

    Headaches

    Look at the last picture of the evolution of posture.  Notice how forward the person’s head is; how his neck sort of sticks out; and how he seems to be reaching further towards the screen.  That head position that everyone uses today puts a huge load of stress on those teeny tiny suboccipital muscles that lie at the base of the skull.  These suboccipital muscles when they are irritated for too long respond by sending headache signals to the temples, the side of the head, the base of the skull.  It can almost feel like someone tightening a band around your head.  Ouch!

    Solution:

    1. Learn how to sit properly using basic ergonomic principles
    2. Keep your chin tucked in and stop inching your head toward the screen.  Perhaps it’s time to get a new glasses prescription or get a larger screen.

    Pain Between Your Shoulder Blades

    Notice how stretched forward his shoulders are?  How they kind of hunch forward and slouch?  This position keeps your chest muscles in a shortened, tight position, while stretching out the muscles in your upper back.  Yes, those rhomboid and trapezius muscles are being forced to work in a weakened, stretched out position.  They are also fighting a losing battle against tight, strong chest muscles.  The result is that the muscles between your shoulder blades will feel achy all the time.

    Solution:

    1. Stretch out your chest muscles, or try these chest stretches
    2. Strengthen your Upper Back Muscles with lat pulldowns, use a rowing machine, do any kind of lats workout

    Lower Back Pain

    Notice how the lower back is missing any kind of natural arch in this position?  See how it rounds forward?  This is reversing the natural lordotic curve of the lower back and puts extra pressure on the nerve and blood supply in the lower back.  Basically, pressure is being put on your discs (herniated disc, anyone?), nerves are starting to be pinched, and your lower back is starting to feel achy all over.

    Solution:

    1. Sit with your hips against the back of the seat and get a lumbar support

    Hip Pain

    All that constant sitting can be a pain in the butt.  The constant pressure compresses nerves and blood vessels.  It acts like a choke hold, preventing blood from flowing freely to the gluteal muscles.  A reduced blood supply means less nutrients and oxygen being pumped into your hip and leg muscles.  It also means that waste products are not being removed very effectively from your hips.

    Solution:

    1. Stretch out your hip muscles
    2. Learn these simple sitting exercises

  • 7 Great Mentors

    There is always someone who inspired us to become the  person we are today.  But, who inspired them?  Surprisingly, it can often be loving family members or caring teachers that inspired greatness in some of the icons of the last century.

    In the following article, read about the mentors who inspired Gandhi, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Gloria Estefan, and Tom Hanks

    Inspiring the Inspired – 7 Mentors of Great Historical Figures

  • Couple Give Away $11 Million of Lottery Winnings

    Here is an amazing couple that upon winning the lottery decided they already had everything they needed and then proceeded to give away all of their winnings.

    The original story appeared in the Toronto Star on November 3, 2010:

    A Nova Scotia couple won $11.2 million from a lottery ticket in July and now every penny is gone.

    But Allen and Violet Large of Lower Truro didn’t spend any of it on themselves.

    They say they decided to take care of family, organizations and institutions instead.

    “What you’ve never had, you never miss,” said Violet, 78.

    Married since 1974, the couple does not live large. They don’t travel, they don’t gamble and they don’t buy what they don’t need.

    “We have an old house, but we’re comfortable and we’re happy in it,” Violet said.

    They spent 30 years in Ontario where Allen was a steel welder and Violet worked for cosmetics and chocolate companies. They retired in 1983 and returned to Nova Scotia.

    “We were pretty well set, not millionaires, but comfortable,” said Allen, 75.

    So when they hit it big in Lotto 6-49’s July 14 draw, they decided to give it all away.

    All that money “was a big headache,” Allen said.

    Violet said she was concerned about “crooked people” who might try to take advantage of them.

    But the big win came at a difficult time in their lives: Violet was undergoing treatment for cancer that doctors discovered in the spring.

    “That money that we won was nothing,” said Allen, choking back tears. “We have each other.”

    Violet has been through surgery and finished her last chemotherapy treatment a week ago.

    After the win, the couple took about a week to work out the details before embarking on their $11,255,272 spending spree.

    They took care of family first and then began delivering donations to the two pages’ worth of groups they had decided on, including the local fire department, churches, cemeteries, the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, hospitals in Truro and Halifax, where Violet underwent her cancer treatment, and organizations that fight cancer, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.

    The list goes on and on.

    The couple won’t say how much they gave each group, but they’ve received plenty of phone calls, letters and plaques of gratitude. While they’re thankful for each one, they didn’t do it for the recognition.

    “It made us feel good,” said Violet. “And there’s so much good being done with that money.”

    She and her husband said they feel privileged to be able to give back to the community, to help the firefighters, the doctors and nurses and the volunteers who have helped them.

    “We’re the lucky ones,” Violet said. “I have no complaints.”

  • David Beckham and Ellen Degeneres Play Prank on Massage Therapist

    Pretty funny hidden camera gag. The massage therapist was a really good sport about the whole thing.  Kudos to David Beckham for keeping a straight face.