Education

Do you ever think about your posture? It probably brings to mind the echoing, nagging words of a parent or teacher telling you to stand up straight. As adults, it’s probably not something we tend to think about- but it plays an integral role in our comfort and well being. Those aches and pains that start to become more apparent with age can easily be corrected by improved posture.

Most of us spend a great deal of time in front of a computer or hunched over reading and writing throughout our work days. This repetitive misalignment leads the muscles in the front of our neck and shoulders to tighten and shorten, while the muscles in the back of our neck and shoulders become weakened and lengthened. This can lead to head aches, tension and pain in the upper neck and shoulders, and even lower back pain and digestion issues. Our body is entirely interconnected, so when one area is out of sorts, in the long term- it will affect the whole.

Not to mention that rounded shoulders are not exactly the most flattering look to be sporting. It projects an image of low confidence and a lack of self esteem.

I personally suffered from these concerns a great deal. Early in my career, I did a LOT of manicures and pedicures. I was constantly hunched over and my pectoral muscles were so tight, they were pulling my shoulders forward. The front of my neck was super tight; I was suffering a lot of pain and starting to get head aches on almost a weekly basis. Rather than relying on pain killers, I decided to invest in regular massage therapy sessions every two weeks. My headaches subsided and I was able to function and work with almost no pain or discomfort. Not to mention the relaxation and stress relief I got from the regular routine of having a massage.

The key to correcting rounded shoulders is in allowing the muscles that are shortened and tight to be relaxed and lengthened while stimulating the lengthened and weakened muscles to re-energize to provide the support that’s needed. A Registered Massage Therapist can help to retrain your muscles and correct rounded shoulders through deep tissue and myofascial techniques. Your RMT will also give you exercises and stretches to do at home in between sessions to maintain and improve your treatment results.

So don’t let the stresses of your work day work their way into your posture- book in for an RMT massage!

In the first few years of my career in esthetics, I thought of massage therapy in a purely relaxation sense. That was the technique I had been trained in, and in the spa that I worked at, this was the kind of treatment that people were looking for. There was nothing truly therapeutic about it, apart from stress relief and the healing aspect of touch- which I suppose I shouldn’t down play, these are very valid and necessary things.

The break through for me when I was introduced to massage as being capable of more than putting me into la-la-land, was when I found myself suffering from debilitating head aches. I would work 8-9 hours a day, sometime treating up to 20 clients in that time-frame. The services I was giving were very physically demanding, whether it was pedicures, body treatments or massage, tension and repetitive strain in my upper body was breaking me down.

At the time I did not have any kind of medical coverage, I didn’t even know what a Registered Massage Therapist was, but I found a great practitioner and started going for massage every two weeks. I made it a priority and looked forward to each visit.

At first, I was not used to the therapeutic approach that my RMT took. She focused on specific areas of concern, rather than my whole body (which I was used to, coming from a swedish massage back ground). She also used techniques such as fascial work. This technique involves no lotions or oils, just a direct, slowly applied pressure, usually with the palm of the hand to the skin. The fascia is the tissue between your muscles and skin and by doing myofascial release techniques, RMTs helps to relieve muscle tension as well as heating up the muscle tissue and bringing circulation to the area.

Even though I wasn’t being directly reimbursed by an extended medical plan, I made room in my budget for these regular massages. The headaches I was getting were diminished and only came up when I had missed a regular appointment. I felt better physically and I felt happier- I think mostly because I was doing something nice for myself. I made ME a priority.

Not many people realize this, but you can also claim medical expenses on your taxes. I saved up all of my receipts for massage therapy and included them in my tax return. This really only works if you spend a lot of money- and the amount you need to spend will vary according to income- but it is still a nice perk for those of us without benefits.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve come across people who have health benefits, but do not use them! Most plans will have a limit to the amount of treatments they will cover for different types of extended medical treatments. It’s quite common for plans to offer $500 per calendar year. That could mean roughly one 60 minute massage every other month over the year. Or it could be treated as a supplement to regular massage therapy, budgeting $50/ month over a calendar year for massage therapy and sending in claims for every other treatment.

Whatever your situation may be, I can say from experience that regular massage therapy with a Registered Massage Therapist or Massage Practitioner, is good for body, mind and soul and is well worth the investment in YOU.

Learn more about massage therapy- visit the Massage Therapy Association of B.C.’s website: http://www.massagetherapy.bc.ca/

It seems as though as the days get shorter, I have more that I need to fit into them! The winter months can spell added work and life stresses that compound to cause low energy levels, headaches and muscular tension, insomnia and a weakened immune system.   

Did you know that regular massage therapy has been shown to alleviate the aforementioned ailments? 

Massage therapy does not replace regular exercise and eating well, but there is nothing that can deliver the same level of relaxation that massage therapy can.  For instance, in a yoga class, you are undoubtedly doing something good for your body by stretching your muscles, gaining strength and bringing circulation and tension relief to the muscles and connective tissue of the body. That being said, you’re actively engaging in this process; massage therapy allows you to shut off both mentally and physically. Not only are you enjoying the physiological benefits to releasing muscles tension and correcting postural alignments- massage therapy maintains your optimal energy and health.

Regular massage treatments boost your immune system through increasing the activity level of natural killer cells- which fend off viruses and abnormal cells. When your immune system is working well, you’re not dragged down by fatigue and better able to cope with daily stresses.

Those natural killer cells- yes, that is an actual scientific term- can sure come in handy these days with all the colds and flus flying around.  And with the limited daylight- I still want to feel energized and ready to take on the day, even if the sun isn’t joining me at the usual hour. So with that said, if I MUST make the time for massage, I think that I could be persuaded…

How do you manage fatigue and stress? Post your comments here…

Related Links:

RMT Massage 

Geo Thermal Stone Therapy