Transformations Therapeutics

5 Top Reasons Why You would Get a Deep Tissue Massage

admin — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 20:00:14 +0000

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IT Band Care

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 18:05:01 +0000

Is your IT (iliotibial) band tight enough to strum a tune on? Check out this video to learn about IT bands, what postural issues they can cause and self care tips to use between massages.

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Three Stretches to Keep Your Posture Aligned

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:01:14 +0000

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What is CranioSacral Therapy?

admin — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 03:46:10 +0000

CranioSacral Therapy (CST) is a light-touch approach that can reduce soft tissue tension at the deepest level associated with the central nervous system. Each day your body absorbs and endures stresses and strains associated with trauma or just everyday living. Watch the following video to learn more about CST and how it may be helpful to you.

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Five Health Benefits from Proper Posture

admin — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 02:25:27 +0000

Posture is simply the position of the body in respect to other body parts for a specific purpose. Posture is dynamic, ever changing as often as we change our tasks during the day. Gravity keeps our feet on the ground but it has to run through our body to keep us anchored. Here are five benefits from proper posture:

1. Better Ability to Breathe

Better posture allows for greater chest expansion during inhalation. You can limit your lung capacity when seated in a slumped position. Your main breathing muscle, called your diaphragm requires space to move upward and outwards when taking a breath.

Here’s an exercise about breath and posture. In a seated position, bend forward slightly at the waist. Now inhale and exhale. How did that breath feel to you? Next, sit in your best posture and take the same breath. Did you notice any difference? You may note that you have increased breath volume when sitting in your best posture. Can you imagine having increased oxygen and better productivity just by improving your posture? If there is limited difference in your breathing capacity in both positions, you may want to consult your health care team. If you sit a great deal for a living, massage therapy, physical therapy, chiropractic and/or physician treatments can help to improve your posture.

2. Helps muscles and joints remain flexible-

A healthy posture consists of a balance of muscle tone around our body. This allows optimal posture with the least amount of effort used during the day. When the body is in misalignment, the muscles and soft tissue in the front of the body becomes shortened. Where will you begin to feel the tension and pain? That’s right-the head, neck, back, hips, legs and feet. Keeping muscle groups in balance provides a healthy position for our joints, aiding in decrease joint wear and tear while performing tasks. Plus, you will get the extra added benefit of the best joint motion when your posture is balanced.

3. Aids in Digestion

Remember how a healthy posture affected the ability to take a deep breath? The same principle applies to our digestive organs. Our lower digestive organs are enveloped is a special kind of connective tissue called fascia. Sitting for a great period of time causes the fascia and other soft tissues, such as muscles to become taut. Improving posture, along with healthy eating habits can aid in better digestion.

4.Helps Circulation

Using a healthy posture can assist in better circulation and energy in your body. Blood carries nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body, and likewise helps cleanse metabolic waste in our systems. When muscles are stiff or painful they are most likely not receiving proper circulation. Even crossing your legs can contribute to decrease leg circulation. Another common posture position in the workplace is sitting with your leg curled up underneath your body. Modifying your posture and work environment allows better circulation in your body, adding vitality to your day.

5. Helps Change How We Perceive the World

Maintaining proper posture helps view your surroundings in a much different way. Some clients report that their environment seemed physically brighter, or that they felt grounded and more confident when interacting with others.

Gravity will begin to pass through a body differently with one postural improvement session. Most people present with a zigzag posture: the head protrudes slightly forward, shoulders rounded, pelvis tilted with an arch in the low back. The legs may actually attempt to support this postural imbalance, with the body weight passing mostly through the outside and front of the legs. Therefore, a body will use an incredible amount of energy to hold a maladaptive or difficult posture.

Gravity keeps us anchored to the ground. Achieving your best posture possible allows us to use less effort during your daily tasks.

Side Effects: The Benefits of Side Lying Massage

Romantic Relaxing Foot Bath

admin — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 01:00:34 +0000

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Improving Posture Starts with Proper Assessment

admin — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 15:44:22 +0000

Here is an example of a postural assessment at my office. A thorough postural assessment targets areas needing treatment for your best posture possible.

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Best Foot Massage Ever

admin — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:57:31 +0000

Have you ever wanted to give or receive a foot massage from your loved one and didn’t know where to start? This video will show you exactly what to do.

Romantic Relaxing Foot Bath

Three Ways to Protect Your Back During Yard Work

admin — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:14:31 +0000

Fabulous summer weather invites our favorite outdoor activities. “Weekend Warriors” head to home improvement stores to purchase yard supplies and tools to beautify their yards. However, jumping into gardening can set up opportunities for aching back or painful knees. Here are three ways you can protect your back while doing lawn work:

Make Plans Before Gardening. Have you ever dived into weekend yard work only to realize that you have worked too much the next day? Think of gardening as an exercise program by first examining your physical limits. Consult with your doctor before starting your yard work plans. Stretch legs, arms, neck and back before and after yard work. Ask your massage therapist, physical therapist, chiropractor or physician for an effective stretching plan. Above all, ask for help! If the thought “I don’t need any help doing this project” comes to mind, reassess your job perception. Chances are you may need help and preventing injury is a big priority when properly caring for your health.
Use Common Sense and Good Body Mechanics. Many injuries may be prevented with using common sense and sound body mechanics. Remember to lift with your legs through bending your knees, never bending forward to lift with your back Using a wide leg stance when lifting will allow the load stress be located in the large leg muscles instead of the smaller back muscles. Carry items closer to your body to prevent back strain. Make the best use of your tools. For example, use your wheelbarrow for moving items that are heavy or moving supplies at a distance. Be alert to possibilities that could lead to a fall such as loose gravel or wet grass. Squatting can put added strain on your knees if done incorrectly or for long periods of time. When squatting, keep feet flat with weight evenly distributed. Squatting with heels off the ground can potentially harm knee ligaments. The preferred work positions are one knee on the ground, working on hands and knees using a kneeling pad, or sitting on a stable stool.If you are experiencing pain, stop your activity. Pain is one way your body tells you to stop doing something. Listen to your body. See your health care provider to help prevent further injury to your body in a timely fashion.
Modify Gardening Ideas. There are a few ways gardening activities can be modified to help prevent back or knee pain. • Use ground covers or mulch to reduce lawn mowing, weeds, and watering tasks. Ask your garden center which ground cover would be best suit your yard needs. • Use raised beds to decrease bending. The height of raised beds can be adjusted to suiting the gardener’s needs or preferences. Raised beds with high treated wood edges can provide a great place to sit while working. Some people may find it easier to use beds high enough to stand at, while others may want to design a bed to slip their knees under while sitting, such as a table gardening bed.

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Tips to Prevent Sports Injuries During the Summer Months

admin — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:13:13 +0000

Summer is here, along with increased participation in many sporting and outdoor activities. Careful preparation, recovery time and a sensible training program can promote a healthy active lifestyle. This article will review the definition of acute and chronic soft tissue injuries, how to respond to a sports injury and ways to help prevent occurrence and recurrence of a sports injury.

In acute injuries, the physical damage to the body is sudden in onset. Common acute injuries may be broken bones or fractures, joint dislocations, strains or sprains, or muscle pain from overuse. Chronic injuries are recurring physical problems that from a previous injury, such as low back, knee or shoulder pain. Either an acute or chronic injury may require immediate medical attention if you are unable to bear weight on an arm or leg, severe pain, swelling (edema) or numbness is present or the joint feels unstable. Always seek professional medical intervention if you are unsure of the severity of your injury. Even if an old physical problem reoccurs or swells, ask your physician and/or chiropractor for help. Immediate intervention for a physical injury is of importance.

The best way to remember the response to a minor soft tissue injury is the acronym R.I.C.E., which stands for rest, ice, compression, and elevation.

Rest: Stop your activity immediately and rest.

Ice: Place an ice pack on the affected area at least 10 but no longer than 20 minutes. This is to reduce the swelling of the injured area.

Compression: Light compression on an injured body part with give support as well as reduce the swelling. This might be an ACE bandage, boot or air splint. Your physician will recommend the best option for you.

Elevation: Position the injured body part on pillows above the heart level decreases swelling of your injured arm or leg.

There are some simple steps to lower the chance of injury during an outdoor activity as follows:

Stretch- Make sure you stretch your body prior to any outdoor or sports activity. There are stretches specific to certain sports, such as golf or running. Proper stretching helps to increase blood flow to extremities, warming up muscle groups before rigorous use.
Warm-up exercises- After stretching, you may want to do a cardio-type activity, such as a treadmill, elliptical or just march in place.
Use the proper form or framework during outdoor activity. Find an instructor or local club that has folks can help you train correctly.
Wear shoes that fit you properly. Poor-fitting shoes can contribute to possible foot, knee, hip and low back pain.
Know your body’s limits. If you feel that you need to rest, listen to your body. By utilizing a sport training program, you can safely and gradually progress toward your fitness goal.
Plan recovery time in your athletic program. This includes rest or days of lighter activity. Regular massage can make the most of your recovery time, improve joint flexibility and range of motion and keep your posture on target for your best performance.

In conclusion, following these simple steps in your outdoor activity program can keep you in the best possible health.

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