Physiotivity's Blog

High school athletes should be aware of the effectiveness of massage

physiotivity — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:36:19 +0000

I had a conversation recently with a client. I do that often, especially when I can have their ear and rant a little. This was not so much a rant this time but an actual conversation.

The topic was how high school athletes could be made aware of the effectiveness of massage and chiropractic in there recovery from injuries and training. Chiropractic is not my area of expertise so I will stay off that topic, but massage is.

I am always thinking about how to better educate the public about the uses of massage beyond the fluff-and-buff, also known as relaxation massage. Nothing against it, I use it myself, but there are many styles of massage on the medical end. Sports massage, deep tissue massage, orthopedic massage, and myofascial massage are a few that come to mind.

Taking an end-around to continue on topic, ATCs, or athletic trainers, orthopedic doctors, and other medical practitioners may see this differently; I do not need anyone else to fix this person’s ails. I think the student athletes can benefit from using all of us. More perspectives on what the problem is.

I have had some recent patients come see me with acute to nagging injuries. Hamstring and achilles strains and tennis elbow. Each patient was back to healthy and exercising again after 4-6 sessions due to my knowledge of orthopedic massage and new exercise techniques. One was during a tennis tournament. She kept playing and I worked on her tennis elbow between matches using a combination of orthopedic, deep tissue, and myofascial massage techniques. Four matches and four sessions later it was doing great.

Many massage therapists have tools to speed up the recovery from acute, nagging, and chronic injuries, and other forms of stress that keep us off our A game. Things that a medical professional may not catch because I have a different perspective.

I think that the student athletes would benefit much more if they not only had access to ATCs, orthopedists, physical therapists and their PCPs, but medical massage and chiropractic. The athlete may find they are back playing sooner and the nagging injuries are a thing of the past.

The Lonely Planet Guide to a Massage Office

physiotivity — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:22:25 +0000

Orientation
You will enter the office into a waiting room. There you will find chairs and a couch. Please take a seat and start relaxing. Feel free to take off your coat and throw it on another chair so no one else has a place to sit. The massage therapist will find you just as you settle in.
Your next room to orient yourself to will be the massage room. Straight ahead will be a chair for you and a table for your glasses, watch and other items you can find after the massage on e-bay. There are hooks on the back of the door for your coat. In the center of the room is the massage table. There is a top sheet for you to lie under. The donut shaped item at the end of the table is the face cradle. Your face will rest in this when you are face down. Your head will not rest in this when you are face up.

When to Go
The massage office is open all year, although only during specific hours on specific days to the preference of the massage therapist. You can find out these hours in a 20 questions type manner either by phone, e-mail, or text.

What to Bring
When you finally schedule a massage when the massage therapist is available be sure to bring money to pay the therapist for the amazingly great massage. If you do not like paying full price for anything because you are stingy the massage therapist offers coupons. Don’t expect any help in finding them because massage therapists prefer you pay the full amount.

Currency
Three types of currency are preferred and always accepted as payment; American dollars, checks, and gift certificates. Other currencies that are accepted but not necessarily as payment are food, gifts, and gratitude.

Tourist Offices
The massage therapist has two offices. One is in Newton, MA. The other is in Arlington, MA. The massage therapist is in these locations for his convenience, not yours. If you want something more convenient, a foam roller is helpful, but not as good as the massage therapist.

Local Customs
To refrain from offending the massage therapist please abide by the local customs of arriving on time, calling if late or rescheduling, and calling with 24 hours notice if canceling so the massage therapist can stay on schedule, unlike your dentist or doctor.

Visas and Documents
Necessary documentation is required to receive your first massage. This is a short medical intake form that should not take more than 15 minutes to fill out. This can be downloaded from the massage therapist’s website or filled out at the office. It is preferred that you download the form at your office so that neither of us is paying for the paper.

Post and Communication
Communicating with the massage therapist can be accomplished with many modern conveniences including a phone using your voice or thumbs, and e-mail. If you must communicate last minute it is preferable that you use the phone as the massage therapist can only afford a computer at home. Communicating with the massage therapist during the massage can be done verbally or with hand signals such as pounding on the table in pain.

Society and Culture
Massage therapists tend to stand around in packs between clients. Not to worry, we will separate to give massages.

Health
Health insurance is not accepted. Massage therapists like their money right away. We will give you a receipt if you happen to have a health insurance provider that by some freak of nature provides massage.
In order to keep the general population from having an epidemic we follow some precautions including changing the table linens after every patient, washing our hands before and after every massage, and not giving massages if we are sick. In return we ask that you do not receive a massage if you are sick so our loved ones do not keep missing work.

Women Travelers
Massage therapists are concerned for your safety and privacy along with their reputation.

Male Travelers
Be a man and show your metrosexual side. I will not tell your friends you received a massage.

Dangers and Annoyances
There may be post massage soreness due to deep massage the following day. If the pain persists apply ice, but do not complain to anyone other than your massage therapist. We want to have a reputation, just not a bad one.

Useful Organizations
Massage therapists are an organized group belonging to such organizations as the AMTA, the NCBTMB, and the C of C. As you can see we like lots of letters on our business cards.

Volunteer Organizations
Massage therapists may be found volunteering their time at sporting events, health fairs, and street fairs. Make use of them then give them a tip so we can pay for the parking. Please take our business cards and brochures. If you are not going to use them stick them in the neighboring car’s windshield at the overpriced parking facility.

Things to See and Do
There are many things to see and do in the massage therapist’s office. These include photos by local artists of local and far off places, plants in varying degrees of dying, a human controlled waterfall (potable), a babbling pond, and a library.

Places to Eat
See excursions.

Sports and Outdoor Activities
Massage therapists love giving patients activities to do. These include stretching and rolling around on balls of various sizes and foam cylinders. If you are hoping to stop doing your sport do not expect our sympathy.

Excursions
Nearby the massage therapist’s office is a village where you can find food, drink, and ATMs, along with other people who like to provide pain such as chiropractors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, and athletic trainers.

Getting There and Away
The massage therapist’s office may be accessed by a combination of car, bus, or train. These will bring you as close as the front door. From there you will have to walk. Your travel will end with one flight of stairs.

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The above information is for the Newton, MA office. The Arlington, MA office is no less interesting.

Announcement

physiotivity — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:08:41 +0000

I have moved my second office. I will no longer be in Needham as of the end of January. Instead, I will be taking on hours at ChiroCare in Arlington, MA.

406 Massachusetts Avenue

Arlington, MA

Study, Massage Helps Recovery

physiotivity — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:05:05 +0000

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/lifestyle/stories.nsf/healthfitness/story/CDFD36120BC39359862574C50072CA54?OpenDocument

Great new exercise tools to stay physically fit

physiotivity — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:02:46 +0000

After what seams like years of battling running injuries… Oh right, it has been. I have come across some exciting new concepts for staying healthy. Or in my case, becoming healthy again. Actually they are not all that new except for the studies that prove their worth.
As children and even young adults we do a lot of cross training. Even when we do not think we are. Going for a bike ride, a swim, a run. Playing a game of basketball, ultimate frisbee, catch. We all do these, but one gets priority. More priority as we get older. Maybe the only thing we do.
This has happened to me. Run, run, run. Bad, bad, bad. This is called moving in one plane. This is almost as bad as being a couch potato. Here I am with the muscles moving me forward doing fine, BUT all of the other muscles groups are being ignored. They become weaker and weaker until they cannot provide the stability I need to move forward. All of a sudden my hips and feet are collapsing to the side each time I roll forward on a foot.
Back in my peak racing days I was doing something called plyometrics. Funny jumping, bounding, and walking exercises I did on grass fields in bare feet. I did these at the ends of runs to improve my stamina, endurance, and strenghth. I thought they were an extra tool to improving as a runner so I would drop them from the daily regimen during recovery.
These are now referred to as dynamic warm-up and stretching (along with other names). It turns out I should have done them all along. And not at the end but as a warm-up.
After a year of battling what is diagnosed as a weak gluteus medius and no luck re-strengthening it, I have started using these as workouts (I have to start somewhere). I am now seeing results in my return as an athlete. Not only is the glute muscle stronger making me more stable, but so are the feet (pronating less).