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If you’re looking for a massage in york and would like to book please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
Postural analysis is an important accompaniment to massage. It helps identify the imbalances in your body that lead to your aches, pains and strains in the first place. Massage is an excellent tool for treating them. But if the initial cause is not identified and corrected they could continue to return. Postural analysis can also identify issues before they have a chance to develop into pain or injury.
Bodies come in numerous shapes and sizes but the human skeleton has an optimum position for different movements. Whether this is standing, sitting, running or bending down to pick something up off the floor. Unfortunately, sitting in a comfortable chair might seem harmless, but comfort doesn’t necessarily mean good for you. Likewise, standing can seem like a preferable alternative. But if not done with good posture it is probably going to result in some muscles doing more work than they were designed for. Even a minor injury several years earlier can result in an equally minor postural change. Over time, this can cause significant pain or further injury elsewhere in your body.
Postural analysis is a quick and simple process is used to find areas of your body that are out of alignment. This helps your massage therapist to diagnose problems and the best way to use massage to solve them. It involves looking at someone standing in their normal position from all sides and identifying body imbalances. While some of these can be obvious, some are more subtle and require experience to pick up on. Especially as the problems they cause can be well away from the postural issue.
For example, sitting with a poor posture can cause the pelvis to tilt forwards. This can lead to lower back pain and the connection here is obvious. Less obvious is that this is known as lower cross syndrome(1) and can cause the spine to lose its familiar S shape. This thrusts head and chin forwards, which is known as upper cross syndrome. The source of problems such as neck pain and headaches can originally be from poor position of the pelvis when sitting down.
Another example is knee pain which could actually come from tightness in your glute (bum) muscles. This can cause your leg to turn outwards when walking or running, eventually causing pain in your shin or foot.
Postural analysis can show the source of a problem rather than treating the symptoms, before the massage even begins. This allows the targeting of one area to give beneficial effects on several others. This can reduce the amount of massages required and enhance the benefits of each one.
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
Carpal tunnel syndrome, also known as CTS, is the inflammation or impingement of nerves within your wrist. It can cause pain, weakness or numbness in your hand. In severe cases it can extend up into your forearm or shoulder and require surgery, but this is usually a last resort after other treatments have failed.
The carpal tunnel is formed between the carpal bones of your wrist and a thick ligament called the flexor retinaculum(1). If one of your tendons or nerves becomes compressed or inflamed this can cause swelling. As the carpal tunnel cannot expand it can impinge (trap) other tissue in the area, resulting in pain, weakness or numbness. This pain can extend along your median nerve up through your arm into your shoulder.
A common cause of carpal tunnel syndrome is repetitive movement. This includes typing for long periods, jobs that involve heavy lifting and manual labour. Also exercise or sport that involves using your hands such as tennis, badminton or weight training. Injury to your wrist or hand can cause temporary symptoms due to swelling. This can become permanent if serious enough to change to the structure of the area.
Poor posture can also contribute to development of symptoms. Especially rounded shoulders such as resulting from sitting at a desk all day, or tension in the neck, shoulders or upper back. The overall effect is to cause internal rotation of your arms and hands which forces them to work in an unnatural position.
Genetics is also a factor, as is diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy.
If you experience the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome the first thing to do is identify what action causes it. Then, as much as is possible, stop doing it. Whatever the initial cause most people rarely, if ever, stretch the muscles of the arm, especially the forearm. Therefore almost everyone will benefit from increasing their flexibility. This will in turn take some of the pressure off your carpal tunnel area.
If the symptoms persist, your doctor might suggest corticosteroid injections, a wrist splint to reduce mobility or even surgery.
As long as diabetes, arthritis or pregnancy is not a factor, carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated by a massage therapist. This is done by relieving tension in your hand and forearm muscles. As it helps take the pressure off the nerves and tendons in the carpal tunnel it allows freer movement to return. And because internal rotation of the arm and shoulder is usually a factor, your upper arm and shoulder and neck area are also likely to require massage work. This will correct issues with posture that contributed to developing carpal tunnel in the first place.
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
Having a massage has been shown to increase exercise performance, speed up recovery and improve your results. This is the case whether you’re a professional athlete or training for health and fitness. Just one massage a week can keep your muscles loose, preventing them restricting the flow of blood around your body.
A massage therapist will generally work towards your heart as this is the direction your blood flows. If done before exercise it helps prepare the circulatory system for the upcoming exertion, flooding muscles with fresh, oxygenated blood and enhancing performance levels. If done after exercise massage helps to remove toxins, such as lactic acid, and assists the process of recovery.
Whether the exercise you do is jogging, sports or lifting weights, your muscles are damaged on a microscopic level. In turn this makes them shortened and tight, reducing your flexibility. Tight muscles restrict the flow of blood in and out of that muscle, causing a reduction in performance during exercise. It also causes less efficient removal of toxins and a diminished recovery during rest periods. In turn this reduces your performance further. Also, reduced flexibility means reduced range of movement, which prevents anyone lifting weights to get the most from each repetition. Massage stretches muscle fibres and frees them up from scar tissue and damage to muscle fascia.
Muscle pain, whether caused by, overwork, tension or injury, will inevitably affect performance. Just the thought of pain coming from an exercise can inhibit technique to a point that it actually causes injury. For example, tightness on one side of the lower back may cause the body to use the other side of the lower back more to compensate. This can cause a permanent imbalance in the muscles which is likely to lead to further injuries in the future.
Having a massage straight after training can also prevent muscle soreness from exercise(1). It removes toxins, relaxes muscles and brings in a fresh supply of oxygen-rich blood.
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
The hip flexors are an important group of muscles that raise the knee and lift the thigh towards the abdomen. And while this might seem relatively simple, if you have weak or tight hip flexors they can cause issues with your pelvis. As a result you could get lower back or knee pain, or even upper back and neck problems.
The hip flexor group consists of several muscles but there are 3 main ones(1). These are the rectus femoris, the iliacus and the psoas (which you might have heard referred to as the iliopsoas). The rectus femoris starts in your hip, runs down the front of your thigh and crosses over your knee. This is the reason it can cause knee pain. The iliopsoas muscles extend from the lumbar vertebrae of your lower spine down to the femur bone of your thigh. It is the connection to your spine that can be the cause of lower back pain.
Together the hip flexors raise your knee during activities such as walking or climbing the stairs. They are also active during exercises such as jogging and even doing sit ups. But problems develop when the muscles become shortened or tight. Whether this is lower back pain, knee pain or pain that is felt elsewhere in your body, the hip flexors are often overlooked as the actual cause.
If you’re like most people, the cause of your tight hip flexors is spending too long sitting down. Whether this is at a desk, driving, watching TV or a combination of the three. Especially if it is with a poor posture. Over time this shortens hip flexor muscles so that when you stand up they are no longer flexible enough for your pelvis to be in its correct position. It is mostly your iliopsoas that is pulling on your lower vertebrae and the result is lower back pain. In turn this can affect the natural shape of the spine, causing upper back, neck or shoulder issues.
The other main cause of tight hip flexors is exercise, whether this is running, such as during sport, or jogging. This will cause muscles that have otherwise been in a shortened (seated) position to tighten further. Likewise with weight training. Because your rectus femoris crosses over your knee as well as your hip it is also involved with straightening your leg from a bent position. Going to the gym and using a leg extension machine is a good example, as is the leg press. And doing any squat exercise with tight hip flexors is also likely to cause other issues, including serious injury. Click here to find out more about how to fix your squat technique
If you suspect that tight hip flexors are the source of your lower back or knee pain, or affecting your exercise technique, massage can help. And although there are stretches that might ease minor muscle tension or lack of flexibility, even regular stretching will do little to make up for exercising or being in a seated position several hours a day. Instead have a hip flexor massage and let the massage therapist do the hard work for you.
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
If you have lower back pain there could be many possible causes, but one that is often overlooked is an issue with your gluteus medius. This could be acute, such as from a recent injury or sudden increase in activity. Or it could be chronic, having come on due to frequent jogging or long periods of sitting. An injured or tight gluteus medius can in turn lead to referred pain in your lower back. This is especially likely if there has been a change to correct posture and muscle function. And no amount of stretching or foam rolling is going to help your lower back pain if the source of the problem lies elsewhere.
The gluteus medius muscle is deep under your gluteus maximus, which is better known as your buttock. It abducts your hip joint, which simply means that it moves your leg outwards away from your other leg. It also acts to stabilise your pelvis and keep it level when one foot is off the ground. Obvious examples are when you’re walking or running. When one foot is down and the other is up, it is the gluteus medius on the side that is down that is working.
Problems can be caused by anything that involves you bending forward, especially while twisted or lifting something heavy. This could be in the gym or something like using a spade in the garden. Anything that puts more strain on one side than the other. The damage can also be done over longer periods. This is more likely if you lean or twist when sitting or jog on a road with a camber.
The quadratus lumborum (QL) is a deep muscle in your lower back. It runs from your hip to your lumber vertebrae and up to your lowest rib. It is used when you bend at the waist to one side and when straightening your back after bending down. But what does this have to do with your gluteus medius? Well if you have a tight, weak or painful gluteus medius, whatever the cause, your QL will take over the role of hip abduction when walking(2). This means your QL does a job it wasn’t designed for which puts excessive stress on your lower back.
That’s just one example of how your gluteus medius can cause lower back pain.
Attempting to treat your lower back with stretching or even massage can provide some relief. But unless the underlying cause, the gluteus medius, is also dealt with it will only be temporary.
Although the cause of your lower back pain could be your gluteus medius, you might not actually feel any pain in that area. If the muscle is just weak or tight you probably won’t realise there is an issue with it. This is because your QL is doing the work instead. But it’s doing work it’s not designed for, which is why it’s your back that hurts instead.
If you do feel anything it most commonly comes along your belt line and up into your lower spine area. But pain can also be felt just under your hip and down into your buttock or even the top of your leg. Least common is pain directly over your tail bone area(1). You could suffer from one or all of these, especially if you continue to do whatever originally caused the issue.
If your gluteus medius is the cause of your lower back pain (or the reverse) then both issues need treating. Massaging just your lower back will provide only temporary relief at best. But massaging both areas is much more likely to cause lasting benefit which can be enhanced with regular stretching. If originally caused by poor posture or prolonged sitting this should also be dealt with, along with strengthening the muscles.
Have you had lower back massages in the past that provided only temporary relief, or none at all? Then your gluteus medius could be responsible and need treating by a qualified massage therapist.
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
Massage has been proven to offer stress relief and aid relaxation. It reduces tension in muscles and provides physical and psychological help with tension and anxiety. The effects can be felt immediately. Just a single 60-minute massage can provide a host of benefits to the body and mind.
Saying we feel stressed, tense or anxious are common terms that people use, but what do they actually mean and what are their causes?
Well they are basically all ways to describe things that cause a fight-or-flight response in people, but fighting or running usually aren’t suitable for daily life. So we just have to keep it to ourselves when we get stuck in traffic or deal with difficult people at work. But the body still releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to send blood to our muscles and increase heart rate. If the source or the stress or anxiety is brief and infrequent this isn’t really a problem. For example, if you’re driving and have to slam on the brakes you might just feel your heart beat in your chest a little harder. But in a few minutes the feeling passes and your body returns to normal.
If the stress is a regular occurence however, it can have damaging effects upon the body. Instead of fighting we hold tension in the muscles of the shoulders, neck and jaw. Instead of fleeing we hold it in the muscles of our legs and lower back. Over time, tense and shortened muscles become the natural posture, holding on to the emotions that caused it in the first place.
Stress relief comes when the muscles are allowed to relax, releasing the tension and anxiety that could have been held there for months. It has been proven that massage can provide stress relief and bring relaxation(1).
But stress and anxiety doesn’t just affect the muscles. The fight or flight response can also keep your internal organs in a chronic state of heightened alert. This can cause high blood pressure, problems with the gut such as ulcers or worsening of IBS symptoms. Also, an area of the brain called the Amygdala, which is linked to the fear response, can become chronically overactive. This is due to stress which can in turn lead to conditions such as anxiety, depression and insomnia.
A good massage therapist can improve blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which in turn helps boost the immune system.
A Swedish massage is most commonly used for stress relief and relaxation, usually involving the whole body. Though this is up to you. Each area receives specific attention as the massage progresses. Long effleurage strokes warm up muscles, improve blood flow and relax areas of tension. If problem areas are found, such as in the neck or shoulders, slightly deeper petrissage massage can be used. But again this is up to you. The goal is stress relief and relaxation rather than fixing chronic aches and pains. But this is often a beneficial side effect of the treatment.
Many people prefer a deep tissue massage though this is usually restricted to certain areas rather than the whole body. It can be especially useful if you know in which muscles you typically store your tension. Concentrating the work on relaxing just these problem parts can provide you with serious stress relief. Your lower back and glutes are common places where stress can cause problems that deep tissue massage treats effectively.
So it could be that your aches and pains aren’t a sign that you are getting old, they are a sign you are stressed and need a massage!
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
Massage treatment generally considered a safe treatment for most people as it is non-invasive, relaxing and natural. A contra-indication is a situation in which a procedure should not be used because it may be harmful to the client or the massage therapist. It might mean that the massage will have to be limited to certain parts of the body or it could mean that you should not receive a massage at all. There are 3 types of contra-indications.
Total Contra-Indications: This is a situation where massage is avoided completely, usually for the safety of the client and/or therapist.
Relative Contra-Indications: The massage practitioner may proceed with the treatment with a doctor’s note, but will need to modify techniques related to the client’s condition, for example, by using lighter pressure.
Local Contra-Indications: This are areas of the client’s body should not be massaged under any circumstances. It might be for the client’s own comfort, to avoid spreading infection or to avoid further injury
When you have any of these conditions, please do not book a massage:
Fever
Contagious diseases, including any cold or flu
Under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including prescription pain medication
Recent operations or acute injuries
Neuritis
Skin diseases
Local contra-indications mean the therapist can massage but not over any areas affected by:
Varicose veins
Undiagnosed lumps or bumps
Pregnancy
Bruising
Cuts
Abrasions
Sunburn
Undiagnosed pain
Inflammation, including arthritis
If you suffer from any of the following conditions massage can only take place once it has been approved in writing by your doctor.
Cardio-vascular conditions (thrombosis, phlebitis, hypertension, heart conditions)
Any condition that a medical practitioner is already treating
Oedema
Psoriasis or eczema
High blood pressure
Osteoporosis
Cancer
Nervous or psychotic conditions
Heart problems, angina, those with pacemakers
Gynaecological infections
Epilepsy
Diabetes
Bell’s palsy, trapped or pinched nerves
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
Boost your immune system to avoid colds and flu this winter. This is something everyone would love to do but a lot of the suggested ways aren’t as easy as they sound. Some of them involve being fit and healthy in the first place. Going to the gym or for a run isn’t easy when you’re already feeling a bit under the weather. A proven way to boost your immune system naturally and with immediate results is with a massage.
To boost your immune system means to increase your body’s ability to fight off bacteria, viruses and other microbes that could cause disease. The first line of defence is known as the innate system. It includes your skin and the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth. As well as this, the acidic juices of your stomach kill germs on food. The second line of defence is the various white blood cells, the most well known of which are the lymphocytes(1). These recognise foreign particles, attack them and remain alert for their presence in the future. It is these white blood cells that need nurturing in order to keep you healthy.
Studies have proven that just one massage increases the number of lymphocytes in your body. It also has a positive effect on the lymphatic system as a whole.
The lymphatic system is a fluid-filled network which carries the white blood cells around your body. Lymph nodes are filters for the lymph fluid and are concentrated in the armpit, groin and neck. This is why “swollen glands” can often be felt under the chin when an infection is present. Having a massage helps move the fluid around the lymphatic system. For this reason it is an excellent way to boost your immune system.
Inflammation is another way your body uses to fight off infection. But chronic, long-term inflammation has been shown to have a negative effect on the immune system. As does the presence of the stress hormone cortisol. Massage is known to boost your immune system by reducing inflammation and cortisol levels. It also helps depression and anxiety. This in turn aids restful sleep, without which your body is unable to repair itself sufficiently.
Choose a relaxing Swedish massage or an invigorating deep tissue massage from a qualified massage therapist. Either will give a boost to your immune system that will help you fight off this year’s cold and flu bugs.
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
Calf pain can be caused by issues directly related to the muscles themselves, or it can be a symptom that is caused elsewhere in the body. Calf pain can also affect posture and movement which is made worse when exercising or playing sports.
Your calf muscles are at the back of your lower leg and the two main muscles are the Gastrocnemius and the Soleus. These connect to your heel via the Achilles tendon(1). Their job is to flex your ankle joint, such as when you stand up on tip toes. Because the muscles also connect to the femur bone of your thigh they also play a part when you bend your knee. For example, when walking or running.
Calf pain can have many causes but usually it involves tightness in the muscles. This is often a result of prolonged sitting, which puts them in a shortened position and reduces length. Walking can make this worse, especially wearing high heels, and jogging or sports that involve running. This leaves your calves susceptible to other causes of calf pain.
Calf pain that is caused by tightness in the muscles can be helped with massage. It will loosen them up and increase flexibility. This will stop the problem developing into something more serious and is often all that’s needed to get rid of your calf pain.
Calf pain caused by a muscle strain or tear will come on suddenly, usually when doing something strenuous like exercise. But something as simple as using the stairs can cause injury if the muscle is already at risk. Besides sudden onset, this type of calf pain will bruise at the source and the muscle will not fully stretch until healed.
A massage therapist can help prevent strains or tears occurring. However, if the injury has already happened, the muscle should be iced for 72 hours first. After this, massage can help to promote healing and prevent scar tissue from forming. If the injury is more serious it is best to wait a week before receiving treatment.
This type of calf pain is brought on by a level of activity the muscles are not used to. This could be starting a new exercise, suddenly increasing intensity, or going for a longer walk than normal. As the name suggests, this type of pain will not be immediate but will come on over the next 24-48 hours. After this it will start to ease off over the next few days. Unlike a strain it will be the whole muscle that is sore, rather than a specific point.
Tight and inflexible muscles are more likely to experience delayed onset muscle soreness so massage can help prevent it. If you are already experiencing DOMS, massage improves blood flow to your calves and speeds up recovery.
Sciatica is a pain felt along the sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back down into your lower leg. If your calf muscles are tight or inflamed they can put pressure on the nerve and cause calf pain. But it’s also possible the nerve is being affected closer to the spine. For example, lower back issues can often trap the sciatic nerve and feel like calf pain. This often leads to the symptom being treated rather than the cause.
Many people have tightness in their calves that can be helped with massage. But the source of the pain could be the hamstrings, glutes or the lower back. If this is the case then massage in this area will treat both issues at the same time.
Calf pain itself could be enough to stop you doing certain activities, but if you are able to continue you could be creating other problems. For example, if you like to do squats in the gym, calf pain could affect your technique without you realising. This could mean your heels lift up off the floor as you squat, causing pain and further problems elsewhere in the body. To read more about squat technique click here.
Calf pain could also be the cause of knee pain. As mentioned earlier, your calf muscles extend behind the knee up to the femur in your thigh. So if you have pain at the back of your knee it could be caused by tight calves, which can be relieved with massage. For more on knee pain click here.
If you would like to book a mobile massage in York please contact me on 07713 250352 or email david@massageinyork.co.uk. Includes sports massage, deep tissue massage and Swedish massage. For more information on booking click here
