I
will always offer a glass of water to my clients and even promote
hydration, however, i believe i don't have the expertise or SOP to tell
my clients about metabolic waste or toxins of any kind. Great article.
Worth the read.
"The body is good at handling metabolic wastes,
and even many exogenous poisons, without any special help. If it wasn’t,
we’d really be up the creek."
https://www.painscience.com/articles/drinking-water-after-massage.php
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Ankles!
I have had a hard time getting motivated lately to continue my study
of the lower leg, but recently i had a client that a history of multiple
ankle sprains that was causing him a lot of issues, so my motivation
got a boost and here i am.
Today we are going to talk about 2 little muscles that are very important for healthy ankles. They are called the Fibularis longus and Fibularis brevis (Also called peroneus, but for the sake of simplicity i will call them their new name). These two muscles lie on the outer side of the lower leg. The Fibularis longus attaches to the head of the fibula (the bone of the outer, lower leg) and runs all the way down, turns into a tendon and stretches under the foot and attaches at the first metatarsal.
The Fibularis brevis lies just underneath the FL, it attaches on the middle of the fibula and runs down to the outer side of the 5th metatarsal bone.
These two muscles play a huge roll in the workings of the foot and ankle. They are responsible for outward movement of the foot as well as play a roll in helping pointing the toes. These muscles are so important in keeping the body balanced when you are standing on one leg or if you are walking on uneven surfaces. I see a lot of fibularis muscles not working correctly, especially in people who have sprained their ankle before, or feel like they have "weak ankles". If these two muscles aren't working as well as they should, your possibility of rolling your ankle is huge, also i have found that people who have sprained their ankles before are more likely to do it again. Maybe it's because that dysfunction is still there!
It's so important to take care of your body, you only get two ankles, and they work hard for you every day! Like a car, if you don't keep up on the maintenance, something will break down eventually. Do some maintenance on your body today! Eat well, get enough rest, exercise, and get a massage/bodywork! Your ankles will thank you.:)
Today we are going to talk about 2 little muscles that are very important for healthy ankles. They are called the Fibularis longus and Fibularis brevis (Also called peroneus, but for the sake of simplicity i will call them their new name). These two muscles lie on the outer side of the lower leg. The Fibularis longus attaches to the head of the fibula (the bone of the outer, lower leg) and runs all the way down, turns into a tendon and stretches under the foot and attaches at the first metatarsal.
The Fibularis brevis lies just underneath the FL, it attaches on the middle of the fibula and runs down to the outer side of the 5th metatarsal bone.
These two muscles play a huge roll in the workings of the foot and ankle. They are responsible for outward movement of the foot as well as play a roll in helping pointing the toes. These muscles are so important in keeping the body balanced when you are standing on one leg or if you are walking on uneven surfaces. I see a lot of fibularis muscles not working correctly, especially in people who have sprained their ankle before, or feel like they have "weak ankles". If these two muscles aren't working as well as they should, your possibility of rolling your ankle is huge, also i have found that people who have sprained their ankles before are more likely to do it again. Maybe it's because that dysfunction is still there!
It's so important to take care of your body, you only get two ankles, and they work hard for you every day! Like a car, if you don't keep up on the maintenance, something will break down eventually. Do some maintenance on your body today! Eat well, get enough rest, exercise, and get a massage/bodywork! Your ankles will thank you.:)
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Lymphatic Drainage To Keep You Moving!
Did
you know a stagnant lymphatic system can cause all kinds of problems?
Lymphatic drainage massage is a unique modality that offers unique and
powerful results! By re-energizing sluggish lymphatic circulation,
you're body can naturally detox easier and function better! If you
aren't recovering from your workouts as fast as you would like, or you
feel like your immune system needs a boost, manual lymphatic drainage
work is something you should try! It's gentle massage work that works
with the body to accelerate lymphatic flow.
I have used lymphatic drainage to help treat my sinus head aches lately, and it works amazingly without having to take any drugs! You're body works hard for you! Take care of it! Have a wonderful and healthy day folks!
I have used lymphatic drainage to help treat my sinus head aches lately, and it works amazingly without having to take any drugs! You're body works hard for you! Take care of it! Have a wonderful and healthy day folks!
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Breathing is Kinda Important....
This next anatomy post is going to be a little different. It may be
one of the most important structures for everyday life, as well as
moving, feeling, and functioning to the best of your ability.
I'm going to discuss the diaphragm.
The diaphragm is a dome shaped sheet of muscle that is positioned at the base of the thorax and right above the abdomen. You can find it by placing your fingers right around your lower ribs. The diaphragm is a breathing muscle. During normal breathing, the diaphragm contracts downward creating a vacuum in the thoracic cavity so the lungs will inflate and when it relaxes, you breathe out and air flows out of the lungs, similar to when a balloon deflates.
I'm going to discuss the diaphragm.
The diaphragm is a dome shaped sheet of muscle that is positioned at the base of the thorax and right above the abdomen. You can find it by placing your fingers right around your lower ribs. The diaphragm is a breathing muscle. During normal breathing, the diaphragm contracts downward creating a vacuum in the thoracic cavity so the lungs will inflate and when it relaxes, you breathe out and air flows out of the lungs, similar to when a balloon deflates.
The Diaphragm, like any other muscle can become tight, overworked and
dysfunctional. When that happens it can be felt in a variety of ways
often throughout the entire body. We do a lot of breathing everyday, so
if we are breathing into our chest, instead of our belly, dysfunction
can occur. Stress is also a huge cause of problems with breathing. If
you think you're having issues with your diaphragm, get assessed! It's
amazing when your body can do when it's functioning properly!
Breathing is imperative to healthy movement! I encourage you to notice how you breath today, is it shallow and into your chest? Do your shoulders move when you take a deep breath? Slow down and let your diaphragm do it's very important job!
Have a healthy Sunday friends!
Breathing is imperative to healthy movement! I encourage you to notice how you breath today, is it shallow and into your chest? Do your shoulders move when you take a deep breath? Slow down and let your diaphragm do it's very important job!
Have a healthy Sunday friends!
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Taking the Blame For Low Back Pain Everyday!
I'm going to finish up my series of commonly abused muscles today with this big one. As a massage therapist i get people on a daily basis who come and see me looking for relief from their low back pain. They want me to punish their low back because it hurts, and maybe if i'm mean enough and use enough pressure the pain wont come back, i'm here to say that almost never works! Especially long term!
So, today i'm going to talk about a big player in low back pain, it's called the Quadratus lumborum or affectionately, the QL.
The QL is a muscle of the low back that is located on either side of your spine. It's the muscle between your lowest rib and your hip bones or illiac crest and It attaches to lumbar vertebrae 1-4 in between.
The QL is a very important muscle in creating stability for your lower spine. It helps extend the spine as well as assists in lateral flexion or bending to the side. When the ribcage is fixed the QL also hikes the hip.
The QL gets blamed and abused all the time. Sometimes it is the problem, but not without a reason. A common problem i see is when the erector spinae muscles aren't working correctly. The erector spinae muscles are largely spine stabilizers, if they aren't pulling their share of the weight, the QL has to start working overtime to keep you upright.
Another very common problem is when the glutes decide to take a nap. With no stability in the hips, the QL will be forced to do the job that the much bigger and stronger glute muscles should be doing!
I love the QL muscles, especially when they are working correctly. Sometimes abusing these muscles isn't the answer for helping your body move the best way it can. Get assessed and find out whats going on before poking and stretching. :)
So, today i'm going to talk about a big player in low back pain, it's called the Quadratus lumborum or affectionately, the QL.
The QL is a muscle of the low back that is located on either side of your spine. It's the muscle between your lowest rib and your hip bones or illiac crest and It attaches to lumbar vertebrae 1-4 in between.
The QL is a very important muscle in creating stability for your lower spine. It helps extend the spine as well as assists in lateral flexion or bending to the side. When the ribcage is fixed the QL also hikes the hip.
The QL gets blamed and abused all the time. Sometimes it is the problem, but not without a reason. A common problem i see is when the erector spinae muscles aren't working correctly. The erector spinae muscles are largely spine stabilizers, if they aren't pulling their share of the weight, the QL has to start working overtime to keep you upright.
Another very common problem is when the glutes decide to take a nap. With no stability in the hips, the QL will be forced to do the job that the much bigger and stronger glute muscles should be doing!
I love the QL muscles, especially when they are working correctly. Sometimes abusing these muscles isn't the answer for helping your body move the best way it can. Get assessed and find out whats going on before poking and stretching. :)
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
IT Band
My next abused muscle post is going to be on something that is not
actually a muscle at all. However it's a common structure that every
massage therapist, personal trainer, and physical therapist has
struggled with at one time or another. It's a pretty familiar term for
athletes and it can be a real pain. We are going to spend some time
talking about the IT band.
Chances are if you have used a foam roller, you have been told to roll out your IT band. Rolling out your IT bands is painful, and probably hasn't helped you a whole lot. It's time to stop abusing your poor IT bands. The iliotibial band is a thick band of connective tissue on the outside of the knee, extending from the outside of the pelvis, over the hip and knee, and inserting just below the knee. The band is crucial to stabilizing the knee during running and walking. A lot of times runners will develop tight IT bands that can irritate the knees and hips.
Chances are if you have used a foam roller, you have been told to roll out your IT band. Rolling out your IT bands is painful, and probably hasn't helped you a whole lot. It's time to stop abusing your poor IT bands. The iliotibial band is a thick band of connective tissue on the outside of the knee, extending from the outside of the pelvis, over the hip and knee, and inserting just below the knee. The band is crucial to stabilizing the knee during running and walking. A lot of times runners will develop tight IT bands that can irritate the knees and hips.
The IT band's fibers blend into a small muscle called the tensor fascia
latae or the TFL. The TFL can cause lots of problems with the IT band.
Sometimes the TFL is overworking for lazy hip flexors, if that's the
case the TFL will pull on the IT band and cause it to be tight and
painful, even if that isn't where the problem actually is.
If you are having issues with the outsides of your knees and your IT band is tight and painful, get assessed and find out WHY. Stop the abuse of muscles that don't deserve it!
If you are having issues with the outsides of your knees and your IT band is tight and painful, get assessed and find out WHY. Stop the abuse of muscles that don't deserve it!
Friday, November 7, 2014
Scapegoat Muscle #1
I am going to start a new series of muscle posts. I'm going to call it the scapegoat muscles. These muscles are common muscles to beat on. They get stretched, poked, rolled, and punished, and often they aren't the problem, but taking up the slack for muscles that aren't functioning to their full potential.
My first scapegoat muscle is one that gets blamed for lots of different pains, mostly in the hips and legs. Our muscle today is the PIRIFORMIS.
The Piriformis is a deep hip muscle. It's a relatively small muscle, compared to other muscles in the area, but when dysfunctional, can cause big problems. The sciatic nerve runs under the Piriformis, so a tight Piriformis can pinch the sciatic nerve causing lots and lots of hip, and low back pain, numbness, and tingling. The Piriformis attaches on the sacrum and runs to the greater trochanter of the femur.
It is responsible for lateral rotation of the hip and abduction when the hip is flexed. In other words, if you rest one ankle on the opposite knee, you will feel your Piriformis. The Piriformis is imperative to stability of the pelvis, so, we use it everyday when we walk and stand.
I find the Piriformis overworking all the time in my practice, most commonly, i see the large glute muscles underworking, causing poor little piriformis to have to pull the slack of a much bigger muscle. It's no wonder it hurts! Instead of punishing Piriformis, i like to find the cause and correct that.
Have a great day everyone!
My first scapegoat muscle is one that gets blamed for lots of different pains, mostly in the hips and legs. Our muscle today is the PIRIFORMIS.
The Piriformis is a deep hip muscle. It's a relatively small muscle, compared to other muscles in the area, but when dysfunctional, can cause big problems. The sciatic nerve runs under the Piriformis, so a tight Piriformis can pinch the sciatic nerve causing lots and lots of hip, and low back pain, numbness, and tingling. The Piriformis attaches on the sacrum and runs to the greater trochanter of the femur.
It is responsible for lateral rotation of the hip and abduction when the hip is flexed. In other words, if you rest one ankle on the opposite knee, you will feel your Piriformis. The Piriformis is imperative to stability of the pelvis, so, we use it everyday when we walk and stand.
I find the Piriformis overworking all the time in my practice, most commonly, i see the large glute muscles underworking, causing poor little piriformis to have to pull the slack of a much bigger muscle. It's no wonder it hurts! Instead of punishing Piriformis, i like to find the cause and correct that.
Have a great day everyone!
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