Bringing softness to the body and mind

One of the things I enjoy most about giving a massage (and it sounds really obvious saying it) is the challenge of bringing softness to the muscles and a softness to the body and mind.

It's my job to find where the tension is, the resistance and solidness; and then using different movements/ strokes/ techniques, try to coax those muscles into letting go, relaxing, lengthening and softening. The rhythmic soothing movements of the massage at the same time helping to relax the body and soften and sooth the mind.

When muscles are healthy they are naturally soft and pliable; and they don't hurt or feel tender when they are being massaged/worked on.  It's like stretching or kneading dough, there is a movement within the soft tissues and muscles glide past each other smoothly.  Like pressing into putty, I am able to work deeply into the layers of muscle tissue and access the deeper muscles beneath. Working deeply in this way increases blood flow to the localized area and internal organs, thus nourishing and detoxing the body, helping to keep it healthy. 

When muscles are unhealthy they are often chronically tight, overworked and holding a lot of tension.  There is a solidness to them and they feel tender and uncomfortable when massaged as well as in everyday life.  There is little to no movement within the soft tissues and muscles feel sticky and adhesive to neighboring muscles and bone.  Natural blood flow to the area is impeded; muscle tissue is starved of nourishment, toxins build up and muscles become more problematic and painful.  It is difficult  to 'get in there' and often only the more superficial layers of muscle tissue can be accessed.

Ow! What's causing all this tension? 

Feeling stressed and highly strung.  Muscles are comprised of muscle fibers much like the strings on an instrument.  When we're feeling stressed these fibers tighten and shorten and muscle tone (state of tension) increases so as to prepare the body for fight or flight.  Fortunately in today's word we don't need to fight or run away and yet our muscles are all wound up ready to go; and unlike other animals who can physically 'shake off' negative tension, we humans tend to carry it around!  A build up of continual stress causes the muscle tone to remain high even when resting; and bunched up areas of muscle tissue create knots and tender points, most noticeable felt around the head, neck, shoulders.

Poor posture.  When our posture is bad there is a muscle imbalance, in which some muscles become very short and tight and consequently stronger, whilst their opposing muscle (muscles work together in pairs) becomes longer and weaker.  Over time further postural problems and muscular tension occurs; as the stronger muscles (which continue to get tighter and stronger) start pulling on the framework of the body, further pulling it out of shape.  For example when hunched over a computer the muscles in the chest become short, tight and strong; further pulling the shoulders into a rounded position.
 
Repetitive movements.  Our bodies were simply not designed to continuously do the same actions again and again everyday; and yet this is what many of us do, whether in our work, hobby, sport or at the gym.  Muscles that are continuously subjected to the same repetitive movements naturally become tired and overworked; muscle tone (tension) remains high in these muscles even when they're resting, because they simply can't relax!  With so much tension in the muscle(s) there is an increased risk of an acute injury as well as more chronic conditions such as RSI  Muscle imbalances also occur when certain muscles are overly worked/ trained at the expense of other muscles which then become weaker.  

So how long will it take to soften my body?!

Well this all depends on the reason why there is so much tension in your body in the first place and for how long it has been building.  The more chronically tight the muscles are, the longer it's going to take to bring softness to the area; it's a process of unwinding and releasing, so be patient, it will take time and won't be achieved in just one massage session.

It's good to determine the cause of the tension so you can try to prevent it getting any worse in between sessions.  Remember I'm only going to be working on physically softening your body for an hour or so once a week, fortnight or month; and so it's helpful for you to be conscious of what your doing with your body for the rest of the time.  Are you clenching your jaw when you're stressed? Are you constantly looking down at your phone?  Are you repetitively doing something everyday that is overworking the same muscle groups?  

When there is a lot of tension and 'solidness' in the muscle tissue then it's a good idea to have more regular weekly sessions at first, to try and really 'get in there' and release and soften the area as much a possible. Specific stretches may be given, to do at home in between treatments which will further aid in lengthening and softening the area; and thus enhancing the work done being done on the table.  As muscles begin to soften sessions may become less frequent until eventually massage becomes less about releasing chronic tension and more about maintaining softness.

I've never liked the 'no pain no gain' approach to massage whereby if you're not reeling in pain on the table, covered in bruises when you leave and unable to walk for two days after; then the massage was unsuccessful at releasing tension and improving the health of the muscle?!  There will always be some discomfort when working on unhealthy muscle tissue but it should never be outside of your comfort zone. When something hurts we naturally tense up in protection and for this reason I feel that forcing muscles to relax by brute force and will is counter productive. 
 
It is far better in my opinion (and a lot more enjoyable for the client!) to gentle coax the muscles into relaxation by gradually softening and releasing tension one layer at a time until eventually the muscle lets go, fibers untangle, knots dissolve and the tissue being worked on becomes soft and pliable enough for more deeper strokes/techniques to be used.  For any one who practices yoga or enjoys stretching, you know that you have to have respect and patience; for the body will only let you in and allow you to work deeper once it has softened.

The healing potential of all this softening.

It's not uncommon for someone who is new to massage, hasn't had massage for a long time, suffers from chronic tension or has a very toxic lifestyle (bad diet, alcohol, cigarettes, lack of exercise) to experience a 'healing crisis'.

On a physical level, this is where all of the toxins that have been trapped in masses of tight, bunched up muscle tissue, are released back into the blood steam for the body to processes; thus causing nausea, headaches, frequent trips to the bathroom and a general feeling of being 'knocked for six' for some people.   Drinking plenty of water (and avoiding putting any more toxins back in) helps to flush these toxins through and there is a powerful cleansing effect on the body.

In the same way our muscles store toxins, they also store much of our 'emotional baggage'.  Harsh experiences, feelings of depression, anxiety or simply every day stress, all build up in the body; bringing about a hardness, a tough outer shell, a protection from further pain.  Over time this hardness manifests as aches, pains, injury, stiffness, poor posture and illness.  Massage aims to soften this armour and flush the body of potentially harmful stress chemicals.  All kinds of emotions can be stirred up; and in releasing this the body feels freer and there is a sense of having 'let go' of something you'd been carrying.

As treatments progress and the body softens there are fewer physical/emotional toxins to be released and so the healing crisis lessens.  Muscles become soft, pliable and healthy; and although there will always be little areas of feel good pain, the body won't feel so tender to be worked on and massage becomes even more enjoyable and relaxing.

The knead for regular softening

There is never a point where the body and mind is going to be completely free of tension (well not for long any way!); there's always going to be tension that builds up, just from the fact that we use our muscles everyday, we're never in perfect alignment and we experience and hold on to stress.

So there's always work to be done in maintaining the softness of the body and mind; and regular massage plays an important role in not allowing tension to build up to the point where it becomes a problem.  The longer the gap between sessions the more the body and mind will revert back to chronic tension.

With regular massage comes a deeper awareness of the interconnection of mind, body and soul.  In fact massage brings these three parts of ourselves together; as we have the opportunity to escape the world for an hour or so, calm the constant chatter of the mind, relax into our bodies and become more in touch with who we really are within.  This then carries over into our everyday life and we find ourselves becoming more in tune with our bodies, more aware of  our posture and movement and also more conscious of when everyday stress is creeping back into our body, creating tension and hardness. 

By releasing tension and softening the body and mind, regular massage is a much needed (and very enjoyable) tool for maintaining overall health and well being; and not every session is going to be the same.  It really is a case of what are you bringing to the table today?!  What have you been doing since your last massage?  What's going on in your life?  Perhaps you've been doing a lot of gardening or heavy lifting?  Perhaps work is busy, you've been at the computer a lot, or your children are driving you crazy?! Every session will be different as we ask, where are you feeling tension today? Where is there resistance to letting go and what needs softening?

For me this is the art of massage and what I'm trying to achieve with you in my work as a therapist.  It's listening to the body, tuning into the soft tissues and only working as deeply as the muscles will let me in.  It's setting the scene and creating a warm, peaceful environment with which to relax and sooth the mind; for once the mind is calm the body relaxes and visa versa.  It's knowing when to work and when to just leave the area alone and come back. It's being sensitive to how much pressure to apply and the choice of technique that is needed.  It's realigning the fibers and tuning the body. It's the rhythmic dance of the strokes lulling the body and mind back home into relaxation and softness.

So what kneads softening today?!

Beth x

So how's your plumb line?!!

A plumb line is basically a straight line which is often used in D.I.Y to check whether something is perfectly straight or vertical.

In body work the plumb line (or straight line) is a handy tool for assessing posture.

A good posture in relation to the plumb line is where the line goes straight down through the center of the body (the body's center of gravity), splitting it into two symmetrical halves.  From a side view the line should go from the crown of the head to the center of the ankle joint.

With a good posture, the head is in a neutral position, the shoulders, hips and knees are level  and there is a normal curvature of the cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper back) and lumbar spine (lower back).  The pelvis is neutral so not tilted forward or back and the knees are neither flexed nor hyper extended.

Why is good posture important?

A good posture puts the body in its most optimum position for our overall health and well being. Correct alignment allows the stresses placed on the body through the pull of gravity to be evenly distributed, thus preventing any one structure from becoming overly stressed and at risk of pain and/or injury.

The best analogy I have heard when describing the importance of good posture is to compare the body to a car.  When a car's alignment is off or the tires are not balanced properly, ride quality is diminished, there is an uneven tread wear on the tires, tire life is shortened and the performance of bearings and shock absorbers suffer. In the same way when our posture (alignment) is off, the body starts to experience a range of problems such as restricted range of movement, pain, injury and organ dysfunction to name just a few.

The body, like the tires on a car has an ideal position and must be balanced in order to run smoothly and last a long time. The purpose of a postural analysis is to look at the body and assess whether it is properly balanced and in correct alignment. 

The benefits of good posture

• Correct alignment of our joints, muscles and ligaments puts the body in its most optimal position and decreases the risk of pain and/or injury during every day activities and exercise.
• Correct distribution of weight means one part of the body doesn't have to work harder than another.
• Muscles become balanced so that there not overworking (tight) or underworking (stretched) thus preventing aches, pains and injury.
• The body doesn't have to work so hard to keep us in a bad posture so we suffer less from fatigue.
• The wear and tear of joints is minimized and there is less chance of developing degenerative arthritis in later years.
• The correct space is created within the body for optimal functioning of internal organs.
• Breathing becomes easier and more natural. 
• Circulation and digestion is improved.
• The spine is kept healthy. 
• Emotional and mental health is improved.
• We Portray a more confident self. 
• We look taller and thinner! 

Of course we're all different and we're not all going to look like an anatomical drawing from an A+P text book.  There are many factors that affect our posture some that can be easily addressed and others where nothing can be done.

Factors affecting posture

• Structural/anatomical i.e scoliosis (curvature of the spine), discrepancy in leg length, variations in soft tissues, bones and vertebrae that are angled at different degrees.
• Age the posture of a child, teenager, adult and an elderly person are often very different!
• Physiology when we're in pain we hold ourselves in a certain way to minimize discomfort, pregnancy obviously brings about changes to the body and whether we're feeling alert or tired affects how we hold ourselves. 
• Think about the posture of women who wears high heels or carries a heavy bag on her shoulder.  Our height as well, think of a very tall person who has to stoop whilst washing up every day and how that affects their posture over a life time.
• Pathology Again pain can lead to altered posture which becomes more permanent the longer we hold the position.  Illness and disease especially when bones and joints are involved, medical conditions that affect the tone of the muscles, fractures and breaks that were never healed properly.
• Occupation the work we do everyday effects our posture for example someone sat at a computer 9-5 is going to have a different posture to someone who is doing a more active job.
•  Recreation In the same way our hobbies also determine how we use our bodies for example the posture of someone who sits watching T.V for hours is going to be different to someone who enjoys playing golf.
• Emotions Often the posture we adopt subconsciously mirrors the way we feel inside whether this is temporary or a more permanent state of being, for example the way we hold ourselves when we're feeling nervous or depressed is different to when we're feeling excited or happy.
• Culture  In countries such as India, people grow up sitting cross legged on the floor and so develop different postures to westerners used to sitting on big comfy sofas and arm chairs.
• Fashion Think high heels, winkle pickers, corsets, low waisted hip hop trousers! 
• Environment When we're cold we're going to adopt a different posture to when we're feeling hot, when we're feeling threatened or scared our posture is going to be different to when we're feeling relaxed.

Common postural deviations

Here are four of the most common postural deviations that become apparent using a plumb line on the side of the body.

Sway back (common in teenage boys who like to swagger!) the head and upper back are leaning back away from the center line, the pelvis is also tilted backwards creating strain on the lower back.  The knees are flexed placing stress on the joints and flexor muscles at the front of the body are having to work harder to keep the body in an upright position.

Lumbar lordosis (common in gymnasts who do a lot of back bends) the curvature of the lumbar spine is exaggerated inwards placing strain and creating tightness in the lower back which has to compensate; the pelvis is tilted forward of the center line and the abdominal muscles are overly stretched and weak.

Thoracic kyphosis is perhaps the most common postural deviation because of the amount of time we spend sat hunched over a computer.  In this position the body is put into a concave shape whereby the upper back muscles become overly stretched and weak and the chest muscles become shortened and tight.  Breathing is shallow because the chest is compressed and the person may feel tired and low in mood.  Digestive organs are effectively squashed which affects digestion. Aches and pains are commonly felt in the neck which is often forward of the center line in this position.

Forward head position is again another postural deviation that is becoming more and more common as we spend more time looking down at our phones.  In a seated position this obviously places a lot of strain on our neck especially when you think how heavy our head is!  When standing, a forward head position often makes our whole body lean slightly forward of our center thus over working the extensor muscles in our back in an attempt to bring the body back to its center.

Helping you to achieve your best plumb line

For the reasons already discussed having a good posture (or plumb line(!)) is important for feeling good in our bodies for as long as possible.  Despite us all coming in different shapes and sizes a postural analysis is a great way to bring some awareness to the body and highlight any imbalances or misalignment's that you were unaware of and what you need to do to correct them. 

As a massage therapist, treating holistically, including a postural assessment as apart of your treatment allows me to look at your whole body as opposed to just your bad knee, stiff shoulder, tight lower back so I may have a better idea of how to treat you and offer a more complete service.

 

I look forward to seeing your plumb line soon!

Beth x