Get into the groove (with a massage)

With the festival season upon us it's time to return to nature, lie out in the sun and get into that summer groove with some good music; and for the rest of the time we have massage, because that helps us get into our groove too!

I've always loved music and some of you may know that I really enjoy singing and have sung with many groups and choirs around Brighton over the years as well as writing my own songs. Sadly my guitar playing skills leave a lot to be desired (!) but I think one of the reasons why I enjoy doing massage so much (as well as relaxing people and helping to improve chronic pain conditions of course!) is because giving a massage is in some ways like playing an instrument.

There is a musicality to massage in that there are 7 basic massage techniques or strokes/moves which form the basis of all massage modalities.  Within a massage treatment these strokes or moves are creatively put together (depending on the clients needs) in different ways, to create different rhythms, speed/tempos, attack (the amount of pressure applied to the body!) in the same way as notes are arranged in a piece of music.  
Giving a massage is like dancing with your hands on someones body in that each technique flows rhythmically into the next.  It's tuning in to the clients body and mind and knowing how much pressure to apply, how fast the pace should be and when to just pause and simply hold the body without seemingly doing any thing at all.  The massage session hopefully should take you on a journey in which the rhythm and tempo of the strokes relaxes the body of muscular tension, calms the mind of stress and anxiety and sooths the soul.

To be in a groove means to be flowing with life, no resistance just content and happy with our situation, circumstance, or whatever we're doing in this present moment.  Most of the time though in our daily lives we feel stress and a resistance to what is, which knocks us out of our groove.  Feeling ill or in pain in our body also makes it harder for us to hit our stride so to speak.  This is why massage is so powerful and transformative because it brings us into our bodies and allows us to escape the constant chatter of the mind; it relieves us of stress and aims to release us from muscular pain. A good massage helps us to loose ourselves in the present moment, it puts us back in our groove!

The actual music being played during the treatment can also help with letting go and relaxing into the the massage for both the client and the therapist which is why I'm always on a quest to source good music that is suitable for a massage session. Of course every ones taste is different and what helps us relax one session, we may not be in the mood for the next, so I'm slowly getting a good collection of sounds together.
This is not to say however that music has to be played in the background, far from it.  In a world that is so noisy, it is incredible healing for us to spend time in silence and for the massage itself to help connect us to our own internal rhythm and groove.

Physiologically, our muscles are made up of fibres very much like the strings on a stringed instrument.  For a muscle to function properly these fibres need to be aligned alongside one another.  Over time or as a result of bad posture, emotional stress, injury or overuse, a local area of muscle fibres can mat together into a hard lump or 'knot'. These knots or adhesion's together with muscular tension affect the nerves governing vital organs and represent blockages in blood, lymph and energy flow.  They prevent fresh oxygenated blood from reaching local muscle tissue, toxins build up and we begin to feel those troublesome aches and pains.  A good therapeutic deep tissue massage realigns muscle fibres, breaks down knots, adhesions and trigger points and effectively puts the body back in tune!

Massage teaches us good body awareness thus helping to improve our everyday posture.  Shoulders are realigned down away from the ears, the neck is lengthened  and the chest opened.  Space is created in the upper body and like a wind instrument that has been cleaned, breathing becomes easier and deeper thus nourishing and oxygennating the whole body.  Massage helps us look after and care for our instrument!

I love giving (and recieving!) massage and have been practising and homing my massage/bodywork skills for 14 years. From working with the seven basic strokes/moves of giving a good massage, which I'll always return to because of their positive effects on body and mind; to refining my touch and learning to become more sensitive to the muscle tissue and to the grooves between the muscle fibres that lay beneath my fingers.  In this way i'm able to achieve better results when working with chronic pain conditions as well as hopefully creating a deeper level of relaxation.

When we're in a groove we're in harmony and balance with ourselves and others.  Massage puts us back in our groove by helping us to return to our centre, to the present moment, where mind, body and breath is connected and there is no resistense of any kind.  We are given the opportunity to let go of stress and anxiey and over time chronic pain is relieved.  We become 'in tune' with ourselves.

So get into that groove and book in for a massage soon!
Beth x

Beware the magic bullet

Photo credit: delmhorst.com
We are living in a time where modern technology has allowed us to have what we want at the click of a button. Whereas before we'd have to take time out of our day to visit the library or walk around the shops, now everything is instant.
In theory we should have more spare time on our hands and yet we find ourselves busier and more stressed then ever before.

Most of us are slaves to our smart phones/computers, we're constantly checking emails, texts and social media; and through the Internet we have access to so much information and news coverage that it's as if the world is pulling us all the time 'look at this', 'be this', 'be scared of this', 'buy this', 'this will make you look better/ feel better', 'this will make you happy' etc. with so much out there vying for our attention everything has to be quick quick quick and if it doesn't grab us within a few seconds then we've moved on.

This translates into our everyday lives and we see people becoming more impatient and intolerant with each other and themselves. The constant 'noise' of the world creating an underlying level of anxiety and stress in most of us as we rush about chasing or reacting too the world; rarely living or being content with the present moment. Mental health problems and stress related illnesses are generally accepted as normal and yet we haven't got time to be ill, it's an inconvenience, we just want some pill to make us better quick so we can carry on again. There's an app for that or rather there's a prescription for that.

We've lost touch with ourselves and our own power when it comes to taking charge of our own lives, health and well being.  We hand over responsibility of our health to the doctor like taking our car to the garage; we just want the doctor to fix us.  We know that by taking better self care we could in most cases prevent ourselves from becoming unwell in the first place but we carry on as we do; not eating properly, not resting enough, not sitting/moving properly, not thinking properly, not breathing properly and then when we do become unwell we seek that magic bullet that quick fix.

Certainly as a massage therapist I've met with clients who just want to lie on the table for an hour or for a few sessions and for all their chronic tension, aches, pains and muscle imbalances to just disappear.  Unfortunately though, as much as i would love to have these super massage powers; the body puts up with a lot before it starts complaining and the problem we're presenting with has often been building for some time and won't be helped quickly. There is no magic bullet to treatment, for good health or indeed a happy easy life instead there has to be an awareness towards self care that is present in everyday life.

Even for the most health conscious among us, this is no easy fete, for the lure of checking emails and social media sites seems to be so much more important then just sitting silently with our breath for 10minutes or doing some stretches.  The constant chatter of the world and a mind forever occupied with some worry or other, flushes our body with stress and tenses our muscles even when we're not aware of it.  In the short term this may lead to feelings of stress, general aches, pains, headaches, insomnia, skin complaints or digestive problems; in the long term more chronic stress, depression, injury, pain and ill health.

In a world that's always trying to sell us something and take us away from our centre of balance it takes effort to stand guardian over our own health and well being and to be selective with what we choose to let in.  To be mindful of how our thoughts create energy which is either nourishing or toxic to our health in the same way as the food we choose to eat.  To be aware of how stress affects our body and to take action on counteracting that stress before our symptoms become more chronic.

Self awareness isn't something we do once and that's it, we have to be conscious all the time, not just with our thoughts but also with how we're sitting, standing and moving in our bodies.  Correct alignment/good posture is so important for good health; it allows our muscles to be used correctly and more efficiently thus preventing fatigue, muscle strain, overuse injuries and pain.  There is less wear and tear on joints and ligaments, our breathing becomes easier and deeper and circulation and digestion is greatly improved; it even makes us feel better mentally and emotionally.

We need to constantly keep bringing ourselves back into balance. If we have a job where we're using the same muscles repetitively or our posture is that, that we're hunched over a desktop for hours then we need to counteract this by taking regular breaks and incorporating simple stretches into our day.  If we spend too much time sitting then we need to move more. If the nature of our work is that we're stuck inside all day then we need to make time to sit in nature, enjoy the sun and get fresh air.  If we have a tendency to work to hard then we need to learn how to slow down and rest sufficiently.

We give so much of ourselves outwardly and yet we feel like we're wasting our time and energy or perhaps missing out on something important if we unplug ourselves from the world for even a short time to check in and look after ourselves. We intuitively know what we need to do to restore/ maintain balance and good health; if only we were too quieten the 'noise' of the world and listen to ourselves.  There is no magic bullet or quick fix and in a world that is increasingly becoming more busy and stressful it has never been so important that we take back our power and take charge of our own lives, health and well being.

What we bring to the (massage) table

I've been feeling really grateful recently that I'm able to work as a massage therapist and that I have the space in my home in which to create a tranquil environment for people to come and have treatment.  So 'Thank you' to the powers that be, that have made this possible and 'Thank you' to all of you for booking in!

On a business level I'm taught to 'target a specific market audience' and yet I've never taken this approach when advertising my work.  I love that the people who come to me for treatment are of all different ages and demographic groups; each client bringing to the massage table, a life and everything that that entails.
For massage isn't just about working on the muscles and physical body; it's also about what's going on in the clients life at the time, their state of mind, their past, their personal story and everything that they're carrying whether that's physical, mental or emotional.

No two treatments within the same day are ever the same because we're all so different and no two sessions with the same client are ever the same either because what we bring to the massage table in terms of what's happening in our lives, how we're feeling and what's physically happening with our body is constantly changing from week to week, month to month and so session to session; and this is why having regular massage/bodywork is important for our overall well being.

What we bring to the massage table

Perhaps since your last massage you've been doing some heavy lifting or have spent too long sat at a computer; maybe you've been practicing an instrument, gardening, decorating, training for a marathon, working out more in the gym or maybe just not moving enough.  As you bring your achy and sore body to the massage table, the session will be more focused on those problematic areas of your body.

Or maybe life has been getting on top of you and you come to the massage table feeling tired and emotionally fray; you just want to press 'pause' for an hour or so to feel nurtured, rested and restored.  Perhaps you're crazily busy and your family are driving you mad; you can feel the stress and tension in your body and you just need a really good massage to 'get in there' and release it.

So whether it's physical, mental or emotional, regular massage/bodywork is a great opportunity to just dump everything that we've been carrying and leave it on the massage table! 

As well as physically releasing muscular tension, aches and pains bought about by what ever we're doing with our bodies on a day to day basis; the techniques used in massage such as stretching, kneading shaking/vibrating are all aimed at getting the body to 'let go' of emotional stress (some of which we've been carrying for years) because holding on to that **** is not good for us!

Sometimes just being in the treatment room alone can feel like a little retreat away from the world where we can feel safe.  Clients often open up about what's happening in their lives and their problems because it's healing to let it out without the fear of judgement of that it will go any further.  I've had many clients who after the massage just burst into tears and this is really powerful and healing because there's a sense of release, that they're able to move on in some way.

After a massage session we leave the table feeling lighter as if a weight had been lifted.  We feel more at peace with ourselves and with the world around us; and as one of my clients recently said 'that's a pretty good place to be!'

What I bring to the massage table as your therapist

It's a real honor to be a massage therapist because out side of my little treatment room I'm actually quite shy; but I must have treated hundreds of clients over the years and I feel so privileged that I've been able to help so many people with my work.

Whether you're just passing through, having had just 1 or 2 sessions with me or whether I've been treating you for years; it's my intention to try and tune in the best I can to whatever you're bringing to the table in that particular session; and use my experience and the skills I have learned (and continue to learn) to creatively provide the best massage I can.

For me giving a massage is an opportunity to be fully present in the moment; it's like a meditation where I completely loose myself  in what I'm doing and hope that the client looses themselves too!  Beth Jenkins and all that she personally carry's is left outside of the treatment room.
I'm not performing a cookie cut out massage whilst thinking about what I'm going to have for dinner; instead I'm tuning into how much pressure to use and to which techniques are needed in order to bring about balance and help with whatever you've brought to the table.

I offer a tranquil space in which to escape the world for an hour or so, a really good massage (!) and the opportunity for you to just drop everything you've been carrying and leave the session feeling lighter in body and mind; and more at peace in your life.

Keeping your healthy intentions on track with regular massage

Image taken from theodysseyonline.com

Happy new year everybody!  It's a fresh start and as we all enjoy a good clear out of our homes, polish off the last off the wine and remains of the chocolates; it's time to set ourselves those annual intentions to eat less, exercise more, work harder, stress less and generally become new and improved versions of ourselves in the months to come!

The trouble is when we try to make too many 'positive' life changes all at once it's easy to feel overwhelmed and give up.  Self care needs to become an enjoyable way of life for us because then we're more likely to make healthy choices in our day today lives and so more likely to achieve those new years resolutions; here's how regular massage can help with this:

De-toxing  Abstaining from alcohol and replacing chocolate with vegetable juice is often the norm for January; as we resolve to loose a few 1bs and cleanse our system from seasonal excess.  A toxic body (smoking, alcohol, bad diet, stress) can manifest as fatigue, migraines, bad skin, low immune system and allergies.  Even if we feel our lifestyle is pretty healthy, we can never completely escape the toxins found in our environment.

Periodically cleansing the body by avoiding toxins (those you can), drinking plenty of clean water, and ideally fasting for a couple of days (check with Dr. first) is a good idea.  Getting plenty of exercise (especially those of us who lead sedentary lives) is also important as it 'gets everything moving' which is key to de toxing and why massage is also recommended.

Regular massage cleanses the body by improving the circulation of lymph (the body's main system of elimination) and so releasing toxins; not only this but when relaxed, the body is able to return to it's natural state of balance thus enabling the digestive and other systems of elimination to function better. As chronically tight knotted muscles are softened, trapped toxins in the muscle tissue are released into circulation for the body to process (may cause healing reactions'). Dry skin brushing, cleansing oils such juniper berry and Epson salt baths are lovely ways to help support this.

Reducing stress We all know the importance of a healthy diet and making sure we get regular exercise and yet the most important (and often overlooked) thing we can do for our health is reduce our stress.  Yes a certain level of stress is good for us because it allows us to be productive and get things done but too much stress becomes detrimental to our well being causing sleepless nights, anxiety, depression and a range of stress related symptoms such as physical aches/pains, bad skin and irritable bowel, to name just a few.

Animals are great at physically shaking off their tension but us humans tend to carry it around which isn't good for us.  Our posture and the way we hold ourselves often mirrors what's going on in our mind and the phrase 'our issues are in our tissues' is indicative of how our body absorbs much of our emotional stress.  Meditation, exercise and doing things we enjoy are all excellent tools for reducing stress but there's nothing like massage to physical work stress out of the body.

Regular massage is a much needed tool for physically releasing tension from our bodies before it builds up and creates chronic illness (dis-ease). Softening our body armor keeps us young and many people report actually looking younger after a massage; this is because they are relaxed and stress has left their body.  It's not uncommon to feel very emotional and tearful after a treatment as if the weight of everything you've been 'carrying' has been taken off you.  Every day stresses and strains dissapear into the background and we feel more on top emotionally.

More exercise Gyms are at their busiest this time of year and with little wonder because we all know the importance of exercise for our overall health and well being; although with our often sedentary lifestyles, we know we should be doing more. Whether it's renewing our gym membership, training for a marathon, swimming or yoga; most people's new year resolutions involve being more active.

Regular massage helps keep us active and injury free by physically working to improve the health and function of the muscles. The ancient Greek Olympians and Roman gladiators commonly used massage before and after an event; and this is still the case today within the sporting world.  Pre exercise massage calms and focuses the mind, loosens ligaments, joints and muscles (still important to warm up/stretch) and increases blood flow to the muscles; thought to enhance performance.  Post exercise massage treats any injury to the muscle fiber, removes toxins that have built up from the exercise and reduces the delayed onset of muscle soreness. 

You don't need to be athletic to benefit in this way in fact it's often the least sporty of us that suffer more from injury because we throw ourselves into exercises on a whim, without the correct form and technique to keep us safe. Choosing an exercise that repetitively uses the same muscles again and again at the expense of other muscles can also be problematic in causing repetitive strain injury, muscle imbalances and strain on the joints.  Regular massage improves the health and function of  muscles, aims to correct any muscle imbalances and gives us greater body awareness.

Working harder to achieve our personal goals  with the brand new year ahead of us we intuitively pause to take stock of where we are in our lives and what we want to achieve in the coming months.  In a ever increasing target driven society we ourselves set new targets and push ourselves harder to succeed at whatever we're trying to do.

Whether it's academic, financial, creative, physical or spiritual; self improvement is always a worthwhile endeavor, however as with anything there has to be balance. It's easy to become addicted to ticking things off a 'to do' list at the expense of other things.  Working longer hours, juggling family life and constantly feeling under pressure to deliver are all too common realities for many of us, and can really take the joy out of our work.  Even if we enjoy what we're doing, we all loose steam occasional and need to take a break and this is the perfect time to have a massage. 

Regular massage rejuvenates the body and mind so we may return to the world feeling rested and re charged.  Taking 'me time' is not selfish it's an important part of self care because if we're run down, tired out and burned out then we're no good to anyone and were never going to achieve our goals (not with any joy anyway) Through total mind body relaxation massage brings you back to your center so that you can 're set' if you like and return to life, feeling fresh and with a better perspective to approach things in a different, more creative way.


With every session tailor made to how your feeling and to what needs more work and attention at the time; committing to regular massage work is a hugely positive act of self care and a most enjoyable and holistic way of achieving your healthy intentions and new year resolutions for overall good health and well being this year. 

Beth x

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