Plantar Fasciitis, also known as heel-spur syndrome, is a repetitive use injury. The plantar fascia is a ligament-like band, running from the heel to the ball of the foot. The most common cause of plantar fasciitis is very tight calf muscles which lead to prolonged pronation of the foot. This, in turn, produces repetitive overstretching of the plantar fascia leading to inflammation and thickening of the tendon. As the fascia thickens, it loses flexibility and strength.
A sharp or burning pain, felt at the back part of the arch of the foot to just in front of the heel, is usually worse in the morning when you first stand because as you put weight on your foot, the arch flattens slightly, pulls on the fascia, and causes further damage. As you walk around a bit, your foot gets more used to the stresses being put on it and the pain diminishes somewhat.
Rest, ice and exercise are the standard course of treatment prescribed by medical professionals for Plantar Fasciitis. Incorporating massage therapy into your treatment plan will increase circulation to the injured tissue and release tension in the calf muscles. Increased circulation brings fresh oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and fascia and carry away metabolic wastes more efficiently, helping the body repair the damaged tissue.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
Soothing a Sprain
Give your ankle RICE therapy when you have an injury.
A sprain can happen during sports or from tripping on an uneven surface. Whatever the cause, experts say, it's important to give your ankle what's known as RICE therapy as soon as possible after the injury.
Rest: Avoid walking on your injured foot for the first 24 to 48 hours. (You may find it helpful to use crutches or a cane.) Resume your normal activity only after you can walk without pain.
Ice: Apply ice for 20 minutes at a time every three to four hours for up to three days to keep the swelling down.
Compression: Wrap your foot with an elastic bandage to immobilize the ankle and help ease swelling. The bandage, which can be worn for one to two days, should be snug but not so tight that it restricts circulation.
Elevation: Keep your foot raised above heart level as much as possible for the first 48 hours after the injury.
Be sure to allow the stretched ligaments to heal adequately in a stable position, or you could be setting yourself up for chronic ankle instability. If after three or four days you're unable to put weight on the injured foot or the swelling worsens, continue with RICE and call your doctor, who may suggest additional treatments (such as an ankle splint).
A sprain can happen during sports or from tripping on an uneven surface. Whatever the cause, experts say, it's important to give your ankle what's known as RICE therapy as soon as possible after the injury.
Rest: Avoid walking on your injured foot for the first 24 to 48 hours. (You may find it helpful to use crutches or a cane.) Resume your normal activity only after you can walk without pain.
Ice: Apply ice for 20 minutes at a time every three to four hours for up to three days to keep the swelling down.
Compression: Wrap your foot with an elastic bandage to immobilize the ankle and help ease swelling. The bandage, which can be worn for one to two days, should be snug but not so tight that it restricts circulation.
Elevation: Keep your foot raised above heart level as much as possible for the first 48 hours after the injury.
Be sure to allow the stretched ligaments to heal adequately in a stable position, or you could be setting yourself up for chronic ankle instability. If after three or four days you're unable to put weight on the injured foot or the swelling worsens, continue with RICE and call your doctor, who may suggest additional treatments (such as an ankle splint).
How can I treat shin splints?
To help protect yourself from shin splints, do a gentle gliding massage stroke called effleurage on your lower legs for five minutes before every workout. Effleurage warms up the muscles and helps remove fluid buildup caused by inflammation. (A massage therapist can show you how to do it.) If you already have shin splints, massage will encourage healing by increasing blood flow to your aggravated tissues. Ice the front of your leg for up to 15 minutes beforehand to reduce swelling and to minimize any discomfort the massage may cause.
Thursday, May 17, 2007
The Benefits of Regular Massage
Once people discover the many joys and benefits of massage, a common question arises — "How often should I schedule my massage sessions?" Of course, there is no set answer, but studies indicate that massage at regular intervals is most beneficial to your overall health.
In a Newsweek article entitled "The Magic of Touch," the advantages of frequent massage are considered. The following excerpts help to answer the question, "How often?"
"A weekly massage may seem an indulgence, but new research suggests it can have major health benefits. "Since instituting a program of massage, job-specific exercises and ergonomics in 1990, the Virginia-based company [Wampler Foods] has cut repetitive-stress injuries by 75 percent."
From assembly lines to corporate headquarters, Americans are discovering the magic of massage. At Boeing and Reebok, headaches, back strain and fatigue have all fallen since the companies started bringing in massage therapists.
Doctors have started prescribing massage to help patients manage stress and pain. And a few HMOs have begun sharing in the cost. ‘Massage is medicine, not merely an indulgence,’ says Laura Favin of Not Just a Luxury Onsite Massage in New York.
"Scientists are now finding that massage can reduce blood pressure, boost the immune system, dampen harmful stress hormones and raise mood-elevating brain chemicals such as serotonin. And you can’t beat massage for relaxation. Babies fall asleep faster when massaged than when rocked — and they stay asleep, rather than waking the moment Mom tiptoes away. All these factors, says Tiffany Field, founder of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine, ‘put massage in the same category with proper diet and exercise as something that helps maintain overall health.’
"The effects aren’t always so straightforward. Massage can also stimulate nerves that carry signals from the skin to the brain, triggering changes throughout the body.... Field showed that massage (as opposed to light touch) stimulates the brain’s vagus nerve, causing the secretion of food-absorption hormones, including insulin. Nerve stimulation probably explains other benefits as well. Dr. James Dillard of Columbia University [says], ‘Every nerve cell in the body has some connection to every other nerve cell.’
"Like exercise, massage does more for you if you engage in it regularly... even a monthly treatment can help maintain general health. ‘Touch is basic to survival,’ says Elliot Greene, past president of AMTA [American Massage Therapy Assn.]. That’s all the excuse anyone should need to indulge."
Remember, your body strives to maintain optimum health by keeping all of its systems in balance. Along with proper nutrition, exercise and rest, massage relaxes tense muscles and stimulates the body’s communication lines to help it do its job — and to keep you feeling your best. So, make regular massage a priority in your life for a healthier tomorrow!
In a Newsweek article entitled "The Magic of Touch," the advantages of frequent massage are considered. The following excerpts help to answer the question, "How often?"
"A weekly massage may seem an indulgence, but new research suggests it can have major health benefits. "Since instituting a program of massage, job-specific exercises and ergonomics in 1990, the Virginia-based company [Wampler Foods] has cut repetitive-stress injuries by 75 percent."
From assembly lines to corporate headquarters, Americans are discovering the magic of massage. At Boeing and Reebok, headaches, back strain and fatigue have all fallen since the companies started bringing in massage therapists.
Doctors have started prescribing massage to help patients manage stress and pain. And a few HMOs have begun sharing in the cost. ‘Massage is medicine, not merely an indulgence,’ says Laura Favin of Not Just a Luxury Onsite Massage in New York.
"Scientists are now finding that massage can reduce blood pressure, boost the immune system, dampen harmful stress hormones and raise mood-elevating brain chemicals such as serotonin. And you can’t beat massage for relaxation. Babies fall asleep faster when massaged than when rocked — and they stay asleep, rather than waking the moment Mom tiptoes away. All these factors, says Tiffany Field, founder of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami’s School of Medicine, ‘put massage in the same category with proper diet and exercise as something that helps maintain overall health.’
"The effects aren’t always so straightforward. Massage can also stimulate nerves that carry signals from the skin to the brain, triggering changes throughout the body.... Field showed that massage (as opposed to light touch) stimulates the brain’s vagus nerve, causing the secretion of food-absorption hormones, including insulin. Nerve stimulation probably explains other benefits as well. Dr. James Dillard of Columbia University [says], ‘Every nerve cell in the body has some connection to every other nerve cell.’
"Like exercise, massage does more for you if you engage in it regularly... even a monthly treatment can help maintain general health. ‘Touch is basic to survival,’ says Elliot Greene, past president of AMTA [American Massage Therapy Assn.]. That’s all the excuse anyone should need to indulge."
Remember, your body strives to maintain optimum health by keeping all of its systems in balance. Along with proper nutrition, exercise and rest, massage relaxes tense muscles and stimulates the body’s communication lines to help it do its job — and to keep you feeling your best. So, make regular massage a priority in your life for a healthier tomorrow!
Make the Most from Every Massage!
Massage can be a powerful tool to help your body best perform its countless functions in its goal to maintain a healthy balance. Why not do everything you can to get the best possible results from every massage session? This article is devoted to providing you with some hints to make the most from your bodywork sessions.
Before your session...
The mood of your session can be affected by the things currently influencing your life. You can improve your results by preparing yourself before your massage time. If you can put the events of your life on pause for a little while and truly devote your session time to taking care of you, the benefits you experience can be greatly enhanced. Life really will wait a couple of hours for you — and you’ll be in much better shape to deal with your responsibilities when you are feeling your best! Other things you can do, as time allows:
• Take a relaxing bath or shower before your appointment time
• Limit consumption of caffeine and sugar, as well as other stimulants
• Avoid eating immediately before your appointment
• Allow extra time in your schedule so you don’t have to rush to be ready for your session. Otherwise, it may take longer to reach a relaxed state.
• Be aware of your current condition so you can report anything that needs attention. It’s important to explain what’s going on healthwise, because changing health conditions can affect your massage needs.
Before your session...
The mood of your session can be affected by the things currently influencing your life. You can improve your results by preparing yourself before your massage time. If you can put the events of your life on pause for a little while and truly devote your session time to taking care of you, the benefits you experience can be greatly enhanced. Life really will wait a couple of hours for you — and you’ll be in much better shape to deal with your responsibilities when you are feeling your best! Other things you can do, as time allows:
• Take a relaxing bath or shower before your appointment time
• Limit consumption of caffeine and sugar, as well as other stimulants
• Avoid eating immediately before your appointment
• Allow extra time in your schedule so you don’t have to rush to be ready for your session. Otherwise, it may take longer to reach a relaxed state.
• Be aware of your current condition so you can report anything that needs attention. It’s important to explain what’s going on healthwise, because changing health conditions can affect your massage needs.
During your session...
• Share what’s going on. If you have a tender spot or an injured area, bring it up so it can be addressed. If you feel you need more pressure or a lighter touch during the session, please say so. If everything is great, you can lie back and relax. If you find your attention is on something, bring it up so you will be able to lie back and relax!
• Specify your preferences. Everyone has different needs and wants, so share yours! Is everything in the massage environment okay? The temperature? The lighting? Any other distractions? Are you completely at ease? Do you like certain music? Is the volume okay? Do you like specific techniques? More time spent on a certain area? Each session is especially for you, so please communicate about what you want! If there is anything you don’t understand, please ask so we can discuss it.
• Let it all go and relax! One of the major massage goals for many people is to lessen tension and stress. Many of those aches and pains that demand our attention are linked to stress. In fact — according to Dr. Sandra McLanahan — eighty percent of disease is stress-related, so maximizing the relaxation in each session should help you to maintain a much higher level of well-being!
• One way to quiet your mind is to focus your attention on the session — really get in tune with your sense of touch.
• Proper breathing helps you to relax and to reach your session goals. Slow, deep breathing (from the gut) will provide your body with much-needed oxygen, while signaling your body to let go of its tensions.
• Specify your preferences. Everyone has different needs and wants, so share yours! Is everything in the massage environment okay? The temperature? The lighting? Any other distractions? Are you completely at ease? Do you like certain music? Is the volume okay? Do you like specific techniques? More time spent on a certain area? Each session is especially for you, so please communicate about what you want! If there is anything you don’t understand, please ask so we can discuss it.
• Let it all go and relax! One of the major massage goals for many people is to lessen tension and stress. Many of those aches and pains that demand our attention are linked to stress. In fact — according to Dr. Sandra McLanahan — eighty percent of disease is stress-related, so maximizing the relaxation in each session should help you to maintain a much higher level of well-being!
• One way to quiet your mind is to focus your attention on the session — really get in tune with your sense of touch.
• Proper breathing helps you to relax and to reach your session goals. Slow, deep breathing (from the gut) will provide your body with much-needed oxygen, while signaling your body to let go of its tensions.
After your session...
• If at all possible, allow for some quiet time before you continue your busy life.
• Drink extra water!! Massage releases waste products and toxins from your muscles. Increasing your fluid intake lowers this toxicity and lessens the strain on filtering organs.
Before your next session...
• Make your massage results last by avoiding as many stressful elements as possible.
• Schedule your next appointment! When you make bodywork a regular part of your life, you are helping your body to maintain a better state of balance. In the long run, you stand to enjoy much better health gains through consistent sessions.
• Make note of anything that occurs between sessions to bring up next time.
• Enjoy your life!
Nothing is more important than your well-being, so make taking care of yourself a high priority. When you feel your best, you are in a much better condition to deal with all of life’s challenges and demands.
Hopefully, this list has given you at least a couple of helpful hints. If there are any other points you’d like to bring up, please do so. And if you have any questions regarding your massage and bodywork sessions or your health, feel free to ask.
• Drink extra water!! Massage releases waste products and toxins from your muscles. Increasing your fluid intake lowers this toxicity and lessens the strain on filtering organs.
Before your next session...
• Make your massage results last by avoiding as many stressful elements as possible.
• Schedule your next appointment! When you make bodywork a regular part of your life, you are helping your body to maintain a better state of balance. In the long run, you stand to enjoy much better health gains through consistent sessions.
• Make note of anything that occurs between sessions to bring up next time.
• Enjoy your life!
Nothing is more important than your well-being, so make taking care of yourself a high priority. When you feel your best, you are in a much better condition to deal with all of life’s challenges and demands.
Hopefully, this list has given you at least a couple of helpful hints. If there are any other points you’d like to bring up, please do so. And if you have any questions regarding your massage and bodywork sessions or your health, feel free to ask.
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