Blog – Page 3 – The Fascial Effect

When wear and tear starts to hurt

As you get older your body can start to show signs of what even the medical profession sometimes refer to as ‘wear and tear’. However, a more likely diagnosis is likely to be osteoarthritis.

This is a degenerative joint disease caused by the thinning and damage of cartilage usually due to gradual wear and tear, injury or overuse. Predominantly it affects weight bearing joints like the hip and knee and is more common as we age, but occurs in the younger people with a physically demanding job or lifestyle.

Osteoarthritis should not be confused with rheumatoid arthritis (or rheumatism), where the tissue around the joint is inflamed resulting in noticeable swelling, restricting movement. This can afflict any age group.

Articular cartilage is a tough, flexible tissue which covers the end of the bones and acts as a shock absorber allowing the bones making up the joint to glide over one another. Without the cartilage cushion, bone rubs on bone causing the affected joint to react. The symptoms can include:

The gradual onset of pain – felt either when joint is kept immobile (e.g. driving, sitting and night pain), or when weight bearing (e.g. walking and climbing stairs).
Stiffness – normally felt worse in the morning.
Swelling and tenderness after physical activity.
Change in movement patterns (e.g. abnormal gait or limp).
Referred pain (e.g. people present with tenderness or reduced mobility in another region of their body due to compensatory movement or muscle imbalance).
Reduced stability as a result of atrophy and weakening of muscles around the joint.
Inactivity to avoid pain can result in worsening physical symptoms and decrease in overall mental health and overall wellbeing.

How can physical therapy and myofascial release help?

When the cartilage has been worn down it cannot be regenerated and there comes a time when surgery and joint replacement is the only option. However, until then, manual therapy may help to relieve some of the symptoms.

Myofascial Release is a style of hands-on therapy that involves sustained pressure on selected areas of the body to break up tight fascia that inhibits movement of muscles and joints. A treatment plan including myofascial release can be effective in managing the symptoms of osteoarthritis by:

Reducing tension and softening adhesions around a joint giving bones some space to move reducing the friction that causes pain and inflammation
Treating myofascial trigger points also reduces pain and stiffness
Positional Release – a precise manipulation technique to treat muscle spasm and pain in the ligaments, tendons and joints to achieve the most optimal level of comfort possible
Gentle passive stretching to increase the range of pain free movement within capability
The increased flexibility of the fascia allows for strengthening of surrounding muscles, which supports the join better
A continued course of treatments to address any postural habits developed due to compensation patterns will slow down further degeneration
Advice on nutritional supplementation to support long term bone and joint health.

So if you’ve got that ‘getting older is painful’ feeling, this is a non-surgical approach that will give you an improved range of movement without the associated pain. Taking action sooner rather than later often prevents things getting to the point where surgery is the only option.

For more information call 07775 633798

Body

When your shoulder is frozen…

Frozen shoulder is really painful and can restrict your whole lifestyle.

It happens when the capsule within the shoulder joint becomes tight and inflexible. This can happen for all kinds of reasons from:

jarring your shoulder, perhaps from a fall where you’ve put your hand out to take the impact
after having the arm in a sling following a fracture or surgery for too long
from the strain caused by forward head/neck posture
or just simply overuse and repetitive strain

The cure is simply to wait for the motion to return which can take up to 2 years!! The problem is that the longer you have reduced mobility, the weaker the surrounding soft tissues supporting the joint will become. Treatment by a clinical massage therapist keeps the soft tissues healthy, aids recovery and makes movement possible as the frozen shoulder “thaws”.

One of my clients had fallen in her workplace and severely jarred her shoulder causing this condition. She couldn’t raise her arm, reach behind to fasten her bra or back to pull her seatbelt into place without pain and discomfort.

This is typical of frozen shoulder; the movements that involve rolling the joint forwards or backwards or lifting the arm upwards are stiff and painful because there is less room for movement within the inflamed capsule.

My client needed help and, because it was a severe problem, this meant a treatment every couple of weeks to start with, reducing to a monthly session as gradually movement became comfortable.

This particular client also had a spinal problem as a result of a childhood injury and her spine curved slightly (scoliosis) towards the side she had the frozen shoulder. She was aware of the scoliosis and the effect it had on her posture, but was delighted that the gentle myofascial techniques also had the beneficial effect of starting to realign her spine.

Of course, this isn’t a quick fix and further realignment will take time, but it does demonstrate the power of clinical massage therapy when used properly.

For more information call 07775633798

Ageing

How soundly do you sleep?

How often do you wake feeling you could have had a few more hours of sleep? Feeling tired and groggy in the morning is not always due to lack of sleep, but often because of the poor quality of sleep.

Sufficient sleep is necessary for the body to repair the damage it’s suffered during the day. While you rest your body will flush out all the toxins that naturally accumulate and re-charge for another day of living.

If you don’t sleep well your body is unable to do this properly. If this continues over a long period of time it can cause all sorts of health problems.

The problem is that it’s difficult to solve the problem of poor quality sleep – and the effects reach every aspect of your life. Being tired or lacking in energy doesn’t make you a great companion or the employee of the year. You feel every one of your years – and if you’ve had this problem a while, you probably feel older than the calendar says!

So how can you fix this problem?

People will tell you to reduce stress as that’s probably causing a disturbed night’s sleep. Easy to say, but almost impossible to do.

Asking your doctor to prescribe sleeping pills may make you sleep better, but often results in a groggy awakening and a chemically induced sleep isn’t great for your long-term health.

Some people resort to buying new beds or mattresses. Some try spraying lavender oil on their pillows. But what if there was a simpler and more natural solution.

It is important to give the body the right nutrition to cleanse, repair and recharge itself. This wards off morning grogginess and helps you wake up feeling refreshed and able to live your life to the full, instead of struggling to exist.

Soul Red can help. It is a blend of 3 seed oils + ribose, which together are high in antioxidants and excellent for anti-ageing. If you take a sachet of Soul Red last thing at night, the anti-inflammatory effects of the black cumin, chardonnay grape and red raspberry seed oils soothe your body and the antioxidant effects counteract free radical damage in the body while you sleep. Ribose energises the cells which is the equivalent to charging a flat battery in your mobile phone. And the body is ready to go again for another 16 hours or so. As an added bonus it also has an anti-ageing effect on your cells.

To shop click here or if you would like to talk to me, just call 07775 633798.

Ageing

A facial that pushes back the years

Myo-Fascial Release (MFR) has long been used to treat muscular-skeletal conditions with positive results creating free movement and releasing painful areas. It works on the transparent layer – the fascia – that wraps around all our organs, muscles and soft tissue, releasing it where it has got stuck and restoring flexibility. But what happens if the specialised techniques used on the body are adapted for the face?

It could be called a facial, but, unlike the facials we indulge in when visiting a beauty salon or a retreat, there a several notable differences:

There are no rough exfoliators as the gentle hands-on techniques will slough away the dead skin cells
There’s no need for a cleansing mask as invigorated fascia allows the skin to breathe and detox
There are no stimulating skin renewal products (e.g. fruit acids) as the energy released naturally stimulates the generation of new skin cells
You won’t need hydrating products as Hyaluronic acid exists in Fascia and the release of tension and tightness in the face makes room for water to flow for your cells to absorb moisture
In fact, the only product that may be used is a small amount of organic oil.

The big plus is that an MFR facial will restore your facial health, giving your muscles a boost, improving hydration and toning everything up, giving you a more youthful appearance. And there are also plenty of other benefits. The MFR facial relieves modern day stresses and bad posture caused by leaning over computers, texting and sedentary lifestyles of long working hours.

An MFR facial:

Releases tension in your jaw and so reduces the pain that can be caused be clenching or grinding your teeth
Reduction of puffiness around your eyes
Eases tension in your neck and addresses the causes of some tension headaches
Can improve mental clarity; often described as calming, de-stressing and intensely relaxing. Combatting the effects of a busy lifestyle resulting in you feeling tense, exhausted and, at times, unable to focus on what’s important
Relaxing, but also energising as pressure points in meridians passing through the face and head are stimulated and energy is released
A course of treatments usually reduces the need for heavy moisturisers because the structures under the surface of the skin are given the right environment to function better and hydrate naturally.

If you want to regain that youthful appearance, without the need for artificial aid, a course of MFR facials could be exactly what you need.

To book an online Face Massage Workshop click here or if you would like to talk to me, just call 07775 633798.

Body

Get your body moving again after a long lockdown

If you’ve begun to feel less physically confident than you were before the COVID-19 pandemic, it can have a direct impact on your lifestyle. You may be wondering if you should resume certain activities, because you’re not sure your body can handle them.

While some people did more walking to get exercise, many found themselves spending more time sitting (not always in the ideal chair to support the body properly) working from the kitchen table or a corner of the bedroom.

This means more aches and pains holding you back, but rather than accepting that your lifestyle has been curtailed, it’s simply that your muscles need some care and maintenance.

Would you like 2022 to be the year you:

Reduce muscle and joint pain?
Turn off muscle stiffness?
Feel comfortable and strong again?
Get back to doing activities you love?

Research suggests that active trigger points develop due to overuse and the wear and tear of daily life. Meanwhile, latent trigger points may develop in underused tissue, making them more likely to occur in people who are sedentary.

A trigger point is an irritated area of fascia located in a muscle. The more irritated the trigger point, the greater the pain. Your fascia is just trying to protect you – but it hurts!

Trigger points can cause:

Deep, hard to locate, lower back pain
Neck and shoulder pain
Pain in the arm, wrist and hand
Weakness, pain and instability in your knees
Hip pain
Pain shooting down the leg
Pain in heel and sole of the foot

Intense exercise or over-vigorous massage during this time would be like blowing on a fire or feeding it more heat. ‘No pain no gain’ treatment for trigger points is long outdated.

Instead relaxation, gentle myofascial stretches and ischemic pressure to trigger points will gently calm the affected area down and fix the problem. This is an effective way to release spasmed muscle and get active again.

So, if you want the gift of a new lease of confidence, health, comfort and strength, give yourself a myofascial makeover and tune up after a long COVID-19 lockdown.

For more information call 07775633798

Stress

What is a Tsuboki Japanese Facial?

Nowadays most of us are aware that prolonged stress and anxiety can be the accessory cause of illness and disease. But it is so difficult to know which treatment can help counteract some of its damaging effects.

Tsuboki Japanese Facial is a way of reaching the whole body through the head and the face.

To help explain how:

Based on the principles of acupressure, Tsuboki is a modern take on the meridian theory which goes back thousands of years.

The Japanese believe that the balance of internal organs promotes harmony within us and this healthy state is maintained when Ki (life energy) flows freely throughout the body.

A Tsubo is a pressure point positioned along a meridian relating to an organ in the body.
Ki is the energy that flows through the meridians.
Tsuboki is a manual technique which stimulates the Tsubo’s to influence the flow of Ki.

There are 12 meridians to reflect the 12 organ systems in the body. Some have an energising effect (Yang) and others are relaxing (Ying). Like energy highways, they run up and down throughout the whole body and 8 of them pass through the face.

A Tsuboki facial is a combination of:

Effleurage techniques to stimulate circulation
Acupressure techniques which concentrate on specific pressure points on the face and scalp.
Lymphatic drainage to encourage elimination of toxins and reduce puffiness.

The results of energy flow are felt throughout the body and can have a positive effect on the balance of health as well as being wonderfully relaxing but energising too. An additional benefit is a glowing complexion!

To book an appointment call Jas on 07775 633 798.

Stress

Happy Hopi Ear Candling!

We carry stress and tension throughout our body, most of it in our head. When I get clients who really need to relax and chill out, the Hopi Ear Candle treatment is one of my favourites. It is total relaxation for both the client and the therapist.

If you don’t ‘get’ why ear candles are so relaxing let me explain.
Firstly, you have to lie comfortably on your side, and your therapist also has to remain still with their hands gently on your head to keep you from moving and the ear candle upright (so no accidents happen!). The process of just lying quietly while the candle slowly burns is an excellent way to reduce some of the stress of a busy lifestyle.

Secondly, as it burns, the candle makes a pleasant crackling sound as it releases vapours into the ear and you experience a warm, comfortable sensation in the head. During this process, a mild suction occurs and excess wax and impurities can be gently drawn out.

Thirdly, the fragrance of the candle soothes you and releases renewed energy often described as a feeling of “relief in the head”.

This is repeated for the other ear and can be followed by a Fascial Effect™ facial massage which pays particular attention to certain pressure points on the face. This deeper, clinical approach with the Hopi treatment helps relax the facial muscles, increase circulation and can also be helpful for a variety of conditions such as headaches, hay-fever and blocked sinuses.

Most clients find the whole experience very relaxing and quite often fall asleep during the treatment.

If you’d like to find out more about this dual approach please do give Jas a call on 07775 633798.

Please Note: Hopi Ear Candles are contra-indicated for the following conditions:

Perforated or lack of ear drum
Auricular cysts
Grommets have been fitted
Infection or inflammation of the ear
An allergy to bees wax or bee stings
Recent ear surgery
Epilepsy

If you’d like to find out more about this dual approach please do give Jas a call on 07775 633798.

Body

Ahhhhhh! Hot Stone Therapy!

Our busy lives generate stress – and stress creates tension. This often means tight shoulders, stiff neck and pain in either your upper or lower back. Most of us just soldier on – and, surprise, surprise, it doesn’t just go away!

A hot stone massage releases all that tension and relaxes your tight muscles. The heat alongside the Fascial Effect™ massage techniques can reach 10 times deeper into the body treating those trigger points that cause pain and restrict movement. The results for most people is ‘Ahhhhhh – that’s better!’

But that’s not all hot stones can do for you.

Massage with hot stones can get rid of the toxins that build up in your body. People often think the only way to detox is following a strict detox diet and drinking lots and lots of water. However, a treatment with heated stones warms the body to the core and boosts the circulation, encouraging the release of toxins via the lymphatic system and gentle perspiration.

Hot stone treatment is a great way to boost your immune system; the heat spreads deep into the muscles creating the kind of warmth most of us get from a holiday in the sun. The moist heat can also release congestion lingering from a cold and speed up recovery.

If you’re feeling tired and lethargic, a hot stone massage is a gentle re-energiser.

There are many good reasons to book yourself in for hot stones therapy regularly, just choose the one that applies to you and know that your body will thank you.

To book an appointment call Jas on 07775 633 798.