myofascial release – The Fascial Effect

When waving ‘goodbye’ is painful …

If you get pain in your shoulder area when you raise your arm to wave goodbye to your friends and family, you may have a problem with your rotator cuff!

It may sound like some kind of garden machine, but it’s actually four muscles that work around your shoulder to allow you to move your arm up, down and forwards and backwards.

Many shoulder pain conditions are caused by injury to one or more of the rotator cuff muscles, or to the soft tissues around the shoulder joint.

So if you get pain in the neck and shoulder or find it difficult to complete movements such as:

Reaching up to get something off the top shelf
Reaching behind to hook up your bra or get your arms into a fitted coat or shirt
Pulling a cord starter on your motor boat or lawnmower
Reaching to pull your seatbelt into place
Installing ceiling tiles
Pulling a suitcase along

Or any similar movements; even sitting over a computer keyboard or driving for extended periods can cause problems. It can get particularly bad when there have been tears in the muscles fibres and the resulting scar tissue restricts movement in the shoulder further.

The solution is a course of Myofascial release (MFR) which works on the soft tissues, easing restrictions in the muscles and their encasing fascia around the shoulder joint, neck and upper chest. Trigger point therapy reduces pain and frees up the muscles range of movement. Some muscle stretching and contracting is included for improving flexibility and an increased range of motion in the shoulder.

For more information or to book an appointment call Jas on 07775633798

Ageing

Nearly as good as a facelift…. without the surgery

There are very few of us who don’t want to look the very best we can. However, it does feel like the quest for a youthful appearance has given rise to some very invasive procedures which claim to give instant results.

An increasingly popular yet worrying trend is to turn to cosmetic surgery, in particular facelifts, to achieve the desired look. According to the NHS website, a facelift can cost up to £10,000 and involves multiple incisions in your face and neck. It can take 2 – 4 weeks to recover from the surgery, and after that results can take up to 9 months to be visible.

So, what if there was another option that gave you a more youthful look without the need to go through all the above?

Before you sign up for expensive and painful cosmetic treatments, why not explore a natural option that improves the appearance of the skin and can be nearly as good as a facelift?

The Fascial Effect® face massage is an alternative facial because it targets the area of connective tissue beneath the skin called fascia. Gentle but focused fascia releasing techniques have been adapted for the anti-ageing benefits in the face.

Here’s how it works:

Blood circulation is stimulated supplying more nutrients, impurities drain away unrestricted and dead skin cells are brushed away naturally to reveal the glowing complexion beneath.
At a cellular level, fascia responds to touch and specific techniques stimulate the production of its own hyaluronic acid and collagen.
Areas of tension in the face are soothed so that muscles can relax. This allows energy channels to open, giving a feeling of complete relaxation not just in the face and head, but in the rest of the body too.

An additional benefit to this technique is that it is fully sustainable.

It can all be done without the use of skin care products, and is therefore suitable for those who are keen on environmentally sustainable treatments but who would still like to enjoy a facial which gives results.

Talking about sustainability, why not keep your carbon footprint to a minimum by enjoying the Fascial Effect® face massage from the comfort of your own home? I offer an online face massage workshop where I reach you a few simple techniques that you can apply yourself and achieve anti-ageing results whenever you would like.

Click here for full details and to book your place on the next workshop.

Face

Sneezing season!

It’s summer! And that means hay fever is rife.

If you’re a hay fever sufferer (or suffer from other allergies that affect the sinuses) while the warmer weather is welcome, you’re probably not looking forward to that awful ‘bunged up’ feeling.

What causes the problem

Your sinuses are a honeycomb-looking arrangement, located near the nose, above and below the eye sockets. They’re lined with mucus to protect the sensitive lining and the tiny pollen particles carried in the air are breathed in and enter the sinuses.

For most people there’s no effect and they are completely unaware of it. The body’s processes simply eliminate these tiny particles. However, if you have an allergy your body’s reaction is to send mucus production into overdrive to protect the sensitive lining of your sinuses.

Treating hay fever

If you get hay fever you may suffer from any of these symptoms: catarrh, nasal congestion, pressure or a feeling of fullness in your face, headaches, popping ears, watery eyes and sneezing. It can be pretty miserable if you don’t treat it. It’s like having a really bad cold with a runny nose, sneezing and watery, itchy eyes.

Most GPS just prescribe anti-histamines or anti-inflammatories, but that doesn’t solve the problem, it just reduces the symptoms.

It may seem unlikely that a massage can help, but a myo-fascial release (MFR) massage gently works on the restrictions to allow the mucus to drain. This can help to restore the mucus membranes to normal and clears that bunged up feeling, releasing pressure, which puts paid to headaches and ear popping.

To finish the treatment, gentle cupping is applied to aid drainage of the mucus. If still infected, a carefully selected blend of essential oils with antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and decongestant properties is massaged into the sinuses to help reduce irritation so you feel better.

If Hay fever is the bane of your life, using a holistic treatment can remove much of the stress that dealing with hay fever creates.

For more information call Jas on 07775633798

Body

Tension in the Jaw….don’t grin and bear it!

When you’re stressed or anxious you tighten your jaw, even when you’re asleep stress can manifest as teeth grinding.

Your head has several bones, but only one joint – where the mandible (lower jaw) connects to the main skull structure. It effectively operates to allow us to chew and to talk. It’s also a hotspot for physical stress to accumulate.

Today’s lifestyle doesn’t always make it easy for you to sit up straight while tucking your chin in for more than a few seconds at a time – so you generally adapt a head forward posture, with clenched jaw.

What to look for

Your jaw locks or clicks when you open your mouth
You suffer from a dry mouth
You get headaches focused on your forehead or temple
You suffer from pain in upper teeth and cheek (sometimes identified as sinus pain) or pain in the lower teeth and jaw
You have buzzing or ringing in the ears

Myofascial release techniques can help by reducing the effects of physical stress in your face, neck and jaw. This treatment will help to ease the restriction of your fascia (soft fibrous connective tissue) and stretch the muscles and reduce the pressure in and around your jaw, that’s causing the problem.

To enhance the effects suction cups will further relax the tissues and assist in draining away excess fluid and toxins. In severe cases, deeper pressure on your trigger points may be needed.

Not only will your jaw feel lighter, but you’ll also feel relaxed physically and de-stressed mentally.

Find out more – contact Jas on 07775 633798

Body

What to do about whiplash

Whiplash is a neck injury which most people associate with road traffic accidents. It can, however, happen in any situation where the body accelerates forward and then quickly decelerates throwing the head forwards, backwards and sideways, for example:

During sporting activities such as rugby and boxing
A slip or a fall where the head is jolted forwards and backwards
While on a rollercoaster ride, especially if it stops suddenly!

The vigorous movements of the head put enormous strain on the neck, shoulder and upper back and injury occurs. After the initial shock, neck pain and stiffness can be followed with related symptoms such as headaches, jaw pain, dizziness, nausea and tinnitus.

Depending on the severity of the injury, the pain and stiffness will restrict movement for 2-3 days, but after this period, if it’s not treated:

Tight, inactive and injured muscles will shorten and weaken.
Muscles surrounding the injury will overcompensate and become strained.
Too much scar tissue will form in any torn muscle and reduce its ability to do what it normally does.
Fascia (connective tissue) surrounding everything including the vertebrae, thinks the new way of moving is normal and adapts to hold everything within their new positions, restricting movement even further.
Long term this leads to postural problems and recurring symptoms of whiplash.

This means that movement is more likely to aid recovery than prolonged immobilisation. Myofascial stretch and trigger point release will help in this process, softening the taut tissue and allowing muscles to move naturally as they are meant to do. Assisting the head and neck to “Unwind” is another advanced fascial release technique which allows the head and neck to move through a range of motions without force.

For more information call 07775633798

Body

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