Newest newsletter for Hawthorne Massage, includes my favorite Thanksgiving essay.
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/News-from-Hawthorne-Massage.html?soid=1103172936421&aid=V9IjOTGuCXw
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
Friday, June 25, 2010
Vibes - Massage For Musicians
Rub It Away
How Massage Can Help Musicians Feel and Play Better
by Cherie Yurco
massage for musicians
Guitarist, singer, and massage therapist Lucy Allen of Greenville, South Carolina, became interested in massage while trying to heal carpal tunnel syndrome in both arms. The problem generated numbness from her hands to her elbows and made it difficult to play guitar.
Allen never considered surgery. She explains, "I knew from talking to other people, that surgery often doesn't cure carpal tunnel because the problem is actually in the shoulders and neck." Seeking an alternative solution, she turned to massage.
Massage therapy not only cured her problem, but her massage therapist also showed her stretches she could do to prevent its recurrence. She was truly amazed by the results. "If you think about the cost of surgery, versus the cost of massage, it's a no brainer!" she says. "For most problems, massage treatments would run around $200."
A couple years later, Allen was laid off from her job and ready for a change. Recalling how massage therapy had helped her, she decided to study massage at Greenville Technical College.
Since graduating with honors, she has been treating musicians, athletes, and others. One of her passions is attending music festivals, where she gives massages to musicians and teaches them how to avoid injury, or even cure themselves. She also spreads the word about proper posture and techniques of active isolated stretching, following the guidelines of massage therapist Aaron Mattes and his website StretchingUSA.com.
"Musicians tend to have tendinitis in their forearms; neck and shoulder problems; and lower back pain," says Allen, who usually focuses on those areas when she's working with musicians. Issues can also be instrument-specific. "For example, for fiddlers, it's often the left shoulder and arm. A lot of it has to do with posture, as well."
The most rewarding part of her career is helping others. One time she was at a festival and competition where a fiddle player was unable to play anything because of numbness in his hand and pain in his elbow. "I stretched him out in the parking lot for 15 or 20 minutes," says Allen. "He played in a competition a few hours later and won a ribbon. Now he knows how to stretch himself."
"I try to do a lot of educational stuff because, if people can do things to prevent getting injured�keep the body relaxed, and active isolated stretching before and after a performance�I am happy," she says. Allen would also like to see more musicians look to massage to relieve their all too common overuse injuries.
"Unfortunately," she explains, "musicians don't often seek massage therapy. If they have extra money, they are more likely spend it on something music-related. They only look for a solution like massage if the pain prevents them from playing."
Aside from relieving specific pain and discomfort, massage can promote healing and lower your heart rate and blood pressure. "It actually helps to increase circulation and gets a lot of the natural waste products out of the system," says Allen.
Through her outreach at music festivals and other events, she hopes to change the mind-set of musicians when it comes to massage. "Musicians should try not to think of massage as a luxury, but as something that will help overall health and performance," she explains.
If you would like to give it a try, she says that one of the best ways to find the right massage therapist is through word of mouth. Another option is to go to the website of the American Massage Therapy Association
and click on the "Find a Massage Therapist" link. Also, hospitals and chiropractors often have massage therapists who work with them.
Call and ask some questions before making an appointment, Allen advises. Find out where the therapist was trained, and what experience he has treating musicians. If you have a particular problem you would like to treat, ask about his experience in treating that condition.
How Massage Can Help Musicians Feel and Play Better
by Cherie Yurco
massage for musicians
Guitarist, singer, and massage therapist Lucy Allen of Greenville, South Carolina, became interested in massage while trying to heal carpal tunnel syndrome in both arms. The problem generated numbness from her hands to her elbows and made it difficult to play guitar.
Allen never considered surgery. She explains, "I knew from talking to other people, that surgery often doesn't cure carpal tunnel because the problem is actually in the shoulders and neck." Seeking an alternative solution, she turned to massage.
Massage therapy not only cured her problem, but her massage therapist also showed her stretches she could do to prevent its recurrence. She was truly amazed by the results. "If you think about the cost of surgery, versus the cost of massage, it's a no brainer!" she says. "For most problems, massage treatments would run around $200."
A couple years later, Allen was laid off from her job and ready for a change. Recalling how massage therapy had helped her, she decided to study massage at Greenville Technical College.
Since graduating with honors, she has been treating musicians, athletes, and others. One of her passions is attending music festivals, where she gives massages to musicians and teaches them how to avoid injury, or even cure themselves. She also spreads the word about proper posture and techniques of active isolated stretching, following the guidelines of massage therapist Aaron Mattes and his website StretchingUSA.com.
"Musicians tend to have tendinitis in their forearms; neck and shoulder problems; and lower back pain," says Allen, who usually focuses on those areas when she's working with musicians. Issues can also be instrument-specific. "For example, for fiddlers, it's often the left shoulder and arm. A lot of it has to do with posture, as well."
The most rewarding part of her career is helping others. One time she was at a festival and competition where a fiddle player was unable to play anything because of numbness in his hand and pain in his elbow. "I stretched him out in the parking lot for 15 or 20 minutes," says Allen. "He played in a competition a few hours later and won a ribbon. Now he knows how to stretch himself."
"I try to do a lot of educational stuff because, if people can do things to prevent getting injured�keep the body relaxed, and active isolated stretching before and after a performance�I am happy," she says. Allen would also like to see more musicians look to massage to relieve their all too common overuse injuries.
"Unfortunately," she explains, "musicians don't often seek massage therapy. If they have extra money, they are more likely spend it on something music-related. They only look for a solution like massage if the pain prevents them from playing."
Aside from relieving specific pain and discomfort, massage can promote healing and lower your heart rate and blood pressure. "It actually helps to increase circulation and gets a lot of the natural waste products out of the system," says Allen.
Through her outreach at music festivals and other events, she hopes to change the mind-set of musicians when it comes to massage. "Musicians should try not to think of massage as a luxury, but as something that will help overall health and performance," she explains.
If you would like to give it a try, she says that one of the best ways to find the right massage therapist is through word of mouth. Another option is to go to the website of the American Massage Therapy Association
and click on the "Find a Massage Therapist" link. Also, hospitals and chiropractors often have massage therapists who work with them.
Call and ask some questions before making an appointment, Allen advises. Find out where the therapist was trained, and what experience he has treating musicians. If you have a particular problem you would like to treat, ask about his experience in treating that condition.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Benefits of Massage for Diabetics
In some informal studies on blood sugar before and after relaxation techniques and massage, blood sugar levels typically dropped anywhere from 20 to 50 points. While not a substitute for relaxation techniques (meditation, deep breathing, stretching, yoga, and biofeedback), massage is a useful addition and has other benefits as well.
Lower Anxiety-- Overall massage reduces anxiety and stress, leaves you relaxed.
Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
Pain Relief--Gentle massage of muscles relieves pain
Improves skin tone--”Massage increases surface circulation which can help skin tone and elasticity.
Reduces spasms and cramping. May help with restless leg syndrome if used on a regular basis (at least once a month)
Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
Precautions:
The relaxation can mimic hypoglycemia, so it is important to measure blood sugar before and after for a few sessions so that you understand how your body responds to massage. If lower than 100 points, see the following guidelines.
Blood sugar levels 70-100-----eat 15 grams of a complex carbohydrate such as 3-4 peanut butter crackers or cheese crackers, or a small apple.
Blood sugar level < 70, even with no symptoms is hypoglycemia or low blood sugar---eat 15 grams of a quick carbohydrate such as 4 oz. of juice or regular soda, or 3-4 glucose tablets. Recheck blood sugar in 15 minutes to be sure the level has increased and then follow with your next meal or some protein to keep your sugar from dropping again.
Please also let your massage therapist know if you have neuropathy, as that will affect the massage techniques used in the areas affected.
I want to thank Becky Ledford at St. Francis for working with me on these guidelines. For more information I've included a link to a longer article written by Mary Kathleen Rose
Lower Anxiety-- Overall massage reduces anxiety and stress, leaves you relaxed.
Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs.
Pain Relief--Gentle massage of muscles relieves pain
Improves skin tone--”Massage increases surface circulation which can help skin tone and elasticity.
Reduces spasms and cramping. May help with restless leg syndrome if used on a regular basis (at least once a month)
Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion.
Precautions:
The relaxation can mimic hypoglycemia, so it is important to measure blood sugar before and after for a few sessions so that you understand how your body responds to massage. If lower than 100 points, see the following guidelines.
Blood sugar levels 70-100-----eat 15 grams of a complex carbohydrate such as 3-4 peanut butter crackers or cheese crackers, or a small apple.
Blood sugar level < 70, even with no symptoms is hypoglycemia or low blood sugar---eat 15 grams of a quick carbohydrate such as 4 oz. of juice or regular soda, or 3-4 glucose tablets. Recheck blood sugar in 15 minutes to be sure the level has increased and then follow with your next meal or some protein to keep your sugar from dropping again.
Please also let your massage therapist know if you have neuropathy, as that will affect the massage techniques used in the areas affected.
I want to thank Becky Ledford at St. Francis for working with me on these guidelines. For more information I've included a link to a longer article written by Mary Kathleen Rose
Friday, February 19, 2010
A Fable about Massage Work
From the Society for Oncology Massage site:
A young man in India complained to his guru about the pain in life. The guru sent him for salt. The guru mixed a handful of salt in a glass of water and told him to drink. "How does it taste?" asked the guru. "Bitter" replied the young man. The guru then took him to a lake, mixed in a handful of salt and told him to drink. "How does it taste?" "Sweet." The guru explained, "Pain in life is like salt in water. Do not strive for less pain. Strive for more life."
People in physical or emotional pain often turn inward and experience less of life. The antidote to pain is more life - more family, more friends, more places, more sensations, more connections, more experience, more service.... massage brings more sensation, more connection, more relaxation, more peace. It produces an intense focus on the good in life.
A young man in India complained to his guru about the pain in life. The guru sent him for salt. The guru mixed a handful of salt in a glass of water and told him to drink. "How does it taste?" asked the guru. "Bitter" replied the young man. The guru then took him to a lake, mixed in a handful of salt and told him to drink. "How does it taste?" "Sweet." The guru explained, "Pain in life is like salt in water. Do not strive for less pain. Strive for more life."
People in physical or emotional pain often turn inward and experience less of life. The antidote to pain is more life - more family, more friends, more places, more sensations, more connections, more experience, more service.... massage brings more sensation, more connection, more relaxation, more peace. It produces an intense focus on the good in life.
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