Massage News - Articles of Interest
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We’re always told to lift with our legs and not our back. Lifting with our legs helps lessen the strain on our back. However, lifting isn’t the only time we can work on minimizing the strain on our back. In our day-to-day lives, we need to be more aware of our body positioning. Just like Barbie, if we keep our backs straight and work on bending at the pelvis, we can improve our back pain.  In 2020, many people found themselves working from home. This comes with its own set of advantages and challenges. It might provide more flexibility for some people to create a more ergonomic work environment, but it could be more difficult for others if they don’t have the right supplies to create their ideal workstation set up. It’s important to have a comfortable work setting. Whether you’re working from home or still in the office, you should be customizing your space to best fit your body and positioning. If you prefer standing, put together a taller workstation that allows for your screen to be at the same height as your eyes when you’re standing straight. The same goes for if you’re sitting. You want to be able to keep good posture while looking at your computer. Whether you choose to sit or stand, it’s important to move or adjust your positioning every 20 minutes. If you keep your body in one position longer than that, it starts to train your body to settle into that position. According to Mayo Clinic, here are three things for you to adjust to make your work space a better fit for you and your body positioning:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/office-ergonomics/art-20046169 Expanding a bit more regarding your choice of mouse, you may want to consider a vertical mouse. The vertical mouse is actually a relatively new design invented after suffering from the constant discomfort caused by the traditional mouse. Referred to as the “handshake” design, it has been validated by a number of people who suffer from hand and wrist pain. and who have found great relief after switching over to this design. The handshake position is the neutral position for most people’s arm and hand at rest, which is also the most comfortable. There is no pronation of the forearm, and your shoulders are naturally rotated externally. A vertical mouse is ergonomically shaped to help the user maintain that handshake design while operating it. Instead of twisting your wrist so it’s parallel to the desk to operate a regular mouse, there is little to no twisting of the wrist required to grasp a vertical mouse. The 4 main benefits of using a vertical mouse include:
Most importantly, always invest in yourself. Take the time to set yourself and your body up for success. You can easily prevent muscle strain by adjusting your workstation to be more ergonomic and fit the needs of your body. We’ve all heard the phrase “no pain, no gain,” but is it the best advice to follow when it comes to our bodies? Originating in the 1980s as an exercise motto, it promised greater rewards for the price of hard, and even painful work. Under this conception competitive professionals, such as athletes, are required to endure pain (physical suffering) to achieve professional excellence. Medical experts agree that this philosophy is wrong for exercise and may have prompted the use of steroids in order to enhance performance. Thank goodness we’ve learned a lot more about our bodies over the last 30-40 years.  Any pain or soreness your body is experiencing is like the warning light in your car. It’s letting you know that something is wrong and needs to be checked. Just like your car, the better you maintain and support your body, the less pain you’ll experience.
Why do our muscles get sore? As our muscles repair themselves, it’s common to experience a dull, aching pain. No one is immune from experiencing this pain, but the level will depend on the type of activity and how much the muscles have adapted to that activity over time. Muscle fatigue is common in exercise and occurs when you can no longer perform a specific movement. Your body uses this to signal that the muscles are too tired to continue. With muscle fatigue, the burning sensation usually fades shortly after you stop the movement. Over using your muscles involves pushing your muscles past the point of fatigue, which can lead to injury. You don’t necessarily need to strain your muscle during a workout. A muscle injury can occur when you don’t give your body adequate time to rest and recover. In general, muscle soreness is dull and mild and usually begins 24-48 hours after exercise. When the pain becomes more severe, that may be a sign that an injury has occurred or that something has been strained. This pain can indicate that the muscles were overused. Invest in yourself. Take the time to learn your body and listen to what it’s telling you. If you learn to recognize your pain threshold to identify when your body is telling you to take a break, you can prevent muscle injuries.  2020 proved to be a year that tested many of us in several different ways. Whether it was health related, work or school related, lack of social interactions, our normal routines changing drastically, the list goes on and on. One mindset we are working towards is to keep peaceful and calm thoughts and reactions top of mind in all situations or circumstances we may encounter on a daily basis. Specifically, in ALL circumstances choose PEACE. Why? Because fear and stress have a ton of negative physiological impact and effects on your body. When everything seems to be swirling out of control, STOP, BREATHE, REFOCUS, and CHOOSE PEACE. Fear actually can weaken our immune system and cause cardiovascular damage, gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome, and decreased fertility. In fact, fear is very important to address because it can negatively impact both physical and mental health, contributing to cardiovascular disease, immune dysfunction, chronic illness, depression, and anxiety. It can lead to accelerated aging and even premature death. Stress is not much better as we all know. 75% to 90% of all doctor's office visits are for stress-related ailments and complaints. Stress can play a part in problems such as headaches, high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, skin conditions, asthma, arthritis, depression, and anxiety. Studies have actually found stress can be attributed to several health problems. Stress seems to worsen or increase the risk of conditions like obesity, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems, and asthma.   The best way to manage your stress is to learn healthy coping strategies. You can start practicing these tips right away. Try one or two until you find a few that work for you. Practice these techniques until they become habits you turn to when you feel stress. You can also use this coping strategies form to see how you respond to stress.
Stress-relief techniques focus on relaxing your mind and your body  In Northern Minnesota we are accustomed to the term cabin fever during the winter and early spring, but social distancing has created a whole new meaning for cabin fever. Typically, we experience cabin fever during a winter blizzard or a long rainy weekend, but it can actually occur anytime you feel isolated or disconnected with the world - or you are required by law to practice social distancing.
 As the temperatures drop and the days become shorter, it can be tempting to stay indoors and curl up with a blanket. Most people are less active during the colder months, this can lead to less mobility and more stiffness.
Massage is a great way to wake up your muscles. As inactivity turns into stiffness and you become less flexible, it is more likely that you would sustain an injury when you increase your physical activity. Massage can keep your muscles loose and supple during times of lower activity. Aside from improving flexibility, mobility, and muscle recovery, massage can release serotonin and endorphins to help you fight those winter blues, too! Schedule your winter massage appointments with Rita today! Although our body changes as we age, pain and soreness isn’t necessarily a sign of our aging. It’s our body telling us that something isn’t right. Invest in yourself and your health, schedule a massage with Rita!
 Whether you have a chronic condition, injuries, or stress, everyone can benefit from massage. It’s a great way to invest in yourself, your health, and your future. Here are some stories of people who have already started to invest in themselves.
Darcie K. suffers from chronic stomach pain that causes stress that affects her whole body each time she has an episode. All of her muscles tense up, and her whole body hurts. She came in to Living Touch Massage, and Rita was able to work the tension out of her muscles. This gave Darcie some much needed relief from her discomfort. Jo A. was able to find a solution to her pain from a car accident that happened a few years ago. Doctors weren’t able to help her find relief, so she turned to massage. Rita was able to provide that relief for her. Cindy had been experiencing a lot of stress in her life. She had some shoulder pain related to the stress surrounding the loss of a loved one. To remedy this, she tried taking some Advil, but it wasn’t working. She found Rita at a Relay for Life event, and for the first time in two weeks, she was able to feel some relief. Today is the perfect time to start investing in yourself, your health, and your future. Schedule and appointment with Rita today!  We already know that our pets make us happy, but who knew they could make you healthier? The use of pets in a medical setting dates back more than 150 years! Simply interacting with animals can increase a person’s oxytocin levels, which make them feel happy and trusting. To create that happy and trusting bond, we need to know that we are safe. With our own pets, we have established a relationship, but with other pets, you might not know what to expect. That’s why animals that work with people go through various training sessions. It teaches them the best way to act and respond when in certain situations. That’s why it’s important that, just like Rita, Boo keeps up-to-date with all of his training. Back in April he completed his therapy dog training! At Living Touch Massage, our focus is on your needs, relaxation, and your health. That is why we embrace natural healing in a warm, inviting atmosphere. Invest in yourself. Book an appointment today! Learn more: Pet Therapy: How Animals And Humans Heal Each Other.  The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to bring awareness to preventable health problems and provides an opportunity to encourage men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury. This could include utilizing massage for the treatment of soreness and discomfort stemming from a variety of causes. Whether there is an injury or just to improve daily performance, massage is for everyone, and it’s never too late to invest in yourself or your loved ones.
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