Posted on

What is oncology massage?

Over the Christmas break I completed my Oncology Massage course with Susan Findlay. The course was so much more than I imagined it would be – more wholesome, more holistic, more client-centred and it reminded me (again) of the importance of touch.

One in two of us will have cancer at some point in our lives, and it felt important for me to learn more about how best to help those affected by it.

A few people have asked me what oncology massage is so I thought I’d write down my thoughts as I begin my journey into this field of work.

What is oncology massage?

“Oncology massage is simply the adaptation of massage techniques with the consideration of the effects of cancer treatment.” ( ‘Oncology Massage – and integrative approach to cancer care’ by Janet Penny & Rebecca L Sturgeon)

Obviously the specifics are all about exactly which considerations need to be made and how best to work as part of a client’s primary care and oncology team.

Oncology massage won’t look the same for everyone.

How does it differ from sports massage?

With sports massage, most clients will come with a specific issue in their body. It might be restricting their movement, preventing them from playing a sport they love, causing pain in everyday life or might be related to an injury. Although I always take a whole-body approach, because everything is connected (obvs!!), the primary goal is to identify and ‘fix’ the area(s) of concern. [In truth, the massage therapist doesn’t ‘fix’ their client, but the work we do helps the client to move more comfortably and with greater awareness, and these improvements resolve the problem over time].

Clients may need 4-6 treatments initially to get them back to a level playing field, and from there they might have maintenance treatments as required. Over time, we might keep coming back to the same areas or change our approach as things within the body evolve. Either way, the goal for most sports massage clients is reduced pain & improved movement.

With oncology massage the focus is much more holistic because there is often nothing to ‘fix’. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be hugely beneficial!

Oncology massage is about the whole person (rather than their illness) and it is a non-medical interaction which can be hugely important given everything else they may be going through/have been through.

It offers a sense of connection, can improve relaxation & create a feeling of being seen/heard. It can be offered pre-, during and post-cancer treatments. It might be as simple as a hand massage for someone while they are having a chemotherapy treatment, or focus on specific areas of the body following surgery.

What are the potential benefits of oncology massage?

Each oncology massage will be truly unique to the client, taking into account the specifics of their diagnosis, the treatment being undertaken, the stage of their disease, their prognosis, etc. so it is hard to generalise about the benefits.

However, here is a list of potential benefits, that have been observed in research, into the effects of different massage modalities on cancer patients:

  • relieves muscle soreness related to inactivity or cancer treatments
  • stimulates lymphatic flow, reduces swelling and lymphedema
  • increases range of movement and functional movement patterns
  • promotes relaxation
  • stimulates the digestive system (improves bowel and kidney function)
  • improves sleep quality
  • promotes alertness and mental clarity
  • reduces pain
  • reduces symptoms from chemotherapy and radiotherapy
  • improves rate of recovery from anaesthesia
  • stimulates wound healing
  • improves scar tissue elasticity
  • reduces time in hospital
  • promotes a greater patient awareness about their body, which may also promote positive body image for the patient and an improved sense of connection with themself
  • provides reassuring touch
  • reduces anxiety and depression
  • offers hope
  • reduces feelings of isolation
  • provides a distraction/time-out
  • improves sense of control about making decisions for their body

Obviously, not everyone having an oncology massage will experience all of these benefits but can you imagine how good even one or two of these would feel when you’re going through possibly the darkest of days?

It’s worth saying that sports massage clients may also experience many of these benefits!

How can I help?

This course reminded me how important a role touch therapy can play for all of us so I will continue to offer sports and clinical massage as I already do. But as a result of my certification, I’m looking forward to being able to broaden my work to include oncology clients.

I think it is so important for us to feel whole, regardless of what we have been through. Inevitably it is the job of our medical team to remove or manage the disease and that is obviously the primary focus, but we are so much more than a damaged part. With oncology massage, perhaps I can be a small part of someone’s healing journey or offer support when healing is not an option.  

Where appropriate, I will treat oncology clients from my home treatment room, but I also hope to get involved offering massage in a clinical oncology setting, where I can use my skills to help people when they are facing something that none of us ever want to face.

Please get in contact if you would like to discuss sports or oncology massage with me.

Posted on

Anatomy corner – QL

Quadratus lumborum (QL)

Spanning the gap between our 12th rib and the top of our pelvis, QL effectively joins the upper and lower body together. It is a deep back muscle but can also be thought of as a posterior abdominal muscle!

Where is it?

If you stand like Peter Pan with your hands on your hips, your thumbs will be sitting over the lateral portion of QL.

(source: The Concise Book Of Muscles by Chris Jarmey)

QL attaches to the bottom rib, the transverse processes (sticky-out bits) of the first four lumbar vertebrae (L1-L4) and the posterior iliac crest.

In the back of the body it is overlaid by the erector spinae muscles and the thoracolumbar fascia.

In the front of the body it is overlaid by psoas major and minor.

What does it do?

QL can work unilaterally (one side at a time) or bilaterally (both sides together) and the movements vary accordingly:

Unilaterally – lifting the pelvis towards the rib (hip hitch) and bringing the ribs towards the pelvis (side bend) will use the QL muscle on that side of the body. Back extension/standing upright will also involve QL on one or both sides of the body

Bilaterally – QL stabilizes/anchors the bottom ribs during deep inhalation/exhalation (eg for singers using diaphragmatic breathing techniques)

Movements that rely on QL:

Certain sports or exercises rely heavily on QL strength and may therefore create overuse issues. Examples will usually include one-sided flexion with rotation – think of a tennis serve, a golf swing or any throwing sport (eg. cricket or javelin)

Similarly, repetitive working patterns can create over-use issues – plastering, construction work, gardening, etc.

In everyday life we might also rely on QL, perhaps more than it likes?! Think about repetitive ball tossing for the dog, carrying a child on one hip, teaching a movement class and only demonstrating on one side of the body, etc.

QL can also be involved in static situations! For example, sitting unevenly will effectively create a hip hitch on one side (eg. feet tucked up to one side of the body, a car seat of office chair where the hips are not supported in a level position, or even just that we lean more weight onto one sit bone than the other…)

How do you know if QL is unhappy?

Usually you will notice some low back pain or tightness, which might refer up to the ribs or down over the hips.

It might feel tighter on one side when you do a side bend or a hip rolling movement.

You might find it hard to soften and lengthen your low back (eg. when trying to tilt the pelvis forward and back)

What can you do about it?

Book a massage would be an obvious answer, because it can specifically get skilled hands onto the affected area. Massage can be used to release any potential trigger points, which will in turn improve your movement function and reduce on-going issues. Let me know if I can help!

In terms of self-care, try to identify the movements or positions which are keeping your QL ‘stuck’ because changing those factors will likely get to the source of the problem. You might also like to join a Pilates or Yoga class which addresses general movement patterns through the torso and gives you a chance to notice how your body is moving, or not!

I am a big fan of trigger point release work (you probably already knew that!).

You can find some TP release ideas here from Jill Miller and a great blog post on the topic here from Neil Asher Education (this is aimed at therapists but you’ll find some useful stuff here to use at home too).

I hope this all gives you a better understanding about what’s happening in the back of your waist, what might be aggravating it and what you might do to help it.

Next time we’re working here on the massage table or in class you’ll know why we’re there!

Posted on

Self-care strategies for easeful movement

Here’s a round-up of short videos I have created during 2022 to give you some easy self-care ‘homework’ to use between massage treatments.

I hope you find something useful for your body!

As always, please ask if you are unsure whether a particular move is right for you; go gently and pay close attention to any feedback from your body (ie. nothing needs to feel painful to be doing you some good!)

Neck & shoulders:

Hips & Legs:

hamstring stretch with a band

Feet & ankles:

Whole body:

Wishing you an easeful start to 2023:

Remember, ‘little + often’ is most likely going to be a more effective formula than ‘lots x once + never again’!

Posted on

Would your body benefit from seeing a Women’s Health Physio?

Spoiler alert: the answer is probably ‘yes’!

I wrote about this in my newsletter last week and decided to share it here too, just to help spread the message as far as I can.

I hadn’t originally planned to share this because it feels a bit personal, but I am so astounded at the changes that I couldn’t not share my recent experience seeing a fabulous Women’s Health Physiotherapist. In two sessions I feel like a different person – or more like me – and so much better connected in my body.

I knew I was holding on to tension/trauma in my body (nothing overly dramatic but childbirth x 3, surgery x 2, bereavement, giving CPR to someone in the street, general life-stuff) but I didn’t realise the impact it was having. I honestly thought I could get away with it, so long as I just kept on holding all that shit together! Turns out that I’m human after all and now that I can physically feel how much better it is to let it out, I’m on a mission to do more of that and to spread the word!!

breathe

A bit of background:

In the summer of 2020 I had two surgeries for breast cancer. The first one was a lumpectomy and removal of two lymph nodes in my armpit. I was cautiously back at work a week later, waiting to get the ‘all-clear’ and start the next stage of my treatment. I then found out that the first procedure had not been a complete success so I underwent a mastectomy with implant reconstruction four weeks later. This surgery was successful but of course it had a massive impact on my body, not least in terms of how I felt about myself.

Since 2020 I have also experienced a couple of bouts of severe back pain and associated muscle spasm, the most recent one about six or seven weeks ago.

In an attempt to cover all bases with regards my on-going low back & coccyx pain, I decided to see a Women’s Health Physiotherapist in case there was tightness/restriction in my pelvic floor which was contributing to the problem. And also to check that I am using my 56-yr-old pelvic floor muscles effectively (happily I am – gold star for me!)

What is a Women’s Health Physiotherapist?

I saw Jenny Gillespie (based near Tunbridge Wells) for a women’s health assessment. She is a chartered physiotherapist, specialising originally in musculoskeletal work and now in women’s health physiotherapy, offering holistic assessment and management to women of all ages with symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction and musculoskeletal pain.

I was pretty nervous before my first appointment, not really knowing what to expect. I actually almost didn’t go, but I’m so glad I did. 

Jenny started by taking some details of why I was there – my back pain issues, breast cancer treatment and childbirth history, most of which was quite emotional for me to share, but she put me at ease very quickly and suggested a treatment plan.

hydrate

What does a treatment involve?

I can only tell you about my experience and what my sessions have involved. We are all different and treatments will be bespoke, but hopefully this will help to give you an insight & dispel any concerns you might have.

Jenny started off by working over my breast cancer scars and surrounding areas which felt very restricted and were causing me considerable discomfort. She is literally the first person to see my scars so that was pretty emotional, but having some release work done was fantastic. Even after one session, the difference was astonishing; and after the second session today I have much more symmetry and much more comfortable movement in the shoulder and across my ribs.

She then worked over my abdomen for some visceral release. She found & released loads of areas where I didn’t even know I was holding tension. After the first session my abdomen was a totally different shape (much flatter – nice!) and much more responsive to exercise, whereas it had been ‘gripping’ ever since my surgeries. In the second session Jenny did even more work over this area of the body and it feels so much more comfortable.

The final part of the treatment was the part I had been not looking forward to – the internal assessment and scar/trigger point release work. Trust me when I say it was WAY less invasive than having a cervical smear test. My upper body was clothed and my lower body was covered with couch roll (paper tissue). There was no speculum, no bright lights & no peering inside my body!!

Every woman’s experience will be different but for me there was some internal scar release work required, which was weirdly incredible! As Jenny worked over internal trigger points I could feel areas of my hips, legs and back letting go of familiar uncomfortable holding patterns. It’s very hard to describe the sensation but nothing in either session has felt painful, intrusive, embarrassing or even unpleasant.

While Jenny was working on my body I felt very safe, respected and nurtured. I felt ‘seen’ as a whole person, like she had understood fully why I was there and what my body needed.

How does it feel afterwards?

Obviously this is going to vary from one woman to the next.

Jenny warned me that I would probably feel exhausted after the first session, and she was not wrong!! I cried a lot on the way home and afterwards (and the next day) but I know that I hold lots of emotion about my childbirth experiences (never mind all the other stuff I’ve been lugging around for years!!) so it actually felt good that some of that had been disturbed. The next morning my body felt different – almost disconnected while things settle into new movement patterns – but also much more ‘easeful’, a bit calmer, less tense.

In the week since, I have noticed

  • less hip/buttock pain when sitting & walking,
  • less gripping in my abdomen when exercising,
  • an easier/deeper/fuller/more effortless breathing pattern
  • a much better connection to and awareness of my pelvic floor – like it was asleep and it’s not any more
  • a change in how my reconstructed boob sits over my ribs, now much better aligned to the natural side

Also I’ve been making much better food choices over the past week because I feel so much better about myself.

nutrition

And I feel really proud of myself for doing something that I had previously not felt brave enough to do.

Is it for you?

I’m going to stick my neck out and say that every woman needs this!

If you have a vagina, regardless of whether or not you have had children (or how you birthed your children), and you have any low back/hip pain, any pelvic floor issues or any prolapse concerns, do yourself a favour and book an appointment. If you’re not sure if you need to book an appointment, I would say, do it anyway! You won’t regret it.

Also if you’re a man reading this and you know someone that fits into the criteria above, get them to book an appointment –  they will be very grateful. I should also mention that men’s health physiotherapy is also available if you need it for yourself.

I have known for a long time through my professional networks that seeing a WHP is a good idea for all women, but I didn’t know it through my own experience until now. My oldest child is 33 this year which means that I have been carrying some of my internal scars for that long.

Oh how I wish I had done this sooner, which is why I’m telling you in the hope that you will do it soon too…

Where to get help

If you would like further information or would like to find a women’s health physio in your area you can find out more here:

I booked my WHP privately but there is support via the NHS for certain conditions.

Posted on

Help your feet to feel more fabulous

I’m going to start by saying that I’m not a Podiatrist, so this is written from the perspective of my own personal experience and the things I see in my clients.

Our feet are truly fabulous things. The ankle and foot complex contains 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles, tendons and ligaments. Considering both feet, that makes a total of 52 bones, making up about a quarter of all bones found in the mature adult body.

Maybe it’s time we took better care of these precious feet of ours??

Things I believe to be true:

  • how our feet move affects how everything else moves further up the chain – ankles, calves, knees, thighs, hips, pelvic floor, core, low back, mid-back, upper back, shoulders and neck – ie. literally every part of your body!
  • how our feet move also affect our sense of balance and proprioception (connection to where we are in space)
  • what we wear on our feet can inhibit and alter the movement patterns in our feet – it’s not rocket science, but here are a few examples:
    • if shoes/socks are too tight our feet can’t spread out to offer a good base of support when we’re standing or moving;
    • if shoes have no backs (eg. flip flops) the toes will work extra hard to grip the shoe as we walk;
    • if we wear heels the foot tends to slide forward adding pressure around the toes (this also happens in trainers with a thicker sole under the heel than the ball of the foot)
  • wearing shoes which are too small (even if they feel comfortable) is never going to make your feet happy
  • showing our feet some love will always be a good investment of time
feet in trainers

Are your shoes too small?

For some reason people seem to take offence when I suggest to them that their shoes are too small. I have no idea why it would be an offensive thing to hear?? It is just a fact that our feet get wider and longer as we get older, so if you’re still wearing the same shoe size you wore five/ten/twenty years ago they are probably too small.

Also, you probably don’t wear the same size clothes you wore five/ten/twenty years ago so why would your feet be any different to your body?

If you don’t believe me you could always go and have them measured!

Or, if you are experiencing issues with your feet/ankles/knees/hips and your toes tend to looked scrunched-up (eg. crooked toes, pointing-at-the-ceiling toes or unable-to-spread-them-out toes) why not buy one pair of shoes the next size up, wear only those shoes for a few weeks and see what happens. At the very least your toes will gradually start to stretch out and spread out and breathe a little. But more likely, loads of other things will change too…

I’ve bought bigger shoes, what else can I do for my feet?

Once you’ve stopped squishing your feet into the wrong sized shoes, you can help your feet even more by giving them some release-work, stretches, exercises and a bit of self-massage. It doesn’t need to take long each day – just pick one or two things that feel useful and start there. Do those things 2-3 times a day (or more!) and notice the changes. You can add in other things later on once your feet start to change.

Here are couple of short videos from me:

Also, walk around in bare feet whenever you can – it’s a great way to strengthen your feet and that helps them to function better.

What other help is there?

If you have any concerns, I would recommend you find a Podiatrist or Physiotherapist and let them assess what is going on with your feet. They will be qualified to offer specific advice in terms of exercise and support for your feet to get you moving more comfortably.

Be mindful of the fact that a Podiatrist will almost always recommend orthotics (support for your foot inside your shoe) which might not be your preferred/best option, although perhaps useful in the short-term.

Also, check-out some of my favourite foot-people online:

  • Gait Happens – she shares some fabulous stuff on social media so find here there too
  • EBFA Global – click to access Dr Emily Splichal’s free guide to Toe Spacers & also find her on Instagram for some great information
  • Katy Bowman is Nutritious Movement on IG – another source of fabulous resources for your feet
bare feet

Barefooting:

Having taken a keen interest in feet for many years, I now only wear ‘barefoot’ shoes which have no support or cushioning in the soles and they work really well for my feet. Barefoot shoes have a wide toe-box and a less rounded inside edge around the big toe to allow optimal foot function. I’m not suggesting that you go down this route without doing your own research, but am very happy that I made the switch.

I hope this has given you some food for thought and a few ideas to try if you think that your feet might be the cause of issues in your body. As always, let me know if you have any questions – I’ll do my best to answer them or direct you to someone who knows more than me

Posted on

wrist and forearm pain solutions

It’s relatively common to experience some wrist pain or forearm pain from time-to-time, usually caused by a repetitive movement pattern. Examples might include playing racquet sports, gardening, using a mouse/keyboard, or my particular favourite, DIY!

As with anything in the body (& actually life in general!!) when the aggravating activity is short-term or less prolonged (eg. one game of tennis or a weekend of gardening) the pain issues will often be short-term too, and will go away of their own accord, with rest once the activity has stopped. The issues might flare up again but will not normally become a chronic issue unless the activity continues.

When the aggravating activity is more of a regular occurrence or more prolonged (eg. playing tennis three times a week or gardening several days a week) the pain issues can become more embedded and be more challenging to resolve.

forearm massage

Sometimes it is not going to be possible to stop doing the things which are causing us pain, but we can try to stay ahead of the curve with a combination of the following:

  1. Become aware of your posture whenever can, so that you can regularly remind yourself to make small adjustments if needed –
  • notice any imbalance between left and right (eg. head tilted to one side or one shoulder sitting higher than the other)
  • notice if there is any any ‘holding’ or ‘gripping’ in one area of the body (eg. tension in the low back)
  • notice how your body feels – ideally you will feel grounded (through your feet if you’re standing and through your hips if you’re seated) and able to move without losing that sense of being earthed
  • notice your breathing and how your body moves as you breathe (ie. do the ribs move up and down or do they open wide as you inhale?)

2. Vary your movement patterns where possible to reduce the impact of the aggravating activity –

  • change your desk set up if you suspect that the issue is keyboard or mouse related (try a wrist rest, consider a different keyboard or mouse, vary your desk layout, review your seating options, be aware of your posture)
  • review your movement patterns if you think the issues are sports-related (get some professional help if necessary)
  • takes breaks if you’re doing a longer task (chop & change between activities to break up the movements patterns, pause to stretch out your fingers/wrists/forearms from time-to-time or have regular tea-breaks)
  • make use of labour-saving equipment if you are doing a prolonged task (eg. an electric screwdriver will massively reduce the amount of forearm rotation, not worth it for a quick job perhaps but definitely worth it for a larger project)
  • change between your right and left hand where you can to reduce the impact of single-sided movements

3. Resolve any soft tissue tension/pain before it becomes a chronic pain issue –

  • stretching & self-massage are both easy (& free) ways to keep things moving – see below for some ideas to try
  • use of heat or cold may help to reduce any inflammation
  • sports massage can get right to the root of the problem by working on and around the affected areas (which may or may not be where you are feeling the pain!)
wrist pain

Don’t forget that pain in one place can often come from a related area of the body!

Wrist, hand and forearm pain are very often associated with neck, chest or shoulder issues, in which case treating the point of pain without resolving the contributing factors will only give short-term pain relief.

With that in mind, here are some of my favourite stretching ideas that you might find helpful. I’ve included some for the wrist and forearms specifically, but also some for the neck & shoulders because you probably need those too!

upper back massage

How can sports massage help?

Sports massage therapy can be a great way to resolve wrist and forearm pain and teach you how to manage the issue yourself. And the sooner you address the problem, the sooner it can be resolved AND the less likely it is to develop into a more chronic pain issue.

When you come for your first appointment, I’ll ask you about likely triggers for the pain you’re experiencing, ask you which movements help/don’t help, find out what you’ve been doing so far to try to resolve the issues and make a few postural observations. All of these things will guide my approach and then I will systematically work around the associated areas, as well as treating directly on the area that feels problematic, working within your comfort levels.

After your massage I will offer suggested homework that you can do to help yourself between treatments.

You will usually notice some improvement from just one treatment but in the case of chronic pain you will likely need several follow-up sessions to resolve the issues to the point where you can manage them yourself.

Please let me know if you would like to discuss a sports massage appointment with me before booking, or click here to visit my booking page.

Posted on

some thoughts on back pain

I thought I knew a bit about back pain!! And then my back went into spasm and I realised I had no idea how BAD it could feel!! Here are some thoughts on back pain, based on my recent experience…

Woman down!

This was me, part way through teaching a class, when my lower back and glutes locked up. Long story short, several hours of heavy gardening (a few days prior to this) had left the muscles in my lower back, glutes and hamstrings overstretched, weak and vulnerable; I carried on as usual for a few days but at the moment pictured below, my body responded by tightening up the whole of my left hand side, leaving me literally unable to get up!

back pain

I think it helped that I understood what had caused the sudden spasm. It didn’t help that I knew my class were watching on at home, unable to do anything. It also didn’t help that I live alone – it was a scary experience to go through alone…

Once I got over the initial panic, there were a couple of things in my favour:

  1. it was night-time so I gradually got myself sorted and then went to sleep – which gave me 8 hours where my body could relax without any demands being placed upon it
  2. I remembered that I had some medication (prescribed for anxiety but actually a muscle relaxant) in a kitchen drawer (not ideal as I had to work out how to get downstairs, but at least I had access to it from the start)
  3. I have very understanding clients who totally didn’t make a fuss about me cancelling work for the next couple of days

Things that helped me get moving again:

  • diazepam was undoubtedly the first thing! I’m not someone who uses medication often, but I was very happy to have these – they enabled me to get to sleep comfortably for the first two nights
  • lying on my ‘good’ side in bed so that I could very gradually bring my left knee a little bit towards my chest – gently stretching the muscles which had gone into spasm (NB it was a tiny stretch – the smallest amount possible)
  • the next day I could lie on my back in bed – this allowed my spine to regain a gentle, supported, neutral position
  • gentle hip movements on all fours (on my bed because I couldn’t get to the floor) – my main focus was on letting my body guide me where it needed to go: gentle hip circles, some side-to-side hip movement, the very beginnings of a cat/cow stretch, a baby child’s pose position – I did these several times a day for the first to days
  • very gentle rolling using a trigger point ball against the wall – much kinder than working with a ball on the floor; I focused on rolling my glutes & low back, going onto the edges of my pelvis and sacrum where the muscles attach
  • walking (at a snail’s pace to start with and only on even ground and over a short distance) – the dog didn’t enjoy this first walk at all!! The day after my back spasm, walking was very uncomfortable; on the following day it felt easier the longer I walked; on the third day it felt normal again
  • movement rather than staying still – sitting was worst so I didn’t do much of that for 3 days; standing was ok so long as I kept moving gently – lots of hip swaying while waiting in a queue to buy garden pots; by the second day I could weight-bear evenly on both feet; I did some light gardening – not necessarily to be recommended (but luckily I got away with it!); a gentle yoga class on day 3 – I only did the moves which felt ok (limited forward flexion, no holding in position, very gentle rotations)
  • listening to my body – sounds corny but it really helped to tune-in and follow my gut about where and how I needed to move, when I needed to rest, etc
  • believing that this was a short-term, transient state and not somewhere I was going to live for a long time! Initially my head fell into a rabbit-hole of panic – what if my spine was the issue, what if it was cancer (bizarrely that one shot straight to the front of my mind as I was lying on the floor in agony!!), what if I couldn’t work, and then I’d have no income, and then what would I do… blah, blah, blah. Luckily I got back out of that particular rabbit-hole of doom quite quickly. It’s not helpful to think the worst – far better to just do what you can to get moving and then go from there

What to do if you have back pain:

The list above is intended as general guidance only.

If you’ve over-done it in the garden or tried a new type of exercise, this guidance will help you to get moving again – and I think that getting moving is of key importance in this situation. If your muscles have gone into spasm you definitely don’t want to leave them there…

That said, back pain is a broad umbrella term and some issues are more serious and need more urgent attention than others. If you experience sudden or unexplained back pain, or an onset of symptoms such as numbness in the legs or a change in bowel and bladder control, always seek help from a medical professional as soon as you can.

Sorry to end on that note, but it needed saying because I am not a medical professional and this guidance is not intended to take the place of medical advice. This is just my thoughts on back pain from someone who had no idea what back pain felt like until a week ago!

And my final piece of advice is this – if you need bamboo roots digging out of your garden let someone else do it…

Posted on

Do you have tight quadriceps?

Do you have tight quadriceps muscles which won’t seem to stretch? Do you have tightness or pain around the knee? Do the muscles in the front of your thighs feel ‘switched on’ all the time?

There are lots of reasons why we might have more/less dominant muscles in a particular area of the body (posture, lifestyle, occupation, etc) but for most of us the goal is to create a better balance, as that helps to create more even movement patterns. Typically we will have an imbalance which is left- or right-sided or which is noticed in the front or back of the body, but there will often be a combination of both and/or some rotational imbalance as well.

Of course, it is all relevant to the individual. For an elite golfer, an appropriate ‘imbalance’ will actually be required for them to excel at their sport, but most of us do not fall into that category and we are more concerned about improving every-day functional movement and potentially reducing pain.

I often see clients struggling to get into a position where a quad stretch is effective, and setting aside the debate about whether we actually need to stretch or not, I have recorded a short video showing a simple technique using a trigger point release ball. This technique focuses on releasing tight bands within the muscles fibres, which in turn enables the body to move more freely, which in turn reduces the development of tight bands within the muscle fibres…

This video came about because a client was struggling to move her hips backwards while squatting because the tightness in the front of her thighs was creating excessive pressure (and the most extraordinary noise!) over the knee-caps. It goes without saying that individual assessment and soft tissue work is the optimal approach, but this simple technique might be a useful starting point to get you moving more comfortably.

In the video I am using a dog toy as my trigger point ball – simply because they are affordable, readily available and still effective. If you want to invest in the real deal, I can highly recommend either Yoga Tune-Up balls or YogaBody balls, both of which I have.

Hopefully the video covers everything you need to get you started, but as always:

  • let me know if you have any questions
  • get in touch if you’d like to know more about how I can help you with soft tissue therapy
  • check with your medical professional if you have any doubts about your suitability for trigger point release work

& finally, let me know how you get on…!

Posted on

massage room hygiene

In light of the current situation, I thought now might be an ideal time to share the hygiene measures that I have in place for the comfort and safety of all clients visiting my massage room.

massage room hygiene

Please find details below of the steps I take to ensure that my massage room operates as a safe and clean space. These measures are not new, but I will continue to review and update to ensure that best practice is followed:

Me:

  • hand washing – I wash my hands before you arrive, and again while you are settling yourself on the table, as well as immediately after your treatment
  • hand sanitiser – I have a bottle of anti-bacterial and anti-viral hand sanitiser in my massage room which I apply to my hands/forearms before and after your treatment. You are welcome to use the hand sanitiser on arrival/before you leave – or bring your own if you prefer
  • massage wax/lotion – the massage medium is removed from the container using a wooden spatula and applied to my arm for use as required; any surplus on my arm at the end of your treatment, is thrown away

Items that you come into contact with:

  • table linens (ie. towels, flannels, table cover, bolster covers, etc) – when you arrive for your massage, the table will have been made up with clean linens; everything that you touch during your treatment is then stripped and replaced at the end of your session. All linens are washed at 60 degrees using a non-bio liquid detergent and an anti-bacterial laundry cleanser; all items are tumble dried. Massage room linens are always washed separately from my household laundry
  • face cradle – disposable face cradle covers are replaced for each client
  • hard surfaces (eg. arm rest, metal parts on the face cradle, side table, door handles, light switch, etc) – all surfaces are wiped with anti-bacterial wipes between clients
  • massage tools – these are cleaned with anti-bacterial wipes between clients and washed in hot soapy water at the end of each day
  • water & drinking glasses – the water carafe & glass are clean for each client; fresh water is provided for each client

My home:

  • massage room – the floor is wiped/swept between clients and hoovered as required (always before the first client each week and then as necessary). I sometimes dust the picture frames!
  • bathroom – the toilet, wash basin, bath & floor are all cleaned before the first client each week; the hand towel is changed before the first client each week and then as required
  • hall, stairs and landing – these areas are also cleaned prior to the first client visit each week

You:

  • illness – if you have any symptoms of illness, please postpone your massage until a later date; this helps to keep my massage room clean and safe for everyone, but it is also better for your body to receive a massage when you are well. If you’re not sure whether you should postpone, please get in touch beforehand
  • hand washing – if you use the bathroom, please wash your hands, and feel free to use the hand gel

Any questions?

Please know that I take massage room hygiene very seriously so that you can enjoy your treatment without any concerns. If you have any questions at all, please let me know.

If you have any questions/concerns specifically about coronavirus (COVID-19) please refer to the CDC website

Find out more about sports and clinical massage

Posted on

Do your feet cramp when you point your toes?

This is for you if you experience foot cramp when you lie in a prone position (face-down) or when you are in child’s pose. It can happen at any time, but will often be worse when you are doing any exercise that involves these positions.

child's pose

Both of these positions involve lengthening the dorsal surface of the foot (the part where your shoe laces sit) and if there is tension within the tendons running from the front of the ankle to the toes, you may experience cramping when they are held in a lengthened position. Typically if you experience this type of foot cramp, your toes will tend not to lie flat on the floor when standing or they will start to lift as soon as you begin to flex at the ankle. You may also notice that you have ‘hammer toe’ where the toes are bent as if gripping the floor.

How to reduce foot cramp:

In the short term, ie. during your class, a bolster under your ankles can be a really useful preventative measure as it stops the toes making contact with the floor, thereby avoiding the lengthening which is causing the cramp. Your bolster doesn’t need to be fancy – a rolled up bath towel or jumper will do the job just as well.

In the longer term, of course, it is preferable to resolve the issue. Your foot function will improve greatly by reducing restrictions, and improved foot function positively impacts knee and hip function so it is worth investing a little bit of time on a regular basis.

feet

Soft tissue release:

Here’s a short video (starring my right foot!) showing some release work that you can use at home but bear in mind that you will need to address your footwear too! I often find resistance to this one (I’m not sure why?) but clearly if our feet spend long periods of time squeezed into socks and shoes which do not allow sufficient space to move, no amount of release work is going to fully resolve the problem. We need to take a two-pronged approach with any body-work:

  1. resolve the issue using appropriate soft-tissue release and
  2. make changes to any external factors which are contributing to the issue

I’ll leave you to sort out your footwear (hint: you need a far wider toe-box than you might think) but in the meantime you can try this release work. I have tried to give you a few examples of makeshift massage tools that you might find at home but you could also invest in a gua sha tool if you want to get the best results.

(release work for the toe extensors to prevent foot cramp)

The key thing with release work is to give it time. Five minutes will make a difference but it is not going to undo years of wearing potentially restrictive footwear! Be patient, commit to doing it every day for a week and see what you notice…and then carry on doing it every day because your feet will love you for it.

In the video I mention the option of using spacers between the toes and here are two options that I have found helpful, although since switching to barefoot shoes I haven’t used either:

  • correct-toes – this is the main website but you will also find UK suppliers
  • silicone toe separators – for me these are more comfortable because I have very little, little toes which don’t sit so well in the whole-foot type spacers

Please let me know how you get on with this & let me know if you have any questions at all about foot cramp.

If I can help you directly with any soft tissue work, please drop me an email.

Jx

PS even though I don’t have any specific toe extensor issues, I noticed an astonishing difference in the foot I had worked on while filming this…so perhaps you should do it even if you don’t think you have any problems either?!