We are pleased to share this video about Dreamclinic’s reopening in the era of Covid and the many steps the business has taken for everyone’s Health Safety. Produced by Dr. Frank Aversano who runs Wots the Rub Facebook page with business tips for the massage community, this video shows off our lovely Roosevelt clinic location and includes an interview with our CEO, Larisa Goldin.

If you’re familiar with scoliosis, you may know that it involves the abnormal curvature of the spine. Often resulting in body imbalances that cause pain, it is difficult to cure this condition, but worthwhile to focus on treatment of its symptoms. And while bracing and surgeries are common methods for treatment, in recent decades patients have been turning to massage therapy for managing their scoliosis. Not only is massage therapy less invasive than these other methods, but there are many benefits that massage can provide to people with scoliosis. Read on to find out more about this condition and how it can be managed through massage therapy. 

Types of Scoliosis 

While the result of scoliosis is abnormal curvature of the spine, the causes of scoliosis differ based on type. Additionally, cases can range from mild to severe, while the shape of the curves vary in degree, direction, and form from individual to individual. The two most common abnormal curvatures of scoliosis are in the form of an S or C-shape.  

One type of scoliosis is congenital, which means it is present from birth where the spinal bones develop abnormally while the baby is growing inside of the mother.  Another type of scoliosis is functional scoliosis. This means that the spine developed normally, but the curvature arises due to other problems in the body such as a leg length difference, injury, poor posture, or muscle spasms in the back. Neuromuscular scoliosis is commonly diagnosed in adolescents and children and is a type of scoliosis caused by muscle weakness or disease, such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida. 

Types of Massage Therapy for Treatment 

While the causes of scoliosis differ, massage therapy can be helpful for treating the pain symptoms of people with scoliosis. Effective massage treatments are:  

·       Deep Tissue Massage Therapy – This therapy uses intense pressure to target areas of pain, helping to stretch and relax tight muscles while improving circulation.  

·       Swedish Massage Therapy – This therapy uses light to medium pressure allowing for deep relaxation and relief from back pain, headaches, shallow breathing, and insomnia.  

·       Cranial-Sacral Therapy – This therapy is a very gentle type of massage therapy used to mobilize restricted tissue around the spine, allowing for improvement of overall mobility in the body, reduction of stress, and central nervous system functioning.  

Benefits of Massage Therapy for Scoliosis Patients 

If you’re looking to use some of these massage therapies for treatment of a scoliosis condition, some of the benefits that you can expect are: 

·       Increased Mobility – Massage therapy balances out the muscles of the back and spine, allowing for better mobility throughout the body. 

·       Enhancement of Body Awareness – Regular massage therapy cultivates a sense of body awareness helpful for functional scoliosis, which is dependent on posture and holding patterns. 

·       Improved Circulation – Massage therapy mobilizes tissues and increases blood flow allowing for greater flexibility and healing of the muscles. 

·       Relief from Stress – When your body hangs onto stress, tension builds up in the body, contributing to symptoms of pain. Massage therapy helps calm the mind and reduces muscle tension, giving you a better peace of mind.  

Now that you know how massage therapy is useful for managing scoliosis and the types of massage therapy that are effective, you may be interested in trying it out for yourself. And you can easily schedule a massage today online through Dreamclinic with one of our licensed massage therapists!  

At Dreamclinic, many of our clients are looking for ways to start or get back into a healthy lifestyle. For some, this may mean a change in their diet. For example, they may need to cut out unhealthy foods or track the calories and nutrients in their meals. Still others may be focusing on giving up a bad habit that they’ve struggled with. At the same time, many people today are looking for activities that allow them to get active, but that won’t break the bank or require too much time. After all, in the modern world, our schedules are often full, and we have multiple obligations. But once you begin your path with these activities, you’ll be giving yourself a healthier, more active lifestyle that’s better for you and makes you feel amazing too!

Grab a Jump Rope

It doesn’t get much more cost-effective and easy than grabbing a jumping rope. In fact, medical sources have pointed out that jumping rope for 15 minutes burns as many calories as running a fast mile. Best of all, you can take a jump rope almost anywhere.

Enjoy a Jog

While it may take a bit longer to burn calories, jogging builds your cardiovascular stamina and is an easy way to get active that nearly everyone can get into, even if you’re a novice. An added benefit to jogging is that you can enjoy your local scenery or catch up on an audio book at the gym.

Dive into the Swimming Pool

Although you may need a pool membership for this one, in most cases, they’re fairly low-cost. And when it comes to swimming, it’s been highlighted that this healthy exercise that is diverse and can fit your experience and activity level.

Join a Yoga Studio

If you’re looking for affordable and easy activities that also relax your mind, yoga might be the choice for you. Yoga has multiple benefits as well, from keeping you strong and flexible to calming your mind and emotions. And if joining a yoga studio isn’t your thing, there are still plenty of apps out there that let you do this one right from the comfort of your home.

Hit the Hiking Trails

Our next activity for jump starting your active lifestyle is hiking. In Washington state, there are countless trails for you to explore, all while getting a considerable workout. Probably the best part about this activity is that all you need in many cases is a pair of reliable hiking or running shoes.

Take to the Ice Skating Rink

If you’re thinking about being a professional ice skater, the price can get up there a little. However, for most of us, renting a pair of ice skates a few times a month and skating the rink is an affordable way to exercise. You might be surprised to find out that ice skating has a number of health-related benefits too!

Sign up for Club Sports

Soccer, basketball, tennis. In Seattle there are tons of different sporting organizations you can join. These types of sports are social in nature and you have choices that can match your comfort level and your need to take your game to the next level as time goes on.

Schedule a Regular Massage

Even though this activity is a bit more passive than our others, it can definitely support your active lifestyle by keeping your muscles healthy and elastic.  Regular massage can help keep you on track if you experience any soreness, strains, sprains or other issues as you start your path to a healthier lifestyle.
If you’re in the Seattle area, a massage is easier to schedule than you might imagine. In fact, you can schedule one right from our website!

If you’re living a healthy, active lifestyle, you may have experienced soreness after a workout or sporting session. In fact, you may even have noticed that your muscle soreness lasted for a couple of days, getting worse as time went on. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or simply a novice who’s getting started, these aches probably concerned you or at the very least, stopped you from fulfilling your normal routine.

At the same time, you probably wanted to know how to prevent this issue in the future, as well as the process involved in having it occur in the first place. This soreness, otherwise known as delayed-onset muscle soreness or DOMS, can be a real hindrance. But as experts in massage therapy, the staff at Dreamclinic is your source for understanding and preventing this issue.

What is DOMS?

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, or DOMS, is a type of soreness that builds up over the course of about 48 hours. During that time, it often gets progressively worse and is thought to be caused by the movement of your muscle as it is being stretched during activity. Once upon a time, researchers thought lactic acid was the culprit, but not any longer. In fact, DOMS is caused by an inflammation process that starts within a few hours of your workout.

Who does DOMS affect?

You might think that DOMS only impacts professional weightlifters or regular runners. But the truth is that Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness can affect anyone, of any age. In fact, if you’re a less seasoned athlete or you haven’t been active in a while, you may have a greater chance of experiencing DOMS than a more experienced or active person.

Should you work through it?

There’s still some debate about whether working through DOMS is advised or not. In reality, jumping right back into your regular workout might not be the wisest course of action. However, you don’t need to worry. In most cases, you can return to your routine after a rest and light activity. In fact, the best course of action you can take is to do light stretching, a massage, and minor exercises that encourage blood flow. You can also use foam rolling as well, which will provide additional relief. However, you should probably avoid heavy lifting or other strenuous aspects of your active routine.

How do you prevent it?

One of the biggest recommendations we can give regarding DOMS and prevention is to warm up before your workouts or activities. You can use your foam roller or general stretching. Although the health community is talking a great deal about BCAAs, or branched-chain amino acids, timing their intact correctly can be a bit of a pain and often requires a supplement. For most people, stretching and a regular massage can work wonders in and of itself.

Do you live an active lifestyle and experience DOMS? The staff at Dreamclinic is happy to schedule a massage for you and help you on your road to recovery!