How Posture Affects Your Health

posture and massage therapy dreamclinic seattleA common phrase heard throughout childhood is, “Sit up straight!” This postural reminder makes regular appearances in the classroom, at the dinner table and is a ubiquitous presence through middle and high school. The continual postural encouragement is dispensed to encourage healthy growth and function of the body, as well as a projection of self-confidence from the individual.

What exactly is good posture?
Good posture supports the performance of one’s daily activities with a functional range of motion and a positive flow of circulation. The bones are arranged properly in reference to one another, and the muscles that support the skeleton move freely within a normal range of motion and receive proper levels of circulation to help them do their jobs.

The American Chiropractic Association says, human beings “do not consciously maintain normal posture. Instead, certain muscles do it for us, and we don’t even have to think about it. Several muscle groups, including the hamstrings and large back muscles, are critically important in maintaining good posture. While the ligaments help to hold the skeleton together, these postural muscles, when functioning properly, prevent the forces of gravity from pushing us over forward. Postural muscles also maintain our posture and balance during movement.”

What causes poor posture?
Poor posture can be a product of many variables – weak muscles, injury, stress, improper footwear, lengthy sitting  and a growing use of technology such as laptops and tablets. In all of these instances, muscles in one or more areas of the body become shortened and less flexible than the opposing muscles that work together to keep the body upright. The tightness creates asymmetry, and posture becomes imbalanced.

For example, extended hours spent sitting in a car or at a desk, hunched forward over a steering wheel/ keyboard, shortens the muscles in the front of the shoulders. When these muscles tighten, circulation is limited and range of motion is restricted. The forward rounding of shoulders and associated muscle imbalance can lead to spinal misalignment, fatigue or pain.

As the body aims to protect itself and avoid pain, the imbalanced posture perpetuates itself. The neck is pulled forward and down, straining muscles in the upper back and shoulders, causing tension and often headaches. The rib cage is tilted forward, compressing the abdominal area, prompting digestive imbalance. Pain may emerge in the neck, shoulders or back.

How can bad posture be corrected?

Massage. Therapeutic massage lengthens muscles that have been shortened, improving circulation, reducing pain and allowing the body to resume a normal range of motion. Stress and tension are relieved, and internal organs are better able to perform their essential functions.

Exercise. Regular exercise helps lengthen and strengthen muscles and improve range of motion. It increases circulation and oxygenation, improving cognitive function and eliminating waste products from the body.

Stretch. Daily stretching helps lengthen shortened muscles and keep the muscles and joints supple. As we age, connective tissues become less flexible, so the old adage proves true: if you don’t move it, you lose it.

Yoga. Yoga stretches and strengthens the body, working muscles that counterbalance one another. It builds core strength and balance, encouraging and maintaining the habits of good posture.

Correcting poor posture requires undoing the hardening, or fibrosis, of the muscles that have been habitually contracted, allowing them to relax and the bones to move back into place. Perhaps a simple concept, but not an easy task.  Swedish massage can help increase circulation and release chronically held areas. Deep tissue massage helps wake up the body and reverse some of the fibrosis in the tissue.  And other bodywork techniques can further precipitate postural adjustments.

How to Create a Stress-Free Workspace

548a04dbb0ae2_-_rby-desk-03-makeover-after-s2“Stress-free” is usually not the first thing that pops into our mind when we think about our workplace. Long meetings, hard deadlines, and dozens of distractions make work feel like, well, work.

As a result, we become more stressed. And as our stress levels increase, our productivity falls lower and lower, which only stresses us out even more! This vicious cycle can seem unavoidable, but in actuality, a few small changes to your workplace can make a profound difference on your attitude and stress levels while in the office.

Here are some 5 easy, DIY tips to create a stress-free workspace:

  • Personalize your space. Decorate your desk, with favorite pictures or mementos. This way, you’ll feel less like you’re at the office and more like you’re at home (or at least, in a space that feels like yours).
  • Organize. A messy desk is the number one cause of workplace stress. Start by keeping small garbage and recycling cans underneath your desk, so that it’s easy to get rid of trash and unwanted papers on a regular basis. Figure out which items you use most often, and sort them so that they are easily accessible. Make sure that you minimize the amount of papers out on your desk, because visual clutter can cause clutter in your brain, making it harder to focus.
  • Take five. It’s important to give your brain mental breaks, especially when working on something stressful and complicated. Short breaks between 1-5 minutes are incredibly helpful for reducing stress, and the aches and pains you may feel from long hours at a desk. Studies have shown that taking just one break, for less than five minutes, improves mental sharpness by an average of 13%, and that regular breaks of two minutes increase productivity by 11.15%.
  • Become one with nature. Add some plants to your office space, like a succulent or a houseplant. Even if you don’t have a green thumb, working in an environment with plants has been proven to lower stress, and decrease noise, room temperature, and humidity, ultimately creating a calming and cool space.
  • Make sure to stretch. It’s important to get regular exercise outside of work, but during the workday, you should also do small exercises to reduce your fatigue and stiffness. Oftentimes, we subconsciously tense our bodies when we’re stressed, so working out our knots is an important part of staying healthy. Try standing and stretching your arms over your head, resting your eyes on something calming, stretching your fingers, and slowly rotating or massaging your temples, neck, and forearms.

It’s no surprise that most people think of the workplace as a stressful environment. Our bodies are not made to be stationary for long periods of time, and stacks of clutter only add to our stress levels. In order to keep a positive mindset, it is incredibly important to listen to your body. Make your office space clean and let it reflect your personality, and you’ll be on track to a healthy and stress-free workday.

Photo credit: redbookmag.com

Frozen Shoulder is Unlocked with Bodywork

by Diana Khoury

Frozen shoulder is a disabling condition characterized by pain, inflammation, stiffness and limited range of motion in the shoulder joint. The first symptoms are pain and an inability to perform daily tasks such as reaching or lifting. Shoulder function may be restricted for months or years, depending on the severity and course of treatment sought. Triggered by minor injury or improper movement (such as reaching backward from an abnormal position), the onset of frozen shoulder is gradual. Bodywork is often recommended as primary treatment for frozen shoulder – to improve function of the joint, reduce pain and facilitate increased range of motion.
frozen-shoulder-10
Frozen shoulder currently affects around 5% of the population. However, the condition is 5 times more common in Type I and II Diabetics, possibly due to elevated blood sugar levels, which cause increased stiffness (glycosylation) in connective tissues over time.1

Those additionally at risk for incidents of frozen shoulder include:

  • Individuals between the ages of 40-65
  • Women (60-70% of cases)
  • People with poor posture
  • Those engaged in regular overuse of shoulder muscles (in sports, manual labor, etc.)
  • People with recent shoulder injuries
  • Patients recovering from shoulder or reconstructive breast surgeries
  • Family members with a history of frozen shoulder issues (genetic component)1

The onset of frozen shoulder is gradual and symptoms may last from 1-2 months to over 3 years, depending on treatment. Once a frozen shoulder is treated and healed, recurrence is uncommon. However, a small percentage of patients develop it in the opposite shoulder within 5 years.

There are three identified stages of frozen shoulder:

The acute stage (lasting 2-9 months), is characterized mainly by pain, limited range of motion, and interruption of sleep due to increased pain at night.2

The subacute or “frozen” stage (4-12 months) is marked by reduction in pain, increased stiffness and severely restricted range of motion.

The chronic or “thawing” stage (12-42 months) is the beginning of recovery, where pain is gone and range of movement gradually starts to improve.3

Since many shoulder problems are misdiagnosed as frozen shoulder, a proper evaluation should be performed by a medical professional to determine the most appropriate course of treatment.4

The standard medical treatment approach may include anti-inflammatory medications, cortisone injections, forced shoulder joint manipulations under anesthesia, or in the most extreme cases, surgery.3

A more conservative approach to frozen shoulder treatment includes manual therapy, bodywork and exercises, and is often recommended as a primary course before more invasive treatments are entertained.

Acupuncture used in conjunction with exercises have been shown to be an effective treatment for frozen shoulder.5Acupuncture releases endorphins which act as pain inhibitors, and stimulates the body’s natural healing abilities. The Healthcare Medicine Institute reports new research out of China and Germany that concludes acupuncture can release frozen shoulder pain and improve joint function and range of motion by targeting specific points related to muscle release in the shoulder capsule.6

Therapeutic massage techniques such as trigger point therapy, myofascial release, stretching and joint mobilization can be applied individually or in combination to address frozen shoulder, with positive results.7

For maximum effectiveness, therapeutic massage techniques are applied in moderation to break down adhesions (stiffness) in the shoulder joint, increase circulation (of blood, oxygen, synovial fluid), release locked muscles, and facilitate movement. Depending on which phase of frozen shoulder the patient is in, the massage therapist can design a series of therapeutic sessions to continue to unlock and unwind the stiffness in the shoulder, improve function and gradually restore normal range of motion.

This is an original article from Dreamclinic, Inc. Dreamclinic is a Health and Wellness company committed to sharing information about commonly experienced health conditions and how they may be impacted through the use of bodywork and other natural approaches. Dreamclinic offers massage, acupuncture, and Reiki sessions at its Greenlake and Queen Anne clinics, as well as onsite massage at workplaces around Puget Sound. Contact us to learn more about how Dreamclinic can help you, your family or your workplace experience greater health.

References:
1. www.frozenshoulder.com
2. http://www.massageworld.co.uk/articles/sports-massage-getting-the-frozen-shoulder
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0047043/
4. http://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=10941
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11773673
6. http://www.healthcmi.com/Acupuncture-Continuing-Education-News/1214-acupuncture-unlocks-frozen-shoulder-pain-new-research
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3096148/

Other Resources:
http://acupuncturetoday.org/mpacms/at/article.php?id=28032

Simple Stretch for Tight Calves

by Wayne T., LMP

escalator_up jackodilecomDid you know escalators can also be an excellent (and sneaky!) opportunity for a deep and energizing calf stretch?

Holding the handrail for support, start by positioning your toes on the edge of a step. Make sure your clothing clears the escalator’s moving edge so it doesn’t get caught. Using your body weight, drop your heels slowly so they sink lower than your toes, like you’re trying to touch the step below. Stretch one foot first, and when you reach midway on the escalator, switch to the other side for the rest of the ride. This stretch works the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles, and if it’s an especially long escalator, the hamstrings as well.

The escalator calf stretch is pretty subtle, so rest assured you won’t look like you’re prepping for a marathon in public… Needless to say, this simple stretch will put a little extra “pep” in your step, and it works on any escalator, any time. Escalators will never be the same!

~This article was written by Wayne T. – a massage therapist at Dreamclinic’s Roosevelt location. He attributes a great deal of his knowledge of massage, and the injury recovery process, to the treatment he received after being hit by a car as a pedestrian while enrolled in massage school. When he is not with a client, Wayne loves to play guitar and juggle just about anything he can get his hands on.

Sciatica Relieved with Massage

by Diana Khoury

The sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It originates in the pelvis and descends down the hip, buttocks, and down the back of each leg.

sciatica (1)

Sciatica occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed, resulting in anywhere from occasional mild pain to constant, incapacitating pain. The effects of sciatica are pain, numbness, or tingling in the buttocks and/or down the back of the leg(s). Sciatica is most commonly felt on just one side of the body.1

Causes

Sciatica is a symptom of an underlying physical problem in the body, such as tight lower back muscles, slipped or herniated vertebral disks. Compression of the sciatic nerve may be caused by strenuous athletic training, injury, car accident, disk problems, or driving/ sitting for long periods of time.

Prevention

There are several steps you can take to prevent sciatica:

  • Exercise & stretch – Try a gentle yoga class
  • Maintain proper posture – Don’t slump while working at the computer
  • Utilize good body mechanics – Be conscious of how you move
  • Make a Massage appointment – For stress & tension relief, and improved posture

How Massage Helps

Research demonstrates massage’s effectiveness at relieving sciatic pain2. Specifically, massage reduces compression of the sciatic nerve by easing muscle tension in the affected area, while also improving circulation and range of motion. Secondary benefits may include improved sleep and reduced anxiety and depression. Clients have reported feeling relief from moderate sciatic pain in as little as one session. However, long-lasting relief and prevention of sciatica can be achieved when massage is part of your ongoing wellness plan.

Treatment
Traditional treatments for sciatic pain include: exercise, stretching, over-the-counter or prescription painkillers, physical therapy, complementary therapies (such as bodywork) or in more severe cases, steroid injections and surgery. If your sciatica has lasted longer than 6 weeks, or you experience debilitating sciatic pain, consult your medical doctor or chiropractor for a comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis.

This is an original article from Dreamclinic, Inc. Dreamclinic is a Health and Wellness company committed to sharing information about commonly experienced health conditions and how they may be impacted through the use of bodywork and other natural approaches.   Dreamclinic offers massage, acupuncture, and Reiki sessions at its Greenlake and Queen Anne clinics, as well as onsite massage at workplaces around Puget Sound. Contact us to learn more about how Dreamclinic can help you, your family or your workplace experience greater health.

Resources
1.  www.mayoclinic.com
2.  http://www.pacificcollege.edu/acupuncture-massage-news/articles/992-massage-for-sciatica-pain-relief-and-prevention.html