Summer...it's finally here!

After what seemed like the coldest winter in quite some time, summer has finally arrived in MN.  I'm not sure what happened to spring, but I'm not complaining about the sunshine and warmth we enjoyed over Memorial Day Weekend.  Wasn't it beautiful?!?!

With the wonderful weather, people have been out working in their yards, biking, golfing, running, playing softball, etc..  All that activity after being cooped up all winter can play havoc on our muscles that were in hibernation for many months.

Before you overdo it with that golf swing, the extra long bike ride, or pulling weeds from the yard (or all 3!), be sure to assess your body and ease into these things.

Preventative maintenance on the muscles in your back, legs, arms can keep your body working more efficiently than if you overdo it and push through pains your body is signalling to you.  Plus, seeking preventative bodywork can prevent you from putting a halt to these activities you enjoy so much during the summer months...the good outdoor weather is here only a short time. Don't spend it recuperating from a body ache or injury you could have prevented with preventative routine bodywork.


Enjoy your summer!
Bonnie

Massage Newbie? What to Expect at Your First Session

So...you have never had a massage.  You have read about the benefits of massage, and have heard friends and family talk about how great they feel after their sessions, and even know people that go for regular sessions just like they regularly schedule a hair cut.  Why haven't you scheduled your first massage?

I get it.  I was this person at one time...the person who isn't sure what to expect when you schedule a massage appointment for the first time.  I received a massage gift certificate many, many years ago.  While I was appreciative, I didn't know what to do next.  I didn't know what to wear to my appointment...regular clothes, sweat pants, yoga clothes?  When do I get under the sheets?  How much of my body will be exposed during the session?  What is this person (the massage therapist) going to do to me while I lie on a massage table?  What happens if I fall asleep?

While every massage therapist is different, there are a few basics that I'd like to share to dispel the mysteries of what happens in my massage practice.

My process begins with the new client making an appointment over the phone or by scheduling their appointment online.  A 60 minute session is a good place to start for a newbie.  I offer sessions that are 30, 60, 90, or 120 minutes in length. 

When you arrive for your session, I will greet you and walk with you into the treatment room.  The treatment room is pretty simple...a heated massage table (which is wonderful on a chilly day!), a client chair, hooks for your clothes, my desk/stool, a bookcase, and a laundry hamper.  There will be soft music playing throughout the session.

Once in the treatment room, we will discuss issues you may have that massage can help with (back pain, tension, shoulder pain, headache, etc.).  After we have a discussion about what may be bothering you, I will conduct an assessment to see how your body is aligned...Are your shoulders even when you stand up?  Do have have flat arches in your feet?  Is your head tilted more to one side?  Etc.

You will be asked to complete a written confidential health intake form so that I can identify additional areas that I need to pay attention to.  At times, there are questions on the intake form that trigger some additional conversations (i.e. a sprained ankle you had years ago).

At this point, I will briefly explain the plan of action during your massage.  For some sessions, the massage will be a full body relaxing massage.  Other sessions, I may be focused on one or more areas that may be bothering you (your low back).

I will step out of the room to give you a few minutes to undress to your level of comfort and rest comfortably laying on the massage table, completely under the sheets and blanket (well...everything is under the sheets except your face!).  What exactly is "your level of comfort"?  It is exactly as it sounds.  Wear whatever you are comfortable in.  During the session you will be completely covered with the sheet and blanket, and uncovered only when an area is being worked.  For example, your leg will only be uncovered when I am working on that leg.  Many clients don't wear anything (that allows me to do some glides directly on the skin to relieve tightness in your muscles), where others feel most comfortable wearing shorts/underwear. Some wear socks because their feet are cold.  I can work over most clothing, and even work over the sheet in some cases.  It's also best to remove necklaces, bracelets and large earrings as they can get in the way if I'm working the upper back, neck and wrist areas.

When I step out of the room, I will make a few notes on our conversation and what I observed during the visual assessment.  I will wash my hands and knock gently on the treatment door before I return.

The next 60 minutes are now yours to completely relax.  In my sessions, you will receive a full 60 minutes of table time when you book a 60 minute massage (Note: Other therapists may provide only 45 or 50 minutes for their 60 minute sessions).

Don't worry about keeping a conversation going during the session...you'll get more out of the session if you are listening to your body relax during the session.  You should feel your breathing slow down and deepen as your body moves from a tense, sympathetic state to one of relaxation.  Many of my clients fall asleep or get very close to that state during their session. 

The only requirement I have during your session is that you speak up if there is ANYTHING you don't like during your session.  If the pressure I'm using on your tight quadriceps is too much, let me know.  If the pressure is too little, let me know that, too.  I can also adjust the temperature and music if not to your satisfaction.  This is your session, so be sure to speak up if you have any questions or concerns.  Don't wait until the session is over...please mention any concerns you may have during your session so it can be addressed.

I will let you know when the session is over and that I am leaving the room.  You may feel somewhat lethargic when you attempt to get up off the table.  Take your time getting up off the table. I often suggest clients sit for a few minutes on the table before getting to their feet.  Once you are dressed, open the treatment room door and I'll be waiting directly outside.  I will ask for feedback as to how you are feeling, and provide you with information that may help you continue to extend the benefits of the massage session.  

I look forward to working with you soon!  Please post any questions or comment you may have.  If you'd like to schedule an appointment with me, please click here to see my availability.

Thank you,
- Bonnie
Align Body - Relieve Pain - Improve Wellness - Enhance Performance

Impressive Warm Up Routine for Packers vs. 49ers game

Well...anyone who knows me knows that I bleed green and gold.  Tonight's game, the classic Packers-Bears rivalry, is only a few hours away.  I sure hope "my team" (Hey, they are my team.  I've got a framed Packers stock certificate hanging on the wall at home!) plays well tonight and gives us our first W of the season. 

Last Sunday, I was at the season opener of the Packers vs. 49ers at Lambeau Field.  I was inside Lambeau early enough to catch the players warming up.  What impressed me (and disappointed me as a Packer fan) was the deliberate and well executed warm ups from the 49ers.  Not knowing one 49ers player from another, I don't have any names to share with you.  They were wearing shirts and sweats without their names or numbers on them.

There were foam rollers that many 49er players were using to roll out their quadriceps, ITB (aka iliotibial band), adductors and backs.  This is a great way to warm up the fascia and get the muscles ready for deeper stretching and work (or the game in this case).

Another pre-game warm up some of the players did was AIS (Active Isolated Stretching) for their hamstrings, adductors and quads.  Some of them were performing the AIS with assistants and others were doing it on their own.  I have a poor video below (I never said I was a camera man!) of one player stretching his adductors after he finished with his hamstrings, and another is being assisted as they begin AIS for the quadriceps.

I was truly impressed with the concentrated effort of the 49ers during warm up.  Not only were they doing techniques I often suggest my my clients do, but they were focused and intent on the delivery of their warm up exercises.  There was a precision in their movements.  When I compared their warm up to the Packer's warm up, I knew we'd be in for a tough game.  Unfortunately, I saw the Packers just going through motions in their warm ups.

I sure hope that my team performs better tonight in the pre-game preparation and the game itself.  Starting out the year 0-2 will not sit well with Packer Nation or in my house!

GO PACK GO!

Have you had your Vitamin F today?

Not one of my normal posts, but good info!  I receive many requests to forward on emails of various types. While not accustomed to doing so on a regular basis, I thought you would benefit from this particular “forward” I received from a friend of mine today. I hope you enjoy it!

Why do we have a variety of friends who are all so different in character? How do we get along with them all? I think that each one helps to bring out a “different” part of us.

We joke with one friend.

We sit down and talk about serious matters with one.

With another, we laugh a lot.

We may have a coffee with one.

We listen to one friend’s problems.

Then we listen to another one’s advice for us.

Our friends are all like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

When completed, they form a treasure box.  A treasure of friends!

There are friends who understand us better than we do, who support us through good days and bad days.

Real Age doctors tell us that friends are good for our health. Dr. Oz calls them Vitamin F (for Friends) and counts the benefits of friends as essential to our well being. Research shows that people in strong social circles have less risk of depression and terminal strokes.

If you enjoy Vitamins F constantly, you can be up to 30 years younger than your real age. The warmth of friendship stops stress and even in your most intense moments, it decreases the chance of a cardiac arrest or stroke by 50%.

Make an effort to keep a stock of Vitamin F!

In summary, we should value our friends and keep in touch with them. We should try to see the funny side of things and laugh together, and pray for each other in the tough moments.

Thank you for being one of my Vitamins!

Regular Massage? How Often is Beneficial for Me?

Happy New Year! As we reflect on what we accomplished in 2011, it’s a great time of year to plan for where we want to go in 2012. What are your goals? Your dreams? Are you going to reach for the stars this year? Do you want more time with the family, to gain more productivity or success at work, or are you selecting the ever popular “lose weight” resolution?

Whatever your resolution is (or isn’t for those who don’t make them or stick to them!), one of the most important things in life is your health. When you’re sick or in pain, everything in your life suffers…your relationships with family/friends may suffer because you feel awful (you can’t keep up with them on the tennis court with a sore hip), or you may have to stay home from work when your back decides to go out which may cause your success to be less than productive.

If you want to take care of yourself and your health in 2012, consider regular massage. What exactly does “regular massage” mean? People often ask me how often they should get massage. There is no one-size fits all when it comes to massage frequency. “Regular” massage can be a different frequency for everyone, and it can vary over time for a person. The frequency of how often you should get in for massage or bodywork depends on your body, how you respond to bodywork and how active you are.

Rehab an Injury
If you are trying to recover from an injury, the frequency may be more often for shorter amounts of time (e.g. 30 minute massage sessions 2 or 3 times per week). Once you have fully recovered from an injury, it’s a good idea to get on a preventative maintenance schedule to avoid future injuries.

Athletic Feats of Accomplishment
If you enjoy pushing your body to the edge with strenuous athletic activities, do repetitive activities (golf, weight lifting, even knitting!) or are training for an athletic event (marathon, century bike ride, etc.), you will find that weekly 60 or 90 minute massage sessions keep you performing at your peak. The therapist will work through tight muscles that have not had a chance to become problematic yet and you will be able to continue to train at a level that will help you attain your goal.

Preventative Maintenance
For the person who doesn’t want unforeseen musculoskeletal problems to arise in their lives (remember when your back when out after you stood up from that long car ride to visit relatives this past holiday season?), massage every 4 – 5 weeks is ideal. This frequency helps alleviate physical tightness, but it can also relieve stress of a hectic work schedule, holiday stress (good thing that is gone!), and improve the quality of your sleep. By moving the body into the parasympathetic state, our body shifts out of “fight-or-flight” mode and into “rest-and-digest” mode. Circulation improves, endorphins are released into the blood stream, and cortisol levels are decreased with regular massage. The benefits are numerous.

Many who work out and perform repetitive motion activities think that massage is only needed once you start feeling pain or there is an injury. In the long run, if you receive massage “regularly” (whatever that is for you), the benefits compound. You are less stressed out physically and mentally, you are able to continue working out/training athletically (which again reduces stress and keeps those excess pounds off), and may even cost you less than if you wait until you have an injury and have to come in for multiple sessions, take time off to go to see a Doctor/chiropractor, etc.. Plus, many therapists offer a reduced rate if you purchase more than one session. I offer package specials of 3, 5 and 10 sessions that have a price reduction the more sessions you purchase together.

Don’t you deserve to take care of yourself this year? Give yourself what your body ordered for 2012…relaxation for your mind, body and spirit. May 2012 be the year you hit that PR!

Stressing over the Fall Chill?

With the falling of the leaves comes the change of seasons! It also is time for a change for me and my business...I will be moving into my Eden Prairie location at 10360 West 70th St, Eden Prairie, MN 55344 exclusively, beginning on Nov 1st. I will continue to see clients in my St Louis Park location until Tues, Oct 25th.

Fall brings a change to the weather and also to people's spirits and attitudes. While it's been absolutely beautiful outside, it means that winter is on its way. I received an email this weekend talking about how the change into darker, colder days can mean that many people fall into feeling less energized, less motivated and even depressed. Now is the time to nip that attitude in the bud!

Massage helps relieve pain and eases tension. It also can help improve circulation, reduce stress and enhance your mood. Pamper yourself this fall (or give the gift of massage to someone you care about) by getting a massage. By stimulating the brain and the body, massage rids your body of distractions and helps you get in tune with both physical and emotional feelings, regenerating sapped power reserves to give you energy for the rest of the day.

So don't stress over the fall chill, but embrace the change and be sure to take time to care for yourself. Massage is a great way to take time for yourself and help minimize stress-related illnesses that can creep up this time of year. See how Frequent Massage Therapy Can Reduce the Dangers Of Stress. Having a massage puts the focus on you and the present, taking it from problems and the past or future.

Summer Activities

With the weather warming up, it's so nice to see people out and about enjoying the sunshine here in the Twin Cities. People are canoeing, kayaking, golfing, running, biking, etc. in the great weather! I'm sure I have overlooked the favorite activities of many out there, but you get the idea. Spring and summer are the seasons so many of us look forward to when we don't have to bundle ourselves up from head to toe! As someone who is from WI, but spent the last 7 years in Atlanta, I know I've missed the sun and warmth that an outdoor activity provides without wearing multiple layers!

How are your outdoor activities feeling this year? Is your golf game not what it should be? What about the times on your runs...not quite setting any PRs? Are your arms or back stiff from rowing in your canoe or kayak?

Routine massage/bodywork can keep you performing your best throughout the summer season. Athletes of all sports can benefit from routine bodywork to help recover from injuries, but it's better if you never get injured in the first place. Just think how much more fun you can have this summer if you don't have to stop participating in your sport of choice. See what others have to say about massage for athletes, and get out there to enjoy this beautiful weather!
http://ezinearticles.com/?Treating-Athletes-Using-Massage-Therapy&id=917719

- Bonnie

Align Body - Relieve Pain - Improve Wellness - Enhance Performance