Leg cramps can hit anyone – ask Bill Engvall. He mentioned that he had suffered through leg cramps in both legs while on Dancing with the Stars last night. Feeding the muscles with foods rich in potassium, staying hydrated, massage therapy and stretching will help in keeping the cramps at bay. Good Luck, Bill!
As you go through your day, some things you do just out of routine, some just to cope with getting through the day, and others just out of bad habit. If you stand with one knee locked, you just may be a Hipster for all the wrong reasons.
If you are standing to one side, you are having half your body doing all the work of holding you up.
For the most part, your hips are there to help balance the body. (Could you imagine just having one hip?) When the pelvis is tilted to one side or the other, muscles on the opposite side are compressed into a smaller space. It’s the same as you doing the job of everyone on your team, while they are doing nothing at all. You see your team mates, and you are ticked off. That’s what it’s like when you rest your weight to one side of the body, and the other side is just there. Over time, the lower back begins to ache, stiffen, then become a real pain in the butt.
Well, how would you feel? Half of your body is doing all the work of holding you up, and the other muscles are not doing their job; you’d get irritated, too! Your lower back will all of a sudden look like a pouty 4-year old, arms crossed. “I’m not gonna work for you anymore!”, It is saying to you. Your backside doesn’t know what to do, so it just clenches to contribute to the job of holding you up. You begin to feel an ache in your backside that doesn’t want to seem to go away.
One great way to help get rid of a knot is to take a tennis ball and put it in a trouser sock (a clean one, preferably), place it near the knot, then massage the ball over the knot. The sock will help you place it where it’s needed, since it won’t just stay on the wall. Foam rollers work great over wide areas of muscle. You can sit on it, and apply pressure to your preference over the roller.
If you slightly bend your knees, not a full bend (you don’t want to look like the last kid picked for dodgeball), and hold your core stomach muscles, then all your muscles will help you hold you up. Now they are going to pitch a fit; they haven’t worked in a while, so they have to get back in the habit of doing their job. Don’t let them off the hook, get in the habit of standing straight. It takes 21 days to create a habit, so just be aware of how you are carrying yourself. Once you get into the habit, you will definitely feel a difference.
Ever wonder why your shoulders and neck hurt so much? The muscles in steady use or overuse get trigger points, that refer pain to other locations. Sitting at your desk, leaning into your tablet or smartphone, getting into an accident and playing an instrument are among the causes for neck and head pain. The Xs in the photo are the trigger points, the blue areas are where the pain is referred. Take a break 2-3 times an hour to stretch, and give those muscles a rest. If the issues persist, a massage may be a great way to relieve the trigger points! Make sure if the area is sore, and you do get a massage, let the therapist know if the pressure is too much; they can always adapt to help you feel better. (Photo source: Real Bodywork app)
I haven’t had one in ages. The last time I had a full blown panic attack was over 12 years ago, when I was lost in Seattle, and I couldn’t remember where we parked after the Seafair parade. It was absolutely debilitating, and I just couldn’t function. I had my daughter with me, and I must have scared her half to death.
I’ve since learned how to recognize what a panic attack ‘looks like’ for me, and to know how to combat the feeling before it gets out of hand. But this one, I didn’t see coming. I wasn’t looking for it, and it didn’t come on suddenly. It was one of those slow-to-boil panic attacks, very much like how one would put a lobster into a cool pot of water, and then turn up the heat.
Yesterday, I just couldn’t seem to get motivated to leave the house. I made all the tasks that I had to do be inside, and near my desk. I had calls to make, but yet, didn’t make them. I had family commitments to attend to, but didn’t go to them. I have several events the rest of this month I have to attend/run/work at, so it wasn’t an opportune time to ‘take a break’ from life. I got what I had to do in the house done, but not much else.
As the day progressed, I started to understand what was going on. I get on Facebook, and I start to see the 9/11 pictures go up on statuses and pages. I didn’t realize the date until last night that 12 years ago, we were in NY, visiting friends and family, quite by surprise (for them – we lived on the West coast, and moved back East a few days before), and we were on our way back home to Massachusetts. I was home by the time the second plane hit the tower after sending my then boyfriend to work, and daughter off to school. I remember being in the Towers 10 years before, on a date, pressing my head against the glass to look down, recalling how, even that far up, that ice crystals change over to rain, before they hit the ground. The hyperventilating began, and my heart began to race. Tears rolled down my face as I sat on the couch, just frozen to the spot, hands firmly stuck under my legs.
I had to tell myself that these events are two separate incidents, and it’s OK to be upset, but it’s not OK to stay upset. I shook myself, to bring me to the present. All I could do is sit and just be aware that it’s 2013, not 2011. I’m not in Massachusetts, by myself, glued to the TV. I closed my eyes, pried my hands away from my legs, and placed my right hand over my rapidly beating heart, and the left one over my stomach. Take a deep breath, I repeated to myself. As I got more and more calm, and aware of my surroundings, I got up and shook that mess (for the lack of a better word) off. I realize that it isn’t as easy for those who actually lost friends, family and colleagues, but sitting in that space of fear and despair wasn’t going to serve me today. What I need to do today is serve others.
As I sit here, finishing this post. I feel much better. I have clients to serve, and will shift my focus on how to help, as opposed to feeling helpless. Now that I know what was going on, and how I can do better, I think this 9/11 will be better for me than the last 12.
I’ve been asked by many people why I like to do Chair Massage over Table Massage. As often as I’ve answered this question, I hadn’t answered with the same singular answer. Here are a few of the reasons that I’ve given –
1- It’s a non-invasive way of getting people to enjoy a massage without taking off all of one’s clothes. You get pampered, fall asleep and feel better all in one session. It is the most fun you can have while your clothes are on.
One of the biggest fears of people have about getting a Chair Massage.
2- I enjoy the traveling of it all. I used to work in a spa, and as much as I liked it, I didn’t get to travel. I was new to the area, and I didn’t get to see but for what in the area of the spa and home. Being able to travel gets me out of my comfort zone and I see more of Atlanta and the surrounding area.
3- It takes the excuse of ‘I don’t have time to take care of myself‘ out of the equation. If I come to you, you are able to de-stress and not have to travel to the spa to do it. Not only have I done massages in the office, I’ve done chair massages at several networking events, launch parties, airports, hospitals, parks, garages (yes, garages – Outdoor event in Atlantic Station – it rained cats and dogs!) and stadiums.
4 – It allows you to get together with your friends and have a great time! When you get together, it adds another level of care to your event. During the weekend, especially during football season, if you aren’t into the game as much as your partner is, you both can have a good time – you are getting a massage and relaxing with your friends; your partner is watching the football game. Everyone comes out a winner (unless your team loses!)
5 – It gets what you need done in a short period of time. Don’t have time for a full body massage, but your neck and back hurt? Get in the chair and take a 15 minute vacation! You’ll wake up refreshed and revived.
6 – It helps you to understand why your body aches the way it does. I try to explain your knots in layman’s terms, so that you are able to do self-care, between your massage sessions.
7- I get to go to the AmericasMart at least twice a year. Store owners and buyers come in from all over the world to buy products for the upcoming season for their stores. It combines my loves – seeing new people, food, shopping and massage.
What questions do you have for me in regards to massage therapy? I’ll do my best to answer any questions you send my way!
