Stretching
A few weeks ago, I wrote a little bit about knots and how they are formed (have a read if you missed it). Today I’m following up with one vital step that all my clients should try to do at home, to help ease knots, tension, bad posture, stress and increase circulation all over the body. That is Stretching!
Stretching is often overlooked because the results are not immediately visible, but they play a key role in improving your well-being. Here are 12 reasons you should start stretching today;

· Encourages an optimistic outlook
· Fortifies posture
· Enables flexibility
· Increases stamina
· Decreases risk of injury
· Improve energy levels
· Promotes blood circulation
· Improve athletic performance
· Reduces soreness, tension and knots
· Reduces cholesterol and toxins
· Terrific for Your Thoracic Spine
· Better Balance

To reap the benefits of stretching, you have to do it the right way. Hold the stretch at the first sensation of resistance. Imagine and feel the muscle tissue becoming suppler, hold each stretch for about 15-30 seconds, and aim for a program of daily stretches or at least three or four times per week.
Stretching once today won’t magically give you perfect flexibility. You’ll need to do it over time and remain committed to the process. It may have taken you many months to get tight muscles, so you’re not going to be perfectly flexible after one or two sessions, it takes weeks to months to get flexible, and you’ll have to continue working on it to maintain it.

I have provided a table of different stretches to get you started.

Happy Stretching!

Sasha

Over the next few weeks, I am going to cover some frequently asked questions that pop up during a massage treatment. Today I’m starting with Knots and tension in the muscles, otherwise known as Myofascial Trigger Points. Many of the activities and events that create knots are obvious such as falls, muscle strain and the infinite varieties of muscle use!

In today’s world, we find ourselves working at our computer, driving, holding our phones and books over your head while you lie down for prolonged periods of time, this causes low-level constant contraction of several muscles. A knot forms when a muscle or a group of muscles stays tensed and becomes painful. The size of a knot will vary depending on the number of muscle fibres involved.

Sometimes trigger points can be hard to subdue. After you seem to have successfully defeated them, you may find that they come right back. The apparent comfort and familiarity of a long-time habit can make you unaware of its effects on the muscles. It is wise to examine how you sit, stand, lift and work in order to find the ways in which you subject muscles to continuing tension and strain. Develop an awareness and take steps in improving these factors.

When Muscles and tendons become damaged or impaired, knotted and tense or immobile, remedial massage provides a healing treatment that can stimulate the blood supply allowing toxins in the muscles to be removed, calming the peripheral nervous system to ease pain and discomfort and helping to improve overall health of the cells, repairing tissue and easing stiffness and tension.

Sasha