One of the best preventative measures for back pain is to exercise regularly and keep your back and abdominal muscles strong.

Here’s a few pointers:

• Always stretch before any strenuous physical activity.  In fact it’s a good idea to engage in a regular stretching program like active isolated stretching every day.

• Don’t slouch when standing or sitting.

• Be sure you sit with good lumbar support.

• Switch sitting positions often and periodically walk around or gently stretch muscles to relieve tension.

• Don’t bend over without supporting your back

• Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.  Sorry ladies… no I’m not!

• Reduce any curve in your spine while sleeping, and always sleep on a firm surface.  Get a good mattress.  Think about what you spent on your car and how much time you are in it each day.  Now, when you consider that you spend around a third of your life on your mattress, it should be a good one… a really good one.

• Lift with your legs, keeping your back straight.

• Control your weight.

• If you smoke, give it up!  Smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and causes the spinal discs to degenerate.  It won’t worry the government.  They’ll find other ways to tax you.

Also, to keep your spine strong.   As with all bones, you need to get enough Vitamin D every day.

So what causes Back Pain?

Naturally, accidents and sports injuries can be the cause of the pain, but a number of other factors can contribute to back pain, including:

• Poor posture..

• Obesity..

• Poor physical conditioning like lack of exercise..

• Psychological or emotional stress..

• Internal disorders such as kidney stones, infections and blood clots..

• Osteoporosis (bone loss)..

Pain in the Back? Let’s look to the Front!

What a lot of  people fail to realise is that many times, the pain can actually originate from the opposite side of where it hurts.

Sitting for long periods can shorten the Iliopsoas muscles that connect from your lumbar region to the top of your Femur (just under the Greater Trochanter… the ball joint), at the front.)

When these muscles are shortened, it can cause severe pain when you stand up as they will effectively pull your lower back (lumbar) forward.  Many people end up going through drastic medical procedures to “fix” this type of pain, or end up taking big mobs pain killers for extended periods of time, when in fact it can be easily remedied by massaging the Iliopsoas muscle to affect a release.

This type of massage should ONLY be done by a qualified massage therapist.  Why?   Because your Vena Cava… a large thick vein is nearby.  This massage technique is a deep one, but should be done gently.   If you are talking to a therapist about back pain, ask first if he or she is familiar with a Psoas Release. (Pronounced ’so-as’)

You can also use mild stretching to counteract the shortening of your Iliopsoas, especially if you sit for long periods of time every day.

Likewise, having firm abdominal muscles not only holds your gut in, they also stabilise your spine, vertebrae and discs.  Many people completely eliminate their back pain simply by developing stronger abdominal muscles.  Some even wind up with a bonus six pack!

If Back Pain is a problem to you… consider natural, drug free, non-surgical remedies for this common problem.  Make a call today… arrange an appointment and experience the many benefits that Remedial Massage has to offer.

It’s a time of joy, because giving birth to new creation blesses most women with an immense sense of purpose and fulfillment.  To me, the birth of a child is another miracle of God.  Nevertheless, while most women enjoy the bright side of being pregnant, mere men must acknowledge that every pregnant woman goes through her share of discomfort and anxiety, and being pregnant is possibly the most stressful time she will ever have.

The changes alone in a woman’s body are enormous.

A woman who has been pregnant previously would know just how hard it can be.  The first few weeks or months entails morning sickness and confusion.  During the forty weeks before the birth, she will have endured periods of back pain, neck pain, nausea, varicose veins, swelling of the feet and legs, anxiety, fatigue, forgetfulness and constant lethargy.  Her blood circulation is reduced and general movement is likely to be limited.

From a males point of view, all this is not much to look forward to.   However, the mums I know reckon it’s worth every second!

There are so many things ladies  give up during their pregnancy because their baby’s well-being is the centre of their focus.   Prenatal Massage helps a woman through what can be a both interesting and difficult time.  During this time, women rightly deserves to be indulged and comforted often (remember this, men), and Prenatal Massage will fit the bill for her.

Prenatal Massage soothes and relaxes the pregnant woman’s sore, overburdened and aching muscles.   The baby in the woman’s womb also benefits much in Prenatal Massage.  It improves health and well-being.  Prenatal Massage is said to promote a healthier and more comfortable environment for the unborn inside its mother’s body.

Does Prenatal Massage help?

Like any massage, Prenatal Massage loosens and relaxes the pregnant woman’s muscles while improving the blood circulation in her body.  Most importantly, Prenatal Massage helps to increase the flexibility of the pregnant woman’s body making her labor and subsequent delivery easier and less painful for her.

Some ladies can easily lie in their tummy up to the four month stage with no discomfort but after that, she is more comfortable in a special massage chair.
Some women even ask for their massage therapist to be present while they are in labor.  It is proven that mothers who have undergone Prenatal Massage during their pregnancy and in labor have an easier time of the birth.  Massage stimulates the body to release endorphins, which are natural pain-killers.

Benefits of Pre-natal Massage.

• Eases backaches, headaches, shoulder and neck aches that may be caused by muscle tension and shifts in posture to accommodate increasing weight.

• Helps reduce swelling in such places as hands and lower legs.

• Decreases pain in the pelvic/hip area.

• Increases blood circulation which provides more oxygen and nutrients to both mother and fetus and stimulates the lymph system, thereby increasing immunity and removal of toxins.

• Soothes and relaxes the nervous system by releasing endorphins into the mother’s body.  As a result, the expectant mother feels more relaxed and at-ease and will also sleep more easily and more deeply.

• Improves  and aids digestion.

• Reduces fatigue.

• Improves skin elasticity that can help reduce stretch marks.

• Can alleviate the stress on weight-bearing joints, like the knees, which take the extra weight of a growing baby.

• Promotes relaxation and deep breathing.

• Stabilises hormonal levels and helps relieve depression or anxiety caused by hormonal changes.

• Eases the load on the heart and helps keep the blood pressure in check

• Enhances the pliability of skin and underlying tissues

• Prepares the mother-to-be for an easier delivery with its sedating effect on the nervous system, promoting relaxation and stress relief.

• Offers a natural, safe, drug-free alternative choice for pain relief because taking medications are often limited during a pregnancy for the risk to the unborn child.

Pre-natal massage may not be recommended to expectant mothers with high blood pressure or diabetes.

All expectant mothers should check with their midwife or obstetrician prior to getting a massage.

It is important to share information about your condition and your preferences with your pregnancy massage therapist so that he can a render a massage suitable to your personal needs.

During labor, massage brings you closer to the midwife or whoever is caring for you.  Just being touched by someone who wants to help you can be very empowering when you’re coping with contractions and are perhaps tired and anxious.

In advanced labor, your husband can use the heel of his hand to massage firmly over the base of your spine. He will need to apply quite a lot of pressure to counteract any strong contractions. He can also use his thumbs to make circles over the dimples in your bum, but you need to tell him what feels best.

Don’t forget the Feet.

It’s also important to know if your therapist is aware of certain trigger points that are to be avoided.

There are women who say that they can’t tolerate having their feet touched, but enjoy a firm, rhythmical foot massage. The massage does need to be firm, using the flat of the hands rather than the fingers or thumbs.

Prenatal Massage is not suited to all expectant mothers.  Some may benefit from it, while others will not… in fact there are those who should refrain.  It is therefore important for a pregnant woman to ask her midwife or obstetrician if she can have Prenatal Massage and if it is going to be safe for her.

After the birth, massage is also helpful.  The massage is supposed to bring back balance back into the woman’s body, which has been through literal turmoil.  As well as helping the mother through possible depression afterwards, it helps improve the skins resilience, which has been stretched by pregnancy.

This brings back her muscle tone and helps get rid of her ‘mummy tummy’.

Trigger points are areas in a muscle that are sore and react to direct pressure, and are there to tell us that all is not well in that area.

There are two types of trigger points that include Active Trigger Points that cause muscular pain and cause “referred pain” to another area of the body when pressure is applied to them.

Then there are Latent Trigger Points that only hurt when pressure is applied.  They don’t refer pain to other areas.

Trigger Points are are also referred to as knots in the muscle and are quite common in people who lead active lives.

Trigger Points and Acupressure Points are different.

Acupressure points are blockages of the body’s energy pathways.

Trigger points are physical and an experienced therapist can feel them.

Western medicine is only beginning to understand the effects of active points stimulation.  It’s believed that stimulation of active points leads to an increase in the release of Endorphin, a natural body painkiller and muscle relaxant.

It’s possible that pain caused by Trigger Point activity may be the biggest cause of lost time in the workplace.

What do we do with them?
Trigger Point Therapy is a technique where a therapist uses direct pressure to sore muscle tissue to relieve pain in the body.  Massage and Trigger Point therapy are often performed together.

The purpose of trigger point therapy is to eliminate pain which enables us to get the muscles back to where they are supposed to be without it hurting so much.
Therapist locate and deactivate them using direct finger pressure.

Generally, muscles don’t like being moved to where they are supposed to be when they were content to be some place else.  When worked on, they probably will let you know it for a day or two, and if it took a while for the muscle into that fatigued condition, it will likely take more than one massage to make it behave.

However, when the pain is reduced, your range of motion will be enhanced, tensions eased, and your circulatory system cops a boost as well.

If you’re experiencing muscular aches and pains, call today and arrange an appointment for a Remedial Massage.  We’ll have you feeling better in no time.

If you’ve been trying to find the best massage tool to relieve your tired body of its aches, pains and stress… forget it… give it a miss.

All of those different massage balls, electric massager chairs and other hand held tools that claim to make you feel good  are absolutely nothing in comparison to a good old fashioned “hands on” massage where a therapist can feel your muscles and know what to do with them.

People think these massage gadgets, which can include exotic chairs worth thousands of dollars are great, but they can never match the motions and feelings that you will receive if you are getting a “hands on” massage from a qualified and experienced therapist.

Put simply, there is no tool or machine that can do what a human hand can do on your body during a real massage.

Another great reason why you should get a “hands on” massage instead of the current massage tool that you are using is because a proper massage can get all of those places that relax you instead of just giving you a bit of a rattle.

It’s possible to use your home massager and find a spot that allows your muscle to feel nice and relaxed.  It may work for a little while, but eventually you realise that the tool is really not really doing much for you at all.

Massage involves various pressures and a variety of techniques such as kneading, effleurage, cupping, hacking and stroking… and you won’t find a chair that can do all that.

A “hands on” massage from a skilled therapist will have lasting effects and you will feel the results for days.

A massage conducted by a qualified and experienced massage therapist will be able to loosen you up in ways you could never imagine.

Experienced therapists know all of the tender, “ooh-aah” spots on your body… places you probably didn’t know know existed.  Do yourself a favor and arrange  a real massage today.

They provide support when we are standing, which can be a big ask if one is overweight or has been standing still for extended periods.  Walking or running, the first to feel the impact of the contact between the ground and our bodies… are our feet.

Ladies are prone to stressing out their feet more because of the fashionable but questionable desire to wear high heels.

Your feet are the most used, abused, re-used and most neglected parts of our bodies.

Although the machines that massage feet are becoming popular, there is no replacement for the real deal, and what the genuine human touch of a persons hands can achieve.

We keep our feet confined in shoes and socks or stockings for most of the day.  No wonder our feet hurt so much at the end of the day, but a good foot massage can be an exhilarating experience.

Practitioners of alternative medicine say that the nerve endings on the foot correspond to a specific organ of the body, and so massaging certain areas of the foot is like massaging that particular organ to which it is linked.

Be kind to someone close to you and give them the gift of a foot massage.

And men…  Pay attention and you’ll reap rewards!

If you send your wife for a foot massage…  you get her to pay attention to how it’s done and she can do it for  you.

It’s just a thought… but you never know.

Best of luck!

There’s a French meaning for the word that they took from the Arabic word, “massa” which comes from the same Latin word that means “mass or dough”.
However, the oldest known origin of the English word “massage” comes from the Biblical Hebrew word “me-sakj” which means “to anoint with oil.”

Massage Therapy is known to promote health and well-being and is probably the oldest healing discipline known to man.

Therapeutic Massage promotes healing to tired and aching muscles and gives relief to aching joints, and it’s good for you!

Having said that… there’s a saying in our Armed Forces that proclaims “Pain is just weakness leaving the Body”.

I disagree!

Tight and aching muscles not only cause pain but can make you feel lethargic, lose energy, productivity and sometimes can have a major affect on your lifestyle and family life.

Pain is there to tell you something.  It’s telling you that something is nor right and something should be done about it.  Fortunately, many of our lads and girls in uniform who cross my table realise this, and address the problem before it becomes too debilitating.  It’s not a sign of weakness.  It’s showing the sense to do something positive to address a potential problem and actually improve their stamina at the same time.

In my clinic, patients mark a chart showing where pain exists.  Quite often, I’ll suggest they place an ‘x’ on the calves.  The response is often “Oh, they’re alright”, but when I start to work on them, it’s a different matter.  It’s amazing just how many Trigger Points I find and often hear “Where in the world did they come from?”

Usually, pain in the body is a manifestation of a problem somewhere else.

Tight hip flexor muscles across the front of the hips or weak abdominal muscles often are a significant contributor to lower back pain. Muscle tightness in the chest often leads to pain in the neck, shoulders and mid back.

One joint hip flexor muscles (ie the Iliopsoas group) goes from the side of the spine from mid to lower back and down across the front of the hips to the top of the legs.  When they are tight, they tilt the hips forward, which causes the smaller muscles in the lower back (from the top of the hips to the spine) to also tighten by default.  This is where you feel sore.

Think about the sore lower back you get after driving or sitting at a desk for several hours without a break.

When you get up to stretch, you generally lean backwards, not forwards.  In other words, you stretch your hip flexor muscles… across the front of your hips… to make your back feel better.

If the spine is too rigid from tight muscles, then the muscles moving the shoulder blades need to work harder and can fatigue or become sore.

Pain in your back, shoulders or knees is usually due to tight or strained muscles in those areas but, in fact, it is often the hip flexors that have caused those muscles to be tight in the first place.

There are times though, when the pain is simply because muscles have been pushed to their limits and are making you pay.

If you regularly endure headaches – muscle contraction, tension or migraine – there’s a strong chance tight muscles other than just those in your neck and shoulders are a contributing factor.

Therapeutic massage improves functioning of the circulatory, lymphatic, muscular, skeletal, and nervous systems and may improve the rate at which the body recovers from injury and illness.

If you’ve never tried massage, you don’t know what you’ve been missing.  Give me a call and arrange an appointment  for some annointment… today.

As with any massage, the patient will remove most of their clothing and lie on a massage table, with some sort of drape over the body. Usually a relaxation massage can be modified and tailored to your specific desires. The massage takes place in a quiet, comforting environment, with soft relaxing music playing in the background.  Some people bring their own CDs.

The therapist applies gentle to medium pressure to the body with the hands, gently manipulating the tissue, and encourage relaxation.

This is not a Deep Tissue or Remedial massage.

It is not designed for working the deeper muscles of the body, but just a gentle kneading and rubbing of the outer layers of the body tissue. It will cover a wide range of areas on the body including the back, shoulders, chest, legs, arms and neck.

Sometimes there is the option of adding some Aromatherapy treatment to your massage therapy.  Aromatherapy oils such as Lavender, can enhance the experience of the massage and allow for greater relaxation. Unscented oil is also an option.

The oil gives a more slippery skin surface for the therapist to work with, which means the hands glide easily with no pulling of the skin. During the massage, the patient can relax and quietly meditate, or they can chat with the therapist.  The time is theirs, and as I said, the session can be personalised to suit the individual.

Many live their demanding lives day to day without taking any time out just for themselves. Everyone deserves time out moment of relaxation and a soothing hour of pampering is just right for that.

This massage will relax your mind and your body… It’s ‘time out’ from the daily stress of your life. The length of the massage will depend on how long you would like it to last. You can have an hour, an hour and a half, or two hours if you wish.

A Relaxation Massage is a smooth, gentle style of massage, and will improve circulation, tone, range of movement, ease minor muscle pain, and promote wellness and relaxation.

Stressed?..  Tired?.. Been burning the candle at both ends?..  Maybe it’s about time you made the call and pampered yourself with a Relaxation Massage!

When we can’t walk or stand because of feet or knee problems, we soon realise how much we take our limbs for granted in our day to day activities.

Despite the fact that arthritis or injury like torn ligaments or tendons are common complaints that cause the loss of mobility, often it is simply a collection of muscular problems causing pain in these areas.

Remedial massage can usually play a major role in either healing or significantly alleviating these problems.

For successful treatment, however, it is important… as in most cases of remedial massage… to consider the overall picture and look at all the muscles affecting the movement of the hips, thighs, knees, legs, ankles and feet, because they are all closely interconnected.

Remember the little ditty that goes something like “The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone’s connected to the leg bone’s connected to the knee bone….” was spot on.

Major leg muscles like Hamstrings, Quadriceps and “Calves” are fairly well known, but there are plenty of others with names names not so common, and their actions also play an important role in movement and stability of the legs and feet, and therefore, the entire body.

It is the feet, ankle and knee joints which support the entire weight of the body. Problems with these areas will cause “flow on” effects throughout body as a whole.

Which muscles to massage.

Starting from the top of the hips, here’s some movement muscles which, in most cases, should be massaged to effectively treat leg, knee or feet problems:

· One joint hip flexor (Iliopsoas) muscles:

From the side of the spine from about mid-back, it passes across the front of the hips to the top of the femur (thigh bone). When the hip flexor muscle on one side of the body pulls tighter than the other, it tilts the hip laterally (upwards) on that side, causing imbalances in most leg muscles. (If there is problems in the lower back, this should always be treated.)

One leg will hang slightly in adduction, the other in abduction, though this may not be evident to the untrained eye.

· Buttocks muscles:

Mainly the Gluteus Maximus, Medius and Minimus and Piriformis muscles, and play a key role in medially and laterally rotating the thigh (turning the leg inwards and outwards) and extending the hip. Problems with these will turn the knee and feet away from their proper alignment, also creating imbalances in leg muscles and exerting unequal forces on the knee joint and feet, in particular the arches.

· Two-joint hip flexor muscles (Tensor Fascia Latae/Iliotibial Band – ITB, Rectus Femoris (main Quadriceps muscle) and Sartorious:

These muscles get their “two joint” name because they go both across the hip joint and the knee joint.

· All the muscles of the thigh and lower leg, some of which go across the knee joint.

It is important to remember most of the muscles that go right to the tips of the toes extend up to just below the knees. So when trying to massage out a foot or ankle problem, it is important to follow the muscles right up to the knees.

· Feet Arches.

Last, but certainly not least, are the feet arches:
Flat feet will cause the legs to medially rotate (turn inwards) at the knees. High-arched feet will cause the legs to laterally (turn outwards) – again causing imbalances in the knees.

If you are being treated for leg, knee, ankle or feet aches and pains which you consider to be related to muscle imbalances (rather than to specific injury) and your practitioner does not include all the above factors, ask why.

Injuries like muscle tears and strains, post-operative recovery procedures, arthritis and gout however, will require more specific or specialised treatments.

Some people put up with leg or other problems for years assuming nothing can really be done when they may simply be related to a combination of tight muscles and easily treated by looking at the “big picture.”

With any massage however, it’s advisable to wear comfortable underwear that’s not too tight.

You’ve probably never given it a thought, but the answer may seem as obvious as breathing in and out.  But except for those rare occasions when we consciously regulate our breathing pattern, we do not decide when to inhale and when to exhale.  And even when we do this “controlled breathing,” it is not just sucking in air, and blowing it out, that gets air down the windpipe into our lungs and out again.

The main work of inhaling and exhaling is done by the contraction and relaxation of our big muscle immediately below the lungs and which marks the “floor” of the chest or thoracic cavity and the “ceiling” of the abdominal cavity.

This muscle is the Diaphragm.

It is the Diaphragm action that causes the lungs to expand and fill with fresh air, then partially collapses to expel used gases.  The muscles and tendons of the Diaphragm are attached to the spinal column at the back, at the front to the breastbone (sternum), and at the lower sides to the lower ribs.

The diaphragm contracts and relaxes as instructed by the brain.   Instructions  are delivered by the nervous system.  When the brain sends a signal to the breathing muscles to contract, the diaphragm is pulled downward, making the space filled by the lungs bigger.  This creates a partial vacuum, and air rushes in and fills the lungs.  When the diaphragm relaxes, the lung space is reduced, and air is expelled.

The diaphragm is an involuntary muscle.   Thankfully, like the heart, it keeps going 24/7 !…  and no…  you can’t kill yourself by holding your breath.

Other Breathing Muscles:

The Diaphragm muscle’s main role in breathing is supported by several other muscles that play minor parts.  These include the Intercostal muscles between the ribs that give the rib cage a slight push upward and outward, enlarging the thoracic cavity, and the Serratus muscles, which are mainly along the ribs, to which other muscles are attached also.

Primary inspiratory muscles include the external intercostals and diaphragm while the main expiratory muscles are the Internal Intercostals, Rectus Abdominus (“abs”), and External and Internal Obliques.

Assisting the inspiratory muscles are the Sternocleidomastoid and Scalenes in the neck, Pectoralis Major and Minor (“pecs”) in the chest, and Serratus Anterior and Latissimus Dorsi (“lats”) in the side of the torso.

Helping us to breathe out is the Serratus Posterior as well as the Quadratus Lumborum and Iliocostalis Lumborum in the back.

These muscles are used in any gym or training session and can often become very tight without you realising it.

Many respiratory muscles also act as “postural” muscles” designed to hold your body erect against gravity and hold a contraction for a long time without fatiguing or feeling sore.  But while there may be no pain, these muscles may still be too tight and affect other muscles.

Proper use of the respiratory muscles is only possible with good posture.  If there is a tendency to shrink forward, it is not possible to completely fill the lungs with fresh air.  If the lower back tends to curve inwards, it is not possible to effectively empty the lungs of air.

When postural problems limit trunk (spinal) rotation and side-bending, both inspiration and expiration become restricted also.

Remedial massage can play an important in helping you breathe easier and feel much better overall by releasing and stretching tight muscles all through the body?  That sharp pain felt in the chest or upper back during deep respiration is due to tension in the deep muscles of the back.

Deep tissue massage will help.

Relaxation, both mental and physical, brings about a decrease in oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles and more compliance of the chest wall.  Massage and practicing a pattern of deep breaths and sighing can reduce the work of breathing and help relax a person having difficulty breathing.  When you breathe easier, you will also sleep easier and more soundly.

Make an appointment today and try a massage which includes all the breathing muscles and see how much better you feel.

If so, do you also spend adequate time stretching the muscles you specifically exercise?

The answer should be a definite “yes.”

But whether you’re a fitness fanatic, an armchair sportsman, or if normal day to day activity is your only exercise, there are some muscles you work hard regularly but rarely or never stretch.

Can you name two of the most heavily exercised but most taken for granted and under-stretched muscles in the body?

Pecs and Hip Flexors:

Ten points if you said Pecs (Pectoralis Major and Minor – in the chest) which draw the arms around to the front, and Hip Flexors (mainly Iliopsoas group – across the front of the hips) which lift the legs.

What singles out these muscles for special mention is that for long periods of each normal day they are being used (contracted) and exercised.

But most people are unaware this is even happening.

Whenever you sit down – for example, at your work desk for most of the day, watching TV or driving a vehicle – the hip flexor muscles stay contracted.

Similarly, every time you work with your arms  to your front – like at a desk or computer, peeling prawns over the sink, laying paving blocks, hammering nails, serving at a counter, etc – your Pec muscles (also known as shoulder medial rotators) are contracted and being exercised.

But even most serious fitness enthusiasts, who would never dream of exercising a  muscle group without also stretching it, ever think about stretching these particular muscles for their routine daily activities.

Now, with all the above in mind, how many of you ever get sore or tight in the lower back, or in the back of the neck and shoulders? (If you answer “no,” you’re definitely in the minority).

Back Pain from the Front:

It may surprise you to know that apart from cases of specific injury or slipped disc, etc., lower back pain or tightness can usually be attributed to tight hip flexor muscles in the front.

Similarly, tight front Pec and other shoulder medial rotators are generally responsible for muscular aches and pains in the back of the neck, shoulders and between the shoulder blades.

One joint hip flexor (Iliopsoas group) muscles go from the side of the spine from mid to lower back and down across the front of the hips to the top of the legs. When they are tight, they tilt the hips forward, which causes the smaller muscles in the lower back (from the top of the hips to the spine) to also tighten by default. This is where you feel sore.

Think about the sore lower back you get after driving or sitting at a desk for several hours without a break.

When you get up to stretch, you generally lean backwards, not forwards. In other words, you stretch your hip flexor muscles – across the front of your hips – to make your back feel better.

• When Pec muscles are tight, they make the shoulders rounded and pull the cervical spine and head forward.

• For the eyes to focus ahead rather than down, muscles in the back of the neck and shoulder area are forced to tighten to pivot the head back and upward on top of the neck.

What this all means is pain in the lower back and shoulder areas is often just a symptom – not the main cause of the pain, which is often in the front of the body.

As unlikely as it sounds, it may be that releasing tight hip flexors in the front is also needed to help alleviate pain between the shoulder blades at the back.

It could be that a tight hip flexor on one side raises one hip higher than the other. This in turn tightens muscles on one side of the spine in the lower back, which in turn pull on other spinal muscles up between the shoulder blades on that side.

Unfortunately, for time, cost and other reasons, many health professionals focus on only treating the SYMPTOM, not the CAUSE, in the case of muscular aches and pains.

Take the Time:
However, most qualified and experienced remedial massage therapists are prepared to take the time to not only relieve the symptom, but also try to determine and remove the main cause or contributing factors.

Remedial Massage and stretching can alleviate or heal most muscular aches and pains, as well as have many other benefits.

If you’re experiencing muscular pain in your body, make an appointment today.  You’ll be surprised at the difference a Remedial Massage can make.