My top five tips for relieving shoulder tension

1) Diaphragmatic breathing - this is great for relieving stress and makes sure you are using the diaphragm to breath and not over stressing the neck muscles.
Diaphragmatic breathing

2) Heat - a wheat bag is lovely to drape around the shoulders and really helps to soften the tissue and ease tension. Use for 20 minutes at a time.

3) Front and back crawl arms - stand nice and tall, drop your shoulders and do front crawl and then back crawl arms letting your body move at the waist as you circle your arms. Do a couple of minutes in each direction.

4) The door way stretch - this is a great way to open up the chest and helps the shoulders to relax.
The doorway stretch

5) Book a massage!!!

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome

What is it?
Compression of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel. The floor of the tunnel is formed by the carpal bones (just below the wrist crease) and the roof is formed by a dense fibrous band called the transverse carpal ligament. The median nerve and 9 tendons pass through the tunnel on their way to the hand and fingers.

Symptoms
Numbness, tingling and pain in the thumb, index and middle fingers. Symptoms are often worse at night if the wrists are in a bent position which decreases the amount of room in the carpal tunnel. Splints that keep the wrists straight are often prescribed.

Causes
Compression of the nerve generally occurs if the size of the tunnel decreases or the size of the contents increase. 

A decrease in the size of the tunnel happens when:

• a bony callus develops after a fracture of a carpal bone or the end of the radius
• there are lesions such as ganglia, lipomas or cysts
• bony changes have occurred owing to rheumatoid arthritis.

The size of the contents of the tunnel can increase with:

• repetitive actions of the wrist and hands such as chopping, cleaning and typing, leading to inflammation or adhesion between the tendons and their sheaths thereby increasing the size of the tendon sheath.
• thickening of the roof of the tunnel owing to scar tissue from repeated trauma.
• conditions such as diabetes, hypothyroidism, rheumatoid arthritis and pregnancy which can cause swelling, fluid retention or connective tissue degeneration.

Misdiagnoses

Median nerve entrapment is one of the most common upper extremity injuries. There are at least half a dozen sites between the neck and hand where the nerve can trap. This explains why traditional carpal tunnel treatments aren't always successful. The nerve may not be trapping in the carpal tunnel or it may be trapping there and at other sites as well, such as the thoracic outlet or between the two heads of the pronator teres muscle in the forearm.

Treatment

Traditional approaches:

• Work place ergonomics - wrist braces and supports, altered work schedules to mix activities etc. 
• reduction of offending activities (if you can work out what they are!)
• corticosteroid injections, anti-inflammatory drugs, diurectics if the cause is fluid retention.
• Night splints
• Surgery - an incision is made in the transverse carpal ligament to relieve the pressure

Massage therapy

A massage therapist can treat the entire path of the median nerve (not directly on the nerve) to make sure that any potential entrapment sites are completely released. This will involve soft tissue techniques on the neck, shoulder, chest, arm, forearm and hand. Relieving the tension from the muscles and other tissue helps to take the strain off the tendons in the tunnel. It will also address circulation which may be a contributory factor. Rather than purely focusing on the tunnel an holistic approach can be taken which is often much more effective; long lasting and addresses the cause of the entrapment. Self help techniques can then be given: self massage, stretching and strengthening which are an essential part of rehabilitation.

If you would like to book an appointment or just have a chat about this please phone me on 07894 630450.

ipad related pain - ipain I call it...

Take a tablet for neck pain?

The world seems to have gone tablet crazy - I think I've been a bit slow joining this particular party but now I've got one I absolutely love it. I have been known to watch TV on it in the lounge because I'm too lazy to get up and switch the television on...

However, I don't know about you but mine gives me a right pain in the neck after a while. The nature of tablets means that you probably aren't sat at a desk in a nice upright position with good posture when you're using them. Even with a case that creates a wedge to tilt the screen up, if its on your lap or a table you are having to bend you head downwards which puts a strain on your neck muscles.

Here are a few things you can do after a tablet session to help look after your neck:

Its important to have good posture when stretching so stand nice and tall and imagine a helium balloon attached to the top of your head pulling you upwards

• head retractions - move your head slowly but steadily backwards until it is pulled back as far as you can manage - keep you chin tucked down and in as you do this - this will make sure that you are looking straight ahead and not tilting the head up. Repeat 10 times.

•  Retract your head and gently bend your neck to one side - ear to shoulder - and keep it there for 30 seconds or as long as is comfortable. Repeat to the other side

• Gently drop chin to chest (clasp hands behind head and use weight of arms if you can without it hurting) hold for 30 seconds.

• Finish with another 10 head retractions

Remember stretches shouldn't hurt so if they do reduce the stretch or stop. If you are getting persistent neck and shoulder pain or headaches its always best to be assessed by your GP.
Anyway back to YouTube - they must be some more dancing border terriers I've missed...

Colchester pregnancy massage for pain relief and relaxation

I love massage. The power of touch is amazing; whether the massage therapist is focusing on providing relaxation and stress relief or getting to the root of a painful condition it's a fabulous way to treat the body.

Massage during and after pregnancy can be enormously beneficial. Current research (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870995/) found that pregnancy massage decreases depression, anxiety and leg and back pain. The study also found that women receiving massage therapy experienced significantly less pain during labour and their labours were on average 3 hours shorter with less need for medication.

Having a treatment can provide much needed time and space to focus on yourself and the baby. An hour of 'me time' can go a long way. My treatments are completely focused on the client's needs - whether for pain relief, increased mobility or relaxation. By using appropriate techniques to release trigger points and restrictions in muscles and connective tissue I can support people with conditions including:

• neck and shoulder pain
• carpal tunnel syndrome
• mid back and low back pain
• pelvic and sciatic pain
• swollen feet
• headaches and blocked sinuses

Lying down in a comfortable position for an hour may seem impossible. There are Specialist pregnancy tables with a cut out hole for the bump, but they can place more strain on the back and ligaments around the pelvis. I use a regular massage couch and clients are treated lying on their sides with as many cushions and bolsters as they need.

To read more about massage during pregnancy visit: http://www.massageworld.co.uk/articles/supporting-pregnancy-with-massage-therapy


Please ring me on 07894 630450 if you would like more information or to book a treatment. Or you can visit www.alicewebster.com where there's information on prices and discounted pregnancy packages.

Alice x

FHT complementary Healthcare Therapist Register

Independent quality mark for complementary therapists

From today, patients, service users and the public will be able to choose a complementary healthcare therapist belonging to a register vetted and approved by the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA).

The Federation of Holistic Therapists’ voluntary register has been accredited under a new scheme set up by the Department of Health and administered by an independent body, accountable to Parliament.

Complementary therapists on the FHT Complementary Healthcare Therapist Register will be able to display the Accredited Voluntary Register (AVR) quality mark, a sign that they belong to a register that meets the Professional Standards Authority’s robust standards.

Harry Cayton, Chief Executive of the Professional Standards Authority, said: ‘We are very pleased to accredit the FHT’s register of complementary healthcare therapists. Bringing complementary healthcare therapists into a broad framework of assurance is good for patients, service users and the public and is the best way to promote quality. The scheme offers enhanced consumer protection to anyone looking for health and social care services, and gives practitioners the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment.’

Alice Webster, MFHT, is a complementary healthcare therapist in Colchester and on the FHT’s accredited voluntary register.  ‘I am very proud to belong to the FHT’s accredited voluntary register’, said Alice. ‘It demonstrates that the FHT meets the demanding standards of the Professional Standards Authority and offers reassurance to those seeking help and support from a complementary healthcare therapist, alongside their conventional care.’

----PRESS RELEASE ENDS ----

·         For more information about the Professional Standards Authority and its Accredited Voluntary Register scheme, please visit www.professionalstandards.org.uk

·         For more information about the FHT Complementary Healthcare Therapist Register, please visit www.fht.org.uk/AVR

·         To contact Alice Webster , MFHT, please phone 07894 630450

·         To search the FHT Complementary Healthcare Therapist Register, please visit www.fht.org.uk/register

·         The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) is the UK and Ireland’s largest professional association for complementary, holistic beauty and sports therapists. Founded in 1962, the FHT has been promoting the highest standards in education and therapy practice for more than 50 years, and is totally independent of any external commercial interests. The FHT is a not-for-profit organisation, run by a governing council elected by its membership, comprising both professional and lay representation. The FHT is happy to advise or comment to the media on any many matters relating to complementary, holistic beauty and sports therapy, including training standards, safe and responsible practice, and regulation.
FFor more information: T. 023 8062 4350 > E. info@fht.org.uk > W. www.fht.org.uk

[FHT280114]

Just a little update..

Happy new year! Yes I know its a bit late and its nearly February...


2013 was a great year for me; my seventh year as a massage therapist and the busiest so far. I started working from Josephs Court MS-UK Centre of Excellence on Hythe Quay in Colchester. MS-UK is a charity dedicated to providing advice, information and support to anyone affected by multiple sclerosis. Josephs Court comprises a wellness studio containing a range of specialised exercise equipment and a treatment room. The Centre has disabled access and free parking - its great to be able to offer clients a downstairs treatment room with an adjustable physio couch. I treat a mixture of my clients and Josephs court clients on Mondays and Fridays.


Keeping your skills up to date is really important for any therapist and I am a bit of a massage training junkie! Last year I spent a few weekends at CPDO Professional development for manual and physical therapists learning:
Managing Common Shoulder Conditions - Eyal Lederman
Functional Stretching - Eyal Lederman
Positional Release Techniques - Leon Chaitow
I really enjoyed all three courses - participants were a mixture of Osteopaths, Physiotherapists and Massage Therapists (there were no fights!!).

I've got a really good feeling about 2014 and am sure it will be another busy year. I really love what I do and will continue to bore anyone at length about how marvellous massage therapy is!

My working hours for 2014 are:

Monday 12.30 till 4.30 - Josephs Court

Tuesday 9.30am till 8.00pm - Gilberd Road

Wednesday 9:30 am till 8:00pm - Gilberd Road

Thursday 9:30 am till 8:00pm - Gilberd Road

Friday 10.00 till 2.00pm - Josephs Court

Saturday - Closed

Sunday - Closed

Alice x

Confused on a higher level..

I've been on a bit of a training roller coaster the last six weeks and have ended up slightly more confused than when I started!

The courses were held at CPDO in London and the participants were a mixture of Osteopaths, Physiotherapists and Massage Therapists.

The first two courses: Functional Stretching and Managing Shoulder Conditions were taught by Eyal Lederman. Eyal is an Osteopath, co-director of an MSc in Manual and Physical Therapy in Musculoskeletal Health at University College London (UCL) and is one of the Directors of the CPDO. He likes to stir things up a bit! From looking at research over the years Eyal's core beliefs (put very simply) are:

Stretching doesn't work
Bad posture doesn't mean you are going to end up in pain
Weak core muscles do not contribute to back pain
Eyal teaches a lot of movement based techniques to help tissue adapt back to its optimum length.

For the nerds out there here are links to two of his articles:
The fall of the postural structural biomechanical model
The myth of core stability


Quite a lot to take in over a weekend when you've been taught the opposite and use all those principles every day! So I was a bit broken after that..

The third course Positional Release Techniques with Leon Chaitow helped me back into my comfort zone. Leon graduated from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1960, has written over 60 books and is the Editor-in-Chief, of the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. Positional release techniques are ways to increase range of motion and decrease pain by placing tissue in a position of ease. Leon likes stretching and good posture!

A training course is a product you've bought - it may be the wrong fit, make you feel uncomfortable or you may come away thinking you can walk on water. Since I started as a massage therapist I've always struggled with what I should learn in order to give my clients the best possible treatment I can. There is so much out there for any manual therapist (Osteopaths, Chiropractors, Physiotherapists, Massage Therapists etc.) to choose from. What's becoming more and more clear to me is that there is no one technique or way of working that is the holy grail. Basically, some things work for some people and some things don't. We don't know why a lot of what therapists do works but we know that it does. 

So the main things I've learn't over the last couple of weeks are:

1) There isn't a great difference between a good Osteopath, Physiopherapist or Massage Therapist. We all 

use the techniques that we value which enable us to get results for our clients/patients. Whether that's gentle 

energy work, deep tissue massage, high velocity thrusts (cracking!) or exercise based re-hab. It all works on some level for some people.

2) Research findings shouldn't be ignored  but should not dictate how you treat. There is a lot that happens in treatments that can't be measured. To quote Queen 'its a kind of magic' (sorry couldn't resist..)

3) Having your thinking challenged is really important; however, uncomfortable it may feel at the time.

So I think I'm finally over searching for the 'one size fits all' treatment. It doesn't exist and be very wary of anyone who tells you it does!

PS - I love a good stretch and always feel better when I sit up straight!