Being prepared is one of the most reassuring feelings you can have in life. For an athlete the feeling of knowing that you have done all you can by putting in the long training hours instills the confidence needed to compete at their absolute best. Not being prepared will produce the complete opposite feelings, including lack of confidence. That is why an injury that occurs during training is so frustrating because it slows down the training process or worse sidelines the athlete for a period of time, allowing self doubt to enter the athlete's psyche.

One of the main contributing factors of an injury are adhesions. Adhesions are developed because the body will repair soft tissues tears, cause...

Observing subtle clues the body tells us can let you know what muscles should be stretched before it's to late. A great way to reduce or prevent pain from the wear and tear our bodies take on a daily basis would be to notice the position of your toes.

Try lying flat on your back and notice which way your toes are pointed. For instance, if your toes are pointed straight ahead instead of towards the ceiling then lower leg stretches, targeting both anterior and posterior muscles are in order. This is quite common for those of us living in the city where a great deal of walking is usually required.

Another popular position you might find your toes in would be to the side. This is from tight late...

Now that running season is in full swing I have noticed more and more lower leg injuries as a result from running long miles on a regular basis. This has inspired me to share with you a fantastic lower leg stretch that you may be missing that will stretch the deepest muscle in the lower leg, the Soleus.The Soleus muscle is often over looked during our stretching routine, however, keeping this muscle loose is crucial in preventing an array of knee, lower leg, and foot injuries.

Adding the Soleus stretch after the lower leg stretch, i.e., the (Gastrocnemius stretch) is an ideal sequence as shown above.I demonstrate these two stretches below.

Gastrocnemius/Calf Stretch

Most people can tell you exactly where they hurt without comprehending exactly why they hurt. Understanding why we hurt can be vital to our health and wellness.

I feel it is important as a massage therapist, to provide my clients with an explanation on why they hurt and what they can do to prevent or at the least limit this discomfort. For instance, I have found that most clients complain of pain or discomfort between their scapulas, which is not surprising since most of our daily actions and exercises are done in medial rotation and flexion. Most pain and discomfort comes from over stretched muscles, causing them to become weak and inhibited due to repetitive stress movements. This is why I ...

Cell phones have become such an important part or our daily lives that it’s hard to imagine how we ever survived without them. This powerful device that we depend so much on and take for granted does come at price, and no I’m not talking about your monthly phone bill; it’s tight neck muscles.

Usually when we use our phones for tasks besides talking, we are looking down, causing our anterior neck muscles to be in a flexed position for a long period of time. These tight muscles can contribute to head aches, sore necks, and sometimes TMJ issues.

Here is a great stretch that can help release tension from these tight anterior muscles. Also this stretch can be performed standing or...

Think about how much you use your hands throughout the day. It’s pretty much all day. We depend on our hands to do so many tasks that we take for granted, like typing, texting, driving, eating, drinking, etc. Now think about how often we stretch our hands…..

Repetitive stress activity of the hand is the main cause for carpal tunnel syndrome. That is why it’s so vital to stretch the forearm and hand muscles, especially if you have a job that requires you to be on the computer for an extended period of time. Stretching the forearm and hand flexors regularly will help release these tight muscles that if not addressed can compress the median nerve, causing you pain, tingling an...

Here’s a great stretch that will help relieve headaches and release neck tension at the base of the skull. This muscle group is known as the sub occipital region. This group of muscles performs numerous actions helps rotate the head, lateral neck flexion, neck extension. In addition to these actions, this muscle group supports and stabilizes the head allowing us to perform common tasks such as working at the computer, driving, reading, and watching TV.

This muscle group if not stretched can become tight and compressed which can cause headaches. So try this simple stretch that can be done anywhere several times a day. This stretch can also be performed standing or sitting. This sub occip...

I’m often asked, “what can I do to relieve or prevent headaches?” Most of the time this person is working at the computer for long hours of the day, and is citing neck tension underneath the base of the skull. These four small, but vital muscles are known as the sub occipital region.

This muscle group performs the following actions: rotation of the head, lateral neck flexion, and neck extension. Along with these actions it also contributes to stabilization of the head. This allows us to perform common tasks such as, working at the computer, driving, reading, and watching TV.

Neglecting to stretch this over worked muscle group can cause headaches because they are tight and con...

What role does massage play in your life?

Most people would maintain that massage is a luxury- a practice of self-indulgence. But in my practice, I see clients when they are in pain. They suffer from workout injuries, nerve impingements and repetitive strain injuries. So when these people are on my table, the bodywork I provide is hardly a luxury. Pain, or even chronic low-grade discomfort, impairs your ability to perform or enjoy daily activities. It has a direct impact on your emotions, moods, relationships, and capacity to cope with stress. Bodywork addresses more than just the area or areas that are hurting- it makes a direct impact on your experience of every aspect of your life.

Do you c...

The hips or more specifically the hip flexors are working constantly throughout the day and even night. These muscles are essential for the human body to function and perform the simplest tasks. The hip flexors are in constant flexed position for most of the day and for this reason it is vital to be kind to them by stretching. Through my experience as a massage therapist, I have found the hips to be the most common source of body discomfort from likely related injuries such as, low back pain, sciatica nerve impingement, to unlikely related injuries like, TMJ disorder, shoulder adhesive capsulitis, knee and foot pain.

Thankfully, many of today’s fitness programs are geared towards buildi...