THE HIGH COST OF MASSAGE

In the past only highly paid business executives and professional athletes received massage therapy. This has changed. According to Body Sense magazine, “As massage has entered the mainstream of healthcare options, more and more people consider this intervention as part of an overall health plan. Massage has gone from being an occasional treat to being part of how we take care of ourselves.” (Information your massage therapist needs to know; Body Sense, Autumn/Winter 2007, p.32) This means more and more people are looking to massage as a way of taking care of minor soft tissue injuries as well as those that are causing chronic pain and stiffness.
Teachers, office workers, factory workers, emergency and law enforcement workers, etc. are looking for a way to ease their discomforts in a safe andnatural, low cost, chemical free way. And, there is good news for then! “Massage is a low-tech intervention with high benefits. While an hour of one-on-one time with a health professional can feel expensive, it is ultimately more cost effective than many other options like surgery, long-term physical therapy, or serious complications of various health issues." (Information your massage therapist needs to know; Body Sense, Autumn/Winter 2007, p.32)
As a massage therapist a variety of people have walked through my door and complained about various aches and pains. They were from carious backgrounds and financial situations. About 90% came in with a specific complaint that was taken care of in one to three sessions. Others required a longer time to gain relief. And, others came regularly because massage therapy was the only thing they found that could give them at least temporary relief.
Also, for you ammeter athletes a massage therapist can work with you and find hidden soft tissue problems that could translate into injuries in the future. The therapist may then be able to alleviate the problem, avoiding a painful injury in the future, saving you a bundle of money.
If you have a soft tissue injury-muscle, tendon ligament or other related fascia-and you have not been able to find relief, try massage therapy. Many therapists will work on a specific injury for thirty or even fifteen minutes at a very reasonable rate. So, talk to a massage therapist, tell them your problem and see what massage therapy can do for you. Then, you’ll see the cost of massage is not so very high at all.
“Nuff Said”
Ben Gustafson; LMT
Make and appointment and get a massage today

Recently Garrett Lewis, a local morning radio talk show host in Central Texas, was talking about the Spa at Canyon Oaks-one of his sponsors. He made the comment that "you won't have some guy come in to give you a massage" at this place of business. Of course this was not something I-a male therapist-wanted to hear. However, there are three types of massage to choose from and three reasons to choose.

First, if I wanted to be pampered at a spa in Central Texas, have a couples massage with my wife, spa treatments, lunch by the pool, I would definitely go to Canyon Oaks. From what I know of the place it is a very nice spot to go for the above reasons.

However, if I had chronic muscular pain or tension related to an injury, I would go to a person such as myself-male or female, it would not matter. I would want someone who knew something about deep-tissue, neuromuscular therapy. I would want to go to someone who was working with my kind of problem on a daily basis, someone who was committed to continually studying to learn new ways to help reduce and eliminate pain and muscular tension regardless of their gender, nationality, ethnicity, religious affiliation, etc. In other words, forget about the pampering. I would go to someone who could just make the problem go away!

And finally, there are those who are not looking for legitimate massage therapy. They are just looking for a good time. This type of massage is illegal in the State of Texas.

Therefore, consider what your massage goals are and act on them appropriately.

"Nuff Said"

HOPE FOR OLDER ATHLETES

The following is part of an article by John G. Louis; LMT. (Massage Therapy for Older Athletes: Massage Today, May 2007, page 6.) It is a positive example how massage therapy can help older folks who want to remain active.

I tell many of my clients who complain about their aches, pains, and injuries that the warranty runs out at age 30; after that, we pay for everything! . . . I met and trained former Harlem Globetrotter Meadowlark Lemon in the spring of 1982. At that time, he was 50 years old and playing nearly everyday on his traveling basketball team, called Meadowlark Lemon's Bucketeer's - and with kids half his age. He was struggling with regular muscle injuries and was fearful his career was over. He responded very well to my treatment, and I encouraged him to consider hire me to tour with him. I told him I was sure I could keep him healthy and extend his athletic lifespan as well as the quality of it. . . In the Fall of 1982 I was hired to travel as his personal massage therapist and athletic trainer . . . Meadowlark thrived with regular massage. I can say with confidence that had he not implemented a massage program when he did, his carrer would have been finished at that time, as he had feared. (John G. Louis; LMT)

Even though the above story is related to a professional athlete, I have seen fist hand what massage can do for an armature athlete.

So, if you live in the Waco, TX area, are over 30 and are an active participant in any type of sports, Call 254-723-1811 to day to find out what massage can do for you.
"Nuff Said"

Fitness Goal Ruminations

An exercise program can be daunting. Here are five of eight ideas from Jenny Hardfield. Achieving Your Fitness Goals; Massage & Bodywork Magazine; June/July 2007; page 168.

• Avoid doing the same exercise over and over again. Your body will become efficient at that exercise and won't burn as many calories as when you first started.
• Be patient. Getting active takes time. It takes twenty-one days [or longer] to create a new habit . . .
  
• Drop those excess pound efficiently by keeping a fuel log.
  
• If you are inactive begin with frequent but shorter workouts . . .
• If your are active [workout] three to five times per week, add one or two high-intensity workouts per week to boost metabolism, effort level and fitness.

PAIN-SPASM-PAIN CYCLE

When you injure soft tissue the muscles in the injured area contract to help support and protect the injured tissue. Other metabolic reactions also occur helping to slow the flow of blood in the area causing the build up of carbon dioxide and metabolic waste. The result is pain. The body then reacts to the pain as if it has being reinsured. Thus, the pain-spasm-pain cycle begins. The initial injury causes the blood to slow building up waste material in the area. This causes new pain which causes the continued slowing of the blood in the area and on, and on, and on. So, even though you may start out with a simple bump, bruise or strain, it can turn into a fairly painful, long lasting injury.
Massage therapy from a professional therapist can help put an end to this vicious cycle. A good therapist can increase the flow of blood in the injured area and help build up pliable, pain free scar tissue to get you feeling better and back to your regular routine.

Making Your Massage Even Better

From: Korrie Osborn, “Massage-Medicine for the Body and Mind,” Body Sense Magazine, Spring/Summer 2007, p. 9.

“If I could give one bit of advice to those trying massage for the first time, it would be this: talk to your therapist-at least a little bit. You might be the quiet client who finds pleasure in the silence of the massage room, and god for you ... that’s the best type of healing environment (Chatty Cathys in the massage room miss their time to quiet the mind as well as the body). But, it’s important to remember communication is the key to having a wonderful massage experience

“ If something is causing pain or discomfort during the session, by all means, speak up. Therapists need you to be up front about how much pressure is comfortable for you-and it’s ok to change your mind, or need varying degrees of pressure for different parts of your body. If you’re too hot or too cold , if the music is throwing you out of sync, if the leg bolster is uncomfortable, speak up. Anything distracting you from your massage is worth noting to your therapist.”

“Remember, its your time. Make it count.”