People incorporate massage therapy into their lifestyle because it improves their mental and physical health and the benefits are experienced immediately.  The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine recently published a study that examined the effects of a single session of Swedish massage.  The news is exciting!  The research concludes that a single massage increased the number of circulating white blood cells and produces measurable biological effects.  These findings may lead to the implication that massage therapy is beneficial for managing inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.  Massage therapy helps to boost the immune system.  We are steps closer to confirming massage therapy is good medicine. 

After clearing my plate of a new Chinese shrimp dish, I reached for my fortune cookie. (I never eat fortune cookies—I don’t like their stale texture—but my dog loves them.) My fortune read, “You will touch the hearts of many.”  This message gently nudged me in an unexpected way, and I reflected on today’s new patient and the power of touch.

My new patient, whom I’ll call Adam, has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma disease. His thin frail body sits rigidly, curled forward in a motorized wheelchair; his weak respiratory muscles are aided by a machine. 

Shortly into the gentle massage treatment, I could feel his resistance lift. He gave into my hands and his muscles began to melt under my fingers.  A deep breath followed, and I paused as his respiration subtly shifted into deeper fuller breaths.  The duration of the treatment was shorter than most, but his response was significant. He sat taller in his wheelchair and moved a bit more easily. I even detected renewed life in his eyes.

Before I departed, I thanked him for allowing me to work on him. Adam looked at me, paused, and said, “Come back again.”

Summer is here! Time to get your hiking pack out of the closet, dust it off, and get reconnected to nature. But before you hit the trails—and especially if you are new to the activity or only hike occasionally—be aware of the stress that hiking places on your knees.  

Knee pain often starts when a person’s quadriceps muscles—those large muscles on the front of the thigh—aren’t strong enough to handle an increase in activity.  Weak quadriceps can lead to damage under the kneecap, a meniscus injury, or stress and strain to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).  At the same time, the back of the thigh—the hamstring muscles—may also be tight from too much sitting at the office and not enough stretching.

You can stay active with hiking and still keep injury and muscle tightness at bay with therapeutic massage and bodywork.  Massage and bodywork will lengthen tight muscles, thus allowing increased range of muscle motion and extended flexibility.  When the flexibility of the body is restored, injury is minimized and hikers experience better performance and can simply enjoy their day hike that much more.

Make sure to get massage and bodywork both before and after a strenuous hike. It’s not just good for injury prevention—it’s necessary for a healthy body, mind and spirit.

My favorite hiking area is Crystal Cove State Park off the Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California. What’s yours?     

“I went in for a massage a little while ago and it was brutal. I wish the massage table had two holes cut out where my breasts are.” Those were the first words from a new patient after we introduced ourselves. She was nervous—not because she was trying a new massage therapist (A doctor she respects recommended me)—but because she did not want to endure any pain or discomfort while lying on her stomach due to the size of her breasts.     
Most women with large breasts experience pain and discomfort in the chest area when they are lying in the prone position; however, few, if any, verbalize their discomfort during treatment. Massage to the back increases this already undesired pressure, which often causes the patient to wriggle or squirm in order to find a more comfortable position.   

A breast pad specifically addresses this issue and may be used during treatment to facilitate greater comfort. Many patients favor the breast pad because it restores comfort and enhances the massage and bodywork experience. The cushion is firm enough to offer support, yet soft enough to promote comfort; it is about 2 inches thick and spans across the rib cage for total support. If you feel that you could benefit from using a breast pad, notify your massage therapist. If you are not relaxed, you are not receiving the benefit of the entire treatment. If your therapist does not have a breast pad, he or she can use pillows for support and to help facilitate your comfort. 

Women with breast implants face similar issues while lying face down on the massage table. A patient of mine introduced a solution to this problem by way of a rolled hand towel placed between the breasts. It offers support, eases pressure and also facilitates comfort.  

Do you have any other suggestions? Please share them.