How remedial massage helps relieve insomnia

TiredThere are not many things in life that can refresh and rejuvenate your body like a good night’s sleep. But if that’s the thing you aren’t getting – even when you know it’s what you need – it can start to be a real drag…and not just at night time. You may start to feel that drag all through the day interfering with your life, your work, family and friends.

Everybody deserves a good night’s sleep. Sleep is a basic human need.

I think of insomnia like driving your car every day without ever changing the oil, putting air in your tires, or getting any other maintenance done. Sooner or later, you’re going to break down. Continue reading “How remedial massage helps relieve insomnia”

Restless Leg Syndrome

RLS PhotosDo your legs ever feel like they are trying to run a marathon while you are trying to sleep? It’s kinda like your legs have a mind of their own, like two stubborn kids who would rather be out running around than sleeping. What you have is called Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) and it basically means your legs want to party all night long. Which is great if you are indeed a party goer, but if you were, you wouldn’t be here right now reading this article. You need your legs to sleep, to rest. Well, lets talk about a few things that might help you get a better, restless free night.

Continue reading “Restless Leg Syndrome”

Reflexology and Anxiety

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Feeling down, anxious, depressed?  Lacking confidence in yourself and drive to get through your days?

Have you had a reflexology treatment before?

Reflexology is the application of acupressure or manipulation of the feet, hands or face to increase health benefits.

Certain parts of your foot are believed to correspond to the parts of the body. You may have seen a “Reflexology chart” showing this somewhere like a massage clinic. Applying pressure to a particular part of the foot will send a signal to the corresponding body part and is believed to improve the health of that body part.  Some people refer to it simply as a “foot massage” but reflexology is believed to provide more health benefits than an ordinary foot massage.

Does reflexology help with anxiety?

Many of my clients have stated that it has definitely assisted them to feel more relaxed following the treatment. They tell me that they feel a lot calmer than before the treatment and the benefits can be far deeper than just a feeling of wellbeing. Continue reading “Reflexology and Anxiety”

The Benefits of Sports Massage

Many professional and Olympic athletes include Sports Massage in their training programme to keep their performance level high. It helps strengthen and tone your muscles and get you ready to perform at your best. It also reduces the risk of injury. On their website, the Australian Sports Commission recommends Sports Massage as a physiological and psychological strategy for recovery.

However, Sports Massage is not just for top athletes but also for amateur athletes, those who do physical work and even people who take their dog out for a walk. Continue reading “The Benefits of Sports Massage”

Massage Therapy – why me time is a necessity, not just a luxury.

Relaxation Massage at Vibe Natural Health Brisbane

These days it seems that no pleasure is complete without a side of guilt.

The biggest misconception about Relaxation Massage Therapy is that it is a luxury. How many of you only pamper yourselves to a massage on a special occasion or when you’ve hit the wall are are in acute pain?

Massage Therapy may seem a little self-indulgent; after all you are serenading yourself into the warm healing touch of your therapist and drifting far away from daily stresses into pure relaxation and harmony. But Massage Therapy is not only a blissful experience; it is just an added bonus. Massage has been proven to have many health benefits and should be an absolute priority in achieving optimal health and well being for the body, mind and spirit.

There’s a great article on CNN’s health.com  which explains this very well. Many of us with our busy lives today fulfil obligations to everyone else except our selves. We have so much to do for work, for family, for friends, often ourselves come a distant last. For long term physical and mental wellbeing, time out or “me time” is more important than ever. For some this is turning off the mobile phone, getting away from the computer or having a massage. Me time has many benefits, and should be scheduled into a busy lifestyle to balance out the noise and stress. Continue reading “Massage Therapy — why me time is a necessity, not just a luxury.”

How to get flexible fast – improve your flexibility and performance

A question I frequently get asked in clinic is, “how can I become more flexible?” Often this question comes from patients and people like myself who have never been flexible and who find it difficult to stretch or gain any range from stretching.

Luckily there some advanced stretching techniques widely practiced amongst Occupational Therapists, Physios and Musculoskeletal Therapists, which I’ll share with you today. These techniques make stretching easier because it ‘tricks’ the  sensors in our muscles allowing them to relax and stretch further.
This stretching technique is called Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF.) Now the word is a mouthful, but when you know a key few steps, the technique is relatively simple and easy to apply.

PNF involves passively stretching a muscle group, then contracting the muscle against resistance while in the stretched position, then passively stretching again which increases the range of motion and helps you to stretch further, increasing flexibility.

How to practice PNF techniques:
Taking the target muscle to a comfortable stretch, holding for 20-30 seconds, contracting that muscle for 15 seconds, and then relax and bring the muscle further to the next comfortable stretch. Usually 3-5 times or until you hit end range.

Here is an example applied to hamstrings:

Brisbane Remedial Massage Hamstring Stretches Continue reading “How to get flexible fast — improve your flexibility and performance”

Back & Neck Stretches

We spend most of our days doing repetitive exercises such as sitting at a desk, driving, carrying a baby etc. This makes the muscles we use repetitively stronger and tighter than the other muscles in our body. Stretching is vital to reduce the pain caused by these repetitive movements as it relaxes muscles which have become tight from over use. Stretching also gives the muscles we don’t use often a chance to work properly by releasing the tight opposing muscles, giving the body a more balanced posture.

Thoracic Extension with towel and Pectoralis stretch

Thoracic Extension with towel and Pectoralis stretchThoracic Extension with towel and Pectoralis stretch

This stretch is a great way to ease your upper back from stiffness and pain. It also helps reduce back pain by allowing you to sit up straighter by lengthening the muscle which cause hunching. Benefits : Desk workers, taxi drivers, trades men, mothers, sporting athletes and most everyday people.

  • Lying on a flat surface, place a rolled up towel under thoracic spine (cross ways) to where you feel is most stiff. Place a pillow under head and neck for support and bring arms out to the side until you feel a stretch through your pectoralis muscles / chest.
  • Your will feel extension through your spine where the towel is sitting allowing pectoralis muscles to stretch out.
  • Hold for 20 – 30 seconds. Move the arms above your head, beside your ears to stretch further.

Continue reading “Back & Neck Stretches”