I was recently praising the Neti Pot while talking to a friend.    “I can’t remember the last time I had a cold,”  of course I left out, “I can’t remember the last time I used my Neti Pot.”     I also forgot to knock on wood,  lo and behold a few days later a cold hit.    It knocked me out, but only for a couple days,  mostly because I didn’t want to pass it on.   I made efforts to use my Neti religiously throughout my cold.   It’s a bit tougher though, like attempting to pour water through a clogged pipe.    Eventually, I got myself back, rest, plenty of fluids and of course the Neti Pot.

For those who have no idea what a Neti Pot is it’s a small teapot shape device that you fill with a saline solution,  you can get pre-mixes but really it’s about1/2 salt: 6oz warm water.     That’s it.   Oh, the catch is you put the teapot spout in one nostril and let the water drain out the other.   This is where most people lose there love affair with the Neti. However, if you’re patient with yourself you can learn to do it pretty easily.     Always use a salt water solution as plain water will certainly not feel right, and if it’s too hot or too cold, forget it.

It really is simple, and because it’s a natural solution you can repeat as many times as you like.   Once or twice a day is good for most, three times when there is a bug going around.    Brush teeth, shave, Neti, it’s really a simple routine.

My massage clients often ask me, “How often do you get massage?”  “As often as I can!,” I reply.  Many therapists I know make the effort to trade massage so that their body can stay in good condition for their clients.  This can sometimes be a tough task, fitting it into schedules, making time for ourselves.   These points may seem familiar to those seeking massage.    Making time for you is often a barrier for people who could really use a massage.    Those clients that receive massage regularly have made a commitment to themselves, as well as a commitment to those that rely on them, family, friends, work.
Everyone around you benefits when you receive massage, really,
you

  • sleep better
  • have better focus and concentration
  • are more creative
  • your mood is better
  • FEEL GREAT!

Me, My clients and the ones I love reap the benefits I receive from massage. So should you and your loved ones.

Let it snow. The first flakes came down, and quite heavy at that. Shoveling involves the arms as well as the back. While good shoulders help in the process, a strong back is key to proper lifting. Often, people tend to do a bit more than they should. Breaking up the task or shoveling at intervals throughout the day can be very helpful. The muscles most effected by the task are the quadratus lumborum, which I have written about several times. It’s that important and that prone to injury. It’s quite complex as far as muscles go. Often when people think of a muscle they think of ssomething like the bicep, an attachment, an insertion, and you can flex away. The QL however, is a bit more complex in its makeup, one insertion, but many attachments, it sort of fans out along the lower back from the SI up to the rib cage.
What can you do? Really take it easy when lifting, use your legs more and try to twist less. Shovel across the driveway instead of throwing it over your shoulder.

As a massage therapist I often hear about the shall we say “side effects” of pain.    Some of the most predominant are lack of sleep, especially among those clients with significant shoulder pain.   You may be accustomed to sleeping on your side, either directly on the injured shoulder, or leaving the injured shoulder in a somewhat lax position at the top, either of which can cause severe pain.     Unfortunately, there’s no fantastic answer for instant sleep, especially when pain is an issue.   However, there are a few things you can do that may make your rest a bit easier.

Lots of pillows is one way to go.   gather all the pillows from around the house, the couch, guest bedroom, maybe even some of those giant stuffed animals you won for your sweetheart at the fair.  I know you’re not a bird, but the pillows are to make a nest of sorts.    Give yourself some support on both sides as well as the head and leave an area in the middle not too big but enough to “sink in”.    You may have to test your bedding a few times before you get it just right.

Another method a massage client in West Springfield recommended is to sleep in a reclining chair.    While it is not recommended for sleeping in on a regular basis.   The few days it may take your shoulder to get to a point where sleep is no longer difficult in your bed will be a relief compared to other seemingly futile attempts.

As I stated earlier, there’s no simple answer, but you may have to make some seemingly drastic changes in order to ease your night-time discomfort.     If you follow the advice of your massage therapist, and take care of yourself, you should be feeling much better in no time.

Each pose has it’s own personality in a way. Not every yoga pose has total joy or completely open breath, some have difficulties that are not immediately recognizable. Trikonasana or “triangle pose” starts out well-grounded, one foot pointing toward the short edge of the mat, the other about three or four feet away with toes pointing toward the long edge of your yoga mat. From this grounding, a familiar one for yoga practicioner’s, think Warrior II with both legs straight, the pose then extends (and this is a good word to keep in mind) laterally out reach your hand out further than your front foot (the one pointing to the short edge of your mat) keeping the torso long and straight - practice against a wall, lead hand reaching toward your ankle and the other arm floats up fingers reaching toward the sky. It’s a very two dimensional pose, thus the wall as support is great for finding the real balance of the pose, shoulderblades will be touching the wall.

This side bending is difficult for some, but can also be found in simpler poses such as Parighasana (aka Gate pose) and others that highlight the latisimus dorsi. The trick, or place where the real work begins is the focus on the extension of the crown from the hips so that the spine is running parallel with the floor. Feeling that wonderful extension of the spine in this pose makes it feel so open and wonderful. The placement of the hand, inside the foot, outside, on the ankle or shin, is all up to you and your practice - each particular yoga school of thought has their own ideas and one teacher may differ from the next, the key is to go with what works for you. Your teacher should be your guide and understand the slight variations your body or mind may need.

Enjoy Your Yoga!

You think you have a sprain, huh. I know every pain seems severe, especially when it first happens. The initial shock to the system can turn into a great story and suddenly you’re like a fisherman after a big catch. It just gets bigger and more severe, any minute you your whole ankle could fall off, or at least feel as though it could.
What’s the difference between a sprain and a strain? Basically a strain is to tendon(muscle) as sprain is to ligament(bone to bone connectors). If you think you have either follow the RICE method, Rest Ice Compress Elevate.
If you are able to put pressure on it, and yes there may be some difficulty/pain in doing so, it is likely a strain. The pain of a sprain can be excruciating, your body knows that the best thing to do is stay off it for a while. A sprain also often comes with less subtle symptoms, bumps, bruising, extreme sensitivity to touch, etc. Patience is one thing, however, do not be too hasty before seeing a professional (including your doctor). WebMD is not a doctor, while they do have a plethora of information, having this information at your fingertips does not make you a doctor either, or a PT, or a massage therapist, or anything unless you actually have a license.

Take the signals from your body seriously, like the old joke “Doctor, it hurts when I …” “Don’t do that!” A better understanding of your own body is something that can be achieved from exercise, yoga, meditation, massage therapy and all of those things which require focus on the self.