Sexy Science

“I was continually surprised by the myriad connections and tissues in the body that were poorly described, or – more often – not accounted for at all by the anatomy flash cards and books” Gil Hedley, Ph.D (Dynamic Body)

I have spent the past ten years in a pursuit for a clearer understanding of anatomy, specifically musculoskeletal anatomy. This quest for information revealed that I could not gain a clear understanding without the inclusion of the nervous system. So my studies and techniques expanded in an effort to engage the nervous system to facilitate soft tissue results and sustainability. This quest for knowledge and information lead me to a system or organ call fascia. I began reading about it, trying myofascial techniques, taking myofascial release classes, struggling to feel the subtleties of fascial restrictions and release. I became so frustrated and more determined to feel and understand, that it sucked me in before I new what was happening. John Barnes, Tom Myers, Robert Schleip, Leon Chaitow, Thomas Findley, and Gil Hedley became the “guru’s” I studied. I learned that this fascinating system was labeled the “Cinderella” of body systems because it had been ignored for so long. My search for more visual learning led me to attend Body World and a dissection seminar. What I saw in these 3 dimensional models did not look like the drawings in my anatomy books. Images of fascia were missing from these anatomy books and only general information was included. This is not a judgment, but rather an acknowledgement of the current research and ever changing availability of new information. Anatomy Trains’ maps of fascial meridians linked individual musculoskeletal structures previously studied into a more global and holistic model and BAM…kinesiology and functional movement got my attention. Gil Hedley’s “fuzz speech” entertained me in his artistic explanation of the process of distressed and sedentary fascia “gluing” internal structures together with “fuzz” and hindering free movement. Then a student of mine (Thanks Lara) gifted me the video “Strolling Under The Skin” and the fascial system came to life before my eyes. Simultaneously, coincidentally? I found myself on my mat in a yin yoga class. I thought I had gone to heaven. Exercise that required I embrace stillness and don’t move. Now this is my kind of exercise. Sally Miller, Paul Grilley, Sarah Powers, and Bernie Clark enter the picture as my Yin yoga teachers. In a Yin Yoga practice, the muscles remain passive to target and release the fascial tissues. The asanas are held for 3 to 5 minutes, just like Myofascial Release Techniques. Cinderella surfaces again. In my yin yoga teacher training I was introduced to the organ meridians of the body. Instantly, their pathways reminded me of the fascial lines in Tom Myers book. Of course, I think “wow look what I have discovered!” I sat with my Anatomy Trains and The Complete Guide To Yin Yoga books looking and comparing the two different types of meridians with fascination and just a bit of excitement at “MY” discovery. As I continued to read I was both excited and disappointed to discover the Appendix in Anatomy Trains introducing Dr Peter Dorsher, Dr. C. Pierce Salguero, Dr. Helene Langevin and Dr. Phillip Beach, experts in oriental medicine, who had already compared the similarities between these meridians. Of course, they far exceeded my expertise and cursory comparison. The connections continue to expand with a group of new books released by Handspring Publishing, everything you want to know about fascia; Fascial Dysfunction, Fascial Stretch Therapy, Yoga Fascia Anatomy and Movement. Fascial Fitness and Fascia 4D training advertisements arrive in my email inbox and begin to nudge the edges of my curiosity. Next thing I know, I am off to Massachusetts to begin my Fascial Fitness training and new set of Fascia 4D videos are arriving at my door! Now to the casual reader this may sound a little nerdy, you know that thing you never want to be called in high school. But something has happened to the image of “nerdy.” A therapist in a class I taught shared with me that “nerdy” is the “new sexy.” Imagine my surprise. Shortly after that, I read that Fascial Research is the new “Sexy Science.” Everything on my desk confirmed that at 55 years old I have made it to “Sexy Science Nerd.”

What I love about studying the body and the practical application of the information learned is that it is truly a journey. The more I learn, the more I recognize that there is so much more. There was a time when I thought that each class it took would hold the answers I was looking for, but in reality they illuminated the question I did not even know to ask yet!

So tread lightly as we continue this journey together, there is no turning back.

All who wander are not lost.

Anatomy = the study of yourself

Building Bridges: Science, Research, Therapy

Tensegrity (Tension + Integrity = Balance).

Tensegrity is structural balance seen in nature where the solid compressive parts are linked together and supported by a web of flexibility. A web with the power to distribute force along the entire structure requesting each individual segment adjusts, to support the whole. The ability to adapt to outside pressure, tension and change maintains an agile resilient strength of interconnectivity. Science supports fascia’s ability to reform in response to demand.

Tension and compression are two forces every bridge knows well. Each type bridge deals with compression and tension in their own unique ways. The job of each bridge is to handle the forces of compression and tension without buckling or snapping. It is important to design the bridge to move stressors from areas of weakness to areas of strength.

As research and knowledge of the role of connective tissue, fascia, the neuromyofascial web advances our attention turns to the key structural components of bridge construction. This multidisciplinary endeavor bridges the expertise of many fields. Each field respectfully acknowledging its own strengths and weakness as it embraces and redefines the edges and the boundaries of this mysterious body system. Each discipline openly shares complementary knowledge and information. Science informs the treatment protocols for clinicians, clinicians share the results of applied technique.

As the landscape of the profession of massage therapy evolves from alternative, to complementary, to integrative we find ourselves reforming in response to the demands placed on our profession. Education standardization, licensure, board certification, the call to join the research community strengthens our interconnectivity and requires an agile resilient ability to adapt.

“Interestingly, the fascial tissues of young people show stronger undulations within the collagen fibers, reminiscent of elastic springs; whereas in older people the collagen fibers appear as rather flattened” (Staubesand et al. 1990) We are the young people in the infancy of this emerging field of fascial research. We bring cutting edge treatment and information to the community with manual and movement therapy. Our elastic springs, our commitment to stay on the informational cutting edge, advancing, and refining the tools and techniques we pull from our tool boxes will be evidence-informed. Our tensegral ability to adjust with tension and maintain integrity as vital contributors to the advancement of fascial knowledge will catapult our profession to the forefront of health and wellness.

The Touch Of A Village

No matter how large or small our individual practices are, we are changing the world with our hands…one body at a time. It is so difficult to truly measure the trickle-down effects of what we accomplish on our tables. Today we helped someone alleviate chronic headaches, reduce stress, rehabilitate from trauma and injury. How did that change their life and lives of the people around them?

How would embracing the idea, that everyday you touch someone and they find relief, peace, relaxation and joy, change the way you do business? How would it change your commitment to become the best of the best? On our first day of massage school, the day we graduated and today, many of us feel that we were called to change the world through touch. If we truly embrace this reality, how will it change the way we do business?

I have been asked if I believe that franchise spas and corporate schools are putting independents out of business. My answer is healing touch is effective regardless of where it is given. There will always be room for both. The more healing touch in the world the better. BUT, I do believe the franchises and corporations have a few things we do not. They have money, they invest in their success, they have high level back door deals to ensure that each of their big businesses support each others success, they have business plans, marketing plans, systems and training programs. They are constantly researching trends and continue learning. They believe they have the means to control the education and employment in higher numbers than we do. But do they?

Read the: Small Business Statistics

I also believe that we have a few things they do not have. Top on that list, we know how to change the world with touch. We enrolled in our schools because “it felt right” or we “wanted to help people” or because we recognized “that these are my people.” We have had life changing experiences that ignited our passion and revealed our path. We are dedicated to helping, taking care of, and to improving the quality of life for our clients and all the people their lives touch. We encounter intimate one-on-one relationship every day. We know how to connect, how to ground ourselves, how to be present. We know how to create and hold those safe places necessary for healing. I have never heard that as a corporate mission statement.

They are corporate, but we are grass roots. So the question really is  “Are they putting us out of business OR are we allowing them to take our market share and put us out of business?” I have been told recently that the benefit of taking a corporate job over being self-employed is security. Have you been “downsized” or read about massive layoffs? I have always been in small business. I am not suggesting that it is easy. To quote the dentist I worked for “ if it was easy, anybody could do it.” It is also neither more nor less secure. So I asked a new question “ Why don’t we have a means to share information?” Many of you have asked me to teach a practice management class, be a mentor, tutor or coach. My answer is always the same. I’d be happy to but statistics show that therapists will not invest in a non-techniques course. They do not invest in classes that are not approved for CE’s. The reply was “I’d take that class!” If you are receiving this newsletter or reading this blog, I know you. I am confident that you are a skilled therapist. We can all benefit from learning new techniques. But if you are struggling with building your business it is not your hands on skill that needs help. You already know your clients are getting results.

So I created Mind Over Muscle Matter ©. Part of this program is to share what I have learned over 25 years in practice management, 10 years as a massage therapists and 6 years as an educator. This is only a very small part of the benefit of participating in this program. The true value is building a network of creative, dedicate, like-minded individuals. A grass roots group that will brainstorm outside our comfort zones, share successes and failures, create systems, training programs, marketing programs, business plans, and share techniques. We are not only stepping outside the box, we are throwing the stupid thing away. The time has come to do something different. We have all been touched by the changes in our profession. We can learn how to run successful businesses! Can corporations learn how we touch?

It takes a village not corporation to change the world one body at a time! Let’s do it together.

A Girl Walks Into A Coffee Shop

Sometimes life just blows me away!

Most of us are trying to find our way in life. What do we want to do? How do we want to do it???  The what, when, why and how. We ask for help and guidance from the greater power we believe in. But do we hear the reply? Are we focused and present enough to recognize that we are being answered. In massage school and practice focus, presence and grounding is highly valued. But sometimes I think a ton of bricks needs to land on my head to hear the answers being offered.

My husband told me this sounds like the beginning of a joke. A girl walks into a coffee shop (that’s me) for a meeting with another business owner.  We are sitting at the counter having a cup of coffee when another patron walks in. He points out that we are sitting under the speaker and the seat we chose is to loud for a conversation. He hears our conversation about yin yoga and mentions he should probably try yoga. He knows he needs flexibility but would prefer to “work out.”  I told him “what we avoid the most, is what we need the most.”  That sentence resonated with him and throughout the brief conversation, he asked me to repeat it 2 more times so he could remember it. We take his advice and move our seat to a table on the other side of the cafe. SIGN #1…a complete strange identifies why I believe I get stuck and do not take action “what we avoid the most, is what we need the most” and gets us to move our seat-then exits stage right.

My meeting partner asks me to explain what yin yoga is. Without adding too much lengthy detail to this blog, I get around to explaining Hyaluronic Acid and its hydrating properties and benefits that are stimulated by this practice. Admittedly, there are very few people that would not be bored to tears with a discussion about hyaluronic acid. SIGN #2…she is very interested.  We continue our conversation discussing our philosophies, business goals and practices to educate, bringing health and prevention to the community. SIGN #3…this is not were I thought this meeting was going to lead.

I am distracted by a man two tables away is clearly watching me. Hummm isn’t this curious. SIGN #4…What does he want? In about 15 minutes, the meeting concludes with a business alliance formed. SIGN #5…It was a complete surprise to both of us that our philosophies would align so perfectly.

Now the really strange part begins.  As I get up to leave the gentleman at the other table rises and approaches me. ” I apologize, I did not mean to be eavesdropping but I could not help myself. I was sitting at my table when I heard you mention hyaluronic acid, so I wanted to talk to you.” SIGN #6…Now there is something you do not hear everyday. As it turns out, he works for J&J as a rep for a product that contains hyaluronic acid to be injected into arthritic knees. But this is not the interesting part. We sat and talked about hyaluronic acid, which led to another alignment. SIGN #7…One of the programs he participates in is bringing injury prevention education to the community by way of children’s and young adult athletic programs. He helps to bring providers, educators, coaches, parents, and professional athletes together to prevent sports injuries at a young age. It is a proactive prevention program sponsored by J&J. They sell the product to treat arthritis, but also work towards prevention and minimizing risk.

How does a morning cup of coffee lead to aligning so many ideas? A friend in PR once told me “if you want something to happen tell everyone, you never know who is waiting to hear it and join you” I do not think their is much of future in the Hyaluronic Acid Initiative but a PREVENTION INITIATIVE is long over due! Consider yourself told, This is what I want to do.

Be Present!

Deep Tissue Massage Is Like Your First Date

Over the past few years I have been told “you should write a blog.”  I am not really sure why this has been a recurring request, so here I am sharing whatever stories come to mind.

Many massage therapists come to my continuing education classes with a similar goal. Everyone is looking for a way to meet their clients request for “deep tissue work.” The problem is the therapists are injuring their own bodies in the process.  So I am here to tell you the secret to injury free deep tissue massage is client education. They are not asking for deep tissue massage, they are asking for heavy pressure massage. The two are far from synonymous.

Deep tissues massage is like your first date. If your new suitor picks you up and as soon as you get in the car heads right for third base, what are you going to do? Most likely, as a reflexive protective action, you are getting out of the car. This date is over! All those beginning good parts were missed. The getting to know each other, becoming comfortable, and establishing feelings and trust. Arriving at the time for the good night kiss and wondering if your date will give the singles that invite it or reject it.

Deep tissue massage is a request to be invited into the deep myofascial layers. It is a process of getting to know where the restrictions are and then sink, soften and go deeper when you are invited to do so. Heavy pressure misses all the restrictions and permissions along the way. Heavy pressure goes from Hi, My name is Theresa to sliding into home base and never touching the bags along the way.

So, slow down you move too fast. If you have ever studied with me then you know 2 things-they baseball metaphor of touching the bags was really hard for me and I believe developing communication skills are equally as important as developing you hands on skills. Let’s go out and educate the public that our job is not to pummel our way into their bodies, our job is to bring compassionate, therapeutic, skilled, healing touch to the community.

Go out and touch the world-one body at a time!