Do You Know Someone Who Needs a Massage For Mother's Day?
Grab a gift certificate for them online, in just 2-3 minutes!
The massage studio is open all weekdays but Wed, 12 noon - 7pm.
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I'd love to see you, too! Visit online booking to grab your next massage.
I used to have such trouble with upper back pain when I worked in tech! As a 20-something, I worked long hours in front of a computer with an aspirin bottle next to my keyboard. I eventually learned that a lot of my issues were due to Upper Cross Syndrome, and that massage was an excellent way to dial down neck and shoulder pain.
What’s Upper Cross? It’s a combination of Tight and Inhibited Areas.
Tight: Muscles along the black line are super tight and over working: in the front of the body, the Pecs are Short and Tight (hint: these are the real key to the issue!) In the back of the body, it’s the upper back: Traps and Levator Scapula are Overstretched and Tight.
Inhibited: Muscles along the blue line are inhibited. That's the neck flexors in the front of the body, and Lower Traps in the back of the body.
It feels like severe tightness in the upper back, “between shoulder blades” or “tops of shoulders.” And often neck pain.
Sometimes also:
Limited range of motion, ex. in the shoulder, or “I can’t turn my head”
Tension headaches
Anxiety. Head forward posture is part of the muscular pattern of the startle response. Staying engaged in this muscular pattern can cause your nervous system to assume you are perpetually in Fight or Flight, and to release the associated stress hormones.
Common in:
Tech workers who are stationary for long periods on laptops, or at a desk
People who do lots of driving
New moms. Holding a baby in your arms for long periods of time, with head to one side, looking down at them
People with skeletal issues, like extra degrees of curvature in the thoracic spine (read: a rounded upper back.)
What’s Happening in the Tissue? Short and Tight pecs are overactive, engaging for nearly every upper body movement, even when they shouldn’t. Over time, Short and Tight muscles are unable to return to a resting state, which inhibits the muscles responsible for opposing movements. The pecs act as pulleys - they pull the upper body and neck forward, sometimes with great force, causing muscles on the upper back to stretch all the way to their end range and beyond, and stay there. So, upper back muscles become overstretched, tight (actually taut), and painful.
When your chest caves in from tight pecs, your head moves forward of your body. And it takes a lot more strength to keep your head up and your eyes level to the horizon from here. (Think: the strength it takes to hold a bowling ball up, with the weight centered over your forearm, versus holding it shifted a few degrees forward.) Stabilizing your head becomes more difficult, and your body begins recruiting nearby muscles to help, usually those overstretched upper back muscles - Total overload!
Massage can help! The physical impact of massage is mostly to relax, ie, elongate muscles. So this is one of those interesting cases when getting “massage where it hurts” in the upper back feels good in the moment, but is actually elongating an already overstretched area, without addressing the shortened muscles that are pulling you forward - in this case, only working where it hurts puts you farther into dysfunction.
A massage plan with more lasting impact: Release the pulleys. Releasing the “short and tight” pecs allows you to return to a more normal posture. This, in turn, releases the force on the overstretched upper back muscles, letting them return to a normal resting length. (Yes, we typically work on the upper back as well, to check for trigger points, and also... hey, it feels really nice!) Pain levels go down, you see more ease of movement, and more normal range of motion.
Does this sound like you? Book a massage, and let’s get you feeling better!
It’s Valentine’s day at the massage studio
At the root of Valentine's Day is appreciation. Appreciation for small gestures of daily support, and for all the hard times you've been through together. And yes, it normally focuses on romantic love and our partners. But I think it extends to our ultimate partner - ourselves.
It's often easier for us to notice when our partner is having a hard time and needs some care, than to notice the same thing in ourselves. I've seen this repeatedly in my clients - someone with serious muscular issues that are preventing them from the daily activities of living, will get off the table and say, "I feel awesome! But, you know who needs this though? ...My partner!" Inevitably, they book in their partner, who, sure, is maybe stressed out, but not in nearly as bad shape.
You are allowed to feel awesome. In fact, taking care of yourself helps those around you. I'm a big fan of that airline adage, "Put on your own oxygen mask before caring for others." Do I always remember to do it? Nope. But hey, here's a small reminder, for both you and me.
So book a massage, take a walk, or make room for whatever small thing brightens your day. I hope your Valentine's is one of appreciation.
Gift certificates Are Available Online
For those of you doing the traditional Valentine's thing of gift giving to a partner, massage gift certificates are available online. (I know mine puts up with a lot, y'all!) Choose your favorite design - there are some fun ones! Then email or print it. Someone is really going to appreciate it. Buy a gift certificate here.
Book a HSA or FSA Massage
Lots of clients are booking sessions with Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account funds right now. Many of those programs get topped up at the beginning of the year. Most of these programs are use-it-or-lose-it, and massage is an excellent way to care for yourself.
Massage can address the aches and pains you feel, or just give you an assisted way to get centered.
Here's how:
Check with your program to see if massage is covered. (It usually is!)
You can either pay with your HSA or FSA card, or, if that doesn't work for any reason, I can email a receipt with the codes needed to get you reimbursed.
I'm not sure how the end of the year snuck up, but here it is again! So sneaky! If you've got HSA funds (that's a health savings account) to use by end of year, massage is a great way to do that. Learn how at the end of this newsletter.
Holiday Hours For December
The massage studio will be open normal hours through Christmas Eve, and closed between Christmas and New Years.
Fri Dec 22 - Open
Mon Dec 25, thru Mon Jan 1 - Closed
Tues Jan 2 - Open
The massage studio will reopen for normal hours the rest of January.
Book a HSA or FSA Massage
It's an excellent time of year to use up Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account funds before they expire at the end of the year. Most of these programs are use-it-or-lose-it, and massage is an excellent way to care for yourself.
When was the last time you felt great? Massage can address the aches and pains you feel, or just give you an assisted way to get centered.
Here's how:
Check with your program to see if massage is covered. (It usually is!)
You can either pay with your HSA card, or, if that doesn't work for any reason, I can email a receipt with the codes needed to get you reimbursed.
Thanksgiving Hours: Open Wed, Closed Thurs and Fri
Happy Thanksgiving! I’m sticking close to home this year. The massage studio will be open normal hours, especially open on Wednesday, and then closed for just the Thursday and Friday of Thanksgiving.
Monday, Nov 20 - Open
Tuesday, Nov 21 - Open
Wednesday, Nov 22 - Open
Thursday, Nov 23 - Closed
Friday, Nov 24 - Closed
The massage studio will reopen for normal hours the following week, on Monday, Nov 27.
Book an HSA or FSA massage
It’s an excellent time of year to use up Health Savings Account or Flexible Spending Account before funds expire at the end of the year!
Hit the “reset” button on nagging aches or pain, or just find a designated moment to center and breathe.
I can email a receipt with the codes needed to get your reimbursed for your session - just let me know that you are on an HSA or FSA program.
Thanks, and I hope you are having an amazing fall season!
—Andrea