Muscle Massager Exerciser
There is no doubt we live in a fast-paced society that does not show any signs of slowing down any time soon. To relieve some of the stress associated with always being on the go, many people have turned to online to find ways of pampering themselve and looking good. Here at A Woman"s Place Too.com we offer a variety of skin care services, which are listed above. Use this list to help you determine what products you may be interested in. We bring you the latest break throughs in skin care technology at an affordable price. We are committed to helping you improve and maintain skin wellness. Our focus is on anti-aging treatments and looking younger and more beautiful without surgery. Specialty products include laser hair removal, microderm abrasion, Acne Blemish Control, Aromatherapy, Cellulite Treatments, Massage items, Anti-Aging Products, and finally Scar & Stretch mark Reduction. We hope you enjoy our treatments and enjoy shopping!
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Massage Therapy May Be Just What You Need!
You have heard friends and coworkers talking about massage therapy and how wonderful it is. They get relax and unwind while having their bodies massaged and pampered. Spas are turning up everywhere, even in shopping malls where you can stop and have a 15 minute neck treatment. You have stopped and watched people get their back, shoulder and neck rubbed, but never thought it would be of any benefit. Just another way to spend money!
Think again. Massage therapy is used to help treat painful ailments, decompress tired and overworked muscles, reduce stress, rehabilitate sports injuries, and to promote general good health. This is all done by manipulating a person's soft tissues. This improves the body's circulation and removes harmful waste products from the muscles.
Massage therapy is practiced by thoroughly trained individuals who provide specialized care with their client's health in mind. A massage can be given to help someone relax or to help rejuvenate them. Its main purpose is to help the person by reducing stress and possibly increasing their energy level.
Your massage therapist should talk to you about why you are there.
This helps them learn something about you and your concerns. Whether you are just unbelievably stressed, have sore muscles from exercise, or achy shoulders and neck muscles from sitting at a computer all day, the person giving the massage should know about this. They can better serve you and provide you with a specialized session that will meet your specific needs.
There are more than 80 different types of massage-some of them include the Swedish massage, deep tissue massage, reflexology, acupressure, sports massage, and neuromuscular massage. A massage can be as long as two hours or as short as five or ten minutes. The type of massage given depends on the client's needs and physical condition.
Massage therapists work by appointment. Before beginning a massage therapy session, therapists conduct an informal interview with the client to find out about the person's medical history and desired results from the massage. This gives therapists a chance to discuss which techniques could be beneficial to the client and which could be harmful.
Because massage therapists tend to specialize in only a few areas of massage, customers will often be referred or seek a therapist with a certain type of massage in mind. Based on the person's goals, ailments, medical history, and stress, or pain-related problem areas, a massage therapist will conclude whether a massage would be harmful, and if not, move forward with the session while concentrating on any areas of particular discomfort to the client. While giving the massage, therapists alter their approach or concentrate on a particular area as necessary.
Massage therapy involves the use of oils, lotions, or creams to massage and rub into the muscles. A reputable location will require customers to be covered in a sheet or blanket, and to be undressed or to wear loose-fitting clothing. The only part of the body exposed is the location currently being massaging.
Whatever type of massage therapy you choose, it should help you relax and become refreshed. Think about making this a part of your regular health routine-schedule one a month, relax and enjoy the pampering.
About the Author
http://www.AboutMassages.com brings you the latest on massage. Massages are gaining in popularity, and we want to bring you up to date information! Be sure to check out our latest information page on
massage therapy.
Muscle Imbalance And Chronic Injuries
Injuries can occur anywhere and at anytime, but the most prevalent place of occurrence is in the workplace. The reason for such a high rate of injury is that people spend 8-18 hours a day, 5-7 days a week performing unidirectional (one-way) movement patterns, causing an imbalance in the musculoskeletal system that results in the overuse and under use of certain muscle groups. If left unchecked, these injuries can be come chronic, resulting in pain and dysfunction that can last for years.
Usually, when one muscle group is overused, the opposing muscle group, acting as a stabilizer, becomes underused. When this imbalance establishes itself in the musculoskeletal system, the body does not function as designed. Instead of muscles working together to perform a specified function, they work against each other, causing the body to exert more energy to perform the same task that previously was perceived by the body as "simple".
When muscles become too short and tight, they lose their strength as they are in a chronic semi-contracted state and cannot contract (shorten) efficiently due to being pre-fatigued and the fact that they are already in a state where they are too short for proper function. If a muscle is already in a shortened, semi-contracted state, it cannot contract, or shorten very far. And the farther a muscle can contract (shorten) and move, the greater the strength and endurance the muscle will have. Chronically tight, restrictive muscles just don't function very well and they impinge structures around and beneath them such as nerves and blood vessels, causing disorders like Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and many other associated Repetitive Strain injuries. Short muscles also pull bones out of alignment, which causes a joint imbalance, often resulting in severe pain and dysfunction.
The same goes for underused muscles. Underdeveloped muscles are weak due to lack of direct stimulation. Weak muscles are usually too long, unless they are in a state of spasm, which occurs as a protective response in order to keep from being overstretched. Weak underdeveloped muscles cannot act as efficient stabilizers when the opposing muscle(s) are called into action, which again causes a joint imbalance to develop, as weak muscles cannot stabilize bones in their proper position / alignment. Weather a muscle is short and tight or long and weak, the strength and length imbalance of the affected muscle(s) must be corrected for the body to function optimally without pain, dysfunction and reduced mobility of the involved muscles / joints.
Muscle imbalances are the cause of most biomechanical disorders in the body. From Carpal Tunnel Syndrome to Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, an existing muscle imbalance is at the root cause of the disorder in 90% of the cases. Too many modalities focus on the "band-aid principal", allowing the muscle imbalance go on for years with a little bit of relief here and there. Now is the time to focus on the actual "cause(s)" of these disorders and eliminate them altogether. With the appropriate exercise and stretch routine, most musculoskeletal disorders can be eliminated quickly and effectively.
Correcting muscle imbalances is achieved through a process consisting of a number of stretches and exercises. Soft-tissue treatment and hot/cold therapy may be utilized to help expedite the rate of recovery if it is so desired. Usually the nature of performing both stretches and exercises within the same program can be quite effective at eliminating the existing condition without the addition of the soft tissue treatment and hydrotherapy. Word of caution; there is a treatment sequence to addressing muscle imbalances if the best results are to be achieved. If random stretches and exercises are performed, an individual may cause themselves more harm than good.
A general rule when addressing a chronic muscle imbalance is to execute the following program:
1. Heat Therapy* : Use heating-pad 5 Min. to warm the affected joint and surrounding muscles, preparing them for upcoming stretches and exercises. (Be sure that all sides of the joint and surrounding muscles are warmed-up.)
2. Soft-Tissue Treatment: Soft tissue treatment utilizing Effleurage and Trigger Point Therapy to reduce muscle spasm and relax the tight, restrictive overused muscles can be very effective in correcting muscle imbalances. Utilizing Transverse Friction Massage (TFM) on specifically weak, injured muscles and/or tendons to break down adhesions on the soft tissues can also be very effective in reducing overall pain and dysfunction.) Performing basic massage to the tight muscles is the easiest way to address the issue without getting too complex.)
3. Stretching Routine: Once the muscles are warmed up, stretching the tight, restrictive muscle group is key to increasing their length and reducing their impingement of surrounding tissues as well as reducing their effect on the misalignment of the joint. (Stretching the weak, underdeveloped muscles is not recommended as they are already too long and do not need to be lengthened further.)
4. Exercise Routine: Once the tight restrictive muscles have been lengthened from the stretches, it is time to exercise the opposing muscle group, the one that is weak and underdeveloped, in order to shorten and strengthen the muscles in order to reduce the tensile stresses imposed on them from the opposing tight muscle group. Exercising and strengthening the weak underdeveloped muscles not only forces the opposing muscle group to relax and lengthen further, but it also helps to maintain the length created in those muscles from the previous stretches. (Do not perform stretches after the exercises as this misaligns the joints and causes muscle rebounding. Always perform stretches first when addressing chronic muscle imbalances and then immediately follow with exercises.)
5. Contrast Bath: Utilizing a contrast bath at the end of the complete routine can be helpful in reducing muscle spasm, remove toxins from the muscles and increase circulation and overall nutrient flow to the injury, helping to aid an increase the speed of recovery. Basic procedure is 3-minutes heat to 1-minute of cold. Repeat 3-times, finishing with cold.
This general treatment program for chronic repetitive strain injuries resulting from muscle imbalances is very effective and often eliminates all of the symptoms previously associated with the injury, quickly and effectively. Always consult a physician before beginning any type of exercise or treatment program.
Remember, Your Health is in Your Hands!
About the Author
Jeff P. Anliker is a Therapist, Author and Inventor of Flextend, Flextend-AC, Flextend-TFT and other therapeutic products that are utilized by Corporations, Consumers and Medical Facilities around the world. repetitive-strain.com
