Posture - is it poor?
Embracing Your Natural Posture and How Manual Therapy Can Support It
In our modern, busy lives, discussions about posture often come with a sense of urgency, as if having perfect posture is the key to avoiding all sorts of health issues. However, it’s important to remember that posture is a natural aspect of moving and living, and it shouldn't be demonized. Everyone’s posture is unique and influenced by various factors, including genetics, lifestyle, and daily activities. Instead of striving for an unrealistic ideal, we can focus on improving comfort, function, and well-being. Manual therapy can play a significant role in this journey.
Understanding Natural Posture
Your natural posture is the way you hold your body when you stand, sit, or move. It’s influenced by your habits, the activities you engage in, and even your emotional state.
Common postural variations include:
- Rounded shoulders
- Forward head position
- Curved back
- Tilted hips
These variations are normal and not inherently harmful. The goal is to ensure your posture supports your daily activities comfortably and efficiently, rather than conforming to a strict, idealized version of "perfect" posture.
How Manual Therapy Can Support Your Natural Posture
Manual therapy, a hands-on approach used by trained therapists, can help you optimize your natural posture by enhancing your body’s function and comfort. Here’s how:
Relieving Muscle Tension and Discomfort
Muscle tension and discomfort are common, regardless of your posture. Manual therapists use techniques such as massage and myofascial release to alleviate tightness, helping you move more comfortably and freely.
Enhancing Joint Mobility
Limited joint mobility can impact your posture and movement. Manual therapy improves joint flexibility and range of motion, allowing you to maintain your natural posture more easily.
Supporting Alignment
Manual therapy can assist in gently realigning your body’s structures, promoting balance and reducing strain. This supports your natural posture rather than forcing it into a specific mold.
Providing Education and Awareness
Therapists educate clients on body mechanics and ergonomic principles, helping you become more aware of how you hold and move your body in different situations. This awareness can lead to more mindful and supportive postural habits.
The Role of Muscle Strengthening
While manual therapy helps in optimizing your natural posture, incorporating muscle strengthening exercises is equally important. Strengthening the muscles that support your spine and joints can enhance comfort and function, contributing to better posture in a sustainable way. Here’s why muscle strengthening is beneficial:
Enhancing Support and Stability
Strong muscles provide a solid foundation for your spine and joints, supporting your natural posture and reducing the risk of discomfort.
Improving Balance and Coordination
Strength training helps improve your balance and coordination, making it easier to maintain a comfortable posture during various activities.
Boosting Overall Function
Strengthened muscles enhance your overall physical function, allowing you to engage in daily activities with ease and less fatigue.
Preventing Injuries
Strong, well-conditioned muscles are less susceptible to strains and injuries, which can occur from everyday activities.
Recommended Strengthening Exercises
Incorporate specific strengthening exercises into your routine to support your natural posture and overall well-being.
Conclusion
Posture is a natural and unique aspect of how each of us moves and lives. Instead of demonizing variations in posture, we can focus on optimizing our comfort and function through mindful practices. Manual therapy offers a supportive approach by addressing muscle tension, improving joint mobility, and enhancing alignment. Coupled with muscle-strengthening exercises, manual therapy can help you embrace and improve your natural posture, leading to better health and well-being. If you’re looking to enhance your comfort and function, consider consulting a manual therapist to support your journey.
What is FSA/HSA?
When it comes to managing your healthcare expenses, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) are two popular options that can provide significant benefits. Both accounts offer tax advantages, but they have distinct features and eligibility requirements that can make a big difference in how you plan and pay for your massage therapy sessions. In this blog post, we will outline the differences between HSA and FSA accounts to help you make an informed choice.
What is an HSA?
A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged savings account designed to help individuals with high-deductible health plans (HDHPs) save for qualified medical expenses. Here are some key features of HSAs:
Eligibility: To open an HSA, you must be enrolled in an HDHP. HDHPs typically have higher deductibles than traditional health plans, meaning you pay more out of pocket for medical expenses before your insurance kicks in.
Contribution Limits: In 2023, individuals can contribute up to $3,700 to their HSA, while families can contribute up to $7,400. These limits may change annually, so it's essential to stay up-to-date.
Tax Benefits: Contributions to an HSA are tax-deductible, reducing your taxable income. Additionally, the interest or investment gains on the account are tax-free, and withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are tax-free.
Rolling Over Funds: Unlike an FSA, funds in an HSA roll over from year to year. This means can accumulate savings over time and use them for future healthcare expenses, including massage therapy.
What is an FSA?
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is another tax-advantaged account, but it is typically offered by employers as part of their employee benefits package. Here are some key features of FSAs:
Eligibility: Most employees are eligible to participate in an FSA if their employer offers one, regardless of the type of health insurance plan they have.
Contribution Limits: In 2023, the maximum annual contribution limit for an FSA is $2,850 per person. Unlike HSAs, there are no family contribution limits for FSAs.
Tax Benefits: Similar to HSAs, contributions to an FSA are made with pre-tax dollars, reducing your taxable income. Withdrawals for qualified medical expenses are also tax-free.
Use It or Lose It: One significant difference between HSAs and FSAs is the "use it or lose it" rule associated with FSAs. Any unused funds in your FSA at the end of the plan year may be forfeited unless your employer offers a grace period or a limited carryover option.
HSA vs. FSA for Massage Therapy
When it comes to using HSA and FSA funds for massage therapy, both accounts can be beneficial. However, there are some key considerations:
HSA: With an HSA, you have the advantage of accumulating funds over time, and there's no "use it or lose it" requirement. You can use your HSA funds to pay for qualified medical expenses, including massage therapy, as long as it is prescribed by a medical professional to treat a specific medical condition.
FSA: FSAs are a great option for immediate tax savings but require careful planning because of the "use it or lose it" rule. If you anticipate needing massage therapy throughout the year and have a good estimate of the cost, you can contribute to your FSA accordingly.
Both Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) offer valuable tax advantages for covering healthcare expenses, including massage therapy. The key differences lie in eligibility, contribution limits, and the "use it or lose it" rule. It's crucial to assess your healthcare needs and financial situation to determine which account is the best fit for you. Consulting with a financial advisor or benefits specialist can also provide you with personalized guidance to make the most of these valuable healthcare savings tools. By understanding the distinctions between HSAs and FSAs, you can make informed decisions to enhance your well-being while managing your healthcare expenses effectively.
“Massage flushes toxins”…oh boy, here we go.
I was very lucky to go to Bancroft School of Massage Therapy. I am even luckier that I now get to teach at Bancroft, almost 8 years later. Recently, I started teaching our second anatomy course, where we discuss basic biology and the organ systems of the human body.
Inevitably, this statement comes up. We hear it all the time as Massage Therapists - “massage flushes toxins” remains in the minds of our clients like old gum clinging to a hot sidewalk. Most clients never question it - sure, massage flushes toxins! Makes sense, right?
Well, no. And here’s why:
Once we begin to learn about the body, this idea quickly falls apart. First of all, there is no evidence to support this claim, which is an immediately suspicious characteristic. Even the most speculative theories should have some basis in research or academic foundation.
It’s hard to trace the origins of this idea - the best anecdotal source I can find is that back before Massage was regulated, this idea was taught in schools and became part of the narrative when offering water to clients. A therapist would tell their clients to drink “a full glass of water to flush the toxins/lactic acid”, and so it became a habit that is now pervasive throughout the industry. Here’s what we know now, and the questions that arise from there:
“Toxins” are an undefined, speculative group of substances.
Some wellness gurus use this term to describe pesticides on vegetables or chemicals found in body products.
Sometimes it refers to the amount of a substance in the body - some vitamins that are necessary to the body are toxic at high concentrations.
Most importantly, the word “toxins” without a specific definition or naming the intended target, implies that our bodies are impure, dirty, stained, imperfect, or needing to be cleansed. It reinforces a narrative that makes our body the enemy - which is entirely unhelpful.
This idea completely ignores basic anatomy and physiology. Once we begin to learn about organ systems, we see all the different mechanisms we have built-in to our bodies that allow us to remove unwanted material. These systems are intelligent, complex processes that do an incredible job of regulating our internal environment. Our liver, kidneys, and lymphatic systems do a better job of removing waste than massage alone ever could. If you have a disease or problem with these systems, Massage may actually be a stressor to the organs and not recommended, not a solution.
What does “flushing” toxins even mean? What mechanism are we referring to? There’s no switch activated by massage that rinses anything away - there are potential benefits to temporarily increased circulation, but this isn’t flushing waste into the sewers - at best we’re having a minor beneficial effect on all systems and all of their processes.
If we COULD flush toxins, why would we? Let’s say for example that when you get a massage, all these toxins get released from the tissue into the blood stream, and you drink some water to counteract the toxins. If toxins were released with every massage session, why would the best idea be to flood the blood, liver, kidneys, and lymph with them all at once?
As you can tell, I am particularly passionate about this topic (as my poor students learn in class). It may seem like yelling at a wall, and sometimes it feels that way.
This issue goes to the heart of misinformation. The detoxification uproar continues the narrative that we are broken and dirty failures who, because we don’t only eat organic kale and juice fast every other week, are going to live less healthy lives.
Our goal as Massage Therapists is to focus on the actual benefits of our work, because there are many. We will continue to offer evidence-based information and treatment plans that use every bit of classroom knowledge and hands on experience to change our field. One client at a time.
What is Orthopedic Massage?
What is orthopedic massage? Jessica High, LMT, RYT and Certified Orthopedic Massage Practitioner explains what this work it and how it can help with pain and function.
What comes to your mind when you think of massage? If you imagine an assessment based clinical setting that is uniquely suited for musculoskeletal conditions…you might not need to read this!
If, when you think of massage, you can only imagine a relaxation setting with whale sounds and flutes playing in the background, there is so much more to know about Massage Therapists. Unfortunately, many MTs learn anatomy and physiology in school and then completely forget the names of each muscle and bone - and that is the foundation of our practice.
If you were to go to a surgeon who, when asked, couldn’t remember the names of each organ, would you allow them to operate on you? Probably not. Yet our industry has lost a standard of knowledge and MTs often forget the very structures they work with every day.
Orthopedic Massage is an approach and mindset rather than a set of techniques. The foundation is anatomical knowledge - understanding each structure, how it works, and what happens when things go wrong.
Let’s say you want your car fixed. If your mechanic said they knew the techniques and sequences to replace your engine, but couldn’t describe what the engine does or how it works, would you feel confident they would do the best job? An orthopedic MT studies how the body works and some extra techniques as a bonus.
Your appointment will start with joint assessment to find restrictions in movement, neurological (nervous system) involvement, and other soft tissue dysfunction that could be helped by Manual Therapy. Then, we use years of clinical experience to find innovative techniques to help address that dysfunction.
Our treatments help clients feel better in their bodies and move better through their lives. We are soft tissue experts, and would love to help you with pain.
When should you see an Orthopedic MT?
When you have pain: Outside of emergency situations, Orthopedic MT is best used for repetitive use injuries or surgery recovery.
When you need more mobility/function: Orthopedic massage can help improve mobility and athletic performance.
When you see a chiropractor/PT: Our work is very effective in addition to other wellness practices like Physical Therapy and Chiropractic.
Massage and Ehler’s-Danlos Syndrome (EDS)
Ehler’s- Danlos, a category of connective tissue disorders with an array of symptoms, can have special considerations when booking a massage.
I remember my grandmother’s jello salad. There were a few varieties over the years, but every Thanksgiving she would make some version of fruit suspended in jello to add a sweet bite to our savory meal.
Now as an instructor in Massage Therapy school, I get to share jello salad as an important metaphor for our connective tissue and fascia. We spend months in the training program learning about connective tissue and honing techniques to effect CT as Massage Therapists.
We can think of the base of connective tissue as the watery, fluid jello - we call this the ground substance. It suspends the fruit and creates form. The fruit depends on the needs of the tissue, sometimes there will be elastic fibers for stretch or dense fibers for structure. So sometimes orange slices, sometimes apples or strawberries. When the body needs strength, it creates collagen fibers.
But what happens when a genetic distortion means that there are changes in the production or integrity of collagen fibers? The result is a collection of conditions called Ehler’s-Danlos Syndrome, named after two doctors from the early 20th century who compiled information on and defined the condition. Symptoms can present as hypermobile joints, elastic skin, slow healing, generalized pain, heart problems, and more.
There are several considerations for Massage Therapists when we are working with someone who has EDS or suspects they have EDS. This is a condition where we tailor each session to the needs of the client that day - sometimes that will be about relieving the pain from tight muscles that compensate for hypermobile joints, or helping reduce the stress of having a chronic condition that takes an enormous amount of mental energy to manage.
Considerations we use when working with EDS clients:
Listening first - we will ask questions and truly listen to your answers about what works for you, what feels good and effective for you, and maintain that communication throughout the session.
We respect the reality of chronic pain without judgement
We continue to educate ourselves about the complex conditions we work with and how these conditions affect our clients’ health
If you or someone you know has EDS, Massage Therapy can be a valuable addition to address the stress and pain that comes along with this genetic condition.
MMT Shrewsbury
Neck Pain and Massage
Therapeutic Massage for Neck Pain
There’s a reason we describe difficult or uncomfortable situations as a pain in the neck. When your neck is hurting, everything from driving to trying to sleep becomes a project and a source of aggravation. Can Massage Therapy help?
Our answer is: yes! Neck pain is one of our favorite symptoms to treat, but there are a few warning signs we look out for to keep our clients safe.
First, let’s take a look at the structures of the neck that most commonly cause pain.
A diagram of the muscles of the neck an shoulder.
As you can see in the image above, the neck is a high traffic area with lots of easily aggravated muscles. Our job as Massage Therapists is to know these muscles and how they move to best identify the sources of restriction and pain. A few key players:
Suboccipital muscles: Located at the base of the skull, these tiny muscles can become a big problem if the get too tight or restricted.
Levator scapulae: This muscle runs from the top of the shoulder to the side of the neck, and is very commonly tight and painful when we find the shoulders are being pulled up towards the ears. We use targeted techniques to help this muscle settle and drop the shoulders back down.
These are just two of several muscles and structures we look at when assessing for neck pain. At MMT Shrewsbury, we consider the entire body when formulating a plan and assessing movement.
When is Massage not a good idea?
We look for nerve/neural symptoms. Tingling, numbness, cognitive problems, or recent trauma (like a car accident) could indicate damage that would not be safe for Massage Therapy. Your therapist will go over the details of your pain before agreeing on a treatment plan.
Severe Pain or Inability to Move. One of the assessments your therapist will walk you through is called range of motion, where we see the movements possible in your neck. If we notice an area is completely unable to move, we may have more questions about your history to design a safe plan.
We help neck pain by increasing range of motion and encouraging the nervous system to soften so you can move comfortably again. Plus, treatment feels great! Our techniques are designed to work with you, not against you, so Massage Therapy should never be painful.
To learn more about how we can help with neck pain and to see if our office would be a good fit for you, call 484-362-3371 or book your appointment now!
How Massage Therapy can help you
A breakdown of how massage can help with pain, injury, and stress.
You may be familiar with Massage Therapy for relaxation. Whether you get massage once a year when you receive a gift card or are a monthly client, the widespread perception of Massage Therapy is as a relaxation tool.
At Modern Manual Therapy of Shrewsbury, we agree that relaxation is a valuable benefit of our industry. We also recognize the lack of knowledge about the therapeutic benefits massage can provide and the science to back it up.
We help our clients with more than just tension - we help clients feel better in their bodies. Our techniques are targeted toward the nervous system, meaning we spent years studying how the nervous system governs our bodies so we can find effective ways to encourage change. This means we can help with:
Stress
Pain
Lack of Mobility
Athletic Performance
Injury Recovery
We focus on a deep anatomical understanding of the body to inform our work. Your therapist will be knowledgable, kind, compassionate, and ask questions to find out more about your pain, lifestyles, and goals.
We look forward to showing you the MMT Shrewsbury difference!
- Jessica High, LMT, RYT and Robert Fusco, LMT, MMP, CPT
