Acupressure is an ancient Chinese healing method that involves applying pressure to certain meridian points on the body to relieve pain. The human body has fourteen “meridians” that carry energy throughout the body. These meridians start at the fingertips, connect to the brain, and then connect to the organ associated with the specific meridian.

Acupuncture and Acupressure use the same points, but acupuncture uses needles, while Acupressure uses the gentle but firm pressure of hands. There is a massive amount of scientific data that demonstrates why and how acupuncture is effective.

Acupressure is the most effective method for self-treatment of tension-related ailments by using the power and sensitivity of the human hand. Acupressure deals with all the aspects of a person as a whole: body, emotions, mind, and spirit as one, not as separate parts. It relaxes muscular tension and balances the vital life forces of the body.

Common Benefits:
• Relieve stress and tension
• Relax mind and body
• Increase blood circulation
• Aid in the removal of toxic wastes
• Provide relief from head, neck and shoulder aches
• Promote the healing of injuries
• Increase energy levels
• Increase overall feeling of well-being
• Decreasing labor pains

Acupressure uses the fingers to press key points on the surface of the skin to stimulate the body’s natural self-curative abilities. When these points are pressed, they release muscular tension and promote the circulation of blood and the body’s life force to aid healing.

Acupressure can be effective in helping relieve headaches, eyestrain, sinus problems, neck pain, backaches, arthritis, muscle aches, and tension due to stress. There are also great advantages to using Acupressure as a way to balance the body and maintain good health. The healing touch of acupressure reduces tension, increases circulation, and enables the body to relax deeply. By relieving stress, acupressure strengthens resistance to disease and promotes wellness.

Acupressure focuses on relieving pain and discomfort as well as on responding to tension before it develops into a “disease,” that is, before the constrictions and imbalances can do further damage. By using a combination of self-help methods, you can improve your condition as well as feel more alive, healthy, and in harmony with your life.

This treatment involves stimulating the vital-energy points along the meridians on our body to effect maximum energy flow.

According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, there are over 800 vital energy points along the meridians that run from the head down to the heels, especially along either side of the spinal column. (The meridians connect the interior and exterior of the body). Every point has specific therapeutic effects on the related organ. By massaging these points, the corresponding body area receives specific therapeutic treatment. It can be used to treat internal organ diseases, relieve internal discomfort, and relax yourself; or to promote overall well-being of the body.

Western scientists have shown that many of these points are located at key crossways of the autonomic nervous system. This may explain in part why they can affect pain that the patient experiences in a part of the body far from where the pressure is applied.

To learn more or to book a treatment click here.

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So here’s the current situation: we’ve explained in detail why sitting too much is a bad thing. If you haven’t read our previous post, read part 1 now. But aside from adding to the risk of heart disease, sitting also affects your individual muscles, in ways you wouldn’t have thought possible…

Why all the fuss about posture?

Indeed, sitting too much affects your  posture. And posture is important because it plays a big role in your quality of life, how you are perceived, and your health as well. Oh, and despite our reluctance to spout any more of that doom and gloom stuff, we thought it important to point out that a good posture won’t lead to thoracic kyphosis – a condition more common among the elderly whereby the spine acquires a forward bend. According to studies thoracic kyphosis can increase mortality rates from 44% – 140%, depending on the severity.

And the reason why posture is so important is quite simple: bad posture increases wear and tear on the joints and ligaments, which can have quite severe effects on the rest of the body. A good posture is pretty much your body with its wheels aligned – less friction, more mobility.

About that chair you’re sitting on…

No, this isn’t the part where we tell you to get a different chair or to sit up straight. Instead, it’s about what’s happening to your body, right now.

Fascia is the layer of connective tissue which covers your muscles. It’s tough. And it tends to set in the way your muscles are most often used.

Sitting for long periods of time shortens the hip flexors (muscles on the front of the thigh), which, when the fascia sets results in a forward lean. And the same holds true for the various positions we tend to sit in: hunching over a keyboard with the back and/or shoulders bent forward, sitting with crossed legs… all of it has an effect on your posture, all of those postures can become permanent.

And that’s what research has shown.

If you’re worried about your posture, or what it may look like in a couple of years, book a postural assessment session today. We’ll help you determine your body type and provide you with all the advice, tips and healthy wisdom you need for a healthy, attractive posture.

to find out more click here

You might want to sit down for this. Or rather not, because what we’re about to tell you is a little-known fact about the one thing most of us do for the better part of the day: sitting too much is slowly killing you. No lies. And this isn’t a claim of a fringe study; results by the American Cancer Society and a study published in The American Journal of Epidemiology both state this as a matter of fact.

The American Cancer society’s study point out that women are twice as likely to suffer adverse effects of too much sitting, which is considered more than six hours a day. Life threatening diseases or conditions that can result from too much sitting include heart problems, diabetes and obesity.

Now we know what you’re thinking: yes you do sit six or more hours per day, but you’re also a gym fanatic, take the tube or walk, and eat healthily (whilst sitting down, no less). Unfortunately this is one of those instances where you cannot actively counter the effects of too much sitting (except by not sitting so much anymore).

Sitting, even when you have the correct posture, results in inactive leg muscles, slows the rate at which your body is burning calories and slows your body’s fat break-down capabilities down to a virtual halt. Whichever way you look at it, sitting also intensifies pressure on the spine quite severely.

And to add insult to injury, it’s a new phenomenon limited to today’s generation where we force ourselves to sit for hours in front of computer screens before getting up and going home, to sit in front of the television. We sit 8% more than we did 30 years ago, men walk, in any one week, 21 – 58 miles less than they did 160 years a go.

Back in the 1950’s Jeremy Morris found that the bus drivers of London’s famous red buses were more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than the bus conductors; government clerks were more like to face the dark unknown sooner than mail carriers.

The American Journal of Epidemiology’s study suggests that those who lead a sedentary lifestyle (i.e. sitting for several hours per day) are more at risk of developing a specific type of colon cancer.

It’s  all too scary. And we thought you should know – because it’s not about exercising more, it’s about a change in lifestyle.

Here are a couple of tips that you should keep in mind, and apply, to promote your immediate health, and your longevity:

• Don’t sit for more than one hour at a time – get up and walk around the office a bit. When you return to your chair, sit in a different position.
• Avoid fatty snacks and foods
• Get as much exercise as you can, even at work: instead of just taking on tasks that allow you to sit at your desk, offer to go make photocopies for the entire office, or volunteer for coffee duty – anything that will get you moving about a bit.

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, you have to ensure that you spend more time on your feet than on your bum. For many this will require quite a bit of determination, because you’ll have to start exercising those muscles that have grown so weak from all the sitting. But the result is definitely worth it…

Whether you’re in Cape Town, New York or London, massage therapy is seen as something of a luxury, even though it’s not that expensive and, due to its proliferation in recent years, more accessible than ever before. It generates a lot of talk among friends and in online communities – talk often limited by a lack of massage-relevant vocabulary.

Here are a couple of techniques you should familiarise yourself with to speak like a massage therapy veteran (and impress your friends)…

Effleurage 

It’s pronounced efloo-rahzh and is a French word meaning ‘to touch lightly on’. You can spot the effleurage technique when your therapist performs light circular strokes using his/her palms or thumbs. It’s aim is to gently increase blood flow to the muscle, which in turn will provide it with more oxygen and nutrients, and rid it of toxins.

Petrissage 

Pronounced petri-sahzh, this technique follows on the effleurage and can be described as two-handed kneading. The aim of this technique is to apply pressure and compress underlying muscles. This massage therapy technique is usually performed using the palms or finger tips and may involve the wringing and rolling of skin, as well as the pick-up-and-squeeze movement. This slow, rhythmic massage technique loosens tight muscles and increases mobility.

Percussive Strokes

We’ve all seen this one performed on TV and in films . In fact, it seems to be the favourite technique of massage amateurs – percussive strokes. These strokes can be performed by tapping with the finger tips, chopping using stretched fingers, cupping with cupped hands, slapping using open palms or pounding with fists (don’t worry, it’s all done lightly). Percussive strokes tones the muscle and warms it up.

Friction

You’ll recognise the friction massage technique through its slow, firm stroking or circular movements. This technique moves the superficial layers of muscle over deeper ones, and is used to ease muscle tension, reduce muscle spasm and even to treat scar tissue.

Vibration

You won’t miss the shake, rattle ‘n roll of this technique as your therapist rapidly shakes your upper back, buttocks or thighs. This technique is performed using the entire hand, or simply the fingers. Its aim is simply to stimulate the nervous system by acting on nerve centres.

So there you have it – Massage Therapy Vocabulary 101. If you’d like to experience any of these techniques first hand, or find out about others, just give us a call.

Norman Cousins, American political journalist and author, once said that: “Death is not the greatest loss in life – the greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.” All too often we only realise what had “died” when we look back on our younger years. A good posture can preserve many of the qualities of youth lacking in later years, and massage therapy can help.

According to a study, approximately 56% of US teens’ suffer from deformed spines. The cause? Poor posture. And although the statistic is based on an American target group, it isn’t unrealistic to imagine the same for the United Kingdom. Naturally, very few teens, deformed spine or not, won’t notice the effect of their poor posture until they’re much older.

Luckily a branch of massage therapy, called postural assessment, can help detect postural problems and provide ways to correct it.

Postural assessment examines how your muscles affect your body type. It includes suggestions on exercises and massage therapy techniques which will improve posture, and therefore movement and general wellbeing. The benefits of actively maintaining a good posture are far more appealing than the ostensible relaxation gained from slouching in a chair…

1. Boost your confidence

A good posture sends signals to the brain that helps boost your confidence. This obviously improves your interaction with others, and helps you feel better about yourself.

2. Breathe better

Slouching results in less room for the lungs to expand, which means less oxygen enters the body. A good posture increases the capacity of the lungs, resulting in more air (and therefore oxygen) entering the body.

3. Think better, clearer

The brain requires a significant amount of oxygen to function. Since a good posture increases the intake of oxygen into the body, it directly increases your ability to concentrate and promotes clear thinking.

4. Be more attractive

A good posture has instinctive appeal, communicating attraction and a willingness to mate. Too animalistic? Perhaps, but deep down we’re all fuelled by the same instinctive drives.

7. Keep your mobility

Poor posture puts pressure on the joints which, over time, can cause them to wear down abnormally. This could eventually result in arthritis. A good posture, in turn, ensures that the stress on joints are spread more evenly, thereby improving their use and movement for years to come.

Whether you’re a stay-at-home mum on your feet all day, or sitting in front of a computer, a good posture essentially boosts your vitality and keep you going for years to come.

Give our London massage therapy studio a call to get your postural assessment today – you’ll be glad you did in the years to come.

“Posterior”, “derrière”, “butt”, “buns”, “buttocks” or “bottom”  are all terms that refer to an attractive part of the body, which is why many men and women opt for surgery to enhance their curves with the sole aim of upping their pulling potential.  But for those who can’t afford surgery (or can’t stand the thought of an invasive procedure back there!), a buttocks massage can help add a little bit of natural shapeliness.

It forms part of the “Legs, Feet & Buttocks” massage therapy routine, but is one of the lesser-known therapies. The aim of the technique is to release tension locked in the spine, and to open up the lower back muscles, which results in increased mobility. This is achieved by stimulating the muscles of the buttocks, also known as the gluteal muscles (or just “glutes”), which are three muscles that make up the strongest and largest muscles in the human body.

An even lesser-known benefit of a buttocks massage is that it can help tone the gluteal muscles. Combined with the right exercises, massage therapy can also add to the bulk of the buttocks, which simply means more attractive curves!

In addition to the aesthetic benefits, buttocks massage therapy also:

Reduces Pain & Stress

Tense gluteal muscles may cause lower back pain, and can also be the result of stiffness in the legs and hips. A buttocks massage remedies tight muscles, and can help alleviate any physical discomfort in the immediate area.

Improves Lymph Circulation

The buttocks region is rich in lymph and blood vessels. The lymph system boosts your immune system by distributing white blood cells and antibodies throughout the body, while the circulatory system does the same with nutrients and oxygen while removing waste at the same time.

Buttocks massage therapy stimulates the flow of blood and lymphatic fluid in the buttocks and dilates the vessels, which means less toxins in your gluteal muscles, more oxygen and much more nutrients.

Remember, however, that  massage therapy for the buttocks is most effective when combined with exercises that stimulate the size and firmness of the gluteal muscles. These include squats, lunges, gluteus kickbacks, one-legged cable kickbacks and gluteus curls, among others.

And while it may take a little longer than the surgical alternative to get that perfect behind, the benefits definitely make up for it with increased mobility, less stress, improved fitness and, of course, the pleasure of regular massage sessions!

The guilt was just too much. Even the bathroom scale complained. Your clothes were stretched to the limits of their material patience. You couldn’t resist any longer…

Returning to the gym after all those months finally quieted down your nagging conscience. But now your muscles are complaining, aching and adding to the regret of having returned to gym in the first place. Will you go again? Is it actually worth the pain?

We’ve all been there and had those very thoughts. The pain remains for a few days and turns out to be a real test of devotion to your physical fitness (often leading to those it’ll-be-alright-if-I-stay-off-the-crisps decisions that see us staying at home, pain-free).

Some remain steadfast in their quest for physical fitness, many of us give up.

But you shouldn’t, and you know it. Your body is important. Your health is a key component of your happiness. So instead of giving up, plan a little better next time.

Here’s what to do:

Treat Yourself

The body is quite amazing. It can sense when we’re ready to get back into action, when it should prepare itself to burn loads of unwanted fat. Muscle stiffness, ache and pain is a sign that your body is ready to jump into the fray and be all that it can be.

The pain you experience, in medical terms, is called delayed onset muscle soreness (or simply DOMS if you want to be geeky about it). It occurs when microscopic muscle fibres tear. This is a good thing because your body is now ready to adapt to its new physical requirements; once the pain subsides you’ll have more stamina and start building valuable muscle.

But instead of enduring the agony, simply opt for a sports massage, at least after you’ve exercised. A massage before exercise can be beneficial as well since it can help you limber up, increase your flexibility and the range of motion in your joints.

More About the Sports Massage

The sports massage is a specific type of massage which comes in three different flavours: the pre-event massage, post-event massage and the maintenance massage. It is a technique aimed specifically at the manipulation of soft tissue structures and armed with a number of benefits:

• Improved circulation to aching or damaged tissue (promotes healing)
• Reduction in physical pain
• Relaxation
• Stretching of microfibers in muscles
• Improved mental state (less anxiety, more focus)

A sports massage may last from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on what you want done, or how much pain you are in. Ideally you should allow for 2 hours to pass after exercising before lying down on the massage table. This ensures that dilated blood vessels are given enough time to return to normal.

The result of the massage is worth more than the pleasure of staying at home, pain-free. You’ll have increased mobility, you’ll have more confidence and focus and you won’t try and convince yourself that staying at home is a better option. You’ll also save money and not feel so guilty when indulging in a packet of crisps.

But in all fairness, we can’t claim that a sports massage totally eliminates the pain. If you suddenly start exercising after years of inactivity you will still experience some discomfort. But you’ll be able to tolerate it and have more confidence to hit the treadmill again and again.

If you need more information about a sports massage, give us a call or get in touch here

We’ve been quite vocal on the benefits of massage therapy. Londoners have also been invited to pop in should they have a need to release their tensions, ease their discomforts and improve their physical and emotional wellbeing. But in the spirit of giving, we thought it good to give a couple of tips on self-massage. It can be done in the comfort of your own home, whenever you have time.

What You’ll Need

If you’re planning to massage on bare skin, it might be wise to pop out and stock up on massage oil. This helps reduce friction, can be good for the skin and, if you opt for scented oils, smell quite good which will help you relax.

Other than that, a massage chair can help, too. If you don’t have one, sit on the floor, or lie on the floor with your knees bent.

How to do it

Shoulders

Use your left hand to stroke your right shoulder starting at the base of your skull and moving down your neck to the elbow. Go back to your neck until you reach the base of your skull. This should be done at least three times with just enough pressure to knead out that tension!

Now position your hands where the skull meets the neck and use your fingers to perform slow, circular movements. Remember, apply just enough pressure to get that tension out of your muscles. Move down the spine until your hands are positioned between your shoulder blades, and move back up again.

Abdomen

Perfect for menstrual pain and to ease digestion, the abdominal massage is easy and can be done while seated. Use one or both hands to stroke your abdomen with clockwise circular motions. This should be done using the entire surface of your hand(s) and while lying on your back.

Once you’re done, gently press your fingers into your abdomen. The aim is to ‘knead’ the underlying layers of tissue. Now roll onto your side and perform the same kneading action on your hips and buttocks. Return to your original position, and repeat the stroking and kneading on your abdomen.

Now Give Your Body a Wakeup Call

As a bonus tip you can use this technique in the morning to help prepare your body for the day ahead: use your fits to lightly pummel your body into action. From top to bottom, start pummelling your arms and move down to the legs. Once done, move inward to your torso. For added effect you can also use your finger tips to rapidly ‘tap’ the surface of the skin (not too soft, not too hard). This techniques stimulates circulation, relaxes nerve endings and helps to toughen up the body.

Massage has been around for thousands of years, and have proven very successful addressing common and less common ailments. It is also a great way to relieve tension, and to get rid of stress. But one myth has to be dispelled: it’s not a quick fix. It’s a process. And part of massage’s efficacy depends on what you do after your session. Here are our recommendations:

Hydrate your body

During the massage toxins were driven from your muscles and your lymphatic system was stimulated. Somehow you need to get all those toxins through your kidneys, and out of your body. The answer is to hydrate by drinking lots of water, which is a key component of the detoxification process. As a result of the hydration you may need to visit the loo more often than not, but that’s simply your body’s way to rid itself of the toxins.

Invest in Epsom Salts

Epsom Salts is the layman’s term for magnesium sulphate. Added to a nice warm bath, the Epsom Salts can help draw toxins from your body and further relax your muscles. This promotes further detoxification and can also reduce any potential soreness.

(Note: Pay attention to the temperature of your bathwater – a very hot bath can exacerbate muscular inflammation)

Get plenty of rest

You may feel a bit tired after the massage. This is completely normal, since massage treats both body and mind. If your body tells you it’s time for a nap, oblige it. In the same breath, it’s important to ensure that you’ve planned your day accordingly – going back to work after an intense session or attempting strenuous physical work (gym, etc.) is inadvisable and can, with regards to the latter, result in injury.

‘Listen’ to your body

Massage therapy affects different bodies in different ways. Depending on the technique used, you might feel a bit of soreness a day or two after the session. Since massage works the muscles, this is completely normal. However, if the technique was not too intensive and you’re still sore after a third day, it’s important to communicate to this to your massage therapist so that the next session can be adjusted accordingly.

Stretching before the massage can also help reduce stiffness by preparing the muscles for the impending therapy.

All these tips and more will be communicated to you once your session is over. Stick to them and you’ll reap the full benefits of your session, and enjoy a healthier, more energetic and detoxified you.