Author: Phila Massages
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Take a deep breath and improve your athletic performance
Do you want to shorten recovery time, increase stamina, decrease stress, sharpen your focus, and improve your athletic performance? Take a deep breath and read on! As athletes, the importance of breathing is often overlooked. After all, everyone breathes all day every day, so why think about it? This blog post will explore some breathing…
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The Importance of SI Joint Function
What is the SI Joint? The sacroiliac joint or SI joint is the joint that connects the sacrum with the pelvis and is located on each side of the lower spine. Ref. 1 The SI joint’s main job is shock absorption. It does this by transferring the forces of the upper body to the lower…
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Runners keep your BALANCE in check!
If you are a runner and are work with me, you may notice me asking you many questions during our session. This is because I want to be sure you are doing everything possible to prevent muscular imbalance and injury. It seems runners just want to run, however, let’s face it, you must do your…
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Two Minutes A Day For A Healthier Spine
Spinal hygiene is often compared to dental hygiene. Similar to teeth, the spine can develop disorders and deteriorate. The only difference is that if there is dysfunction or decay, it is more difficult to replace the spine than it is to install dentures in someone’s mouth. The spine protects the nervous system in the body…
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Sleep It On, Don’t Sleep On It (Best Sleep Positions)
Sleep: The Benefits Sleep can be your muscles greatest training ally. True rest can be the most beneficial thing in a persons training regimen because the body actually builds muscle while you sleep. As the body falls deeper and deeper into sleep, passing from a state of beta rhythm (conscious alert state) through alpha and…
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Neck Pain: Where is Your Head Right Now?
Neck pain is one of the most common complaints we see as massage therapists. And in a world where most people spend the majority of their day on a computer, that’s no surprise. In fact, if you’re reading this blog post, you’re on a computer right now. Time for a pop quiz: Where is your…
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Shin Splints Or Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome
Shin splints are a common sports injury, especially amongst beginner runners or those starting a new high impact activity. Maybe you’ve had them at some point: it is a pain in the lower leg, along the inner part of the tibia.In spite of the fact that they are so common, there isn’t a clear histological…
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Use It Or Lose It: How Age Affects Flexibility
We all remember that test in gym class, the famous V-sit and Reach. The one that had us sit upright as we effortlessly bent forward at the waist reaching out beyond the tips of our toes to the floor beneath us. Fast forward a few decades later, and how many of us would now consider…
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Understanding Hamstring Strains: “POP!”
Hamstring strains, or tears, are a common occurrence in runners and sprinters. There are several contributing factors to hamstring strains and there is a high chance of recurring injury. Strains in the hamstrings are more frequent than in some other muscles for several reasons: muscle imbalance, excessive neural tension (tonus), lack of flexibility, fatigue, and…
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Fascia-The Overlooked Connective Tissue
We view the human body in terms of a skeleton, structurally housing our muscles, organs, circulatory and nervous systems, covered by our largest organ – our skin. There are other systems in the human body that are relevant, but a tissue that is somewhat overlooked is the fascia. The medical schools used to strip away…