Brenda has recently completed an advanced training with certification in the Dr. Vodder method of Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) and Combined Decongestive Therapy (CDT), offered by the internationally recognized Dr. Vodder School.  The program that Brenda completed included pathology instruction and examination with the medical director of the School.

Completion of this 160-hour intensive training program makes Brenda one of approximately 1000 certified therapists in North America, currently certified to practice this specialized technique.

CDT enables Brenda to manage patients with lymphedema and venous insufficiency edema, using a combination of Manual Lymph Drainage, Exercise Therapy, Compression Bandaging and Skin Care.  This allows advanced care of patients with lymphedema, whether from surgery, radiation or congenital malformation.  Suitable venous oedemas may also be managed successfully with these techniques.

MLD can also be used in the care of patients with conditions such as venous stasis ulceration, wounds, scar tissue, burns, traumatic edema, dermatological indications such as rosacea, orthopaedic indications such as adhesive capsulitis, arthritic conditions, acute whiplash, Menieres Syndrome, migraines, etc.

Apart from increasing lymph flow, MLD also has a pain relieving effect and can be used with recent trauma, such as sport injuries.  Patients find the techniques soothing and relaxing with no side effects.  It is a gentle, rhythmic massage-like movement, performed with a great deal of precision and requires a well-trained therapist to obtain good results.

For more information, please contact Brenda at Brenda@bayswater.ca or call the clinic at 604-732-4665.

This is the second article in a series looking at the 6 principles of Neuromuscular Therapy, and how they are applied in my treatment programs. Last week I talked about Posture, the first component that I look at when you come for treatment. The 6 principles I will be covering are:

• Correcting postural distortions
• Correcting dysfunctional biomechanics
• Manually working on areas of ischemia
• Releasing trigger points
• Releasing nerve entrapment
• Rehabilitating with exercise

So let’s talk about biomechanics.

 Biomechanics

The next stage that works in tandem with postural assessment is to look at your movement and motor patterns. This, with posture, help determine how I will treat your pain and determine the exercises that will be appropriate for you at this point in time.

Biomechanics is a huge field and many books and studies have been written on the subject. For example, examination of the foot and it’s components as you strike the ground have been studied in depth, and progression of the body from there up can all be examined. However what I’m looking for when you first come in with a complaint is to get a sense of how you move generally.

Often I will have a patient go into the hallway and walk for me. As people say, it’s kind of weird to try to walk your normal way when someone is watching you. But it’s from this observation combined with your static posture that I can determine the best way to approach your pain.

A general observation of your movement is what I’m looking for. Of coarse it is sometimes the chicken and the egg thing, are you moving in a particular dysfunctional way because of your pain, or does your movement pattern contribute to your pain.

Click here to view the embedded video.

 This gait pattern obviously will have some consequenses

I will usually try to mimic your gait for you, or show you using video of yourself walking. In this way I can keep a record of your progression. At this time I usually will give a corrective movement pattern here, in the hall, to help restore proper movement.

The biggest component for re-education of movement patterns is repetitiveness. Movement has got to become a conscious act, especially at the beginning when re- grooving a new pattern. For example the most common movement pattern I see is patients walking with no movement of their arms, or an arm that swings across their body. If these destructive movement patterns continue then all the therapy in the world will be for not the moment you walk out of the therapy office and down the road with the same old pattern. An arm that swings across the body several thousand times throughout the day will eventual produce a rotatory component to your gait, and the same problem and pain will crop up once again. So don’t be fooled. If your gait hasn’t been looked at, your not getting the most out of your therapy.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Proper gait patterns

Corrective movement patterns need to be preformed with a conscious mind, repeated for several minutes at least, and repeated several times a day. Think of it this way. There is a field (your body) that has a path running through it (the nerve pathways). The more that people use the path, the more the path gets trampled down and grooved. It becomes the path of least resistance. The path becomes more established and the more that this path is used, the more it will be to the exclusion of others. Movement patterns are a series of nerves that fire in a particular order to produce the movement. In order to create a different movement we have to create a different pathway. As in the field, the more other pathways are created and used, the more the original pathway will overgrow and be lost. Reintroducing a new movement pattern has got to repeated often and with conciseness to produce a different pattern.

First observation when looking at your gait will be looking at such patterns as arm swings and movement of the shoulders and spine. How does your pelvis move, side to side in a fixed pattern or does it not move at all? How does your leg move through the flexion and extension phase, and how does that relate to your knee and the way your foot strikes the ground. All of this will effect the way treatment to resolve your pain will progress.

Reintroducing new movement patterns is fairly easy but as mention, need to be repeated often. Personally when I workout in my garage gym and on the treadmill, I find it a perfect time to check into my gait, and re-groove a movement pattern. Mindfulness is important in rehab, particularly in movement.

Using gait as an example, a decrease in hip internal rotation will not allow the pelvis to rotate over the stance limb, thereby limiting the coupling mechanics (a whole other discussion!!) of the sacrum and lumbar spine. Due to the lack of hip movement the lumbar vertebrae make up for the movement, thus rotating way to much for its true function. The lumbar vertebrae true function is to stabilize the thorax and the pelvis ( this will be discussed much more in-depth when we look at the Functional stability component of NMT. Additionally, muscles in the low back, like the multifidus, will not achieve their normal length-tension relationships due to excessive movement. Potentially, this can be the source of low back pain, the lack of pelvic movement. The lack of motion in the sacrum/ilium and the excessive movement of the low back may lead to degenerative changes and excessive compression of the facets. You can appreciate how complicated this can all get! However re-grooving the proper movement will help for the present pain and for the future.

So up to this point I will have looked at your posture and how that posture translates into your movement. At this point I will have discussed what I see and how we proceed from here.  Usually I then can progress into the next three principles of NMT, that is

• Correcting postural distortions
• Correcting dysfunctional biomechanics
• Manually working on areas of ischemia
• Releasing trigger points
• Releasing nerve entrapment
• Rehabilitating with exercise

Next week I will discuss the next three components. Until then if you have any questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT

Over the many years I have been a Massage Therapist I have seen new treatment protocols come and go, new types of treatment modalities used and discarded, and standard rehab exercises evolve. And in all honesty, I’m what is known as an early adopter, one that looks at the latest research and findings, new tools, and new exercises, and incorporates relevant protocols into my therapy. Many rehab exercises that we were taught in the 80′s and 90′s are now considered dangerous to our spinal health. Also simple issues such as when to use heat and when to ice has change as more is discovered into the cell response. My own exercise program has changed over the years as well, as many of the exercises I did then do not work the area the way they were thought to. Yet still today I see many therapists and trainers using some of the same old techniques. And this means you as the patient may not be getting optimal care and advice.

There is so much research out there, and sifting through all of it is a process. Recently while on Spring Break Vacation I found myself reading scores of journals and research papers (thank goodness for the iPad) on manual therapy and rehab exercises. I find these type of readings so interesting and applicable, both for my patients and my own personal health and exercise programs.

Writing these articles provides a way for me to share with you what I find, and particularly why I do the treatments I do. It also helps me to physically note my thoughts and organize my treatment plans. Many of you know that the basis of my treatment is Neuromuscular Therapy (NMT). I taught this throughout Canada and the US, and also had the opportunity to teach in the Czech Republic and Germany, and shared some techniques when traveling in Africa. But as more research is conducted much of what I taught then has changed.

Over the next few articles I will reexamine the principles of Neuromuscular Therapy and how I apply it to my therapy. With this I will visit the ever expanding modalities that have been incorporated into my treatment plans as well as the theory. I hope you will find some of this as interesting as I do. If you have any questions, concerns or comments please do not hesitate to contact me.

Neuromuscular Therapy has 6 principles that I follow to assist us in bringing your body back to homeostasis. They are

Some or all of these can be done in a single treatment session.

Posture

The first thing you will notice when you come in for treatment is that I will always first look at your posture, that is, where you are in space. This I believe is probably the most important area to start with. Your center of gravity is situated at approximately the lower end of your spine, in the sacrum at S2. It is from this point our bodies move. If the center is not position on the proper planes of gravity, then when we move we will have a wobble pattern, or something similar. And this can have devastating effects in our body. Some people have postural distortions and experience no pain whatsoever yet others can have mild distortions and experience much pain. But postural deviations eventually will have an effect on our body. The constant and cumulative stresses on our joints and the muscles that help support our posture begin to break down and pain and discomfort can be as debilitating as the sudden incident of injury.

Understanding that when looking at your posture, it is only a snapshot in time. Our posture changes throughout the day, however in my experience we tend to adopt an average posture, and with constant monitoring of the posture do we get to know where your body tends to sit. Over a period of time we can tell how your posture is progressing.

Postural distortion is as mentioned the first component that I, an NMT therapist will look at. Why? The skeleton is actually just a bunch of joints stacked upon each other. And these joints have been designed in such away that it’s optimal function occurs when it is in its correct location in space. And each joint thereby has a specific function, both unto itself singularly and also in coordination with other joints. When these conditions are not met then a predictable level of dysfunction occurs at some point.

We’ve all experienced a degree of postural imbalances at some point during our lives. Being a bit bent over after gardening, or working at the computer all day only to find our shoulders have rounded and a forward head posture exists. However our bodies have an amazing capacity to adapt to changes, whether for the better or the worse. This ability to adapt is know as General Adaptation Syndrome (Seyle, 1958). Our bodies will adapt to loads and stresses placed upon it. In the case of our posture, if we continue to have a forward head posture or slumped shoulders and back, the bones will actually begin to remodel and change their form to adapt and support the less than functional posture. Of coarse the same is true in reverse, we can improve our posture by repeatedly promoting correct alignment.  We all have seen someone with a dowager’s hump, that big bump at the base of the neck. The predominant causative factor of this is usually poor posture. Do they have a forward head posture?

When I look at your posture, what I am seeing are the planes around which the body moves. These planes are

1. The sagittal plane which divides our body in left and right halves. In this plane I look to see how symmetrical your left side is to the right. Is your head in the middle or does it tilt to off to one side. Your nose and pubic bone should be aligned and fall equally between your feet.

2. The coronal plane divides our body in front and back halves. Here we should see that your ear, shoulder, hip, knee and ankle bone all fall in the same line. It is also in this view that I can get a sense of the spinal curves of your body. An increase or decrease of spinal angles will eventually come to haunt you.

3. The transverse plane divides the body into top and bottom halves. In this plane I look to see if shoulders are aligned, if your hips, knees and ankles are aligned. As mentioned earlier, your pelvis is the base for which your spine sits. Proper alignment here is a must if full recovery of any condition is to be met.

Poor posture causes constant spinal load. The result is an increase firing of nerves thereby causing erector spinae (back muscles) contraction resulting in back pain. There are several principles that I have adopted from a book entitled Muscle Balance and Testing. Evaluating and treating postural problems requires an understanding of the basic principles relating to alignment, joints and muscles

• Faulty alignment results in undue stress and strain on bones, joints, ligaments and muscles.
• Joint positions indicate which muscles appear to be elongated and which appear to be shortened
• A relationship exists between alignment and muscle test findings if posture is habitual
• Muscle shortness holds the origin and insertion of the muscle closer together
• Adaptive shortening can develop in muscles that remain in a shortened condition
• Muscle weakness allows separation of the origin and insertion of the muscle
• Stretch weakness can occur in one-joint muscles that remain in an elongated condition

(Taken from Muscle Balance And Testing)

In most cases when a patient comes in and their center of gravity is off, a simple but effective maneuver is all that is needed to bring it back to center. Pelvic stabilization is a simple, none invasive and gentle technique that has the ability to move your pelvis back to a perfect place. Keeping it there is the hard part. That’s where the rest of the NMT principles come into affect.

So the ability to “see” the skeleton within is what all great NMT therapists do and is the first step to assessing further the inter relationship of the soft tissue with the skeletal system.

In the next issue we will look at biomechanics, that is, how you move.

As always if you have any questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT

An American architect Louis Sullivan, told us “Form follows Function”. In 1896, he wrote an article The Tall Office Building Artistically Considered. Here Sullivan actually said ‘form ever follows function’, but the simpler (and less emphatic) phrase is the one usually remembered. For Sullivan this was distilled wisdom, an aesthetic credo, the single “rule that shall permit of no exception”. The full quote is thus:

It is the pervading law of all things organic and inorganic, Of all things physical and metaphysical, Of all things human and all things super-human, Of all true manifestations of the head, Of the heart, of the soul, that the life is recognizable in its expression, that form ever follows function. This is the law.

I love this law. I think about it often when I treat patients. Why do I look at architecture as a massage therapist? Let me explain.

We can see easily how “Form follows Function” with regards to our bodies. Exercise is a prime example. Let look at a bicep curl with weight. As the bicep is subjected to increased resistance, the weight, the muscle fibers respond by getting bigger. The bigger the weight, the bigger the bicep will get. Thus the form of the bicep changes as a result of the function it is being asked to perform. Therefore, in architecture determining the shape of the building, or the form, results from the function of its interior. This is the same with our body as we can see. So indeed, form follows function.

However I also believe that function follows form, particularly when I’m looking at the body. Consider the 2 images below.

Look around you. How many people do you see who have a posture such as the person on the right? And consider their symptoms. Do they have digestive problems, poor bowel movement, shortness of breath, or heart palpitations. If our posture is collapsed, consider the organs within. Do you really expect a diaphragm, lungs, or our liver to function properly if their space is being crushed? In this case the function of tissue is influenced by the form, our posture. Indeed the reverse is true, Function follows Form.

Neuromuscular Therapy looks at both. By assessing your posture, your gait and the muscle tone surrounding we can determine the best approach to resolving your pain and discomfort. As with architecture we are built in a structural form, containing levers and pulleys. And within our body we have rooms in which our organs are housed. By taking rules from the architectural world and applying it to our body, we can help restore your proper structure. And once again you will be standing tall!

So remember,

Form follows function and function follows form.

As always if you have any questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT, Laser Therapist

I read this wonderful article and wanted to share it with you. It is writen by Clifton K. Meador, MD. in the Autumn 2011 Journal of The Pharos of Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. The author (A!A, Vanderbilt University, 1954) is clinical professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, clinical professor of Medicine at Meharry School of Medicine, and executive director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance.

In 1994, I recorded a fictitious interview with the person whom I imagined to be the last well person on earth.1 I mistakenly thought well people were disappearing and I wanted to call attention to their disappearance. I missed the big picture and now want to correct my misconceptions. Well people are not disappearing; instead, a new species of man is emerging: Homo clinicus.

An evolution of the symbiotic relationship between man and medicine has been going on for some time. Lewis Thomas deserves the credit for an early spotting of the new species, first observed in America. He called our attention to this phenomenon in the 1970s.

Nothing has changed so much in the health-care system over the past twenty-five years as the public’s perception of its own health. The change amounts to a loss of confidence in the human form. The general belief these days seems to be that the body is fundamentally flawed, subject to disintegration at any moment, always on the verge of mortal disease, always in need of continual monitoring and support by health-care professionals. This is a new phenomenon in our society.2p43

There has been a progression of terms for this new species. First, there was the “early sick” then “the worried well.” That was followed by “the worried sick.” We now have arrived at a definable new species that differs from pre-clinical man. Preclinical man lived largely with medicine out of his consciousness. In fact he lived to avoid medicine. Those of us who are still preclinical will recall the earlier saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” That is almost pure preclinical thinking. Preclinical man only went to the doctor when he was sick or injured. It was up to preclinical man to decide if he was sick or well. It did not take a physician to make that decision. If he felt all right he was well; if he felt sick he was sick. Not so with clinical man. Feelings are no longer a reliable guide to health. Feeling good is not enough. There must be objective data that nothing is wrong. That’s the problem. Something is always wrong if you look long and hard enough at or inside any human. As a medical resident told a colleague, “A well person is someone who has not been worked up. We can always find something wrong, if we look hard enough.” 1

Clinical man is neither sick nor well. He is simply in clinical limbo. As you will see in the definitions of this new species below, he is always under medical surveillance. Clinical man requires it. More importantly, medicine requires it. Clinical man either has something that is not quite right or something that needs to be rechecked.

Medicine and man have evolved in a symbiotic manner—like the whale with those little fish that swim in and out of the whale’s mouth. The fish need the whale for food particles and the whale needs the fish for dental hygiene—something like that. There is nothing strange about this symbiosis of medicine and man. Big medicine needs clinical man and clinical man needs big medicine. That’s just the way it is. Where would all the endoscopists be without clinical man? And what about all those proceduralists who do interventions and biopsies? What would we do with all the CAT scans and MRIs and PET scans without clinical man? How would all the surgi centers and imaging centers and standalone diagnostic centers survive without a long line of clinical men? Don’t forget the insatiable needs of big pharma and the relentless mongering of created, pseudodiseases on television.

Clinical man goes to the doctor when not sick. That’s part of the definition of the new species. No longer able to decide by themselves, they come in increasing numbers to find out if they are sick or well. Some even demand to know what disease might loom in the future for them.

Here are a few of the characteristics of clinical man:

1. Knows his cholesterol level within 10 milligrams percent
2. Has been biopsied in at least one nonpalpable organ by age fifty
3. Has been biopsied in a palpable organ by age forty
4. Has had at least one major orifice endoscoped within the past twelve months
5. Is always waiting on a biopsy report or a repeat of a borderline or false positive lab result
6. Never goes more than twelve months without medical contact

How did this evolution from an avoidance of medicine to medicine becoming a necessity occur? It is actually quite simple: medicine has been assigned successes by television and the public that are not attributable to medical care. Nearly all of the increases in health and life expectancy from birth are traceable to public health measures, clean water and milk, vaccinations, and a myriad of positive effects of the age of modernization.

It is a strange irony that at a time of maximum health, more people than ever are coming to see doctors. Preclinical man will soon be extinct.

References

Meador CK. The last well person. N Engl J Med 1994; 330: 440–41.

Thomas L. On the Science and Technology of Medicine. In: Knowles J, editor. Doing Better and Feeling Worse: Health in theUnited States. New York: W. W. Norton; 1977: 35–46.

The author’s address is:

Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance
Bio-Medical Building
1005 D. B. Todd Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37208
E-mail: clifton.meador@vanderbilt.edu

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT, Laser Therapist

Even good for Frankenstein

Did you know that using K Tape is also great for kids!

Take for example my daughter. Weeks ago she came back from playing a soccer tournament. Four games in 5 hours and lots of running around. The following day she was complaining of knee pain, somewhere around her kneecap. After an examination I believed she had a bit of patellofemoral syndrome, an irritation just under the kneecap (patella).

To quote my daughter;

“The tape really helped my knee. Since Daddy put on the tape it has seemed to take away the pain.”

This is only one of many uses for K tape to perform it’s magic. Patellofemoral pain is a common knee problem. If you have this condition, you feel pain under and around your kneecap. The pain can get worse when you’re active or when you sit for a long time. You can have the pain in one or both knees.

With a little bit of blue tape over the kneecap symptoms can cleared up in a few days to a week. Of coarse with children it is so much quicker. They seem to heal faster. But the effects are almost immediate. In the case of patellofemoral syndrome the tape can act as a lifter, if you will, drawing the patella away from the femur thus decreasing irritation. Then the body can heal. Irritation – no healing. No irritation – healing begins.

Benefits of K Tape

• 100% acrylic heat sensitive adhesive/no latex
• Stretches along longitudinal axis only
• Thickness and weight approx. same as skin
• Can be worn for several days, tolerates showering
• Upper extremity lasts 2‐3 days
• Lower extremity lasts 3‐5 days
• Proprioceptively educates a weak muscle  (Arndt-Schult Law – weak stimuli activate neurological activity, strong stimuli inhibit) & Hilton’s Law
• Reduces pain through receptor feedback (Golgi tendon)
• Relaxes muscles
• Reduces edema
• Improves ROM

Ask me if K Tape, along with your Neuromuscular Therapy will benifit you.

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT, Laser Therapist

Definition:
a. The act of traveling from one place to another; a trip.
b. A distance to be traveled or the time required for a trip

Have you ever thought of your massage therapy as a journey? Or for that matter have you ever thought of seeing any of your practitioners as a journey? I didn’t until a treatment with one of my patients the other day.

She said that coming in to see me for treatment was a journey, and one that she looked forward to, despite sometimes feeling beat up after treatment. As we got to talking about this, I found myself thinking that every treatment I do with every patient is a journey. Think about it. When first seeing a new patient I look at gait, posture, and listen to the symptoms. It’s as if this is the starting point at this place and time, the patient and myself here and now. From here it is really is a matter of getting from point A to point B, and how we are going to achieve this, and the journey we will take.

Every patient has their own destination. For most its being pain free. For others it may be to run faster, jump higher, or to complete the Grand Fondo. Others still it may be to carry on into being able to do everything we have and are doing now till the day we die. But EVERY patient I see has a point, a destination of where they are going or want to go.

Of course with each patient it is a different journey. Some patients I have seen for 28 years, and our journey together has been long and great. And with these patients I suspect that the journey will continue for some time after, as we progress through our lives and are presented with different challenges with our body. And at some point these journeys will also come to an end. As with other long standing patients the journey comes to an end, and no longer do I see or hear from the patient. These journeys are tough ones, as relationships are built through the journey, and loosing these contacts becomes somewhat personal. But over the years, we as Massage Therapists learn that patients will come and go, the ebb and flow of life, but never the less, lives have been touched in some way.

Some journeys with patients are shorter, have a defined lifespan. A recent patient came in with chronic lower back pain. She has had this pain for years. But simply looking at her posture and gait revealed some discrepancies that have not been picked up by other health care practitioners she has seen. Explaining to her what I see and what we need to do starts the journey and sets the road map to where and how will will get her pain free. After several treatments, working on each part of the trip to better health, she eventually is pain free. Amazing! But not so amazing. In order to get from point A to point B there is all the little points in between to get there. Miss one or go in a different order, ie: strengthen a muscle before it is stretched, can mean the difference of not getting to the destination.

Our annual journey to Treasure Island

The journey idea is a good one. Whether or not your therapist or yourself is aware of it, the journey begins. Getting to the destination is the difference between a good therapist and a great one.

Another patient commented that I was always 100% there for them. I seemed engaged and present during our treatment. This also is the difference of making the journey to the end. How may practitioners do you see that are totally present? Your GP, your dentist, your surgeon, your massage therapist. All of these practitioners have to be fully engaged in your treatment and treatment plan to be successful. With prevailing winds and such, an airplane is off coarse 70% of the time as it flies to it’s destination. The pilots ensure the appropriate adjustments are made as the journey continues to make sure we arrive where we are suppose to. And so ever practitioner has to make the adjustments for stresses and events  that may alter the treatment coarse.

For some the journey is smooth and easily laid out. For others it can be a long process. One of my patients came to see me a year ago. I could barely touch her, her body in so much pain that it seemed that mere breath would send her home in pain. But the path was clear. Her posture, her gut and digestive functioning had to be addressed. With the help of other practitioners, this woman is doing more now than dreamed possible. I remember her asking me when she would be reaching this point, way back at the beginning. Massage Therapists hate this question. I hate putting time lines on anything as so much can happen between treatments. We are dynamic individuals so each one is different. But after some persistence I said she would be good by July of this year. I was wrong. She was good by August! And what she can achieve now is truly amazing. But of coarse a new destination is set. She wants to be able to achieve this and that, do more, and so we continue to work. The journey continues.

And for still others the journey keeps going, as with Kramer is a Seinfeld episode, it may be to see how long we can go till we run out of gas. I loved this one.

As always, if you have any question, concerns or comments please do not hesitate to contact me.

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT, Laser Therapist

Often I’m ask by therapists and patients alike how I care for my hands. After almost 28 years of massage, 4 days a week, and 8 hours a day, my hands take a beating. And all too often I see new therapists coming out of school and begin working so hard that after 4-6 months they need to take a break because of tendonitis. So here is what I do.

Pace – be sure to pace yourself. This is the classic Tortoise and the Hare. There is no sense in working hard for 3 months, and then taking a month off to recover. Slow and steady is the call here. There is a lot of years ahead of you, don’t blow out your hands in the first year.

Relax – being tense while treating is a killer. Keep relaxed, be 100% there with your patients, and let your hands go. This is a no brainer, however I’m always shocked when teaching how tight some therapists hold their hands.

Ice (Cold baths) – after EVERY treatment run your hands under cold water for at least 3-5 minutes. And perhaps 10-15 minutes at the end of the day. As with professional athletes, and ice water bath should be part of your daily routine. Is is thought that micro-trauma results with repeated and strenuous activity (ie: massage therapist hands). On one hand this is good because the increase in activity will stimulate muscle cells activity, thus causing muscles to strengthen (think body builders). However there is also a thing called “delayed onset muscle pain” which tends to occur some 24 to 72 hours later. Is is thought that ice and ice baths,

• constrict blood vessels and flush waste left by cellular metabolism
• decrease metobolic activity
• decrease swelling and tissue breakdown

Exercise – after all this manual work you may think that you don’t need any more exercise. But massaging is your job. You must have strong hands and forearms to decrease the stress the small little muscles undergo. And for that matter arms, shoulders and back are also important. Invest in a little time at the gym, or have some exercises to do at home. Not every day but 3-4 days a week. Your hands and body will thank you and treat you nicely in return. And don’t forget to stretch out also.

Address any issues – even with the slightest of pain, tweek, or fatigue, take notice. There are many things I have done in the past to ward off pending pain. These include, and still do for that matter, massage (someone else massaging your hands), ice and ice baths (see above), Laser light applications, and K taping techniques. Any and/or all the above can keep you working without missing a beat.

Diet - there are many supplements I’ve tried and continue to use. Some do not have supporting research, but do have big claims. In my experience I think it’s best to try some of them and see what works for you. Of course the top supplements I use are

• Glucosamine
• Chondroitin
• Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
• Hyaluronic Acid
• Green Lipped Mussels

Of course there are many more, but making sure you have ALL your vitamins and minerals help. But play around and see what works best for you.

Finally, Rest – there are times when no matter what I do, my hands just start to feel tired. that’s the time when a little holiday is in order. No muss, no fuss, just rest the hands. Sometimes a long weekend is all you may need.

Listen to what your hands are telling you. Your livelihood just may depend on them.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT, Laser Therapist

Today I had the great pleasure of presenting an hour presentation to the introduction of Taping for Massage Therapists at the Utopia Academy of Massage Therapy. I felt a great sense of honor to be asked to present by a woman that has truly become a colleague that I look to for guidance, Annette Ruitenbeek, RMT, the Acting Dean of Education. It was also a very exciting time around the College as graduating students were finding out the results of their Board exams, making them RMT’s or not. One after another of the students were jumping for joy with the news that they were now joining one of the most amazing professions. Congratulations to all.

My talk was to introduce new RMT’s and students at the Academy alike the uses and benefits of Kinesiology Taping Methods within their practice. The lecture room was packed with students and facility, and I’m sure the group could see my sweaty armpits. However I think the information and introduction came off well.

I began with and introduction of the history of the tape, citing the Kinesio Taping concept developed in the 70’s by Japanese chiropractor Dr. Kenzo Kase, K Taping developed in Germany, SpiderTech taping developed in 1987 by Nitto Denko of Japan and Rock Tape developed in the US.

The common quality of all the tapes is that they all are an elastic tape that has similar properties as the skin. With most of the types of taping methods, training is available here in Vancouver. Through experience using the tape over the last three years, I’ve found some tapes stick better than others, and some of the tapes have different weaves, making them somewhat different to work with.

As explained in the demo, the benefits of using Tape in conjunction with treatment are vast. The elasticity of the tape is virtually the same with all tapes, up to 130‐140% of resting length. The adhesive used is 100% acrylic and heat sensitive. All tapes stretch  along longitudinal axis only, thereby making application very specific to each body part. The thickness and weight of all the tapes are also approximately the same as skin, thereby making the wearer of the tape virtually indistinguishable  between it and their own skin. Tape can be worn for several days, from 3 to 6 days before it comes off, and also tolerates showering, sweating and pool activities. The tape proprioceptively can educate a weak muscle through Arndt-Schult Law and effect structures below the surface via Hilton’s Law. It can also reduces pain through receptor feedback (Golgi tendon and the Gate Theory). We also discussed the challenges of using tape in a Massage Therapy practice. Of all challenges I see the 3 most specific being oils, time and cost.

The types of demonstrations I used were applications to the lumbar spine, specifically for lower back pain, and associated pelvic tilt situations. Shoulder applications to facilitate deltoid and rotator cuff as well as stabilizing the AC (acromioclavicular) joint. I also had planned to demonstrated applications for patello-femoral dysfunction and collateral knee stability however time had run out.

This was a very fun demonstration for me, and I can see that a weekend workshop specifically designed for Massage Therapists is needed. So stay tuned. Perhaps you will be in my next workshop.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT, Laser Therapist

I am please to welcome Dave Campbell to our office.

Dave Campbell has been a Registered Massage Therapist since 1995. A graduate of the West Coast College of Massage Therapy, he has worked alongside chiropractors, physiotherapists and fitness trainers and spent several years in one of Vancouver’s top spas.

Dave uses neuromuscular therapy, fascial mobilization, and myofascial trigger point therapy to provide effective treatment for chronic pain and muscle tension.

How can Dave help you?

1. One-on-one individual attention every visit: One advantage of massage therapy over some other kinds of treatments is the undivided personal attention you receive for your entire treatment time. Your first visit includes a medical history and consultation interview, followed by a physical assessment and treatment plan. Subsequent visits will begin with a short checking-in to see how you responded to your previous treatment and to determine that day’s focus. At all times, your privacy and dignity are assured.

2. Attention to all parts of the body: The body is a single-functioning unit composed of a complex, three-dimensional collection of systems. Each system must be in balance for full function and well-being. The place where a pain is felt may not necessarily be where the restriction is located. While an individual treatment visit may focus on one specific region or system, attention is paid to restoring optimal function to the entire body.

3. Attention to all systems of the body: Consideration of blood flow, lymph drainage, respiration, quality of motion in tissue and joints, promotes a sense of well-being in and connection to the body.

4. Techniques of manual therapy provide drug-free pain relief: Massage Therapy integrates a variety of massage and other techniques – such as Swedish Massage, Neural-Muscular Therapy, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Myofascial Mobilization, and Trigger Point Therapy – to address your specific needs.

5. It might take some time: Chronic pain and dysfunctions, especially those related to posture or repetitive strain, take time to develop. Some take months or years to become noticeable. By then the muscles, joints and other tissues will have adapted to an unhealthy way of being, and require retraining. This usually includes a combination of massage therapy, stretching and exercise to guide the body toward functional improvement. Don’t worry; you won’t be given anything you can’t handle or that can’t be done in your own home or workplace.

What do patients say about Dave. Have a look.

I feel very lucky to have discovered Dave’s talents as a massage therapist: After four or five sessions I now have complete mobility in my left shoulder.  What’s even better, I no longer wake up in the middle of the night in pain, my shoulder hurting because I had moved the wrong way in my sleep.  Dave not only provided the massage therapy… but he also gave me a number of exercises which would strengthen the muscles and help ensure that I did not reinjure the shoulder.
Joe B, Ph.D. – Vancouver BC (Client since 2010)

While rehearsing a professional play, I developed a very painful neck injury. The director and cast members recommended Dave Campbell. After his skilled treatment I was able to return to work without prescription drugs. A physician later confirmed certified massage therapy was the best treatment and my stage union insurance reimbursed costs. I’m nearing 70 and am happy to vouch for Renewed Balance services. 
Jason L. – Vancouver BC (Client since 2011)

He is an expert at understanding and fine-tuning the instrument that is a performer’s body. You can literally trust that you’ll be in good hands with Dave Campbell!
Lisa B. – New Westminster BC (Client since 2011)

Dave Campbell is simply the best when it comes to good RMT work! As a repeat customer I am very familiar with the long-term benefits Dave’s skillful hands are bringing to my body and general well-being. Thanks Dave!
Dean Paul G. – Vancouver BC (Client since 2011)

I do lots of lifting and carrying in my job and can always trust Dave to get rid of all the knots and kinks that crop up. He always finds the root of whatever particular problem I have and makes it disappear. I travel a lot in my job and have over the years visited other massage therapists, none of whom can match Dave. Whenever I’m home, I make sure to visit him. He really is the best.
Heather M. – Vancouver BC (Client since 2001)

I’ve run two marathons in the past few years, and couldn’t have done it without Dave! The pressure it puts on your body is extreme…and I am injury free. I believe it’s due to his extensive knowledge and years of experience. Any question about how your body connects, he can answer and explain in an accessible way. This translates into an excellent massage, with lasting results!!! If you’re looking for a wise use of your budget, Renewed Balance is the best in the city. Recommend without a doubt!!!
Natasha W. – Vancouver BC (Client since 2008)

I’ve been seeing Dave for years, and wouldn’t think about seeing anyone else.  His experience and knowledge are second to none, and he’s also a heck of a nice guy!  As a weekend warrior, stressed out computer operator, and aging boomer, I have received effective relief for neck, lower back, hip and leg pain/lack of mobility.
Deb W. – Vancouver BC (Client since 2005)

Dave Campbell has been a godsend in alleviating lower back muscle aches and tightness in my hips over the past five years -very knowledgeable in resolving muscle/fascia problems. After each session, I walk out of his RMT clinic as a new man!
Cole W. – Vancouver BC (Client since 2005)

Thank you Dave Campbell RMT for the great massages since 2001. If you want pain relief of muscles, tissues and body this is who to come to.
Grace K. Burnaby BC (Client since 2001)

Dave Campbell is also known as an actor and sound designer in the Vancouver theatre community. Here are some of his favorite roles and productions,

• The Pillowman – Wild Geese Co-Op February 2011
• Twelfth Night – What You Will Co-Op July 2010
• The Way of the World  – United Players September 2009
• Democracy – United Players June 2006
• Socrates on Trial – Vital Spark June 2008
• The American Pilot – Mentors Project October 2007

We are very fortunate to have Dave join us here at Bayswater. Please do not hesitate to give him a call and book an appointment with him. You’ll be glad you did.

In Health,

Peter Roach, RMT, CNMT, Laser Therapist