Maintenance

If your car’s engine light was on, you’d know something was wrong. Painful, heated, stiff muscles are your body’s way of saying an engine light is on. Massage maintenance helps address those issues as well as maintain the overall health of the other muscle groups. Timing within the “maintenance” depends on body usage, injuries and repair time between sessions. Working together we will learn what allotment of time and maintenance schedule works best for keeping you finely tuned for optimal health.

To maintain proper hydration; water amounts should be upwards of a half-gallon a day or more. You can add fresh squeezed juices like lemon, lime or orange to help you get in the best habit of drinking water. Keep in mind coffee, tea, alcohol and heat are dehydrators, so increase your water intake if those are present in your day.

Eating clean means, eating home prepared meals. No processed, boxed, or ‘center of the store’ items. Shop the outside section of the store for fresh, raw and organic foods. Your body will thank you! Not sure how to start eating clean? A nutritionist is a valuable person to know. With a little guidance, you can fine tune your nutrition needs! If you lack the time cooking for yourself, there are food prep companies out there that can prepare meals for you, saving you that time. No, not fast food, but wholesome meals prepared just for you.

Get your office area ergonomically suitable for your body. Sit using a Theraball – it’s FABULOUS for retraining your body to sit correctly.

Stretching is needed daily, and is better if done after your shower/workout. Warm muscles stretch easier with fewer complications.

Ice is best, for 20 minutes, every two hours as needed for discomfort. Heat is great to relax the muscles, if done by shower/Jacuzzi.

Exercise is an important factor to have in your daily life. Muscles need to be tone to hold your skeletal structure in proper alignment. It is also good for your heart and brain function, as these are muscles too. Make sure you are using good form. If you are needing assistance in knowing proper technique, to gain muscle, lose weight, or stretch properly, hire a trainer. They will be able to show you proper form, new ideas for building muscle and stretching tight areas. (Referrals listed below.)

While massage takes care of the muscle structure, other modalities can aid in betterment as well. Chiropractic is the mechanic for your skeletal structure. Massage and Chiropractic go very well together as one structure cannot be used without the other. If your muscle is tight, the skeletal structure cannot move properly and if the jointed area is “stuck”, the muscles in that area will tighten and not move properly. Other modalities include counseling, acupuncture and acupressure that aid in one’s overall wellness. (Referrals listed below)

The following items are great to have in between your massage maintenance sessions for pain relief. Here is a small list to have at home:  *classes coming soon

• Tennis ball
• Frozen water bottle
• Foam roller
• Massage pads for seats
• Bags of crushed ice of varying sizes

Make sure you have the proper shoes for the job and replace them when necessary. If you are walking, training, running or have a certain work shoe needed, be sure you have the shoes that’s right for you. Are you on hard or soft surfaces throughout your day? Be fitted at a quality store to ensure accurate foot health. Check with your Podiatrist for any foot related needs beyond shoes. Also to be looked at is your BED. If you are getting “sore spots” – shoulder, hip, knees, neck; then look into getting a new mattress. Along with your new mattress, may I recommend using at least an inch thick foam topper to any of your mattresses of choice. It will take the pressure off the trigger points associated with the “sore” areas listed above. Better sleeping makes for a better you!