The Benefits of Massage for Relieving Arthritic Pain

The Benefits of Massage for Relieving Arthritic Pain

By Paula Ng and Gill Tree

Joint pain is nothing new. Arthritis, in its many guises, was described by ancient Egyptian medical texts, Hippocrates (the father of western medicine) and an Ayurvedic medicine text from 123 AD respectively. 

Today, more than 10 million adults in the UK, (6 million women and 4 million men), consult their GP each year with arthritis and related conditions, and 7.5 million working days were lost in 2011/2012 due to musculoskeletal conditions. 

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is inflammation of the joints. There are well over 100 types of arthritis, the two most common being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Until recently, osteoarthritis was considered a primarily degenerative disorder caused by general wear and tear. It is now believed to be far more complex with genetics and nutrition, particularly, Vitamin D deficiency, playing a part.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto-immune disease that results in joint inflammation. There is no cure for this condition so management is by symptomatic control.

The physical signs of inflammation for most sufferers are:

• pain
• redness
• swelling
• stiffness and decreased movement
• warmth to the touch.

The pain, in particular, contributes to the £442 million that the NHS spent on painkillers in 2010-2011. Arthritis Research UK, a leading UK charity raising awareness and funds for the fight against arthritis, recently launched new initiatives to address the underestimated problem of chronic pain from the condition. 

"Pain relief is essential but, as well as drugs, people with arthritis can help themselves by keeping active and mobile, keeping their weight down, and benefiting from physiotherapy and other non-drug treatments,"

Massage can certainly be viewed as one such ‘non-drug treatment’.

How massage can help - 

Patients are frequently concerned about side effects associated with prescribed drugs. Different people tolerate the side effects of conventional treatments in different ways and it can be a hard, frustrating search to find effective relief. For many, symptoms can restrict simple daily activities to such an extent that health deteriorates further due to stress and tension. These symptoms can have such a debilitating effect that arthritis is the most common condition for which people receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA). 

Massage can help sufferers take control by managing their symptoms in a positive, nurturing forum, either with or without other treatment methods.

The effects of massage - 

The holistic approach of massage therapy is ideally suited to conditions such as arthritis. The entire body is massaged, not just the site of pain, ensuring that both mind and body can welcome the healing touches of the ‘relaxation response’ and the mechanical response.

The ‘relaxation response’, as first defined by Dr Herbert Benson is physiologically different from sleep or simply resting. It is ‘a state of deep relaxation in which the heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate decrease. Muscle tension relaxes, stress hormone levels fall, and the mind becomes tranquil’.

The mechanical response refers to the two major physical effects of massage, namely increase in blood and lymph circulation and normalisation of the soft tissue.

Relaxation Response - 

Massage has the ability to relax the body, but also to soothe and quiet the mind. In a relaxed state, the perception of pain is altered, often alleviated, and a person may feel more empowered to cope with their pain and address the anxiety caused by the frustration of their situation.

Massage has a powerful effect on the endocrine system. It increases levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin. In a study on massage therapy by the Touch Research Institute at the University Of Miami School Of Medicine, serotonin levels in the test subjects increased by 28 percent, dopamine by 31 percent. 

Serotonin – This hormone positively affects emotions and thoughts. It is a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect on the brain and body functions, producing a general sense of well-being. The ‘happy hormone’.

Dopamine – This neurotransmitter helps regulate mood, attention, learning and sleep and is vital in the body’s control of movement. It is also believed to release endorphins, chemicals that allow us to feel pleasure. The ‘feel good hormone’.

Oxytocin – This has been dubbed the "hugging hormone," as it produces feelings of calm and contentment. The initial feeling of well-being from a massage is produced by the release of oxytocin from the posterior pituitary. Oxytocin imparts a feeling of being ‘unstressed’, loved and loving.

Whilst massage causes an increase in these neurotransmitters, it also decreases the levels of less desirable chemicals; cortisol (9) and substance P.

Cortisol - Stress affects the brain by releasing cortisol, often referred to as "the stress hormone", which negatively affects many systems throughout the body. It is secreted into the bloodstream during the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response to stressful situations. Long term exposure to cortisol can result in sleep problems, depression, increased heart rate, affecting heart, lungs, circulatory and digestive systems and is also associated with a weakened immune system.

Substance P - This is a protein found in the brain and spinal cord that transmits pain signals from sensory nerve ending to the central nervous system, i.e. its function is to cause pain. It has been implicated in inflammatory conditions and is believed to be involved in the regulation of pain, stress and anxiety. Massage has been shown to decrease substance P levels (10), contributing to pain relief.

Mechanical response - 

In fundamental terms, massage is physical manipulation of soft tissue which positively affects the circulatory system and the state of soft tissues.

It is believed that massage can enhance oxygen and nutrient delivery to cells by improving blood and lymph circulation.  As tissues begin to function more efficiently, more waste products are removed, excess fluid absorption may increase and thus reduce swelling; a central part of arthritis care.

Many arthritis sufferers complain of painful muscle contractions and spasms. These may be caused by a number of factors, but anxiety and tension are certainly contributing factors. Massage relaxes muscle tissue, tendons and ligaments, reducing muscle contractions, and lessening nerve compression. Even though deep tissues cannot be directly massaged, the release of superficial muscular tension will assist in deep muscle realignment and improve mobility.

The significance of pressure

For massage to have a symptom-relieving effect, moderate pressure appears to be vital. Tiffany Field of the Touch Research Institute in Miami highlighted in a study that what matters most is level of pressure used in a massage. The study demonstrated that pressure receptors under the skin’s surface need to be stimulated with moderate pressure in order to convey pain-reducing signals to the brain. (11)

 “The critical thing is using moderate pressure,” says Field. “Light pressure, just touching the surface of the skin or brushing it superficially, is not getting at those pressure receptors. Light pressure can be stimulating, not relaxing.”

Specific research - 

One key study carried by Tiffany Field and her associates, documenting the reduction of hand arthritis pain by massage therapy. The massage therapy group was massaged on the affected wrist/hand once a week for a 4-week period and, highly significantly, were also taught self-massage on the wrist/hand that was to be done daily at home. This element of self- help reinforces the holistic approach that can be so empowering.

The results were very encouraging – ‘The massage therapy group versus the control group had lower anxiety and depressed mood scores after the first and last sessions, and that group reported less pain and greater grip strength after their sessions. The massage therapy group showed greater improvement than the control group on all of these measures across the study period’ (12).

Arthritis Research UK wrote a report on complementary therapies and after considering the results of several trials concluded that “while there’s only a little evidence that massage is effective in osteoarthritis, there’s consistent evidence from a number of trials to suggest that it’s effective in treating some of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and low back pain. 13)

Contraindications - 

Whilst massage can greatly benefit the symptoms of arthritis, deep pressure or compression to the arthritic joints would be contraindicated. Physical manipulation of soft tissue may aggravate the condition and increase discomfort. It is wise to avoid massaging a sufferer of rheumatoid arthritis during a flare up as the condition may be aggravated causing further distress.

Arthritic joints can be very sensitive so it is critical to communicate well with a client to establish levels of tolerance.

What does the future hold?

Many sufferers and healthcare professionals would welcome a more holistic approach to the management of arthritis. Currently, enough research has been carried out to substantiate the potential impact of massage on pain management and specialised units now do exist in hospitals, clinics and home care schemes to offer massage.

It may be that massage becomes the non-pharmacological treatment of choice or indeed it may prove to be most effective when used in combination with other treatment methods. Nonetheless, more clinical research is clearly needed if the positive contribution of massage in the management of arthritis is to be widely accepted.

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.”

Dalai Lama 

References

Stetka, B., Wei, N., 2013. Arthritis, Then and Now, Medscape Rheumatology.

Health & Safety Executive Report, Health and Safety Statistics 2011/2012.

Sun BH, Wu CW, Kalunian KC. New developments in osteoarthritis. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2007;33:135-148

McAlindon T, LaValley M, Schneider E, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on progression of knee pain and cartilage volume loss in patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial JAMA. 2013;309:155-162.

http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/news/general-news/2011/november/nhs-spends-442m-on-painkiller-prescriptions.aspx

Department for work and pensions. Disability Living Allowance - cases in payment Caseload (Thousands): Main Disabling Condition by Gender of claimant. http://83.244.183.180/100pc/dla/disabled/ccsex/a_carate_r_disabled_c_ccsex_nov07.html [Date accessed: 1-5-2008].

Dr Herbert Benson, MD and Miriam Z. Klipper.  The Relaxation Response, HarperCollins 2009.

Field T, Hernandez-Reif M, Diego M, Schanberg S, Kuhn C. Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy.

 International Journal of  Neuroscience. 2005 Oct;115(10):1397-413. 

Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33101, USA. tfield@med.miami.edu

Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapy. 2011 Jan;15(1):3-14. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2010.06.001. Epub 2010 Jul 2. Does massage therapy reduce cortisol? A comprehensive quantitative review. Moyer CA, Seefeldt L, Mann ES, Jackley LM.

Touch Research Institute. Authors: Tiffany Field, Ph.D., Miguel Diego, Christy Cullen, Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D., William Sunshine and Steven Douglas. Originally published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, April 2002, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 72-76. 

Tiffany Field; Miguel Diego; Maria Hernandez-Reif (Profiled Authors: Miguel Angel Diego; Tiffany M. Field) International Journal of Neuroscience. 2010;120(5):381-385. Moderate Pressure is Essential for Massage Therapy Effects. May 2010, Vol. 120, No. 5 , Pages 381-385
 Field, T., Diego, M., Hernandez-Reif, M., Shea, J. (2007). Hand arthritis pain reduced by massage therapy. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2, 21-24.

Arthritis Research UK; Practitioner-based complementary and alternative therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and low back pain, Pages 32-33

Hands – the tools of your trade

As a massage therapist, your hands often say more than your words; greeting a new client with a warm handshake, adding expression with gestures, the gentle placing of towels and linen and, of course, the giving of a massage. As tools, they work hard for you.

With a little care and commitment every day, these tools will see you through many years as a professional massage therapist.

Clean

Second only to your smile, your hands will be the feature your clients focus on to form an initial impression of you. It may seem obvious, but ensure your hands and nails are always scrupulously clean, with nails cut short. Wash hands in warm, not hot, water and a non-drying soap.

Smooth

Endless washing can strip hands of natural oils so it is important to moisturise regularly. There is nothing quite as uncomfortable as a massage from a therapist with dry, cracked and rough skin on their hands. An instant softening treatment for hands can easily be made at home. Mix together a teaspoonful of oats, a little olive oil and one drop of lemon essential oil. Massage well into dry hands and rinse. Use this as a gentle exfoliant on hands twice a week.

An added bonus of using a high quality, cold-pressed oil for your massages is that it will keep your hands well-nourished and smooth. Top this up with regular use of a hand cream containing natural, skin softening ingredients and an SPF to help prevent signs of premature skin ageing.

Strong

After hours practising massage as a student or giving massages from 9-5 as a therapist, your tired hands will benefit greatly from some stretching and strengthening exercises. It is central to your work that you maintain flexibility and dexterity in all the joints of your hands.

Basic stretches that can be incorporated into your day take just a few minutes and can be done anywhere. All stretches should be done at a slow, controlled pace.

Wrist stretch – Place both palms together as in a prayer position. Slowly bring wrists down, keeping palms together. Ease palms apart slowly to feel a stretch in your fingers. Release by moving your wrists upwards.

Fan stretch – Holds hands up, fingers together, palms facing forwards. Fan out your fingers and thumbs, hold for 2 seconds and slowly release.

Finger flexor stretch – Place right hand on a flat surface with fingers relaxed. Using the fingers of your left hand as a ‘scoop’, gently lift the right thumb up and back, supporting with light pressure and hold for two seconds. Release and repeat with each finger. Repeat for the left hand.

Hand exerciser – Similar to a squidgy rubber egg, these can be purchased from any good sports retailer. Simply squeeze the exerciser to improve hand strength or roll between the fingers to increase dexterity.

‘Helping hands with a little self-care’

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Marketing

Marketing

Product
Make sure your product: you - is of the highest quality. Are your skills really honed? Are the equipment and treatment room of the highest quality? How can we aspire to be the best that we can? Is our appearance immaculat...e and the way we approach people and communicate, warm yet professional, welcoming, reassuring and assertive?

Price
People don’t just buy because of price. Many factors come into the equation, including the client’s confidence in you and what you are able to provide. It is important to see what the competition is charging, but this doesn’t have to be an indication of what to charge. So many people use price, as a measure of quality and to charge too low will therefore be a mistake.

What we offer is a service, often thought of as “intangible”. You can’t see it, smell it or taste it before deciding to buy. It is therefore important to make our service as accessible as possible to the hesitant or nervous potential client. Offer introductory incentives, be available to talk through their questions and concerns and give talks and demonstrations for the public to meet you in person, as often as you can.

Place
Is your clinic accessible, is there parking, it is easy to find, do you give directions to find you readily, is the environment right, does it have the right ambience, do you work during the right time of day, to ensure your supply is meeting demand?

Promotion
Promotion includes, using the media effectively, advertising, giving presentations, getting referrals and being a self advocate. Advertising can be an expensive and often unproductive way to get more clients. Referrals are by far the best way.

 

Gill Tree, Managing Director

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Massage Benefits

As you lie on the table under crisp, fresh sheets, hushed music draws you into the moment. The smell of sage fills the air and you hear the gentle sound of massage oil being warmed in your therapist's hands. The pains of age, the throbbing from your overstressed muscles, the sheer need to be touched -- all cry out for therapeutic hands to start their work. Once the session gets underway, the problems of the world fade into an oblivious 60 minutes of relief and all you can comprehend right now is not wanting it to end.

But what if that hour of massage did more for you than just take the pressures of the day away? What if that gentle, Swedish massage helped you combat cancer? What if bodywork helped you recover from a strained hamstring in half the time? What if your sleep, digestion and mood all improved with massage and bodywork? What if these weren't just "what ifs"?

Evidence is showing that the more massage you can allow yourself, the better you'll feel. Here's why.

Massage as a healing tool has been around for thousands of years in many cultures. Touching is a natural human reaction to pain and stress, and for conveying compassion and support. Think of the last time you bumped your head or had a sore calf. What did you do? Rubbed it, right? The same was true of our earliest ancestors. Healers throughout time and throughout the world have instinctually and independently developed a wide range of therapeutic techniques using touch. Many are still in use today, and with good reason. We now have scientific proof of the benefits of massage - benefits ranging from treating chronic diseases and injuries to alleviating the growing tensions of our modern lifestyles. Having a massage does more than just relax your body and mind - there are specific physiological and psychological changes which occur, even more so when massage is utilized as a preventative, frequent therapy and not simply mere luxury. Massage not only feels good, but it can cure what ails you.

http://www.massagetherapy.com/articles/index.php?article_id=468

Originally published in Body Sense magazine, Fall 2001.
Copyright 2001. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.

Feeling Stressed? A Natural Remedy

The next time stress has you hankering for a high-fat, creamy treat, skip the ice cream and try some homemade guacamole – the thick, rich texture can satisfy your craving and reduce those frantic feelings. Plus, the green wonders’ double wh...ammy of monounsaturated fat and potassium can lower blood pressure.

One of the best ways to reduce high blood pressure, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, is to get enough potassium — and just half an avocado offers 487 milligrams, more than you’ll get from a medium-size banana. To whip up your own avocado salad dressing, puree a medium avocado with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne.

 

Posted on Essentials for Health Facebook Page

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Giving Presentations and Teaching Your Therapy

Teaching massage is to me joyous work that not only gives your participants wonderful skills that they can use on friends and family, it develops and enhances you as a therapist and acts as a ...great marketing tool. When I first started Essentials for Health I taught many massage workshops all over London and got a lot of faithful massage clients as a result.

I am also a huge advocate for giving presentations about your work and believe them to be one of your best marketing tools. In a previous article I spoke about how giving the service of a massage is intangible - it can’t be sampled in the same way a car can be test driven or a perfume smelled. By going out and speaking to your public, you will build rapport and gain their confidence. If people like you and feel comfortable why wouldn’t they book with you?

It is often quoted that people would rather die than talk to a group of people. This reaction seems a little extreme particularly when to my knowledge no one has actually died from speaking in public!!

In actual fact, public speaking can believe it or not be an enjoyable experience especially once we realise that we can make friends with those terrible nerves that cause our hands to shake, voice to wobble and those butterflies to feel more like Kamikaze pilots!!

So this article will cover some guidelines for both teaching and presenting.

Over time I have come to love speaking in public, when it finally dawned on me that the only way to give presentations was my way.
To be me, with a few golden rules thrown in for good measure.


So, what are the “golden rules” of presenting?

KISS - keep it short and simple
Ensure there is a beginning, middle and end, and make sure the beginning and ending have impact. Command attention at the beginning and go out with a big bang
Know your subject
Know how to use props and visual aids
Have simple, clear messages
Wherever possible, give examples and anecdotes
Get to know the audience
Organise the presentation logically and time it
Use prompt cards
Rehearse and practice
Learn to laugh at yourself, you'll need to!
Use humour, particularly when you make a mistake!
Be enthusiastic
Smile
Involve the audience
Keep jargon out
Act and look confident, even if you're not
Scan the room and include everyone, even if they look like they're asleep!
Breathe!
Be prepared for the emergency; no flip chart paper, no powerpoint, only a few in the audience
Be visual, summon up any acting skills
Enjoy!

 

Gill Tree, Managing Director

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Touch Foundation

I started Essentials for Health to change the world though the healing power of touch. My experience in social work had led me to working with some of the most vulnerable in our society including people who were alcohol and drug dependent, the homeless, those with physical and learning disabilities and the acutely ill. It was no surprise that my massage clients were often those that other touch th...erapists felt under confident to work with, the dying, the sexually abused and those with HIV and aids.

Early in the company’s history we had strong links with the local community in east London where EfH was born and many of my students through EfH were able to work with similarly vulnerable groups, sometimes paid and often voluntary.

I always wanted to continue this service and have always dreamed of having our own charity to facilitate this and am extremely proud to announce that the Touch Foundation has been born! To start with we want to offer our massage e-course to clients of charities such as Relate, the British Heart Foundation and Scope.

 

Do you have any contacts? The Foundation will be instrumental in offering massage training to professional care givers and those in the medical profession as well as being a link between charities and those therapists who wish to volunteer. Pledge your time and interest now!

 

Gill Tree - Managing Director

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Holistic Approach

The cure of the part should not be attempted without treatment of the whole … therefore if the head and body are to be well you must begin by curing the mind:
This is the great error of our day in the treatment of the huma...n body, that physicians separate the soul from the body.
Plato, Chronicles 156 e

Plato wrote these words over two thousand years ago, yet he could very well have been describing the situation we have today. Some of us are only just beginning to open our eyes to re-discover the wisdom in these age-old words. We have coined the word ‘holistic’ (which has its roots in the Greek word ‘holos’ which means ‘whole’) to summarise this concept. In holistic healing, the whole person — mind, body and spirit — is taken into account. In all schools of natural healing the most important underlying principle is that the body will heal itself if given the chance. The therapist’s aim is to create the most effective treatment taking into account all aspects of the client’s ‘integral biology’, or environmental stress factors.

It is important to encourage sound nutrition, adequate exercise, sunshine, fresh air and above all deep relaxation therapy or perhaps meditation to buffer the adverse effects of life’s inevitable stresses and to counteract the potentially harmful effects of negative emotions. Body and mind are interrelated; whatever affects one will also affect the other. So a positive mental attitude is vital for the whole, health is transient without it.

History of Massage

There has been documentation of massage and the use of herbs, spices and aromatic oils in Ayurvedic medical texts dating back 4000 years. The aim is to treat the whole body in order to maintain harmony between the physical, mental and spir...itual being.

Massage remains an important part of the rich tradition of inter-generational massage in Indian family life. Families use massage daily for both relaxation and healing, maintaining contact and enjoying the stress reducing benefits of touch. From an early age children are introduced to head massage and learn how to perform, enabling each family member to give and receive.

Women use head massage as part of their hair grooming routine, incorporating different oils according to the season and specific conditions they may have. Oils like coconut, almond, olive, sesame or herbal infused oils like butter milk, keeping the hair strong and in a beautiful condition.
Barbers practice similar skills. It is quite common to receive a scalp massage from a barber when they visit your home offering a ‘champi’ (head massage) as part of the service.

Echoes of this Indian tradition reached the West long before the practise itself, in the form of the word ‘shampoo’, coming from the Hindi word ‘Champi’. Being ‘champied’ literally means having your head massaged.

Indian Head Massage was introduced to England by Narendra Metha, a blind man who grew up in an Indian community where Champi was an important part of life. He was the first person to develop and formalise Indian head massage into an actual therapy. Having come to England in 1978 & trained as a physiotherapist, in 1978 he returned to India where he studied the benefits and practice of Champi. Metha soon included the neck, shoulders and face in the massage and employed modern knowledge of shiatsu and acupressure to relax tense areas, rebalance the energy and clear any areas of concentrated negativity. In 1981 he started running introductory courses which developed into diploma level, leading to a professional qualification to practice Indian Head Massage.

How to Choose a Massage School

What a headache! Deciding on a training course is quite confusing isn’t it! So many choices: different exam boards, course content, course length, locations and price - where on earth do you start?!

These factors should help you decide:

The... helpfulness of the staff on the end of the phone and at the end of the e-mail
If they were helpful, friendly, courteous, knowledgeable and informative in the office and via their website, the chances are they are also that way in the classroom.

The availability of the staff on the end of the phone
Did you get through to a real live person or was there only an answer phone? Some schools of therapy are very small and do not have an office or office staff. If they are doing it all themselves, the chances are they are rushed off their feet and may not be able to respond to queries and any issues you might have quickly throughout your course.

If you did have to leave a message, how quickly did they come back to you? An hour, a day, a week?

The qualification and experience of the teachers
I would suggest that you don’t want to be taught by someone who has only just qualified themselves, or be taught by someone who only has the qualification you are about to study. Ideally you want to be taught by an expert. Someone who has great knowledge they are willing to share both of the subject you are learning, and of what the job market is like once you’re qualified. And don’t just think of your massage teachers... what about the business studies teacher? And the A&P teachers? I would also recommend that you choose to be taught by someone who has trained as a teacher. It is one thing to know a subject, teaching it in an inspiring, creative and fun way is an entirely different matter!

The location
Is the venue, clean, light, bright, airy, modern, spacious and conducive to learning? Are refreshments and water available for you, on tap?

The track record of the company
Choose to be taught by a company that is hugely experi...enced, has a proven track record over several years and a great reputation within the industry as being a quality training provider.

The qualification offered
It is important that the qualification offered is recognised here in the UK. There are some overseas companies now operating in the UK whose qualifications are not recognised here, so be careful. If you want to work abroad, make sure the qualification will travel across.

The course content
Whilst it is important to get value for money, question whether a short massage course is going to short change you and make you feel you are missing out on content. The last thing you want to be doing is wondering for the rest of your life- what would I have learnt if I’d done a longer massage course? How much more confident would I feel? What knowledge have I not gained? In some circumstances, cheap is expensive if it means having to do the course all over again. And is it all taught in class, or is there some online learning you can do?

The timing of the course
Do you want a course that is weekend or fast-track, maybe part-time vs full-time? Do you have to attend everything or is there the flexibility to catch up or study online for part of the course?

The number of students on the course
When I study, I actually learn from others in my class as well as the teachers and I enjoy the social aspect and possibility of new friendships, so I felt happy to be in a group of 20- 30 people. I also like having lots of different people to practice on to build my confidence and experience. I know as a teacher that small groups of 5-8 people just don’t have the same energy and are not as enjoyable. If one or two people don’t get on, it can really spoil a course. In a larger group they can avoid each other!

Recommendations and testimonials
Ask for the e-mail of a past customer of the school and/or check for testimonials. A good school will have video testimonials on their website.

Meet the school before you commit
Go along to an open day, visit a class in action, do an introductory workshop or give them a call and talk it through with someone. Any good school will have put their staff through some of the courses at least so they really know what they’re talking about. Ask all your questions, get a feel for them and put your mind at ease.

What are the graduates of the school doing?
Find out how successful the school’s graduates are in their therapy careers and whether the school assists in informing their graduates of vacancies and supports them in their careers once the course has ended.

Is there a money back guarantee?
Any school that has complete confidence in the quality of what they offer, will be happy to provide you with a money back guarantee. If they are uncomfortable or not able to give one, question the quality of what they do.

What support does the school provide after the training?
Your relationship once you have finished your training with the school should not end there. There should be ongoing business support for you to become a successful therapist – what else do they offer?

The price
Now if all of the above is satisfied you’ve got it! You don’t want to be spending the time until your course starts worrying about whether you have done the right thing. You want to be excited and certain. Choose quality and value over price for the peace of mind you get from choosing a course with a highly professional and successful school.

Gill Tree, Managing Director of Essentials for Health
www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

DISEASES AND DISORDERS....

... OF THE SKELETAL SYSTEM

 

1. Arthritis......Pain and stiffness in the joints. A general term.

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis...Body attacks its own tissue in a joint - the cartilage and synovial membrane
...
3. Osteoarthritis....Irritation of joints caused by wear and tear, usually due to ageing. Cartilage
degenerates and spurs of new bone tissue are deposited. Bones can fuse,
reducing movement

4. Bursistis....Inflammation of Bursa

5. Avulsion Fracture......Displacement of bone caused by tearing of ligaments or tendons

6. Strain....... Forcible wrenching or twisting of joint with partial rupture of attachments

7. Osteoporosis......Decreased bone mass as a result of decreased levels of oestrogen. Common in post-menopausal women

8. Fracture......Partial or complete break of bone

9. Ricketts……Soft bones due to bone not calcifying because of lack of vitamin D

10. Kyphosis - Exaggerated outward curvature of the spine in the thoracic region

11. Lordosis.... Inward exaggeration of the spine in the lumbar region

12. Scoliosis- Lateral curvature of spine in any region

13. Gout... A condition in which a defect in uric acid metabolism causes an excess of the acid and its salts (urates) to accumulate in the bloodstream and the joints respectively

14. RSI ......... Pain with associated loss of function in a limb resulting from its repeated
movement or sustained static loading

15. Stress….. Any factor that acts on an individual so as to threaten his or her wellbeing, which may produce a physiological and psychological response. Mechanical stress
(or the lack of it) also affects the skeletal system

16. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.. Swelling in the carpal tunnel (in the wrist) causing compression of the medial nerve

17. Herniated Disc.... Protrusion of the pulpy inner material of an intervertebral disc through the fibrous outer coat, causing pressure on adjoining nerve roots, ligaments, etc.

18. Bunion....(Hallux Vulgas)A swelling of the joint between the great toe and the first metatarsal bone. A bursa often develops over the site.

19. Whiplash…. Damage to the ligaments, vertebrae, or spinal cord, caused by sudden jerking back of the head and neck, often in occupants of a car hit from behind

 

 

My work with England Masters Hockey

My work with England Masters Hockey.

Rebecca Brett

What is the England Masters Hockey tournament?

Masters Hockey is played by males and females at club, regional and international level and usually those over the age of 40.  There are both male and female teams for the England over 40s, over 45s, over 50s.  The men also field teams in the over 55s and 60s catagories at the International Masters Hockey Tournament (IMHT).

In the last decade, the competition has come a long way, with the addition of the women’s competition and other age groups.  Originally the competition was intended for males over 50 years old.

The competition celebrated its 30^th Anniversary in 2011.

How did I get involved?

My contact with the England Masters Hockey began when I covered the Inter-services (RAF,Army & Navy) Hockey Tournament in Portsmouth early in 2011.  I had recently qualified with Essentials for Health on the BTEC Sports Massage Course and was also undertaking a Diploma in Sports Therapy (with the Society of Sports Therapists), due to be completed in July of the same year.

During the competition, I provided pitch-side first aid and pre event and post event massage.  Unbeknownst to me, I massaged the England Masters Hockey Manager and after the competition he asked if I would like to support the team throughout their fixtures in 2011.

The fixture plans were very exciting including the Home Nations in Swansea (July), the Euro Cup in Krefeld (August), and the 2011 International Masters Hockey tournament in Singapore, as well as various warm-up and selection matches played nationally.

Planning and Preparation for work with the Masters.

I first met the whole team when they played Letchworth 1st team in June 2011 and I used this session to talk to the players, discuss any injuries and watch the match to make assessments on players. It was interesting to see how they prepared for a match and managed their warm-up and cool-down sessions.

I went with the team to the Home Nations tournament in Swansea and gave guidance with their warm-up, cool-down sessions and provided pre-event and post-event massage as well as pitch-side first aid. Apart from a couple of minor calf strains and hamstring strains, the team remained injury free.

Previously their general warm-up had consisted of a brief run around the pitch before doing some stick and ball specific warm-ups. I helped provide a better structure to their warm-up demonstrating dynamic stretches and competitive warm-up activities to better prepare them for the match.

Their cool-down sessions had also followed a similar pattern consisting of a brief jog and quick stretch of the legs after a match. Here I offered guidance and led a prolonged stretching session post-match. This also served as a debrief session for the Captain and Manager. The feedback was positive and each player mentioned a reduction in their normal Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) the following day. This then enabled them to be better prepared for the next match.

The International Masters Hockey Tournament (Asian Cup) – Singapore 2011.

The Sengkang Hockey Stadium is in a newly developed part of Singapore, approximately 45 minutes travel from where we were staying. The stadium is new with 2 hockey pitches, grandstands and changing facilities. There was a massage room with a masseuse available to players but this facility was to be charged for on an individual basis. There was no other available space for myself or other nations’ therapy support to set up during the tournament. We also had to travel to the stadium every day using public transport which made it very difficult to carry my couch. I did however set up my couch in the hotel to work in the mornings and afternoons around match times. In these sessions I conducted injury assessment, maintenance massage and offered advice on injury management and prevention. This included advice on stretching, posture and guidance on self massage.

 

As can be seen from some of the photos pitch-side working conditions were not ideal. Owing to the tight schedule of matches, we did not have time to conduct warm-ups or cool-downs on the pitch. This had to be done to the side of the stadium. However, this did have its advantages as we managed to find a shady spot to prepare!

The climate also played a key role. Singapore is incredibly humid although thankfully the country seemed to be experiencing a milder climate than usually expected in late October and the temperatures were not as intense as they could have been. The temperature did rise to around 34°c with at least 80% humidity. The heat was a major consideration as I prepared the team for each match. The warm-ups were not prolonged as I did not want to tire them prematurely and it was imperative to keep them all well hydrated. During the matches, much time was spent distributing cold towels and water bottles to both players on the bench and as and when required on the pitch.

The Squad.

The over 40s squad consisted of 18 players, one manager (Graham Cartmell) a coach (Dom Camilleri) and myself.

I also worked with some of the over 45s also as they did not have any Sports Therapy/Massage support.

The diary for the trip was as follows:

26^th Oct – Arrival

27^th Oct – Acclimatise

28^th Oct – Training/meetings

29^th  Oct Match vs Singapore – WIN

30th Oct – Match vs Australia – WIN

31^st Oct – Rest day

1^st Nov – Match vs Hong Kong – WIN

2^nd Nov – Match vs Austria – WIN

3^rd Nov – Match vs Indonesia – WIN

4^th Nov – Rest Day

5^th Nov – FINAL Match vs New Zealand – WIN (England 4-0 New Zealand)

Injury Management

The intensity increased as the tournament progressed. I used massage and soft tissue release techniques daily to assess for injuries and maintain conditioning. Any slight pulls were quickly dealt with using ice and manual therapy techniques. Thankfully there were no serious injuries throughout the tournament, but if there had been, there was medical support onsite to deal with these.

What has happened since….

Last year, I was asked to work with the England selectors providing assistance with selection for the men’s over 40s team.  Here I worked with the Physical Trainers and Management to select the best players for the coming season.  I then continued to provide Sports Therapy for the England Masters Hockey team and followed them to the Home Nations in Edinburgh as well as covered the World Cup in Canterbury in August 2012.  Once again, it was a pleasure to work with a winning team as the team stormed through to a 3-1 victory against Australia.

Looking ahead, the coming season is set to be busy as I start on 27^th/28^th April providing Sports Therapy and Massage for the UK divisional teams as the England selectors head to Southgate to begin their scout for this year’s England teams. 

Working with the team is hard work but incredible fun and rewarding.  I have been lucky enough to have been part of the team as they have enjoyed a period of success and retain the title England Masters World Champions!

 Rebecca Brett, Tutor

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Pricing Strategy

There are various ways of deciding how to price your treatments. One (not very accurate) way is to look at what other people are charging and either undercut them or add a small premium.

A far better way to ensure you sta...y in business and prosper is to work out:

1/ what salary are you hoping to earn in the first year? (This needs to be based on a survival budget, not what you currently earn £………………………

2/ how many weeks will you work per year, allowing for holidays, sickness and bank holidays? …………………………..weeks

3/ how many hours of massage will you do per week? ……………..hours

4/ what are your costs?

Setting up costs
couch
CD’s
CD player
covers
towels
answer phone
decoration
brochure and headed paper and business cards
Other

Operating costs

Weekly £ Monthly £ yearly £

oil rent professional
laundry electricity membership
couch roll telephone insurance
wipes Marketing Accountant
other car

Totals:

Multiply weekly costs by the number of weeks you are working £
Multiply monthly costs by the number of months you are working £
Add these with the yearly costs £
Add the setting up costs £
Add this sum and the salary you hope to achieve in your first year £
Divide the sum by the number of weeks you plan to work £…../ ….. £
Divide this sum by the number of hours of massage you plan
to give £……./……. £


This is the minimum you need to charge

 

Gill tree

Managing Director

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Introduction to Nutrition and Health Coaching

 ... with Patrick Holford's zest4life

 

In a world of fad diets, quick fixes and conflicting information it is sometimes difficult to know what a healthy diet really is. Join Patrick Holford's zest4li...feIntroduction to Nutrition Programme and we will teach you the basics of good nutrition for health and weight management and how to apply them for yourself and others. You will learn via a combination of a 1 day intensive training programme combined with subsequent webinars and home study modules.

The syllabus comprises 12 modules, which encompass:
• What is Optimum Nutrition?
• Dietary Models
• Understand the science of weight loss
• Why diets don't work
• Low GL: Research and evidence
• How to follow the low GL eating plan
• Importance of digestion and its role in health
• Food intolerances explained
• Understanding: heart health, Diabetes, Stress, Immune System, Hormonal health

More info: http://www.zest4life.eu/See more

 

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

 

Key to Happiness: Keeping Busy Without Feeling Rushed

New research finds that, compared to past decades, fewer Americans call themselves very happy. But one subgroup is an exception.

Who among us are the most happy? Newly published resear...ch suggests it is those fortunate folks who have little or no excess time, and yet seldom feel rushed.
This busy but blissful group comprises 8 to 12 percent of Americans, making it “a small and unusual minority within the general population,” writes University of Maryland sociologist John P. Robinson.

According to his analysis, the happiness level of this group is 12 to 25 percent higher than that of those of most Americans. What’s more, while the general population’s happiness level is going down, theirs is increasing: 53 percent of people in this group called themselves “very happy” in a 2009 survey, compared to 48 percent in surveys from 1976 and 1982.

That’s just one fascinating nugget from a paper that contradicts a lot of conventional wisdom—including the assumption that, as they struggle with demanding jobs, financial pressures, and family obligations, Americans are feeling more and more time pressure.
Rather, Robinson reports, the percentage of Americans who describe themselves as “always rushed” declined significantly between 2004 and the end of the decade.

In a series of surveys in the 1980s and 1990s, around 34 percent of people consistently described themselves in that manner. But that number decreased to 28 percent in a 2009 University of North Florida survey, and in the 2010 round of the University of Chicago’s General Social Survey, it was down to 25 percent.

“The decline was found both among employed and unemployed respondents,” Robinson writes in the journal Social Indicators Research, “indicating it was not simply a function of higher unemployment.”

Nevertheless, Robinson believes the economic downturn played a role in this shift. He notes that, according to the annual American Time Use Survey, the average amount of time we spent shopping dipped from 5.5 to 5.0 hours per week between 2007 and 2012. During that same period, the amount of time spent we sleeping increased slightly (from 60 to 61 hours per week), as did television viewing (from 18.3 to 19.3 hours per week).

So feeling less rushed “may just reflect how Americans generally adapt by being less active in periods of severe economic downturn,” he writes.

“More worrisome,” he adds, “is the possibility that … the pace of life has progressed to the point that Americans may not have even noticed how much more hectic daily life has become.”
Either way, it’s worth noting that the percentage of Americans who call themselves “very happy” is also on the decline. This number stayed steady at around 33 percent of the population through the last three decades of the 20th century. But in the 2010 General Social Survey, “it dropped 5 points to 28 percent—its lowest level reported,” Robinson writes.

(We’re talking here about self-reported happiness; in the General Social Survey, people are asked whether they feel “very, somewhat, or not” happy. Robinson notes that their answer has been shown to closely track with other variables that determine one’s quality of life, including self-esteem, optimism and life satisfaction.)
So, feeling less rushed does not automatically increase happiness; if it did, those numbers would be moving in tandem, rather than in opposite directions. Rather, Robinson writes, surveys “continue to show the least happy group to be those who quite often have excess time.”

Boredom, it seems, is burdensome.

As noted earlier, a specific subgroup reports the greatest satisfaction: People who don’t feel rushed, but also report little or more “excess time.” Their high levels of happiness held steady even after a long list of demographic factors was taken into account, including marriage, age, education, race and gender.
Clearly, there’s much to be said for living a productive life at a comfortable pace.

 

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Massage in Pregnancy Masterclass

The course is from 9 30 - 6 00 on 12th April 2013. 

The price of the course is £90.00.

It will be held at the British School of Shiatsu and the nearest tube is Finsbury Park -

full details on website.  

What will I learn on the one day Foundation in Massage and Pregnancy course?

This course is aimed at therapists who are not sure how much they eventually want to specialise in pregnancy work, but who would like to feel confident working with a client who becomes pregnant.

It covers the basic anatomy and physiology of the three trimesters giving an overview of the main changes for the mother and baby. It explores some simple antenatal exercises for the second and third trimesters and covers body positioning for the pregnant client, mostly work in the side position on the couch/table, but also exploring the option of all fours work. The role of mobilisations and stretches is explored in detail, along with how to adapt basic massage strokes in the different positions. Some work with the abdomen/baby in the third trimester is also covered. At the end of the day students will feel confident working with the healthy pregnant woman during the second and third trimesters.

Students wanting to enrol or find information:  http://www.wellmother.org

where there is, joining details and an explanation of how to book. 

Gill Tree
Managing Director
www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Massage for the sick and elderly

Being sick can often be a worrying and stressful time particularly when the illness is of a serious nature, for the person who is ill and for their family and friends. At such times close ones are having to cope with their own emotions around the persons illness and communication can become a little strained as people put on a brave face.

Being ill can therefore be an isolating experience. Illness can often disrupt our sleep, make us tense and can cause pain.  A simple massage will release endorphins, our body’s natural pain killers. It will promote relaxation and add to the quality of life of the sick person. Increasingly massage is being used in hospices for these very reasons.

For the elderly, physical touch, a basic human need, may have been reduced particularly if their partner has died. A simple massage can therefore bring much to the elderly as to those who are ill, remembering that massage can be an expression of care, love and acceptance.

The type of massage given will depend greatly on the nature of the illness of a sick person, or the state of health and physical strength of the elderly person. The clothed back massage on pages 150 may well be suitable or a simple face and foot massage from chapter three may fit the bill. It is important to discuss what the person would like to receive and what they feel comfortable with.

Remember that it is the quality of touch and the care and thought behind that touch that is particularly important at this time.

It may be that a seated hand massage which develops trust, communication and eye contact, is all that is required.

Gill Tree

Managing Director

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk

Business Tips for the Aspiring Therapist- Selling

Selling Versus Relationship Building

Today I am going to broach the subject of Selling. I think quite probably your least favourite activity and why therefore you absolutely must read this email and take some action on it!

In the past I was never comfortable with the idea of selling and making sales calls. Although I did them, I really had to force myself to. I didn’t want to appear pushy, I couldn’t face the rejection of a “no”, I didn’t want to make people feel awkward, I felt awkward, it was too invasive……. Sound familiar?

Then I realised that this was all in my head and imagined! I started to ask when I made a call “is it ok for me to call?” and the resounding answer 95% of the time was “yes”

I started to imagine that whoever I was phoning was a long lost friend. It just made picking up the phone so much easier and when I started to think that these calls were more about building a relationship and seeing if we fitted what the potential client was looking for, I started really enjoying making them!

I then went on to record myself making the calls and this is what I learnt…

When they’re talking they’re buying!

For most of the call I was just asking the right questions and listening. Most of my tape recording was empty!

So think about the questions you can ask that will engage your potential client:

Why are you considering this therapy?

What health issues can I help you with?

What can I do for you?

How can I help?

You can also ask T.E.D...

Tell me a little about where you’d like help

Explain to me what you’d like to happen

Describe what it is you’re looking for

I am not suggesting that you ‘cold call’ people who have never contacted you.

What I am saying is an absolute must is that you do call and connect with:

·         People who have made enquiries about your services

·         People who are clients who you haven’t seen for a while

·         People  who came just once and you never saw again

·         People to whom you’d like to offer a course of treatments at a discounted price

So who are the next 10 customers you are going to call?

Gill Tree

Managing Director

www.essentialsforhealth.co.uk