You can think of the lymph system as your secondary circulatory system and part of your immune system. This parallel pathway which carries lymph fluid initially forms in the connective tissue. It carries large proteins, pathogens and toxins and transports these and many other components into lymphatic nodes which act as active purification centers. These lymphatic nodes are important features of our immune system. Unlike the circulation of blood, the lymph circulation is slow and it has low velocity and low pressure. The lymph system does not have a heart to assist in the return of fluid. The milking of the lymph pathways by muscle contraction and/or by manual massage assists in returning of lymph fluid back to the heart. No wonder exercise is so good for us! It helps to move fluids through our bodies! Have you been sitting in front of your computer or your tv for too long? Activate and energize that lymph system of yours by either moving your muscles or by receiving a session of lymph drainage therapy, a very gentle form of bodywork which activates a sluggish lymph system.
The Iliocostalis, oriented vertically on either side of the spine, are muscles within the group of muscles in the back referred to as the erector spinae. The erector spinae assist in the motion of extending the trunk. The Iliocostalis muscles have at least one end attached to a rib and the other end attached to either another rib, a transverse process or the sacroilium. I can verify from my 10 years of massage experience that the lower attachment site of the Iliocostalis can become locked in spasm making it feel more like hard bone as opposed to soft tissue.
The quadratus lumborum or the ‘QL’ for short, is an extensor of the lumbar vertebrae, bilaterally, and a lateral flexor unilaterally. It functions in respiration by securing the 12th rib. It is anchored to the pelvic bone and to each vertebrae of the lumbar spine, on both sides of the body. When you move one hip up as in the motion of holding a baby on one side, you are using the Quadratus Lumborum on that side of your spine.
The pectoralis major or ‘pecs’ is a large, flat, square muscle on each side of the upper chest, tapering toward the upper shoulder. The clavicular, or upper fibers of the pectoralis major are effective in flexing the shoulder joint, while the sternal/abdominal fibers extend the flexed joint. Both serve as powerful lifters and are important in the movement of arms. They serve as effective medial rotators as well.
Soleus is Latin for sole, a flat fish. The soleus is a broad, flat muscle in the calf of the leg. It is a small muscle of the lower posterior leg, located just under the gastrocnemius muscle. The soleus is a more powerful plantarflexor than the gastrocnemius. The soleus is originates on the tibia and fibula and inserts at the calcaneus via the achilles tendon. The soleus is sometimes considered a powerful venous pump, responsible for pumping blood in the veins of the calf back to the heart, because of the location of some of the deep veins of the leg.
Are you training for a marathon this fall? Being a long-distance runner and massage therapist, I can attest to the benefits of regular massage in the preparation of the marathon. There are different phases of sports massage that benefit the athlete at different times leading up and following the actual event. I will be addressing the preventative sports massage, which you will find helpful while you are training for the marathon and for prevention of any chronic injury. Regular massage during your training will assist you in your goal of getting to the starting line injury-free and completing your goal: the marathon. With all of the long miles that you will be logging in your training phase, you may notice some muscle pain and soreness as you increase miles and put more stress on your body. You may even experience the beginning of some common running injuries which may not only hinder your training but stop it, if not addressed quickly. A sports massage will utilize various massage techniques including stretching, cross fiber friction and deep tissue and lymphatic techniques, to name a few, in order to improve the athlete’s range of motion and flexibility of the muscles, aid in the reduction of swelling and edema, break up and soften fibrotic/scar tissue, relax muscle spasm which may become a culprit in compensatory patterns, for example. While you are putting your body under a lot of stress in the preparation of the marathon event, the massage can provide relaxation of the muscle tissues and their lengthening which will aid in gaining even more from your upcoming training sessions.
The psoas in a powerful core muscle of the body. This is a key muscle for many activities especially, those involving running. The tendons of the psoas major muscle and another muscle called the iliacus converge to a single insertion called the iliopsoas. The iliopsoas is a strong flexor of the hip joint, and a powerful flexor of the lumbar vertebrae. A weak psoas may contribute to low back pain. A healthy psoas provides a suspension bridge between the trunk and the legs.
The gastrocnemius or what many refer to as the “calf” muscle, is the one of the larger muscles of the leg, and the largest muscle of the lower leg. Its main function is in flexing the knee, and with the aid of other muscles it also planarflexes the ankle joint. It extends from the femur to the Achilles tendon, and when flexed, it causes the foot to point downwards.
Two large 2003 United Kingdom studies concluded that chronic stress is (6) six times more likely to contribute to heart disease and cancer than high cholesterol and smoking and middle-aged people with decreased control over emotional stress had a 50% increase in death rate over a 15 year period. From this study, we learn that we must pay more attention to the potential risks of chronic stress and look for ways to decrease stress in our life. Reducing stress is something we can learn to do for ourselves.
Our body’s autonomic nervous system is composed of two different systems: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems. The arousal of the sympathetic nervous system responds to real threatening danger and what you ‘think’ are threats. The stress response, which results in the release of different hormones and neurotransmitters, prepares for the body for the ‘flight or fight response’ or perceived danger. Longer term and chronic stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system damages the body. The parasympathetic nervous system is activated when you are in a state of relaxation and not feeling threatened. The parasympathetic nervous system directs calm and restorative activities such as digestion, growth, sleep and energy storage.
What are you doing to lessen the amount of stress that you have in your life? Are you maintaining balance in all areas of your life? We all know the benefits of eating a healthy diet, minimizing the use of caffeine and alcohol, exercising regularly and taking short stretch breaks when working long hours. Relaxation through meditation, yoga and massage are other ways that have been scientifically proven to improve your overall health and well-being. Take care of yourself and make some time to reap the benefits of massage therapy! Decrease the damaging effects of chronic stress in your life.
Are you the person who usually provides your family members or co-workers with the occasional five minute neck or back rub? Are you interested in learning more about human anatomy and physiology but might not be interested in the standard medical professions and, are a believer in the benefits of massage therapy? Do you seek a profession, which helps others directly? Today massage therapy is an increasingly popular career choice for someone who is seeking either a new career path or venturing into the working world.
For someone who is interested in field of massage therapy there are several things to consider. Because each state has different laws regulating the profession of massage, you should contact your state office to learn of their requirements. You can find a quick list for those states, which regulate the profession by going to this site: http://www.massagetherapy.com/careers/stateboards.php
The next step is locating an accredited school that will satisfy your state’s requirements and provide a quality education for your investment. It is advised to spend some time and do some research in this area, in order to locate the school that meets your needs. The first step is finding all of the available schools in your area. You can do a search on the web; look in the phone book or request a list of schools from your state’s education department. There are some community colleges, which now offer massage therapy programs. You should contact each school to find out more about the curriculum that they offer. Talk to some of their past graduates who are practicing in the local massage therapy centers, chiropractic offices or spas and who have first-hand knowledge of the quality of the education they received. There may be an opportunity to take an introductory course for those interested in the profession at one of the schools. This is an excellent way for you to test out your interest in the field and find out more about the potential learning environment.
Once you have completed your education and passed your national certification exam or even while you are still in massage school, you will find that there will be many opportunities to augment your skills beyond the basic training in massage therapy. Focusing in at least one area, such as sports massage or neuromuscular therapy, for example, will give you additional skills that potential clients may be looking for. It is best to find an approved continuing education provider through the National Certification Board, in order to satisfy their recommended number of Continuing Education Units needed to re-certify. You will develop your skills not only through the continuing education classes but also as you practice your skills with your clients and receive massage from other practitioners. Have fun; you have made a great career choice!