Massage Connection

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 [...]

Tags: back pain, deep tissue massage, falls church, Massage Therapy, muscle pain, neurosoma, sports massage, stretching, TriMassage, tysons corner, VA, Vienna

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 [...]

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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 [...]

Tags: achilles tendon, active isolated stretching, deep tissue massage, falls church va, Massage Therapy, neurosoma, running injuries, sports massage, stretching, TriMassage, tysons corner va, vein problems, venous problems, vienna va

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, [...]

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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 [...]

Tags: back pain, core strength, hip flexors, lower back pain, Massage Therapy, northern virginia, pilates, running, running injuries, shortened gait, stretching, TriMassage, tysons corner, vienna va

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 [...]

Tags: achilles, active isolated stretching, adventure racing, calf muscle, falls church va, Massage Therapy, runners and massage, running injuries, triathletes, TriMassage, tysons corner va, vienna va

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 [...]

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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 [...]

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The rhomboids reside just below the neck, and are also called the middle back.  The rhomboids are involved in scapular stabilization and movement, and are a large factor in arm movement.  The rhomboids actually consist of two sets of two muscles each.  Each set resides on one side of the spine, and are made up [...]

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The trapezius is one of a pair of muscles, which, when combined, form the trapezium.  The trapezius is a large, flat muscle, which begins at the base of the skull, running down the length of the spin to the lower back.  It also attaches to the back of the shoulder, forming a large triangle.  The [...]

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