New Home

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Andrea and I are extremely excited to be moving onward and upward. We’ve found a home 3 miles from our current location and we’ll both have wonderful living space in addition to room to continue our businesses. The converted two car garage will allow me more teaching and studio space so things can continue to grow incrementally. Mid March we’re moving in.


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While looking at what Andrea and I have done I find it amazing to consider that many have told me what I’m currently doing is impossible. I couldn’t teach yoga in the room I was in. People want to go to a spa. It’s not big enough, clean enough, the floor isn’t wood and completely level, the mirrors are recycled and not installed etc. I’m happy to say that despite naysayers I’ve continued growing, learning, teaching and helping people reach their potential.

Thai massage class information will be posted later this week.

Myofascial Pain Trigger Points pt.9 Anterior Scalene

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For such small muscles the scalenes cause a huge amount of pain in a large range of the body. When clients come in I often check the anterior scalene if they have issue with any of the following: arm pain, hand pain, thoracic outlet syndrome, headaches, migraines, chest pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. Being able to work on and release the scalenes effectively is an important part of any bodyworker’s tool chest.

You place gentle broad finger pressure on the muscle and hold. Have whoever you’re working on breathe and see if the muscle begins to give way. The upper portion often refers pain into the head the lower half down into the chest and arm. If you do not tell the client this notice that they’ll start moving their hand on the side you’re working as they feel the sensation.

The carotid artery is nearby and is fine, just don’t press into it if you feel the pulse underneath. When it doubt don’t. Take your time, breathe, go slow and use your hands effectively. Try working it on yourself and see how tight the muscle is.

More pills?

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I’ve heard many people complain over the years that doctors tell them they have a condition then begin prescribing a long list of medications. They’ll tell me they’re tired of taking pills and when discussing their pain I’ve seen a full gamut in my 11 or so years. TMJ, thoracic outlet syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome and back pain are just the beginning.

I use to ask clients where they felt back pain but honestly, I don’t need to ask many anymore. I can look at you and tell you where you’re likely to feel pain. How? I look at your posture. One day I saw a woman and looked deeply at her posture then asked, “Do you feel tingling or numbness in the ring and pinkie finger of your right hand?” Having no idea who I was she looked at me puzzled and said, “Yes, how do you know that?” I wandered off as if busy to avoid answering the question. It was a guess but I’ve noticed my ability to help people with chronic pain issues has grown over the years.

Doctors and medication are great. I’m happy to live in the 21st century and to be in a country where if I get hit by a bus the doctors will do everything within their power to keep me going. After they’re done however, I’ll be heading right back into what I already do, yoga and bodywork.

I’ll never speak ill of those in the healing professions but doctors have done next to nothing for me. I’m really good at what I do because I had a choice, I could figure out and heal what a doctor could not or I could become a junkie and make sure opiates eased what I could not control. I think you can tell which path I chose.

Always consult your doctor but healing comes in many forms. My mantra to new clients is this, “Every time I work on you I’ll give you 110% but if you want to grow old gracefully, start practicing yoga.”

Myofascial Pain Trigger Points pt.8 Coracobrachialis

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I’ve had pain in my arm for so long I’ve almost forgotten what it feels like to not have pain. I’d worked trigger points in subscapularis, infraspinatus and subclavius but still had some lingering pain. I was completely blown away when I found coracobrachialis.

My arm rotation, I’m happy to announce, is much greater and it’s improving slowly with ease, care and work. It feels nice to have my arm back after ten or more years.

When you work on the trigger point go slow. The area feels exquisitely tender and as I mention in the video be sure to use the pad of your thumb. No stress in the hands is needed and coracobrachialis is fortunately easy to access. Pull the elbow down into your side and you’ll feel the muscle pop up, relax the arm then press gently. Start in the middle of the arm then move slowly, purposefully into the armpit near the coracoid process.

Shoulders

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I’ve had shoulder pain and misalignment on my left shoulder for so long it’s become part of me. Recently I had a major breakthrough and I’m slowly trying to integrate this new found movement and lack of irritation. Shoulders are extremely complex structures and due to the use of our arms the shoulder joint has more mobility than the other joints in our body. Long term this means we can develop more problems with them if we’re not careful.

The shoulders connect to the shoulder blades and then to the musculature and structure of the upper back and cervical spine. One completely affects the other and working on your shoulder joint can affect the shoulder blade, thoracic spine etc. Alignment is all.

Downward facing dog allows you to explore all of those structures but 1/2 downward dog allows more movement through the arms, more range of motion exploration and takes less strength to hold. This particular pose allows you to open the rib cage, pull the shoulder blades back and lets you experience some freedom from frozen shut and stuck on the rib cage shoulder blades.

Low Back Pain

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Thai massage is the best bodywork for dealing with low back pain in my experience. I spent years doing table work to little effect on low back issues but when I learned Thai massage and started using it, low back pain clients glommed onto me in a way that I found puzzling at first. I didn’t realize exactly why it made such a difference but over time it became clear.

People usually feel pain right in the center of their low back, some describe it as a band across the low back and others often describe feeling pain running down their legs they call sciatica. Where they point to, isn’t where the problem is. That is why Thai massage is so effective in dealing with low back pain, it goes to the source.

The source of most low back pain comes from the hamstrings, the glutes and the pelvic bowl in my experience. What is Thai massage really great at accessing? All of those just listed. I’ve seen it so many times there’s a pattern that is ingrained in the way I look at posture.

The video shows a simple way of stretching your hamstrings while in an chair at your office. It’s a good start but long term, get regular Thai massage and start taking yoga classes. Trust me, I’ve learned a lot in the past 11 or so years.