Changes

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I wanted to update you on the goings on in my business and labor of <3. I want my dealings to be transparent, it's important to me that my customers, clients and students understand that I'm giving you all I'm capable of. Things are growing rapidly and as things develop my schedule tightens and my responsibility to myself and to you grows. Here are some things to keep in mind: 1) My business grows because of you. When you like and share my posts, photos and events on social media that helps my business grow. When you refer clients/students that's a Huge boost for the healing work we do. Your reviews on yelp, google and the like are 21st century word of mouth and I appreciate your time. Thank you for your continued support.
2) My fees for Thai massage sessions go to $160.00/session on March 1st. These sessions are 2 hours minimum.
3) Classes for Thai massage are growing and I will be traveling in coming months to work with students in other cities in TX so my availability is limited.
4) I’m working on numerous projects to allow you to get work at a reduced fee. I have general pain clinics coming and also some for specific issues like migraines and chronic headaches. In addition I’m having short weekly classes teaching Thai massage at Blue Honey Yoga in addition to the Free Thai massage jam.
5) If you need inexpensive education there’s the previously mentioned Thai massage jam, a Free Intro. to Thai massage workbook, a soon to be 140+ page Table Thai workbook and videos of the Intro. to Thai massage class available for download for $29.99 My youtube videos are full of info and are also free.
6) Yoga classes 1.5 hours and cost $10.00/class. 😀

My utmost concern is serving the public and making sure you can get the bodywork you need. I cannot provide that if I’m overworked. I need time to rest, time for yoga and time with my family. I’m my own boss so any healthcare (no Real health insurance at the moment), retirement, mortgage, debt etc. falls on me. I can only honestly and impeccably provide 20 hours or so of hands on Thai massage sessions in a week. It’s unreasonable to ask my body for more than that and that’s why session fees must go up.

I communicate extensively though social media. If you have questions related to health and bodywork issues let me know. I provide information for free constantly. I love educating people but must charge for my labor.

Breathe!

Spine Care and Disc Herniations

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Disc bulges and herniations are horrible to deal with. Having worked with clients with chronic back pain I feel the utmost compassion for those in pain. Typically there are soft tissue components to disc herniations and those are the ones I help with as a bodyworker. By stretching and helping align the soft tissues we help the spine come back to normal movement and mobility and hopefully take pressure off of that herniated disc or bulge.

In the above short video I discuss spine care with my friend slim. Long term the key is to lengthen the spinal column and backbend gently.

Thai Massage Is Good For Your Body

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I’ve spent lots of time over the years giving Thai massage and it’s as good for the receiver as much as the giver. As a receiver you get deeper consistent pressure and the range of motion involved in unparalleled. Those aches and pains you get in your back and neck go away and stay away longer than table massage.

As someone who gives the work I get a chance to move, breathe, stretch and exert muscles. I burn more calories than giving table massage and have a broader range of motion while using my whole body not just my arms and hands. This full bodied practice reminds me of moving meditation again and again.

Teaser Video

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Here’s a teaser video from the new Intro to Thai Massage Video- Coming Soon!

Q & A #1 Tail Bone Pain

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Hey, Robert, I have a problem that you might be able to help with, given your therapeutic expertise. (in all actuality, I suffer from a variety of physical problems, as you may or may not be aware of, so by way of caveat here let me just state plainly that I am not seeking “medical” advice).

It appears that I have some sort of autoimmune condition which is affecting my soft tissue and joints; basically I’m quick to injury and slow to heal, and no one can figure out why. At this point, I don’t even care anymore; I’ve taken matters into my own hands and am focusing mind-body-soul on my recovery, which means proper diet, proper exercise, sleeping, and a positive attitude, yadda yadda yadda… My wrists and ankles have it the worst, but I’m slowly building up long-atrophied muscle mass and getting very weak tendons acclimated to daily activity. It’s been a very long and grueling process, but I am seeing slow progress.

Here is the specific problem I’m having right now in my rehab. After about two years of being sidelined by a pretty persistent achilles strain, I’ve been able to work my way up to walking a good mile three times a week. However, I recently began to notice that my glutes were not firing correctly, and this was causing undue strain on my lower back. I quickly realized I could not even hinge properly at the hips in order to do a proper deadlift, etc. And the reason seemed to be that my hamstrings were just insanely tight. So for the past month or so I’ve been working on building up my glutes, making sure that they are firing properly when I walk, etc. And also I’ve been attempting to stretch out my hamstrings. However, almost as soon as I began this workout plan, I mysteriously developed this severe tail bone pain that will simply not go away! I never hit my tailbone or injured it in anyway (that I know of), but it hurts unbearably if I sit on it wrong, and even sometimes when I’m just walking. I can’t make heads or tails of it, except that it is undeniably worse on the days after I stretch out my hamstrings.

Have you ever came across anything like this? Are there any specific stretches or techniques that might help to alleviate this pain? I realize that without an examination there’s probably very little that you could tell me definitively about what is going on here, but maybe you could point me in the right direction. You see, in my experience doctors are not very much help with this sort of thing, and every time I go to a physical therapist they just make things worse with their over-zealous recommendations; they just don’t seem to have the tools to deal with a patient in my reduced state of physical fitness.

Respectfully,
Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

You’re correct in not seeking medical advice from a massage therapist but based on the info you gave me, we can try some things out and see if it helps. I’ve had a 12 year career helping people with odd pain no one else seemed to understand so I’ll walk you through a few things that may help.

My guess based on what you describe is that you’re having some sort of trigger point dysfunction in your glutes. Most people are Very tight around their sacrum which makes up the S or the Sacroiliac joint. The musculature on most people I work with is taught, tense and gets very little stretching. This muscular tension alone will cause pain in the low back around the legs, possibly down the legs and so on. With the information you’ve given me you could have latent issues that wake up from regular exercise etc. In addition, muscles on one side of your sacrum may be tighter than say the left and imbalance your hips as you’re trying to open things up.

In short, I think everything you’re doing is great! I’ll give you a few things to try out and we’ll see if this helps.

Hamstrings are rough to deal with and I recommend you stretch your hamstrings as I show in this video. Remember to keep the leg bent, whether standing in a forward bend or sitting in a chair. This puts pressure on the hamstrings but protects your low back. Slow and steady is the way to go.

I think the other best thing for your glutes, other than what we’ve already covered, is to find a tennis ball and lay down on it. Put the tennis ball smack dab in your glutes and you can press on anything fleshy. You’ll be anywhere from the greater trochanter of your femur to right along the sacrum. Don’t put pressure directly on the tailbone! As long as you’re in flesh, you’re fine. The intensity should be something that you can breathe into through your nose. If you find it hard to breathe, if it’s too much pressure back off or maybe fold a towel over the tennis ball. You’re looking for tender spots that you can use the tennis ball to massage slowly. Try this for 5 minutes a day and see if there’s any improvement. The chart below shows some of the referred pain we’re talking about.

Trigger Point Pain in the Gluteus Maximus

Make sure to work both sides, if one is more tender work that side a little more but do both to find out.

I hope this information helps. Get back to me when you’ve done this so we can update. If that doesn’t we’ll move on to something else until you get some relief.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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I hear of carpal tunnel syndrome so often I grow sick of it. Computer workers constantly complain of pain in their hands and wrists. I think I used to have it. Syndromes in western medicine are complicated because they’re usually a list of symptoms that are given a name. In my case, I work as a massage therapist and I use my hands, all day. A few years into my practice and before I used Thai massage it was just too much pressure on my carpals and wrists.

In that position I do what everyone does, I go to the doctor and they look at my quizzically. I was told to work less and use naproxen sodium. If you’re anything like me you have Huge fear and anxiety about your ability to keep working to pay bills. It’s no fun to realize you type at a computer all day and are now going to have to figure something else out.

That carpal tunnel I had? I didn’t. Essentially I had trigger points in my forearms that were causing pain in my hand. Deal with the trigger points and slowly but surely hand pain, what hand pain? I’ve been working for 11 years with no signs of slowing down. That incident was 8 years ago. The video above shows the work I do on my wife periodically for her continuous use of her hands at a computer and from knitting.

If you’re having issues with carpal tunnel you should Come In and See Me. I can figure out within ten minutes if I’m going to be able to help you. As I tell people, I do not diagnose, I do not treat conditions but…what if I we can make your symptoms go away?

Myofascial Pain Trigger Points pt.10 Adductor Pollicis

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Massage therapists and others who work with their hands put small muscles under strain from repetitive work. It’s always good to find new ways of doing things but at the end of the day when your thumb is bothering you, this should help.

Adductor pollicis trigger points cause pain in the wrist and thumb. Many have years of built up tension that can be released through some regular work on the area. In the video we use a Thai reflexology stick to access the small points. This saves our other hand while we’re working.

As always, work smart. Go slow and breathe.

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.

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.

Referrals

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At work recently I walked in to a name I recognized, a face I recognized but I couldn’t put the two together. If I’ve had a busy few weeks this isn’t uncommon. Client after client with back pain or some issue starts to blend particularly if we’ve not had extensive conversation that allows me to get to know the person I’ve worked on.

When I said hello the client they looked at me fondly and said, “the new love of my life.” I blushed lightly, looked at my boss and she said, “I think she likes your work Robert.” I giggled and mentioning it to my boss later and she said I’d be surprised how many marriage proposals she’s gotten over the years.

Talking with the client afterwards, it turns out I’d done what for me is fairly standard, Thai massage or as some call it Thai Yoga massage on the table with a new client. She’d been having low back problems and the work is so beneficial it’s my go to in the tool box. Discussing her pain scale she explained to me that if 10 meant you were going to the hospital and 0 was no pain she was at about a 7 when she saw me. The following morning she felt like she was under a 1. That much pain relief will get you some loves.

She’d read some of the blog here, purchased a Ma roller and told all her friends. I adore having honest expressions of appreciation but other than a nice tip after your session nothing spells appreciation like referrals. In the business of bodywork I don’t find that ads draw people in. Much like a hairdresser there is something intimate about working with someone, one on one, on their body in some caring way. Most people ask other people who they go to. They don’t as commonly look up random names in a phone book like they would for plumber.

A referral does something that I cannot do. It tells someone that my work is good by someone who’s had it. Anything I say about my skills or caring nature isn’t matched by that of a pleased client with friends who’ll make an appointment based on those conversations alone. When that new person comes in they’re already relaxed, after all their friend had a positive experience, why shouldn’t they? In my line of work nothing works as well. No print ad, mailer with a coupon or blog article I write will have as much of an effect as when a friend says they have pain in their low back and someone announces, “You should go see Robert.”

Another thing that impressed me about the interaction with the client is they were engaged in their healing process. Not only did they make a semi-regular appointment for several weeks but they purchased the massage tool the Ma roller to engage in self care. The work we do is healing and in a culture with a lack of physical touch just that alone is therapeutic to people. The best care is active and passive, from working on yourself and from allowing others to help you. Nothing in my experience is as healing as your own focus and care then allowing a nurturing therapist to assist you in that healing process. It’s far better than just working on yourself. You’re not alone in your quest.

Tips are another area that spell appreciation. When a tank of gas costs $50+ these days it makes an impression not only financially but energetically. The fact that a client gives me more than the asking price tells me they value our time and interaction enough to want to keep me around. If you worked in a restaurant do you remember the patrons who tip well? Same if you’re a bartender? One thing I learned long ago if I was drinking hard liquor the bartender got a large tip right up front. The following drinks were always a little better.

Another factor to consider is regular sessions with a therapist. Regular work for a massage therapist is golden. We work in an industry that isn’t often stable. Work comes and goes, paychecks fluctuate and clients that get regular work make our income more balanced and our work go farther. Clients who engage in regular work respond better, their tissues soften and it shows they’re being proactive with their health. After ten years working nothing is quite as irksome as someone who comes in with the code red crick in the neck. That didn’t happen over night, it usually happens over the course of months of lack of exercise, lack of care and now they come in for me to fix it. A regular client who comes in gets far more empathy when it comes to the ups and downs of life and limb.

So the appreciation goes both ways. If you’re a client or student who sends friends, thank you. You’ve made my healing work possible. If you tip and help me pay for gas and groceries thank you as well. Without you I’d be working as a plumber in a far less fun environment.

Myofascial Pain Trigger Points

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As we continue the series on trigger points for self care we wind up in the hand and the thenar eminence. If you have carpal tunnel issues I suggest you take a look at these points and in addition any job that has you working with your hands is likely to make this area tender.

We’re working two different muscles in this area. Abductor pollicis brevis and opponens pollicis are the primary culprits. Long term, I just call the area the thenar eminence. The muscles are small, close together and can be treated in a short time period. Hold pressure in the lump of muscle between your thumb and wrist and you’re good to go. As long as you feel muscle tissue and tenderness hang out and treat the trigger points.

Myofascial Pain Trigger Points

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Myofascial pain and trigger points from flexor carpi ulnaris should be the next spot you look at after working with flexor carpi radialis. The referred pain caused by trigger points here will be similar to flexor carpi radialis but in my experience the pain runs down towards the underside of the outer hand and to the middle to pinky fingers. If you believe you’re having carpal tunnel syndrome, check this area.

I find the forearm extensors to be the first stop in dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome but I recommend looking at these two trigger points in addition. Spending time at a computer is something most of us will continue for a long time so regular maintenance is a must. When you work the trigger point, go slow, it can be tender. You’ll find it exquisitely painful then hang out, breath and see if it releases.