On May 9, 2013 we will be having an expert in the field of Essential Oils coming to our office. Stacy Abbe has been here before and many of you may have seen her but wondered, "what is it she is doing?" I hope this will help answer your questions.

In creating a Wellness Center it is imperative to offer products and services that compliment one another. Essential oils for many years have proven to have healing effects on many different dilemma's that occur in ones life. Stacy Abbe is our Doterra Oil representative and will be here to help you determine what oils would best suit you. She just brought me a combination of oils to rub on my thryoid to help heal it. I will keep you posted on my success. 

How does Stacy know what I need? Well besides being well read on the topic, she will recruit the aide of a Zyto machine (http://www.zyto.com/). Being a skeptic I needed to try out this machine that would be able to tell me about myself, to my pleasant surprise it hit the nail on the head and Stacey was able to help me with oils I needed. I began taking the oils and did notice the improvement. As in any natural pathway to Wellness it is a methodical process and subtle changes begin to happen. So I do personally recommend the use of the Oils and I highly recommend Stacey to help you. 

The $15.00 fee for the use of the machine is a reasonable amount because it gives you the information you need and takes the guesswork out of it for you. 

Essential oils have been used throughout recorded history for a wide variety of wellness applications. The Egyptians were some of the first people to use aromatic essential oils extensively in medical practice, beauty treatment, food preparation, and in religious ceremony. Frankincense, sandalwood, myrrh and cinnamon were considered very valuable cargo along caravan trade routes and were sometimes exchanged for gold.

Borrowing from the Egyptians, the Greeks used essential oils in their practices of therapeutic massage and aromatherapy. The Romans also used aromatic oils to promote health and personal hygiene. Influenced by the Greeks and Romans, as well as Chinese and Indian Ayurvedic use of aromatic herbs, the Persians began to refine distillation methods for extracting essential oils from aromatic plants. Essential oil extracts were used throughout the dark ages in Europe for their anti-bacterial and fragrant properties.

In modern times, the powerful healing properties of essential oils were rediscovered in 1937 by a French chemist, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, who healed a badly burnt hand with pure lavender oil. A French contemporary, Dr. Jean Valnet, used therapeutic-grade essential oils to successfully treat injured soldiers during World War II. Dr. Valnet went on to become a world leader in the development of aromatherapy practices. The modern use of essential oils has continued to grow rapidly as health scientists and medical practitioners continue to research and validate the numerous health and wellness benefits of therapeutic-grade essential oil.

I am presently using a combination of oils that Stacey put together for me for my Hypothyroidism and Hasimoto's Autoimmune Disease. I will keep everyone posted. So don't hesitate and give us a call here at the Wellness Center and Briana and Rebecca will be happy to book your appointment with Stacey. The number is 216-364-0152 or email them at appointments@chagrinvalleywellness.com. 

Yet another reason to HOPE for your overall Wellness.

I hope all are enjoying the great Spring Weather and remember Mother's Day on May 12, 2013. 

a REASON to HOPE!

Dennis  

I recently wrote about our CLUB CVWC, our Fundamental Movement Therapy (sm), and most recently what will help keep you from the need of using a walker and creating better balance. The following are some random thoughts and just how all of this ties together for your overall Wellness!

This picture is one that depicts stress in our daily lives. There are many different forces that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. How our bodies and most importantly our brain deals with them is what will drive our overall feeling of health and vitality. The drug companies keep on coming up with prescriptions that will make us sleep better, not wet our pants, have better sex, make sure that we have good blood pressure and as you all know there are many more. What I do find amusing, as many others do, the commercial is a minute long with about 15 seconds devoted to the benefits and 45 seconds to the side effects. I do find some of them amusing and frightening, especially the one that says it may cause death. 

I have recently signed up for Medicare and had the prescription drug plan explained to me and why I should sign up for it. Research has shown that as we get older we are supposed to take more and more prescriptions so that we may feel better and help us age. This program allows us to better afford these prescriptions. Do not get me wrong, as in the case of any issue, some prescriptions are necessary for us to heal and help abate some issues that could be potentially dangerous to us; therefore you do need to listen to your doctor and if you have questions about a prescription you are taking, contact your pharmacist, their education has given them that knowledge.

What I am purposing though is an aide in preventing the everyday stress from overtaking your body. My main proposal is that we stay healthy in our movement patterns during our day to day activities. By maintaining a proper balance of tension on the skeleton, our movement qualities improve exponentially. This reduces the brains need to create both a neurological and hormonal balance. This is what we perform here at the Wellness Center. We have many forms of therapy that we use here to help individuals with their structural balancing. 

Our main therapy is Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® which I have worked on developing over the past 25 years. Of course we have traditional Massage Therapy by our licensed Massage Therapist and if you really want to commit to yourself join the CVWC Club. Another therapy we have here is Acupuncture and our Licensed Acupuncturist Allison has over 20+ years experience and individuals who have stated to me that they were afraid of needles overcame that fear, not only because it doesn't hurt but by the compassion and care that Allison shows. One other form is Structural Integration or a new format of Rolfing that is provided by our Certified Therapist Pat Gates, LMT. Pat has studied under Tom Meyers who was educated by Ida Rolf herself. What this entails is a series of treatments that looks at and re-creates a Fascia Reconstruction of the posture so the building blocks are "stacked" one on top of the other. One other new form of therapy being introduced is Ortho-Bionomy which use the position of the muscle and the lever to help reset the tension on the skeleton.

As you can see we offer many choices and  have many different modalities to help relieve the internal stress on your body and brain. Please call today for a free consultation or just to talk with one of our therapist or instructors.

a REASON to HOPE! - Wellness solutions for your relief of stress to your body!

Dennis

With all of the early Spring snow we are getting I thought this was an ingenious way to use a walker. I was not supposed to add to the blog this week but it seems the universe was beckoning me to espouse on this topic. 

In the practice of treating chronic pain there is often very similar issues that will constantly present themselves, and this week it seems to be the issue of an aging population that are experiencing leg pain. This week it seems to be somewhat epidemic.

I really felt the compulsion after one particular long time client yesterday came to me with a reoccurring problem that she has. Without getting into any personal information there is a pathological issue that this person deals with but with regular exercise, water aerobics, the issue has been controllable. My services are normally required two times per year but in recent months there seems to be more of a re-occurrence. As many know this disturbs me that the treatments are not holding for longer periods of time. 

What has been a common thread is the chaos that is happening with the Pelvic girdle. What I have also noticed the last few times is that there is a common thread to the chaos, and that is the upper thigh or Quadriceps are extremely tight and disorganized. When asked about her form of exercise the individual claimed that they were told to strengthen these muscles in order to prevent knee pain. As many of you know I find that these create an imbalance to the normal tension on the lower skeleton and thus creates a conundrum in standing and walking. Many also know that when I am teaching in the PIlates studio we often bring this subject up. The use of these larger muscles for dynamics creates more problems than they prevent. 

What will help prevent you ending up like the man in the picture? We all need to strengthen the ability of the lower leg or calf muscles to aide in the skeleton's ability to move. The body moves from the end point to the mid point and what this individual was doing was moving the opposite way. This forced the Pelvis into an awkward presentation and therefore distorted itself to adapt to the imbalance in tension integrity of the skeleton. If it did not, there would have been an unusual pull that when the concurring push happened the individual would have lost balance and fell. This becomes a larger than life issue especially when there has been so many snowy and icy days here in Northern Ohio and throughout the country. 

The question is "Well how should I do this?" My pat answer is learning how to reprogram the neurological connections in the body. Remembering that we move from the end to the middle we have to consciously, in the case of standing and walking, move the ankle joint first. This action will trigger the mechanism in the brain to use the correct muscles, this is the best way to create strength, and proper use of the muscles. Strengthening the upper thigh muscles will eventually compound the  problem and negative results will happen.

What needs to be accomplished is this re-programming of the nerve impulses to the brain so that an unconscious action takes place just upon thought. I often have someone place a one pound weight in their hand, flex the wrist and just focus on the elbow bending so that the weight is moved toward the shoulder. The hard part for most is that they want to perform the action instead of forcing the brain to figure it out and re-pattern the proper muscle movement. 

In our Pilates studio we create scenarios with the use of the equipment so that individuals will start to develop these patterns. The repeating of the process ingrains the message to the point that when movement is required the brain processes this information and not only allows for pain free movement but re-strengthens the muscles. 

One last item I want to address in this blog is the issue of, "it is hard and painful for me to rollover in bed!" People are always amazed that we can get them to roll over with no pain and great ease when done properly. Once again in the beginning you will have to think this one out to re-develop the proper pattern, but when rolling over you need to use your spine. Since the low back or lumbar section doesn't rotate start by using the shoulder that is in the up position and generate the ability to roll over from the upper spine to the lower, the rest of the body will follow. To many people want to generate the twisting motion with their butt muscles and they don't work like that. 

Hopefully this information helps and I would love to entertain any and all questions and concerns you might have. My recommendation is that you come in and try our Fundamental Movement Therapy(SM) that is taught in our Pilates studio to help in reorganizing your brains pattern of movement. This will help strengthen the proper muscles and help you drive away the demons that many call getting old.

Remember there is always a REASON TO HOPE!


~Dennis Gibbons LMT

This picture shows the "guns" of the arm, the Biceps muscle of the upper arm. This seems to be the muscle that most people fantasize over. What is also seen here are the nerves that send the information to the muscle to have it to do what it does. Not to worry I am not going into one of my dissertations on the neuro muscular systems!

What I wanted to discuss here are the important qualities of enhancing the electrical circuits to the mechanical circuits, as most of you know I revert to my Pipefitting days frequently. In my last couple of blogs I have been discussing the importance of monthly Massage work to keep the body in proper working order. I will continue that discussion but wanted to interject this information to help you understand better the mind body connection.

At our studio we offer Fundamental Movement Therapy(sm) classes using Pilates based exercise equipment. Jarvis Wrazen our Director of FMTh(sm) has recently started circuit classes to enhance the students' experience. 

What is Fundamental Movement Therapy(sm)? Why would it work well with the  CVWC Club Massage? 

The answers to these two questions are simple, full body Wellness! What Fundamental Movement Therapy(sm) provides the body is a direct re-connection from the brain to the tissue that is needed to move the skeleton in the most efficient and functional manner. What the regular Massage work provides is keeping the Fascia, Ligaments, Tendons, and Muscles supple, and ready to respond to the needs of the body in their movement patterns. Connecting the two protocols will be your insurance policy to aide in avoiding pain. As the tissue becomes more responsive and the activation of proper movement to the skeleton, many great qualities begin to happen and become more and more enhanced.

You make ask now, how does this help me avoid pain? When we strengthen our musculature in movement- we also strengthen the nerve responses to those muscles, so that in those moments of clumsiness our brain is able to respond to protect us. If those nerve responses are weak our fight or flight mechanism takes over and shuts a majority of the muscular skeletal system down. When this process takes place we are more susceptilbe to injury and eventual pain. 

I "stretch" and "exercise" daily, so I am strong enough? As we discussed in our "Stretching 101" course being hyper-mobile in our joints is actually more of a liability than an asset.

So why Fundamental Movement Therapy(sm) and especially this Circuit Class? Now that you have tried our CVWC Club Massage and have promoted healthy circulation to the body's tissue system you need now to strengthen the functions. Understand the Massage itself, when properly applied, is an exercise in to itself. The manipulation of the tissue actually increases the heart rate and the relaxation one experiences is the fact that fresh blood and oxygen is being processed. So consider your one hour CVWC Club Massage your exercise for the day.

Fundamental Movement Therapy(sm) strengthens the connection between the brain and the movement mechanics of the body. What the circuit class enhances is the body's ability to respond to consistent and different movements. Why is this important to me? Well in our day to day activities we multi task all of the time and encouraging and strengthening our nerve to muscle response once again will help us get through those times when we might traumatize ourselves.  How does this happen? Once someone becomes proficient in understanding the application of movement as it relates to the machines the body's efficiency is enhanced. As the body becomes stronger, not only muscularly but also neurologically and hormonally, challenging the mechanism will help develop the ability's to respond. What Jarvis has done is develop a pattern of movements that force the brain to respond while keeping the heart at a good pace and creating the proper hormone responses. My recommendation is if you want a good exercise day without injuring the tissue and changing the internal tensions, this is it.

Questions can be answered by a simple phone call to 216.364.0152 or an email to appointments@chagrinvalleywellness.com. Chagrin Valley Wellness Center is a full service center that takes all of your Wellness needs to heart. Our goal is to give one HOPE that they will feel better. 

a Reason to HOPE! - THE ANSWER IS IN PROPER MOVEMENT

Dennis

Just some random thoughts on remodeling. Not your house or office but your muscular tension.

As many of you know I was fortunate enough to develop and grow Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® over the last 20+ years. During this development period I often felt like I was reaching a point where I believed I was almost there and all of a sudden something happens and I am Blessed to find something or some way new to better the structure.

For those who have studied with me know the premise of the work follows this pathway:
• function = movement
• structure determines movement
• movement reveals structure

Many also know that Buckminster Fuller's theory on Tensegrity is a major portion of the theory behind Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® and Fundamental Movement Therapy(SM).

What does this have to do with remodeling? I have incorporated this theory as a part of the therapy process now.

At conception our cellular DNA or paradigm is formed with a specific set of parameters. As we develop a specific hydrostatic pressure or tension is placed on the cells to help maintain those boundaries and form our shape, organs and gives our connective tissue a blueprint of growth to follow.

At birth we are forced out into gravity and it is at this time that our muscle fibers need to start to develop strength. It is the muscle fibers function to offer the proper contraction to now maintain this paradigm.

The muscle fibers receive the most direct blood flow of all the connective and soft tissues. The Fascia, Ligaments, and Tendons in this order are somewhat vascular but not to the same degree.

Because of this phenomena the muscle fibers are more like the clay that the potter works with. When trauma strikes and there is a shifting of the parameters the muscle fiber is the only structure the needs to change to hold dynamic tension. The other three fibers are part of the connective tissue matrix!

What I have been blessed to discover is how to coax these muscle fibers back to the original DNA paradigm so that a proper Tensegrity is reestablished and a more pain free lifestyle is attained. This is remodeling.

I will continue to expound on this theory as we progress in this blog. This is an exciting time in the continued growth.

If you would like to learn more about Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® go to our web site. We will be offering another course in the Fall of 2013. It is 9 weekends and a total of 96 clock hours of intense study and hands in work. Call Kathy @ 216.364.0156 or email her @ Kathy@chagrinvalleywellness.com.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A new Reason to HOPE!

Dennis

FEET. Those appendages at the end of our legs, meant to propel us through life. How we use and abuse them! Stuffing them into all sorts of restrictive footwear or, the other extreme, flip-flops, which we hang onto with our toes while the heel tries to find its base.

How do your feet feel by the end of the day?

The feet can determine much of what is happening in the rest of the body. Let's look at some of the dis-eases that occur in the foot.

There are fallen arches, high arches, ankles that are shifted in most cases toward the middle of the body, bunions, hammer toes, supination (walking on the outside of the foot) or pronation (walking on the inside of the foot), neuromas, broken bones, plantar fasciitis, strains, and strains.

All of these can and will affect how the foot hits the ground as you walk. Injuries to the foot can bring about compensations that will be felt higher up the line of the body. These can include rotation of the hips or the leg itself, what appears to be a shorten leg, rib shifts or rotations, shoulder rotations, jaw discomfort, or a tilted head, to name a few.

A goal of structural intergration is to give the body a sound base from which to move. As part of a session, the feet, along with the rest of the body, are viewed to find the rotations, shifts, or tilts, and how they can be affecting the rest of the body.

Does the big toe hit the ground? If not, it may mean the muscles on the outside of the lower leg are more contracted than the opposing muscles.

Does the lower leg sit on top of the ankle, as it is designed to do? If not, looking at the arches and the muscles that control the arches and addressing those that are contracted, long, or short may be the answer.

Plantar Fasciitis is a common problem, which may be resolved by addressing the muscles in the calf, as the fascial attachment continues on to join the plantar fascia of the foot.

Other issues may not be totally resolved; however, the goal is to bring the body into a more comfortable and balanced, unified whole.

This picture is what everyone envisions as a Massage and they are correct. As in any profession there are fundamental principles that all students learn and practice as they begin to hone their trade. It is no different in the Massage world as every student is taught the benefits and movements of Massage.

What differentiates one individual person from the next? Education is the primary differential between most Massage practitioners. In the State of Ohio there are over 11,000 Massage Therapists licensed by the Medical Board. We do hold the distinction as being the only state requiring a limited medical practitioners license to practice Massage Therapy. We were all students of state approved schools that issued a diploma stating that we completed all of the necessary requirements to sit for the exam. 

There are many non-licensed practitioners as well in this state who might have gone to a school and for one reason or another were not able to pass the exam. There are also practitioners who have gone to schools to receive a certificate to perform massage but because of legislation are not permitted to hold themselves out as therapists. A therapist is able to treat disorders to the human body, whereas the practitioner moves to relax the body.

In last weeks blog I recommended that everyone should receive a Massage every month. It helps to reduce stress to the body itself which helps promote wellness in the tissues and organs. But is every Massage equal? No, far from it! The individual receiving the Massage should have expectations of what, as any consumer should, they are to receive. As the practitioner moves through your bodily tissue they should be able to detect if there are underlying problems that exist and be able to advise you of them and what course of action is available for you to take. 

An example of this is, that tightness and restriction of movement in your neck and shoulders, what is the cause. The practitioner should be educated enough to inform you of not only the cause but some of the long term issues that can present themselves. Like your car, your body needs a tune-up and a bumper to bumper inspection. 

That is what the CVWC Club Massage is meant to do. Your therapist, all of the therapist here are licensed, will keep track of what they find and give you a report each and every time you come in. Although the session is not "Therapeutic" in nature, any time anyone places their hands on you therapy happens. You as the consumer have every right to expect that individual to be an expert in their profession. 

In many instances we have been able to prevent a painful situation from developing by advising individuals of these future issues that they may face. Also, by tending to these issues you can rest assured that all of those tissues I discussed previously are being placed in the healthiest position possible. 

If you have questions about the CVWC Club Massage  and its many benefits please give us a call. One of the therapists would gladly discuss with you just how it will help you in the long term. Remember the CVWC Club Massage is priced so that you will want to have that luxury once a month. Call 216.364.0152 or email us at appointments@chagrinvalleywellness.com. 

remember HOPE for the best!


Dennis

Matrix - a substance containing something: a substance in which something is embedded or enclosed

The above is the definition of a matrix, the picture to the left shows a matrix, as you can see it is free flowing and always in motion. Why is this so important to relieving pain?

The human body is comprised of many different tissues or substances. There are organs, bones, ligaments, tendons, muscles and a substance called Fascia. Fascia is truly the first substance that develops in the human body at the cellular level right after conception. As the cells start their development process the Fascia is what allows that movement to happen. As the embryo develops and the cells divide and the other tissues of the body develop the Fascia will become the envelope and hold everything in place. Since the body is in perpetual motion the tissue that covers everything must have that capability. Fascia is on the move 24/7 and is probably the strongest of all the materials in the body.

When there is any form of trauma to the body this covering system is what needs to change to adapt to the sudden changes that occur. Since it covers the bones, ligaments, tendons, and muscles it also holds these tissues in the proper position whether it is right or wrong.

The ligaments are an extension of the Fascia system and their job has a fourfold purpose, they position the bones that form a joint, they stabilize that joint, they prepare the joint to move and lastly, control the speed of movement. What this means is that when a conscious effort to move is made the ligaments, if healthy, will set everything up to move. In cases of abrupt or sudden change in posture, like a fall or auto accident, the ligaments don't always have the opportunity to respond correctly. The Fascia responds for it and holds it in place to minimize the damage.

When proper or natural movement takes place, it is the ligament that signals the tendon as to which bony structure needs to move to fulfill the movement. When that abrupt or sudden movement happens, though there are incorrect signals and compromises to the proper movement pattern.

The muscle tissue basic job is either to shorten or lengthen, that is it. What it does need to do though, is when in its movement pattern the muscle does not have the ability to only move part way through its cycle. In cases of abrupt or sudden movement the muscle will often not complete its mission and this action is what keeps the tension on the joint which eventually ends up with pain.

The problem lays in the fact that if you only try and change one of the tissues, especially the Fascia, it will return what the brain perceives it should be. People will often ask what they need to do after a Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh® session, well the following is what I personally suggest. JOIN THE CLUB!

At Chagrin Valley Wellness Center we treat these tissues in different ways but the prime method is Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh®. We also use Acupuncture, Structural Integration, Reiki, Massage and Fundamental Movement Therapy(SM). Over the next few weeks I will discuss the protocol for all and how they integrate one with the other.

One of the most underused methods is what I refer to as Basic Massage. This is the massage practice that most are accustomed to but truly do not understand completely. At the Wellness Center we have the CVWC Club Massage and I'll explain why this is a valuable tool for most individuals. We have sharply discounted the cost of this to encourage everyone to take advantage of the program. When massage is performed correctly, and there is a lot more than just rubbing the skin, it has the ability to keep the aforementioned tissues healthy, supple and functional.

Relaxation Massage, as it is commonly referred to as, should be treated with much more respect than it is. Mainstream America has taken it and tried to enhance it by giving it many different names and have added more add-ons to it than is necessary. Massage is a very educated touch that needs to be applied with precise techniques to fully incorporate all of the positive aspects that it brings. Individuals need to have the same respect for this form of Art as they do a Monet, because when properly applied to can create a thing of beauty, YOU!

Massage when applied correctly will open many of the closed pathways or restrictions in the Fascia during the effleurage portion. When Petrissage is applied, a technique that gently lifts the muscle, breaks down minor adhesions in the tissue, and promotes better circulation. The full body should be treated to truly capture the beauty of the art, which it is when properly done.

I invite all to look in to the CVWC Club Massage as an investment to your overall health and well-being. The monthly fee is $48.00 + $3.72 tax and that includes a one hour session. If you decide you want an additional massage during the month it is an additional $50.00 +$3.88 tax. Treat your body to health and as Mark Twain once said, "If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself!"

Keep your matrix flowing freely, it not only promotes better movement but this is the same tissue that allows your internal organs to freely move and stay healthy. For further information or to join the Club, please call one of our Client Care Specialists for details @  (216)364-0152 or appointments@chagrinvalleywellness.com.

a Reason to HOPE!
by Helping Ourselves Pain Ends!
Dennis Gibbons LMT

The theme over the past few weeks has been about muscles and movement and we recently held a class on the myths of stretching. This blog will hopefully explain to you how all of this works and how with proper movement, either low or high intensity, you will be able to overcome many of the issues that we deal with on a day to day basis.

In the picture of the muscle you will see an item that is slightly offset from the muscle itself. Although in real life this growth is not like this, this is a great illustration to show you that in the nervous system we have this built in surge protector. As with your electronic equipment the need to protect from unexpected electrical surges in the power company lines, the body also needs protection to protect us from unexpected movements. 

What are some of these unexpected movements that I am referring to? Well with winter weather here I am quite confident you didn't practice walking on slippery surfaces. Or that cough you developed when the weather changed and those hard, consectutive sneezes from that cold you had, these are all unexpected movements. Other forms of movement that can often compromise individuals are repetitve use injuries. Muscle when held in a specific position for any prolonged period of time will fatigue and become dysfunctional.
 
Is it wrong to stretch then. I don't want to hurt myself? Once again there needs to be a purpose behind it, to stretch because we think we should normally is not a good reason. Knowing the parameters is also important. Once you have reached a point, in any form of movement, where the tissue is starting to burn you are approaching an end point and you should stop.

Is there a difference in the burn I experience when exercising? Yes there is, when under load or duress with weights or even in Pilates, you will experience a build up of lactic acid. This build up will cause the workout burn. When you feel a "burn" when performing isolated or combined stretching, this normally indicates a slight tear to the connective tissue. Be aware of these differences.

We will continue this journey next week, until then remember by Helping Ourselves Pain Ends.

One last note, Jarvis held his first circuit movement class and the participants were estatic, call to sign up for his next one, Tuesday afternoons from 4p - 5p,
216-364-0152 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            216-364-0152      end_of_the_skype_highlighting to make your appointment.

a Reason to HOPE!

Dennis

We recently held an informational class on "Stretching" and it was a huge success. Myself, Josh Trentine, and Al Coleman from Overload Fitness discussed the terminology of stretching and how it is used in today's world. The participants asked many stimulating questions, which added to the dynamics of the class. Informational classes of this nature should be for the participants and not the presenters, and that is what we had. Thanks to all that attended. The Wellness Center will be holding another session on February 12, 2013. Also, in the near future you will be able to go to our web site and watch some video of the class.

The topics that were discussed went from Fibromyalgia, Tennis Elbow, Breast Cancer surgery, dance, and other forms of exercise. We discussed the physiological changes to the connective tissue, muscle, and skeleton when individuals over "stretch".

Many will ask the question, "Am I hurting myself when I do Yoga?" . If done properly and in movement the answer is no. When I speak of movement I don't just mean walking, running, or some other form of cardio work. Any time movement is done correctly the brain should be able to adapt to it and will prevent unusual injury. There is a section in your brain where movement is rehearsed and planned out. Often times we see someone else perform a movement and attempt to mirror it but more often than not our body is not able to emmulate it. If you suffered previous trauma your body will not respond the same as someone elses. What the rehearsal part of the brain does is coordinates the movement for its body. You may not be able to bend as far or reach as high but if you let your brain figure it out for you, it will get you there.

It is important to remember that muscle has very limited movement qualities, it is there for the dynamics of movement and follows the commands of other tissue. 
Many say that when they feel the burn of the muscle tissue when stretching it brings relief to them. Two items here, first the burn hopefully isn't to the muscle tissue because that type of burn would normally indicate some form of tearing to the fiber. The second item is that in order to have a muscle move there needs to be a specific chain of command that the tissue follows. Once the brain determines that movement is going to take place it must first decipher that movement. That is where the rehearsal part of the brain takes over and actually choreographs the movement. Once this is set in motion there are many items that need to take place for the movement to actually happen. I do not want to go into great detail about the physiology here but understand many nerve connections are necessary for even the simplest movement.

The study of movement is a very complex process but what we have been able to do in both our therapies, and that includes our Fundamental Movement Therapy(SM) classes, is to take the inhibited movement in the body and remove the obstacles. If you have questions about your painful issues please do not hestitate to call the office to discuss them with one of our exerts. Remember we have Muscle Release Therapy, MRTh®, Acupuncture, Structural Integration, Reiki, Reflexology, and Therapeutic Massage. Also, to help strengthen and encourage proper movement check out our studio that is equipped with Pilates equipment.

Over the next few weeks I will continue to write about the process of muscles in movement and how the body needs to function so that it remains efficient and hopefully your pain ends,

a Reason to HOPE!

Dennis