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MLD for cosmetic surgery is often seen as a treatment post-surgery. And while it is extremely important that you get your MLD done as soon as after surgery, it is actually even more important that you get it done before your surgery. Therefore, in this blog, we are going to talk about why MLD for cosmetic surgery is important pre- and post-intervention, and what the differences in outcome are.  Cosmetic Surgery Is Controlled Trauma Any type of body surgery, cosmetic or orthopedic, even when it is elective and expertly performed, is still experienced as a trauma. Specifically, to cosmetic surgery, procedures such as: Liposuction Tummy tuck Breast augmentation or reduction Facelift Rhynoplasty  BBL Arm or thigh lift Revision surgeries All of those create inflammation, fluid accumulation, tissue disruption, and stress on the lymphatic system and nervous system. In fact, after surgery, the lymphatic system suddenly has to manage: Increased inflammatory fluid Cellular waste Damaged proteins Bruising by-products Swelling Reduced movement and circulation So now imagine how your lymphatic system can deal with it, as it was not prepared for all this increased work. That’s when recovery can become slower and more uncomfortable. Therefore, pre-operative MLD becomes extremely valuable if you want the best results. MLD is Not a Generic Lymphatic Massage When I talk about MLD, I am specifically referring to Manual Lymphatic Drainage in Vodder style, not a generic lymphatic massage. I already dedicated a full blog post to this topic, and you can find the link here. And in summary, this is due to the fact that MLD is the only science-backed therapy that proves to stimulate the lymphatic system and has some positive effect on your wellbeing. Also, a Vodder MLD course is not a weekend training, but is an extensive ongoing training, which comes with continuous learning and revision courses. I have personally completed more than 90 hours of training with the Vodder Academy since I started my MLD adventure in November 2021, including my Lymphoedema and advanced body training (specifically for cosmetic surgery and pre- and postpartum scenarios). What Vodder-Style MLD Actually Does Vodder-style MLD is not a massage for muscles, and again, it is not a generic Lymphatic Massage. MLD in Vodder Style is a highly specialised and extremely gentle manual therapy designed to stimulate lymphatic vessels, improve lymph transport, and support the body’s fluid regulation mechanisms. In comparison to many other lymphatic treatment, MLD is not an aggressive massage technique, and it works directly with the physiology of the lymphatic system. The treatment uses precise rhythm, pressure, direction, and sequencing to: Stimulate lymphangiomotoricity Improve lymphatic drainage pathways Reduce stagnation Enhance tissue fluid movement Calm the nervous system Prepare tissues for inflammatory stress This matters enormously before surgery. Furthermore, MLD is a pain-free technique, and that’s why it is also effective in post-surgery settings. In fact, when you come out of a cosmetic surgery, the level of inflammation, swelling and bruising is extreme, and being gentle while working on the body is essential, not to keep stimulating pain and therefore inflammation response. Why MLD Before Surgery Makes Sense Let’s break down why MLD before cosmetic surgery is the way to go for the best surgery outcome. 1. It Prepares the Lymphatic System Before It Gets Overwhelmed Now, think of the lymphatic system like drainage infrastructure before a storm. If drainage channels are already congested, even a moderate storm creates flooding. But if the system has been boosted, and it is moving efficiently beforehand, the body manages the excess of liquid and debris much more effectively. So simply, pre-operative MLD helps optimise lymphatic flow before surgical trauma occurs. In this case, patients often notice: Less post-operative swelling Faster reduction in fluid accumulation Less heaviness and tightness Easier early recovery 2. Healthier Tissue Responds Better to Surgery Body tissue healing is possible thanks to the exchange of fluid and tissue oxygenation. So, tissues with better fluid exchange and circulation generally heal more efficiently. Therefore, when tissues are congested or inflamed prior to surgery, oxygenation and nutrient exchange may already be compromised. By improving lymphatic circulation before surgery, we help create a healthier tissue environment before the surgeon even begins the procedure. 3. It Can Help Reduce Fibrosis Risk One of the biggest complications after cosmetic surgery, especially liposuction, is fibrosis. Fibrosis develops when inflammation, fluid stagnation, and healing processes become disorganised within the tissue. While post-operative care is critical, pre-operative lymphatic preparation may help reduce the intensity of inflammatory congestion that contributes to fibrosis formation in the first place. This is particularly important for patients who: Have had previous surgeries Scar easily Tend to swell significantly Have inflammatory conditions Have sedentary lifestyles Experience fluid retention 4. The Nervous System Matters More Than People Think Now, so far we spoke about the role of the lymphatic system in the pre/post-cosmetic surgery time, but good recovery is not only mechanical. In fact, the autonomic nervous system plays a major role in inflammation, healing, immune function, and tissue repair. Vodder-style MLD has a profoundly calming effect on the nervous system. Many patients report improved sleep, reduced anxiety, and a greater sense of regulation before surgery. Entering surgery in a less stressed physiological state can positively influence recovery outcomes. Why I Recommend 3 Sessions Before Cosmetic Surgery Over my training and experience as a Manual Lymphatic Drainage therapist, I’ve found that three pre-operative sessions create the best preparation effect for most cosmetic surgery patients. Session 1 As per any first-time MLD treatment, the basic concept is to start “emptying the bucket, before it gets reloaded”. So we will focus on stimulating the connection between the Lymphatic System and the blood stream, where the drainage happens. This means a “long session on cervical and clavicle area”, followed by work done on the area that would be of interest to the surgery. Session 2 Again, keep focusing on maintaining the drainage activity, so always start at the cervical and clavicle area, but this time, with a short treatment, and keep maintaining […]

While training muscles is the most common thing you would see and do in a gym, it is less common to see someone and probably yourself, doing tendon training. Indeed, a lot of people go for heavy lifting, pushing volume, chasing strength which are all great deal of work for longevity and wellbeing. But there’s a piece of the puzzle that often gets ignored: tendons. Tendon Training vs Muscle Training Tendons and muscles are two different body soft structures that need load to stay strong. Tendon, as you may know, is the soft tissue that connects muscle fibres to the bone. Other differences between tendons and muscles are that tendons have little blood and innervation supply, but also a completely different type of fibre organisation and structure. When you start a strength program, your muscles adapt relatively quickly. Within weeks to months, you’ll notice increases in strength and size, based on the type of training you do. Tendons, on the other hand, are slower to respond, given the key difference we listed above. In support of this statement we have a systematic review by Bohm et al. (2015), on tendon mechanical properties, which shows that tendon training requires longer and more specific loading to build stiffness and resilience. So, what does that mean in real life? Well, simply means that lifting heavy on its own would not be enough to strengthen your tendons, and improve their spring and sprint loading capacity. That’s where, if you want to improve your run, jumps, or lift heavier, you also need to consider specific tendon training. That mismatch is one of the most common reasons why people injure themself after a while they do lifting as training. Why Tendon Training Matters for Injury Prevention Given the fact that tendons connect muscles to the bone, their role is to transfer force between those two structures. Therefore, every time you: Run Jump Change direction Lift explosively Your tendons are doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes. And all those movements, as you may notice, are explosive motions. Indeed, without proper tendon training, they become the weak link. This is especially relevant for injuries like: Achilles tendinopathy Patellar tendon pain (jumper’s knee) Hamstring tendon issues Tendon tears These aren’t just “overuse injuries”, but those are often underprepared tissue injuries. Strength Training Alone Isn’t Enough If you have red some of my blogs, or you have been to my clinic, you know that I’m a big believer in strength training. It builds muscle capacity and is essential for long-term health. There is no better medicine than exercise; it is a fact, not my opinion only. But, when we look at the specificity of traditional strength training, we can se that is usually: Slow Controlled Focused on muscle contraction Tendon training needs more than that. Tendons also need exposure to fast, elastic loads, the kind you experience in real, everyday movement. Plyometrics: The Missing Piece for Your Training This is where plyometrics come in. Plyometric exercises, like hopping, jumping, and bounding, are a key part of effective tendon training because they: Improve tendon stiffness Increase energy storage and release Prepare your body for dynamic movement When looking into research, we have a paper by Kubo et al. (2017), which demonstrates that plyometric training improves tendon mechanical properties, making them more resilient under load. Therefore, we have to change the way we think of tendons, visualise them as a spring, not as a static tissue. In fact, a well-trained tendon can: Absorbs force Stores energy Releases it efficiently On the other hand, an untrained tendon: Struggles under load Fatigues quickly Becomes prone to injury So, What Good Tendon Training Looks Like? By now, you may have a clue about what the answer to the above question can be, and if your training only includes slow strength work, you’re missing a crucial component. A well-rounded tendon training approach includes: Strength training – to build muscle capacity Isometric exercises – to start loading the tendon safely Plyometrics – to develop elastic strength and resilience It’s not about doing everything at once, but it’s about progressing properly. How I Use Tendon Training With My Clients My approach to training someone, either starting from an injury recovery with a myotherapy or remedial massage session, or via 1:1 fitness class, is to focus on building your body step by step. My approach to tendon training is simple: Mobility drill Start with controlled strength Introduce tendon-specific loading Progress into plyometrics when your body is ready This approach follows no guesswork. No rushing. Just smart progression. Final Thoughts on Tendon Training When you find yourself in a recurring pain or injury situation, it might not be your muscles that are the issue, especially if your sport activity is running, or anything based on sprint motion and quick change of direction. That’s where it is worth it to start thinking about what your tendon training has been like. When you train tendons properly, you get: Better performance More efficient movement Reduced injury risk Here at Melbourne Massage and Treatment in Fitzroy North, I can help you revise your training choices, through my 1:1 Fitness Classes. We’ll build a body that’s not just strong, but resilient where it matters most.

In this blog, we are going to look into why grip strength is one of those things that you should be on top of, and if you notice that you are in deficit of it, it’s time to act. Indeed, grip strength is an indicator of lifespan, and below, I am going to explain why. Grip Strength: The “Hidden” Vital Sign In a recent study by Chi et al. (2024), with a cohort of 9500 participants, it was found that weak grip strength was consistently associated with higher all-cause mortality across all ages and both sexes. What was even more striking about this study, that got published in Nature, was that: Individuals in the lowest grip strength group had more than double the risk of death compared to stronger individuals. This wasn’t a niche finding, but it held true regardless of body size, age, or gender. In simple terms: the weaker your grip, the higher your risk. And it is important to understand that it is not a weak grip that causes mortality, but it is just an indicator. The weaker your grip strength, the higher the chance of death from any cause. It’s Not About Your Hand Grip Strength, It’s About Your Whole Body Now, let’s make it even clearer, because here is where many people get lost. A weak grip isn’t just about your forearm muscles or joints, but it’s a proxy for total body strength and function. In fact, research shows that grip strength reflects: Muscle mass Nervous system function Cardiovascular health Overall physical resilience And this is possible because if you are training your body, either for endurance or hypertrophy, you will find yourself lifting heavy, and heavy enough that your grip capacity must improve and stay strong. As a consequence of lifting heavy and moving the body under load, you will also improve your muscle mass and bone mass, but reduce cardiovascular disease risk, loss of functionality and mobility. The Aging Connection: Strength = Survival I assume that we are familiar with the concept that as we age, we naturally lose muscle (a process called sarcopenia). But what is really important to know is at what rate we lose strength. In another recent clinical study (2025) it was found that grip strength predicts mortality even in specific populations, such as older adults recovering from hip fractures. In fact, a hip fracture is one of the worst incidents that can happen to an older person, because they can lose their autonomy and ability to move around. So, more in-depth, what does that tell us? Strength isn’t just about performance; it’s about survival. And this is how it unfolds: A weak grip would reduce your ability to: Catch yourself when you fall Carry groceries Maintain independence Recover from illness or injury And all of these factors influence lifespan. Why Grip Strength (this) Matters for You (Right Now) If you have already been to my clinic in Fitzroy North, you would know that I don’t like to coat my communication in sugar. About your health, I will be honest and upfront: You don’t suddenly become frail at 70.You build toward it, or away from it, starting now. Indeed, your grip strength is like a “check engine light” for your body. And when it’s low, it often means: You’re not training enough strength Your muscle quality is declining Your long-term health is at risk On the other hand, before we assume you have only a weak grip strength, we will definitely look into any form of tendinopathy at the elbow or any form of nerve entrapment from your cervical area to your fingertips. The Good News: You Can Change This So, weak grip strength isn’t a life sentence, but indeed a wake-up call. And it is a wake-up call, because  it is never too late to join a 1to1 fitness class. To support this, we indeed have research that shows that muscle strength is highly trainable at any age. And when you improve it: You reduce mortality risk You improve mobility and independence You enhance overall well-being What We Do at Melbourne Massage and Treatment At Melbourne Massage and Treatment, Myotherapy clinic in Fitzroy North, we don’t just treat pain, but we build resilient bodies. Our fitness classes for longevity and wellbeing are designed specifically to: Improve full-body strength (including grip) Support joint health and mobility Reduce injury risk Help you stay strong for life, not just for now Because here’s my philosophy: Step by step, but move more, live well. In conclusion Don’t ignore the small signals. A pain response is, yes, a body signal that something is not right, and a pain that lasts longer than 72 hours needs to be addressed. On the other hand, grip strength might seem simple, but it’s one of the clearest windows into how your body is ageing. Train it. Respect it. Improve it. And if you don’t know where to start, book an Initial Consultation now. We’ll build that strength together.

One thing that can really create terror while we age is falling. No matter the gender or the background, anyone who is getting older would never tell you that they want to get weaker or that they would not improve their skill in fall prevention. Indeed, as we age, maintaining balance becomes one of the most important aspects of long-term health. Therefore, let’s look at what muscle is extremely important for balance: the gluteus medius. As a Clinical Myotherapist here at Melbourne Massage and Treatment in Fitzroy North, I always encourage my patients to undertake exercises, and in specific heavy lifting exercises, to promote their strength, stability, and make them independent from aids and support in their everyday life. And a good start is always to make them realise where their equilibrium is at, and make them aware of how the gluteus medius, particularly for women approaching or after menopause, can help prevent falls. The Hidden Role of the Gluteus Medius in Balance The gluteus medius, as the name suggests, is a glute muscle, and it is responsible for stabilising the pelvis when we stand on one leg, like when we walk, run, or even when we go up and down the stairs. Every step we take requires this muscle to activate. When functioning properly, the gluteus medius: Maintains pelvic stability Controls lateral balance Helps prevent excessive hip drop during walking Assists in reactive balance when we trip or lose stability Research from Chi S. A.  et al. (2016) did show that older adults with degeneration or atrophy of the gluteus medius are more likely to fall and fracture a hip. These findings, together with other studies, highlight the crucial role of this muscle in equilibrium and fall prevention. The Real Danger of Falls as We Age Falls are one of the leading causes of injury in older adults. But what is most concerning is what happened after the fall. On top of all, another major complication is osteoporosis, especially in women. In another blog, we spoke about why women are more likely to suffer from this condition. So yes, as bone density declines, the risk of fragility fractures increases dramatically. This creates a dangerous cycle: Muscle weakness → instability Instability → increased fall risk Falls → fractures due to osteoporosis For many older adults, hip fractures can lead to reduced mobility, loss of independence, and long-term health complications. Different types of muscle fibres and their importance in fall prevention Type I – Slow-twitch fibers The slow-twitch fibres, as the name suggests, are fibres that may help maintain steady contraction but are not responsible for rapid corrections when balance is lost. Characteristics: Contract slowly Produce a lower force Highly resistant to fatigue Rich in mitochondria and oxygen-using enzymes Role: Posture control Balance stabilization Long-duration activities like walking And here is an example of muscles where we find these fibres: Postural muscles in the back: Erector spinae (longissimus, iliocostalis, spinalis), multifidus, and upper trapezius. Leg postural muscles include: Hip flexors and calf muscles Type IIa – Fast oxidative fibres Another name for this fibers are intermediate fast-twitch fibres. Their role is to cover the gap between the type 1 fibres, which are more slow-twitch type of muscle fibres, and the type IIx, which are the fastest fibres. Characteristics: Faster contraction than Type I Moderate force Moderate fatigue resistance Role: Activities requiring both endurance and power, like climbing stairs or brisk walking. Their presence is distributed throughout many body muscles, including the psoas and gastrocnemius. Type IIx – Fast glycolytic fibres In terms of fall prevention, those muscle fibre types are the most important. Characteristics Very fast contraction High force output Fatigue quickly Role Explosive movements Rapid balance recovery Reflexive muscle reactions What Happens With Aging (Sarcopenia) While we age, we develop what we call sarcopenia, which is basically a loss of muscle mass. Sarcopinia key changes include: Loss of fast-twitch fibers Type II fibres decline faster than Type I. Effects: Reduced power Slower reaction speed Higher fall risk Along with the muscle fibres declining, we also have a reduction in motor neuron function, where the nerves controlling fast fibres deteriorate, reducing recruitment. Other types of degeneration include increased stiffness, as connective tissue reduces elasticity and recoil. Role of Estrogen in Muscle Function As discussed in the menopause blogs about the role of hormones in women’s health, Estrogen plays a surprisingly important role in muscle health, too. This is possible because muscle cells have estrogen receptors, meaning the hormone directly affects muscle tissue. When estrogen levels fall (during Menopause), several changes occur, starting from: Accelerated loss of fast-twitch fibres. Reduced muscle protein synthesis, which means slower muscle repair and growth signalling. Increased inflammation, which again slows down the muscle recovery. Changes in connective tissue, as Estrogen helps maintain collagen turnover, and here we look more at tendons and Ligaments. Reduced neuromuscular efficiency, including nerve conduction and motor unit activation. Why Strength Training and Fitness Classes Matter for Longevity So, the good news is that muscle function can be improved at any age, and plenty of research consistently shows that resistance training significantly improves muscle mass, strength, and functional capacity. In summary, strength training can help with: Increase muscle mass Improve neuromuscular coordination Enhance balance reactions Reduce fall risk Support bone density That’s why at my clinic in Fitzroy North, I encourage my clients to take up fitness classes, to get their body moving under load, because this is the best way to help the body stay active, regenerate and keep up with fall prevention.