Frozen shoulder is also known as per the name “adhesive capsulitis”. A frozen shoulder as per the name is a shoulder that would barely move. Both signs and symptoms typically begin slowly and then get worse. Recovery time is subjective. Causes and Symptoms of frozen shoulder. Causes A common cause of a Frozen Shoulder is having to keep a shoulder still for an extended period, like after an accident. Even if it is not clear yet why there are also psychosomatic reasons why a shoulder can get frozen. Another reason why a shoulder could get to freeze is traumatic events, such as a high level of stress or a physical accident. On the physical level, what happen is that connective tissues that surround the shoulder joint, like a capsule, thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint, and by doing so, it does restrict the joint’s movement. Symptoms Frozen Shoulder symptoms developed in 3 different stages. The stage’s timing is subjective. Freezing stage Shoulder range of motion starts decreasing, and pain shows up/increases. Frozen stage The Shoulder would freeze up. The movement is minimal, even though it is less painful. Thawing stage In this stage, the range of motions are slowly coming back Pain can be worst at night. This may happen because of the sleeping position or because the sensory feeling is more acute at night than in the daytime when the body perceives more sensations. Suffering from Frozen Shoulder and need some help. Book now an MLD treatment at Melbourne Massage and Treatment. Risk factors for Frozen Shoulder Age and gender Women are more luckily to suffer from this condition. Also, age plays a crucial role in this type of pathology. People 40 and over are luckier indeed to develop F.S. Systemic diseases Here is a list of specific conditions that can increase the possibility of suffering from F.S.: Diabetes Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) Cardiovascular disease Parkinson’s disease Prevention There are not many preventive factors when it gets to F.S. This is because the main cause of F.S. is holding the shoulder back from doing movements, due to a previous injury, most of the time. What can help, and this is how Melbourne Massage and Treatment services come in handy is to do MLD sessions on the area surrounding the injury. How MLD can help by stimulating the lymphatic system work and boosting the recovery process. Also, MLD would help in reducing inflammation. Other massage technique such as Myotherapy or Remedial Massage and or Thai Massage, is not as effective for this type of condition. Another successful method that can help once Frozen Shoulder is already developed is by using Hydrodilatation. This methodology consists in injecting sterile water into the joint capsule to stretch the open space and bring the shoulder back to its ROM.
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Oct
Joint mobilisations are manual therapy techniques that improve joint mobility and flexibility and reduce joint pain. Joint mobilisation can be applied to many body joints. Some contraindications have to be taken into consideration for mobilisation: Joint swelling Osteo Arthritis Bone Fracture Bulge disk (if the mobs are intended on a vertebra) Mobilisation VS Adjustment. Mobilisations are different from Chiropractic adjustment. The difference is that Chiropractic adjustments are fast movements applied with more significant pressure. Mobilisations are constant slow, repetitive movements applied to the joint. Along with a Myotherapy treatment, Giovanni would evaluate if mobilisation is the proper treatment for your condition. For example, mobilisation along the spine is recommended when someone presents with a stiff back in the sacrum, lumbar, thoracic or lower cervical area. Giovanni would always double-check with you about what the mobs felt like. Types of Mobilisation. As we already know, the body is made of different types of joints. Given the different types of joints, like socket joints, plane joints and more, others are the type of mobilisation. For example: For a joint like the hip, we can apply mobility like a distraction, anterior-to-posterior pressure or posterior-to-anterior pull, internal rotation or superior-to-inferior pull. Some of these techniques can be applied to other joints, and each way of using a mobilisation aims to improve a specific range of motion. So, all up, the type of mobilisation that we have are: Superior to Inferior; Inferior to superior; Distraction; Posterior to Anterior; Anterior to Posterior; Posterior glide; Anterior glide; Lateral glide; Medial glide. Mobilisation Belt. A mobilisation belt can be used to deliver the mobilisation based on the joint we aim to work on. A belt is a tool wrapped around the designated joint we want to work on and is used to apply stretches that would not be as easy to achieve by hand. An example is a hip distraction. For distraction, we refer to it as a force that pulls a joint apart. In the case of a hip, the head of the femur is pulled away from the hip’s socket from the medial to the lateral direction. As you would imagine, using bare hands for applying this technique not only could result in an uncomfortable approach to the intimacy of the patient, but it would requireFr too much effort for the therapist, resulting in poor mobilisation delivery and risk of injury. Therefore, the best tool is a belt wrapped around the patient’s hip and the therapist’s waist. Why use the mobilisation technique? The mobilisation technique aims not to reproduce pain, cracking sound, or sharp sensation. Indeed, the aim is to reproduce a firm pressure/pull on the joint area. Regarding the thoracic area, if any of those vertebrae reproduce pain or sharp sensation, applying the mobs along the vertebrae/ribs joint would be better. Doing so would still possible to affect spine mobility indirectly. Giovanni’s training for this type of modality started during the Advance Diploma in Myotherapy at RMIT and continued at the Bachelor of Health Science at Torrens University. Mobilisations technique can be applied to Big Toe, Ankle, Shoulder, Feet, Hip, Wrist, Elbow, Vertebrae, SIJ joint, Facet Joint, Clavicle and other body areas. An example of joint mobilisation for the feet. Mobilisations at the ankle area are used for improving ankle mobility. Indeed, improving ankle mobility is to better support during the walk, standing and or running. Always talking about the feet area, the mobilisation applied to the Big Toes is used along the Metatasolphalangeal Joint. Do you feel your joints stiff? Your booking for a Myotherapy treatment with Giovanni is just a click away. This mobilisation is applied by creating a distraction movement within the joint, pulling the toes away and then using it for passive flexion and extension. As mentioned in another blog post about wearing bear foot shoes, the Big toes are meant to extend from 65° to 70°. Conclusion The Big Toes are the feet joint that should push the most in the feet strike as we walk. In conclusion, mobilisations are a great way to increase mobility within a joint allowing better movement and improving the range of motion.
Jan
Water after a massage. Have you ever noticed that after a massage you feel thirsty and depending on the treatment you may have an urgency to go to the toilet? Well, massages are diuretics, that’s why. Indeed, independently of the type of treatment that you receive, whether is MLD, Remedial Massage, or Thai Massage, the body fluid gets pushed and pumped around the all body. As per consequence, all these substances moved around need to find their way out. So, after any session, you wanna make sure to rehydrate your body. Drink water after a massage. Why water and not orange juice? Or an energy drink? Or coffee? Water is what is recommended after a massage because it’s what can at the best re-oxygenate the muscle and re-hydrate the body. Drinking a sugary drink, or a really acid beverage as it can be coffee will just dry off the body even more. Furthermore, water is quicker to be absorbed and can help the stomach to keep its natural PH balance. If this post is talking to you, book your next massage session by clicking here. Another effect of the massage can be the deep relaxation of the body, which can affect the stomach and abdominal feeling. Indeed, adding sugar or other substances to the PH of a stomach that feels so relaxed, may not work at the best. What about the water temperature then? Cold or warm? Well, let’s take down the myth that cold water makes you feel fresher. Sorry, it doesn’t. Drinking cold water brings the body temperature down, increasing then the difference in temperature between within the body and outside the body. That will make you feel even hotter. But I do understand that hot water unless is herbal tea, doesn’t feel so nice. Even though, warm water would be ideal, as its temperature would be the same as one of our inner organs. So, temperature-wise just drinks water at room temperature if you can’t stand hot water.
Dec
Quietly often I still get asked what is cupping and how does cupping work? Firstly, Cupping is a type of alternative therapy based on placing cups on the skin to create suction. Indeed, the suction would pull the skin up from the muscle layer, drugging back the fascia layer seating below it. Cupping is gentle work on the body, not invasive and at the same time is an amazing technique to stimulate and facilitate the fascia. We did look into the fascia in a previous blog post. If you have missed it, you may wanna click here. On the other hand, there are different types of beliefs and methodologies about cupping’s functionality. Some of those can be a bit more invasive, and dangerous too. Said so, I guarantee my clients that these are not practices that are available at Melbourne Massage and Treatment. For how I got trained in giving cupping, my aiming as giving cupping is: – Leave no marks – No cutting the skin – Painfree – No blood stagnation Now, by following the order of the action listed here above: Marks are a sign of blood stagnation. Accidentally can happen to leave a mark on someone’s skin, and many are factors involved in it: Skin type is one and another one is if the area that received cup was already massaged or not. As Remedial Massage therapists or Thai Massage Therapists, we are NOT trained to cut anyone’s skin. Furthermore, you have to think that when this practice is involved there is a great risk of skin infection. Why do some practitioners do so?! None of my business. I just don’t believe it is necessary, and I don’t believe it has any benefit. As per many detox diets and detox programs, the body is your best allay and best detoxer of itself. If this post is talking to you, and you are in need of a massage, book your next session by clicking here. In regards to pain, Cupping must be pain-free. Along a cupping session, you may feel a strong pull along the skin, but no sharp, ache or pinch sensation should be present at any moment. Indeed, to help the cup slide easily oil or cream oil-based get used. When happens that a mark gets left behind, doesn’t necessarily create pain or discomfort. Another cupping precaution is to avoid over-pass a cup on joints and or tendons. The cupping force could rip or damage those areas, resulting in permanent damage and pain. Lastly, no blood stagnation. Cupping’s desired result as per many massage modalities is to generate a physiological response that would reduce tissue stress. Through the gentle tissue stress, muscles relaxed and the chain of manual therapy benefits starts.
Oct
Rotator Cuff Muscles and Bursitis. What muscles are the rotator cuff muscles? And why are so important? What happens when the rotator cuff muscles are out of balance? What is Shoulder Bursitis? Firstly, we look in too which 4 muscles are the rotator cuff muscles. Subscapularis Origin Subscapular fossa of scapula. Insertion Lesser tubercle of humerus. Action Arm internal rotation; Stabilizes humeral head in the glenoid cavity. Infraspinatus Origin Infraspinous fossa of the scapula. Insertion Greater tubercle of the humerus. Action Arm external rotation; Stabilize the humeral head in the glenoid cavity. Teres Minor Origin The inferior lateral border of the scapula. Insertion Greater Tubercle of Humerus. Action Arm external rotation, arm adduction; Stabilizes humeral head in the glenoid cavity. Supraspinatus Origin Supraspinous fossa of scapula. Insertion Greater tubercle of the humerus. Action Arm abduction; Stabilization of the humeral head in the glenoid cavity. Now, that we are more aware of the rotator cuff muscles’ anatomy, we can look into their functionalities. So, the rotator cuff muscles’ functionality is to hold the humerus bond in place in the glenoid cavity. Furthermore, if it was not for those groups of muscles when our arm goes into abduction, the humorous head would pop out of the shoulder joint. Indeed, for abduction, we refer to the arm movement, where the arm goes away from the body laterally. As listed above, all those muscles originate from different areas of the scapula. As per result, muscle as Infraspinatus and Subscapolaris are responsible for balancing the scapula along the sagittal plane. For instance, if the Infraspinatus is overtaking in force the Subscapularis, the scapula would result in a winged position. Consequently, this would affect other muscles that insert onto the scapula, for example, Rhomboids, Lat Dorsi etc… Regarding the injuries, as I already mentioned in the blog post “functional test”, the rotator cuff muscles can easily be injured. This is due to the acromion clavicular joint anatomy. Indeed the space between the humeral head and the acromion is quite narrow and hosts what we call Bursa. If this post is talking to you, and you are in need of a massage, book your next session by clicking here. So, a Bursa is a soft bag, that seats between the bonds, allowing tendons to run through the joint without being exposed to pinch between bonds, and keep the bonds separated, avoiding frictions. As per result, by putting the Bursa under repetitive stress, it tends to swallow and get inflamed. Consequently, the tendons that run below the bursa can get squeezed, creating shoulder bursitis, or shoulder impingement.
Oct
Functional test and the empty can test. What is a functional test? What is an empty can test and how does it work? Firstly, functional tests are used to test the strength or load capacity of a single muscle. Secondly, the importance of a functional test is due to avoid misinterpretation of the muscle status and joint health conditions. Furthermore, functional tests can be positive or negative. So, for positive, we refer to a test that gave us the result we were suspicious of. For example, if I do an empty can test, and the client during the test complains of pain in the shoulder acromion, the test is positive. But if for instance, the client complains of pain in another area of the shoulder or arm, the test is negative. Even so, as a therapist, we are aware that other area of the arm or shoulder needs to be looked after. What is an “empty can test”? An “empty can test” is a functional test used to validate the state of health of the supraspinatus tendon, at the high of the acromioclavicular joint. In addition, to better understand how this specific test works, let’s look in too the anatomy of the Supraspinatus m. Origin: Supraspinatus fossa of scapula Insertion: Greater tubercle of the humerus Action: Abduct the shoulder and stabilise the humeral head in the glenoid cavity. As per result, the action of the supraspinatus is to laterally elevate the arm and hold in place the humeral head (the Humerus is the bond of the upper arm). Furthermore, the supraspinatus is one of the rotator cuff muscles. The rotator cuff muscles are: Supraspinatus, Teres minor, Infraspinatus and subscapularis. But let’s get back to the empty can test. The empty can test can be done from seated or standing. In addition, the test is conducted in 2 different stages. Initially, we will ask the client to bring the arm in flexion at about 45° and in abduction at 45°. The arm now is sitting aside from the client’s body, on a diagonal line. Now will ask the client to rotate the arm on itself, as if they are emptying a can. As per the result, if at this stage of the functional tests, the client feels pain in the shoulder at the acromioclavicular joint, the test is positive. If that’s not the case, then we can proceed with the resistant part. If this post is talking to you, and you are in need of a massage, book your next session by clicking here. The resistant part consists of placing our hand on the client’s forearm and asking the client to meet the resistance, at 3 different stages. For each stage, the resistance increases and lasts from 3 to 5 seconds. If during any of the 3 stages the client feels pain, at the high of the acromioclavicular joint, the test is positive. But why the client can feel pain during this type of functional test? To answer this question, we have to look in too the acromioclavicular joint anatomy, but I will talk about this topic in the next blog post.