BLACKROLL® - Now available in the Studio

The BLACKROLL® MINI - now available at Arrows $21.00

The unique mini foam roller that gets into places where others don't. Recommended for floor, wall and table use.

The perfect foot roller - roll your feet while sitting in the office, keeps them warm and healthy. Ideal tool for treatment of shin splints and plantar fasciitis.

Ultra-strong & durable - built to last. This roller won’t get soft or deform.

Environmentally friendly. 100% recyclable. Free of propellants & chemicals (no glue)!

Odour free. Water resistant. Easy to clean & sanitise. Won’t absorb fluids or dirt. Dishwasher-resistant.

I have a selection of colours available! 
Contact me to order your purchase today.

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Pain in the Butt

Piriformis syndrome is a result of impingement of the sciatic nerve by the piraformis muscle.

The symptoms of piriformis syndrome are very similar and are often closely associated with sciatica. In some cases, the condition actually causes sciatic nerve irritation.

Because the sciatic nerve runs underneath or through the middle of the piriformis muscle, when the muscles are tight in this area it puts pressure and may compress the sciatic nerve and develop sciatica symptoms. This is one of the main reasons sciatica and piriformis syndrome are often misdiagnosed.

Many of my client with piriformis syndrome have many symptoms that typically consist of persistent and radiating low back pain, (chronic) buttock pain, numbness, difficulty with walking and other functional activities such as pain with prolonged sitting, standing and even pain with bowel movements.

The immediate treatment (24 – 48 hours) is to follow the RICE method (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation).  Then we start a treatment of heat and massage to promote blood flow and healing.  Myofacial Cupping can be great in assisting with increased blood flow.

Strengthening the gluteal muscles and increasing the flexibility of the adductors will help alleviate some of the stress and prevent the piriformis from becoming tight. Stretching of the hip muscles is also essential.

Other tips to help with your pain in the butt (pun intended) include:

• Avoid sitting for a long period
• Stand and walk every 20 minutes
• Make frequent stops when driving to stand and stretch

Below are some of the stretches I like to go through with my clients as the starting point to assist in stretching your gluteal muscles. For more pain relief and assistance book your Remedial Massage appointment.

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Forward Head Posture

In today's society it is extremely common to find a forward head posture. That is when viewed from the side, the ear hole should be on the coronal plane, directly over the centre of the head of the humerus (essentially the centre of the shoulder). 

As you can see from the diagram below, a forward head posture can also cause mid-back and low back problems as well as our commonly seen shoulder pain.

This is often caused by spending lots of time with our hands in front of us, as most do when working (typing at a computer, driving) or even in our leisure time (texting on the phone). Whether you are a auto mechanic, hairdresser, attorney, truck driver, even a pianist, your body instinctively tightens the muscles at the base of your base of the neck and at the top of the shoulders. Not only do these posterior muscles get tight and painful, but they frequently form trigger points which refer pain into the forehead, eyes, ears, jaw and neck. So is it any wonder why headaches are so common. 

What to Stretch

We advise you to stretch the muscles that move your head anteriorly and inferiorly, otherwsie known as your neck flexors as well as the muscles that tilt the head backward (posterior neck muscles). 

What to Stregthen

Begin by working on the muscles that move the head posteriorly and superiorly

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There is no substitute for personal responsibility if you want to stay healthy and avoid pain.

I personally understand this.  I suffer from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome and Dysautonomia.   Each year I have multiple hospital visits for health and the final straw was in October 2017 after a weeks hospital submission and being towns away from family, I promised myself "I will do anything to avoid ever having that pain again".   Although a lot of pain and suffering is from my medical condition. I can ensure that I become aware of my body, the underlying stresses and make changes in my daily living to counteract any pain-generating effects.

When treating my clients I may find a trigger point in a muscle, treat it successfully and relive the clients pain. However, the root cause still has not been found. It is important to find out why that muscle has become stressed - that is what caused the it to create the trigger point in the first place. 

Just as with your car, if you neglect your body you'll wind up with major, and often very expensive problems. Keep your car and your body well maintained and they'll give you years of excellent, trouble-free service. 

You see your doctor, or other healthcare providers only occasionally and when you do, it is only for a brief visit.   I tell my clients that an hour appointment with me is only 4% of your day.  The rest of the time you are on your own.   Only you can decide how much water you will drink, whether and how much you work, play and sleep. Those choices and responsibility are yours, and yours alone. 

You, and you alone, live in your body and you alone are responsible for its daily care and upkeep.

Whatever we do repeatedly determines which muscles we chronically tighten or lengthen, and therefore our postural distortions and the resultant pain.  You will soon start to notice that even apparently harmless activities, like sitting, if done in excess can cause potential distortion and pain.

This is why when you visit me for your Remedial Massage appointment, your session includes a consultation and we also discuss either some strengthening or stretches for you to do as part of your treatment. We then start a treatment program for you and check in on your progress at the start of each session.  

If you would like visit to have a Remedial Massage, I can assist you to feel the difference reducing your muscle tightness and increasing range of motion, after that you will be given tools for you to reduce or eliminate your musculoskeltal pain.