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Shampoo and a Massage All at Once at One Chicago Salon: Kelly Cardenas

Posted in Health and Wellness, Massage Therapy, tagged , , , on December 19, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Recently a client of mine recommended a new hair salon for me to try out. One of the big selling features for me was that they had good hairstylists. But they also have something more: they give 10 minute neck and shoulder massages while they shampoo your hair.  I know, many hair salons give you a relaxing scalp massage as they wash your hair. But I have never been in a hair salon where the massage experience is such a, well, a massage experience.

At Kelly Cardenas Salon in Bucktown (a neighborhood in Chicago near Wicker Park), they have set up a special darkened room with relaxing music and 3 shampoo chairs.

Relaing massage/shampoo room is just behind the darkened glass window!

When you arrive at the salon they have you change into a smock and then whisk you into the relaxing shampoo station. There a hair dressor rests your weary head back in the shampoo bowl and the massage/shampoo experience begins. Sure she washes your hair but then she does a really relaxing shoulder and neck massage while you rest your head against her arm. As a massage therapist, I am always appreciative of someone else giving ME a massage!  And getting a great haircut on top of it makes Kelly Cardenas Salon a winner in my book.

Kelly Cardenas also has a salon in Las Vegas. But for Chicagoean, you can find them at

1909 W. North Avenue in Chicago. Phone: 773-342-4474

To go to the website click here.

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Why Your Massage Therapist May Be More Important to Your Health Than Your Doctor

Posted in Health and Wellness, Massage Therapy, tagged , , , on June 16, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

As a massage therapist and personal trainer, I am NOT a doctor. According to the State of Illinois, I have no medical credentials beyond licensure for massage therapy. However, I see my clients more often than many of them see their doctors. I see more of my client’s skin than they can see themselves (especially their backs).  I  palpate my clients’ muscles and limbs when I massage them. Over the years I have run into several situations where I’ve noticed skin problems, suspicious bumps and lesions, odd body odors and general changes in my clients complexion and energy level that indicated disease. Some of my clients are serious athletes, others are desk jockeys with very little physical activity. All of my clients come to me with some issue, pain or injury and often they come to help handle stress.

Before I go on let me throw out a HUGE derriere-covering disclaimer: I don’t think that massage therapy is a substitute for medical care. I don’t think you should run to your massage therapist instead of to your doctor. What I do think is that massage therapists see your body, feel changes in your tissue and have a more intimate working knowledge of your body as it changes over time more so than the medical doctor you see maybe once per year.  Below I have listed some of the situations where massage therapists can be your first line of defense and awareness of health issues.
Skin Cancer
In massage school, we were taught to identify suspicious skin conditions and look for moles or freckles that fit the ABCD rule. (The ABCD rule helps identify potential areas of skin cancer: if a mole/freckle is asymmetrical, is bigger than a pencil eraser, is multicolored or dark black and is larger in diameter than a pencil eraser, it may be skin cancer.) I can’t treat or diagnose skin cancer, but I can tell my clients about a suspicious looking mole on his or her back. Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer. If you have a mole or discoloration on your back or other hard to see area (back of knees for example), your massage therapist can notice your skin and changes in your skin each time you receive a massage.

Tension Headaches

Often times, tense neck and upper back muscles can lead to tension headaches. Some of my clients have chronic headaches and have been to doctors  and neurologists that find no known causes. If the pain in a client’s head is caused by tight muscles triggering the pain to their temples, a few minutes of massage can really help relieve their pain. And as a massage therapist, I know that I can’t “treat” a headache and I don’t pretend to be able to diagnose allergies or neurological conditions. I refer my clients to doctors that can do that. But when headache pain is just a general condition causes by muscle pain and my client has already ruled out any serious illness, relieving muscle tension can make my clients’ lives much easier.

Cysts and Tumors

One of the benefits of going to the same massage therapist regularly is that your massage therapist gets to know your body–and knows when something is not normal. I’ve had quite a few clients with  sebaceous cysts (usually benign pockets of fat encapsulated by a cyst). Massaging these cysts is painful and not advised. But when I first see or feel a new cyst, I’ve been able to advise my clients to seek medical attention. Usually the doctor tells them that just a fatty tumor and it’s not a big deal. But there have been times when a client has had a fatty tumor growing into a nerve or growing so fast it causes them pain and discomfort. Again, having a regular massage therapist that notices these changes can help you get to a doctor before the tumor grows too large. In cases where the tumor is not benign, I’ve been glad that I told my client about the cyst right away so he or she can seek medical attention. In one case, my client told me the doctor removed it immediately  and the tumor did turn out to be serious.

Repetitive Use Injuries

Frequently clients come to me with complaints of neck pain, shoulder pain and wrist pain. Many of my clients are heavy computer and smart phone users with little time to stretch or exercise. Again, I do not diagnose nor do I treat carpel tunnel syndrome. But I can loosen the tense muscles around my clients cervical spine, the muscles in their forearms and the scalene muscles in their necks. Often times the pain disappears in just a few massage sessions. As a personal trainer, I can also give my clients exercises and stretches to do to keep their upper bodies from getting too tense again.

Muscle Injuries

When clients injure themselves in accidents or during exercise, my first advise is to see the doctor, then RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevate the injured limb). I don’t massage acutely injured muscles, especially if there is any chance of the muscle being torn or of the limb being broken. I also don’t massage bruises which any well-trained massage therapists knows is a contraindicated condition for massage. But after my client has seen his/her doctor or chiropractor, or if the injury is a week old and the client is on the mend, a few sessions of massage can send fresh blood to the effected area and help speed the healing process of my client’ own body. Using a combination of therapeutic techniques I can also release some of the muscle tension in the injured area and help ease my client’s scar tissue adhesions.

Scar Tissue

While I was in massage school I over exercised and ended up with a pretty serious groin pull. And after visiting two medical doctors that could not find out what was wrong, and after an MRI and an X-ray that did not show the scare tissue area clearly, I recovered thanks to the help of my massage teacher and my Chinese Medicine Doctor. It turns out my injury was bad enough to cause me pain and restrict my movement but not show up on an X-ray or MRI. After a few scar tissue massages, I was walking easier and my pain subsided.

I am not one of those people who think alternative medicine is the only way nor do I refuse medical treatment. If I need surgery, antibiotics, or have any serious medical condition, I go to the doctor. Bet most of my issues these days are not medical. They don’t require radiation explosing X-rays, doctors visits, pharmaceutical drugs nor surgery. In my own daily life, muscle tension is likely my number one complaint. And for that, I prefer massage therapy to muscle relaxers!

Colds and Flues

When I am working on my clients I notice their energy level and body temperature. A few weeks ago one of my regular clients was very rundown and quiet. When I worked her neck and back she feel very warm. I asked her is she was coming down with something and she said she didn’t think so. But something felt off and I worked on her more lightly. A few days later I got an email that she indeed did have a bad cold.

When someone has a fever, it’s often the first sign of the body fighting off a virus or infection. But in the summer heat it’s hard to tell if you are warm or feverish. Massage is contraindicated for a fever because it takes energy away from your body and your body needs that energy to fight the illness. Similar to working out when you are sick or run down. it can put your body into a healing crisis aka make you really really sick really really fast! When  feel a client is warm or seems low energy I change my focus and work with lighter strokes. I try to give them more of a relaxation massage versus a deep tissue massage. I can’t cure their cold and I can’t even diagnose what’s wrong with them. But I can modify my massage to fit their condition that day and that can help make them feel better or at the very least less sick than if I worked their muscles very deep that day.

Referrals

Sometimes people are reluctant to go to their doctor or a specialist. They think their problems will go away over time. They don’t want to take the time to get an MRI or leave work to see their doctor. In this case, your massage therapist can nudge you to see your doc and verify that indeed your condition does require medical attention. If I massage someone who has muscle pain and there is not a noticable improvement in 1 or 2 sessions, of if the condition worsens, I advise them to see a doctor. For muscle and bones issues, I refer them to chiropractors or orthopedic doctors. By referring my clients to other health care providers, I let them know that yes their condition does require a doctor’s care. I also give them a second opinion (aside form their own) that yes they need to take the time to take care of their problem. Sometimes people are looking for an outsider to give them permission to take care of themselves. As a licensed massage therapist, in many people’s eyes, I have more credibility than say,Jimmy the Bartender, when it comes to body issues like injured muscles. Again, I am not treating or diagnosing, but I do notice, bring awareness to my clients and refer them to various other health care providers depending on their problem.

Emotional Issues

Lastly, for some people, being touched and having their muscles massages brings up emotions or memories of past traumas. For people dealing with addictions like compulsive overeating or smoking addiction, getting a massage brings their awareness to their body and may even make them want to take better care of their bodies. In these cases, I can refer my clients to licensed psychologists or counselors to help them better cope with their issues.

Overall, I look at massage therapists as partners in wellness with medical doctors, chiropractors and physical therapists. We are not doctors, but we do see clients more frequently than other health care providers and we do care about our clients health and well being!

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Legal issues for Massage and Chiropractic

Posted in Massage Therapy, tagged , , , , on May 21, 2010| 40 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Back Muscles and Spine

Massage therapists and and chiropractors have had a symbiotic relationship over the years.  Chiropractors hire massage therapists and massage therapists often refer clients to chiropractors and/or rent space from chiropractors. I used to teach the Business class at one of the local massage schools, and, as a business owner myself, I have to keep up on laws and regulations regarding massage…and chiropractic.  Unfortunately a recent law has put the chiropractic profession a bit at odds with massage therapists. To enlighten clients and other massage therapists, I am going to break down some of the current laws regulating massage and chiropractic are in Illinois.

The Law Regulating Massage Therapists in Illinois

The State of Illinois began requiring massage therapists to obtain a state License for Massage in January, 2005. This law requires massage therapists to complete schooling of at least 500 hours, take and pass the National Certification Exam and pay a fee every two years. In Illinois, Massage Therapist’s are also required to take 24 hours of continuing education credits every two years. This licensing act was an attempt to further legitimize massage therapy (and make it clear massage is not prostitution) and give massage therapists  a uniform standard of education and ethics to follow. Prior to this law, each municipality regulated massage according to their own guidelines. Some cities had stringent regulations, others had none. The state law helped eliminate this confusing patchwork of regulations and put massage therapy under one set of rules, the Massage  Licensing Act.

The Massage Licensing Act requires licensees to be fingerprinted as part of the license application process. This is required to help protect the public from sexual predators and other people with a history of sexual violations. The law also requires massage therapists to have taken and passed courses including kineseology and anatomy and physiology. This means that licensed massage therapists know how your muscles attach, work and can be injured–and how to reduce muscle tension and “knots” in your muscle tissue.

The Law Regulating Use of Unlicensed Persons to Perform Massage In Chiropractic Offices

However, the State of Illinois then passed an act, 22S ILCS 60/Medical Practice effective January, 2010, that allows Chiropractors to hire unlicensed, and potentially untrained staff to give clients “therapeutic” massages at the Chiropractor’s office. Chiropractors may have lobbied for this bill saying that they did not want to have to wait for students to pass their licensing exam before they could work for chiropractors. However, there is no shortage of Licensed Massage Therapists in Illinois (According to the ABMP, there are currently about 8,000 Licensed Massage Therapists in Illinois). And chiropractors can directly bill insurance companies for massage services, while independent massage therapists cannot for most insurance companies in Illinois. Ironically, according to a representative I spoke to at Blue Cross Blue Shield, even with a high-end Blue Cross insurance plan, only chiropractors are allowed to perform the massage, not massage therapists, in order for the insurance company to reimburse for the massage.

Unfortunately, this paves the way for chiropractors to now hire unlicensed, potentially unqualified people to give clients their massages and then in some cases, the chiropractor may bill the insurance company for those massages even if the chiropractor does not perform the massages. Thus untrained employees can be allowed to provide direct patient care to patients with medical conditions. Untrained people can injure you while doing massage work because they haven’t had the 500-hour massage school training (which includes not only training on proper massage techniques, but also anatomy, kinesiology and physiology. And ask a massage therapist: most chiropractors do not stand over massage therapists as they work, monitoring their massage performance–chiropractors are usually working on other patients. In some offices, chiropractors work in one room while the massage therapist works behind closed doors in another room.

License Massage Therapists may lose work to unlicensed people because the chiropractor can hire someone else to do the same work for less pay. In addition, Public Act 096-0618, does not afford the public protections from sexual predators or require unlicensed massage therapists to be finger printed or background checked! It is not clear  how this new law protects the public or can be said to be for the public good.

Note: Reimbursement requirements depend on your particular insurance plan.

As a client, what can you do to protect yourself and make sure your massage therapist is qualified and licensed?

1. Check the State of Illinois Division of Professional Regulation website to look up your Massage Therapist by name and see if he or she has a valid state Massage Therapist license here.

2. If you receive massage from someone at a chiropractor’s office, ask the chiropractor if the massage therapist is licensed. If not, ask for a massage therapist that is licensed by the state and has completed all required training and testing.

3. If your insurance company has been paying a portion or all of your massage bills at the chiropractor, check with the insurance company to find out the exact requirements for reimbursement. Does your insurance company require the chiropractor to personally perform your massage or can they have someone in their office perform the actual massage for reimbursement?

If the insurance company requires the chiropractor to perform the massage, and your chiropractor charged your insurance company for performing massages then he/she delegated the massage to a staff member that is not a Licensed Chiropractor, your chiropractor could run into trouble with the insurance company. If the insurance company ever found out, you may also be in trouble too. You may have to pay back the insurance company for your massages and you may also be accused of committing insurance fraud. But, if it’s a great deal for you and the chiropractor to have the insurance company pay for your massage, who would ever tell the insurance company? Well, a disgruntled employee of the chiropractor’s office for one.  Or a spouse divorcing one of the chiropractor’s patients could be a whistle blower. Anyone with a bone to pick with the chiropractor. (Bad pun intended.)  Ask yourself if saving a few dollars is worth the legal risk.

4. Note that using a Flexible Spending Account or Health Savings Account (HSA) for to pay a massage therapist directly for your massages IS legal IF the massage is considered therapeutic. For example, if you have been diagnosed by a doctor or chiropractor with plantar facitis or a low back or cervical disorder that requires massage, that would be a therapeutic massage. Or, if you have fibromyalgia or a repetitive injury such as a thoracic outlet syndrome, massage to help with these conditions would be considered therapeutic. Check with your Flex Spending or HSA account administrator for details of your specific plan. To be an expense for medical care, the expense has to be primarily for the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness.  Check the U.S. Government’s rules for “qualifying medical expenses” here.

For example, a Cigna plan allows you to use a FSA or HSA funds to pay for massages if they are used to treat a physical defect or illness. Cigna Plan – Fees paid for massages are not reimbursable unless to treat a physical defect or illness. Physician’s diagnosis letter required.”

I don’t want to scare anyone out of getting a massage at your chiropractor by any means!  Most chiropractors are law abiding and follow insurance company guidelines. I work closely with several chiropractors and I refer clients to them often. But knowing the law and abiding by it may save you from problems and legal issues down the road.

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Don’t Let the City of Chicago Eliminate Massage Establishments in Your Area!

Posted in Massage Therapy, tagged , , on April 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Legitimate massage therapy happens every day!

According to the Association of Bodywork and Massage Professionals, the City of Chicago’s Committee on Zoning passed a motion on March 25, 2010, to amend its zoning ordinance affecting massage establishments. The amendment, sponsored by Alderman Ray Suarez (31st Ward), would prohibit “massage establishments” from operating in B Zoning Districts, moving them into C Zoning Districts only. The vote passed 2-0, but the majority of committee members did not vote.

Massage establishments in the city of Chicago can currently operate in areas typically used by other small businesses and retail establishments in local neighborhoods (B Zoning). If the amendment offered by Alderman Suarez passes as proposed, massage establishments would be moved out of safe and convenient neighborhoods and would be located only in areas normally zoned for commercial and industrial businesses (C Zoning), such as outdoor storage areas and automobile lots.

The zoning change would affect solo practitioners, massage clinics, and businesses that offer massage therapy as an ancillary service, such as spas and salons.

The proposed changes to the Massage Establishment ordinance make me think that some Chicago aldermen still think ALL massage therapy spas, saloons, clinics and sole proprietors are simply fronts for prostitution. For my clients, my massage therapists and all the massage therapists I know in Chicago, this would be a sad commentary on our elected officials view of  the massage profession. As I said in my post, “Massage and Prostitution–Whats’ the Difference,” yes, there are some shady operators that open up massage “parlors” and use massage as a front for prostitution. But those are few and far between. The current laws have recourse for shutting down those types of impostors. It’s illegal in the city of Chicago for a business with a Massage Establishment License to offer prostitution. And a business that operates as a massage “parlor” aka prostitution, can be shut down and fined. Any massage therapist or non-massage therapist that offers sex for money will be fined and lose his or her State Massage Therapy License. And relocated massage establishments to C Zone Business districts will only help shady operators. People can come and go from areas with storage warehouses and car dealers without much notice. In B Zone Districts, illegal activity is more noticeable–and much more safe for legitimate massage clients and for legitimate massage therapists!

According to Fran Spielman’s article, “Alderman targets massages to rein in ‘sex parlors'” at the Chicago Sun Times: Suarez persuaded 26 aldermen to co-sign the ordinance, but some of his colleagues say he’s going too far. They hope to derail the ordinance on the City Council floor.

“He’s probably got one place that’s a front for a sex operation, and instead of going after it with law enforcement, he’s trying to kill a whole industry,” said one alderman, who asked to remain anonymous.

“Just clean up the ones that need to be cleaned up and let the legitimate places operate. I have a large hairdresser that’s trying to come to my area. Something like this would kill it.”  Read the entire Chicago Sun Times article here.

I am sure Alderman Suarez is just trying to do his job and keep Chicagoans safe from prostitution. I applaud his good intentions. However, Licensed Massage Therapists are not prostitutes. We do not need to be hidden away in industrial corridors. We are professional, ethical, health care providers. And we have the required education, code of ethics and State of Illinois license to prove it. Limiting massage therapy businesses to C Zone Districts and industrial corridors would actually make it EASIER for disreputable massage parlors to operate and more DIFFICULT for legitimate massage therapy centers to offer legitimate therapeutic massage!

We need your help to keep massage therapy businesses in safe convenient neighborhoods. The next Zoning Committee meeting will be held on Monday, April 12th at 11am in room 201-A in City Hall at 121 N. La Salle in Chicago. Make your voice heard before this next important meeting.

Take Action Today!

1. Call or email Alderman Suarez and ask him to reconsider sponsoring this amendment. He can be reached at 773-486-6488. You can send him an email message at rsuarez@cityofchicago.org

2. Call or email your own alderman today and ask him or her to OPPOSE the zoning amendment. (You can find contact information for your alderman listed below. )

Let your alderman know that you oppose this change to the Massage Establishment ordinance and that you are happy having legitimate massage therapists near your local shops and retail establishments!

A Sample Email to Your Alderman

“As a client of a legitimate massage therapy business, I implore you to oppose the amendment to limit massage therapy establishments to only C Zoning Districts.  I value the health care benefits of massage and do not want my legitimate massage therapist penalized for the actions of a few illegal massage parlor operators. I visit my massage therapist in a safe convenient location and I do not want to have to travel to an industrial corridor to get massage therapy. Approving this amendment to the Massage Establishment ordinance will put a huge financial strain on legitimate massage therapy businesses if they are need to expand or relocate, would make it unnecessarily difficult for new massage therapists to open a business, and could increase the city’s unemployment by putting legitimate massage therapists out of work. Please oppose this amendment.”

Feel free to cut and paste our sample email or write your own!

City of Chicago Alderman Names and Emails by Ward

1st Ward Proco Joe Moreno ward01@cityofchicago.org
2nd Ward Robert Fioretti ward02@cityofchicago.org
3rd Ward Pat Dowell Pat.Dowell@cityofchicago.org
4th Ward Toni Preckwinkle tpreckwinkle@cityofchicago.org
5th Ward Leslie Hairston lhairston@cityofchicago.org
6th Ward Freddrenna Lyle flyle@cityofchicago.org
7th Ward Sandi Jackson Sandi.Jackson@cityofchicago.org
8th Ward Michelle Harris mharris@cityofchicago.org
9th Ward Anthony Beale abeale@cityofchicago.org
10th Ward John Pope jpope@cityofchicago.org
11th Ward James Balcer jbalcer@cityofchicago.org
12th Ward George Cardenas ward12@cityofchicago.org
13th Ward Frank Olivo folivo@cityofchicago.org
14th Ward Edward Burke eburke@cityofchicago.org
15th Ward Toni Faulkes Toni.Foulkes@cityofchicago.org
16th Ward JoAnn Thompson JoAnn.Thompson@cityofchicago.org
17th Ward Latasha Thomas lrthomas@cityofchicago.org
18th Ward Lona Lane ward18@cityofchicago.org
19th Ward Virginia Rugai vrugai@cityofchicago.org
20th Ward Willie Cochran Willie.Cochran@cityofchicago.org
21st Ward Howard Brookins ward21@cityofchicago.org
22nd Ward Ricardo Munoz rmunoz@cityofchicago.org
23rd Ward Michael Zalewski mzalewski@cityofchicago.org
24th Ward Sharon Dixon Sharon.Dixon@cityofchicago.org
25th Ward Daniel Solis dsolis@cityofchicago.org
26th Ward Roberto Maldonado Contact by Phone 773)395-0143
27th Ward Walter Burnett wburnett@cityofchicago.org
28th Ward Ed Smith ehsmith@cityofchicago.org
29th Ward Deborah Graham (no contact info)
30th Ward Ariel Reboyras ward30@cityofchicago.org
31st Ward Ray Suarez rsuarez@cityofchicago.org
32nd Ward Scott Waguespack ward32@cityofchicago.org
33rd Ward Richard Mell rmell@cityofchicago.org
34th Ward Carrie Austin caustin@cityofchicago.org
35th Ward Ray Colon ward35@cityofchicago.org
36th Ward John Rice Contact by Phone 773)622-3232
37th Ward Emma Mitts emitts@cityofchicago.org
38th Ward Thomas Allen tallen@cityofchicago.org
39th Ward Margaret Laurino mlaurino@cityofchicago.org
40th Ward Patrick O’Connor poconnor@cityofchicago.org
41st Ward Brian Doherty bdoherty@cityofchicago.org
42nd Ward Brendan Reilly Brendan.Reilly@cityofchicago.org
43rd Ward Vi Daley vdaley@cityofchicago.org
44th Ward Thomas Tunney ttunney@cityofchicago.org
45th Ward Patrick Levar plevar@cityofchicago.org
46th Ward Helen Shiller hshiller@cityofchicago.org
47th Ward Eugene Schulter ward47@cityofchicago.org
48th Ward Mary Ann Smith msmith@cityofchicago.org
49th Ward Joe Moore ward49@cityofchicago.org
50th Ward Bernard Stone bstone@cityofchicago.org
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Tomorrow’s Doctors More Open to Alternative Healing Practices

Posted in Health and Wellness, Massage Therapy, tagged , , , on January 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Basic Acupuncture.
Image via Wikipedia

According to Jenny Dubowsky at Acupuncture Blog Chicago, “A national survey, published online in the journal Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that three-quarters of the med students (future physicians) surveyed believe that conventional Western medicine would be improved by integrating more complementary treatments such as: massage, herbal medicine, yoga, acupuncture and meditation.

The data was gathered by researchers at UCLA and UC San Diego from 1,770 surveys received from students at 126 medical schools throughout the United States. There was some hesitation however and students wanted more scientific evidence about the effectiveness of the treatments, not surprising since their training is based on Western studies.”

Read her entire post here.

Now we need the insurance companies to catch up! (Sadly, in the state of Illinois, most insurance companies will not cover massage therapy as a treatment for injuries or chronic muscle tension conditions. However, in Washington State, my fellow massage therapists are able to bill insurance companies directly. )

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Give Yourself the Gift of Health! Avoid Back Pain this Holiday Season

Posted in Massage Therapy, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , , on December 18, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Shovelling Snow
Image by gautamnguitar via Flickr

By Sue Shekut, L.M.T., ACSM Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Owner, Working Well Massage

Shopping more than normal? Traveling to see family and friends? Taking a ski vacation? Or just shoveling snow, putting up lights and surviving the extra traffic this time of year brings? All of these activities may be out of your normal routine and may put extra stress on you and your back.  Read the tips excerpted from a blogpost below from Josie and Chris at Ann Arbor Balance Massage Therapy to safeguard your back and muscles as much as possible to stay healthy this holiday season!

Holiday Back Pain–Find Balance and Stay Pain Free

Back pain around the holidays can be especially debilitating as we all try to do more for everyone but ourselves. Taking a moment ahead of time can really help you stay on your feet this holiday season. Here are some helpful tips to pay attention to your back, taken from Dr. Alanna Levine and Dr. Marcus – primary care physicians.

Move Your Body
Long trips through the airport or in a car involve sitting for a long period of time which is very hard on muscles. “muscles were made to move” says Dr. Marcus. Take the time to get a holiday tune up massage. A great self care trick is to bring along a tennis ball and sit on it. Direct pressure helps relieve muscle tension, keeps muscles from getting tight through movement and keeps blood flowing through the legs reducing risk for blood clots.

Travel With Your Body In Balance
When traveling take the time to pack light and use a roller bag or two. By dividing your belongings into two bags instead of one you can carry the weight in a more balanced way. Pack a tennis ball (see above tip), move during the flight and take regular breaks while driving.

Lift Smart–Carry Light-Move Trips Means More Movement
Many small bags are better than one big one even when shopping. As you approach holiday shopping make frequent trips to the car to give your back a break. When carrying, balance the weight load. Lift smart -Bend your knees and hips, not your back, and try to prevent bending and twisting at the same time and keep the weight close to your body.

Warm Up When You Wake Up
For many of us sleeping in a foreign bed can wreak havoc on the back – Take the time to warm up in the morning before standing up. Gentle movement (yes, you should wiggle around!) while still laying down gives a chance for hard working muscles to be ready to hold you up when you stand.

Buddy Up For Tall Tasks
Decorating involves a long time on a ladder and a a lot of reaching – use a buddy to hand up to you to save your back. Any type of reaching whether it be down to clean or across as you cook is a hard on your back making very few muscles work very hard. Which is always a recipe for disaster over time.

Most importantly – Take Good Care of Yourself!
Pay attention to your body and how it feels. Drink plenty of water as dehydration can make muscles ache.

Although massage can help to relieve severe back pain once you hurt yourself, it will also keep you out of pain when used on a regular basis. Muscle tension and imbalance do not happen overnight they build up slowly with overuse and poor posture. Taking care to work out trigger points, or knots in muscles stops this build up. Just like getting your teeth cleaned on a regular basis has long lasting results so does regular massage help with muscle imbalance and strain.

Read entire blogpost from Josie and Chris at Ann Arbor Balance Massage Therapy here.

Link to Interview on CBS News Early Show Interview with Dr. Alanna Levine here.

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How Do I Find a Good Massage Therapist?

Posted in Massage Therapy, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on October 18, 2009| 3 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Licensed Massage Therapist, ACSM Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Owner, Working Well Massage

I like to think of myself as not only a good massage therapist but also a good judge of massage therapists. I’ve had thousands of massages and given thousands of massages. As the owner of a wellness company, I interview many massage therapists and receive regular massage myself. Often, when clients travel or move out of town, they ask me how to find a good massage therapist.

It’s a question very similar to “how do I find a good dentist or a good doctor”. Since massage is a personal service, my first impulse is to say, ask your friends and coworkers who they go to and start there. But then, we’ve all had referrals to service people that our friends liked that were not a good fit for us. (One person may like a deep massage and you may like a lighter touch or vice versa. One person’s fantastic hair stylist may be great for that person but be unable to cut your style of hair well.)

Before you search out massage therapists, take a minute to think about what you want from a massage experience. Then when you call different therapists or massage centers, ask questions to make sure you get the massage therapist that best fits your needs.

Good questions to consider:

1. Are you going for stress relief or pain relief or both? Swedish massage or “relaxation massage” tends to be best for stress relief. Deep tissue or therapeutic massage tends to be best for pain relief. If you have a specific injury or chronic pain pattern, you will want a massage therapist with skill in relieving muscle pain, not just in relaxation therapy.

2. What’s your budget for massage?
Can you afford a weekly full hour (prices ranging from $65 to $120) or only mini-sessions (like the 15-20 minute $1 per minute chair massages offered at Whole Foods and similar places). If you have a chronic neck and shoulder pain, it’s often more cost effective to get weekly 20-minute massages than a one hour once a month.

3. Do you want someone you can go to regularly or just on a pamper yourself basis?
Spas tend to charge the most for massages and tend to be the place people go for pampering. However, some independent massage therapists may be able to offer you better prices and a really personalized pampering experience. Spas charge the most but they will give you the whole pamper yourself experience. However, if you want a regular massage your best bet is to find a good practitioner that is reasonably priced. If you can’t afford an hour regularly, try chair massage for 15-20 minutes if you want more frequent upper body massages.

4. How much do you care about the quality of the massage?
If you just want someone to pamper you and rub oil on your back while you relax and snooze away your stress, you don’t need someone with extensive experience or medical massage training. If you want someone to help you recover from an injury or deal with a chronic tension issue, you will likely want someone with a good deal of experience and skill working with similar conditions. Make sure you massage therapist meets minimal licensing and certifications standards if you want more than just relaxation massage!

5. Do you want the whole massage enchilada: the robe, slippers, the soothing music and spa environment? Or do you care more about the environment or more about the actual massage?

For the slippers and robe, go to a spa like Urban Oasis or Exhale in Chicago. For a great therapeutic massage, it’s more important to find a good practitioner. Use the locator services below and then speak with the therapist about his or her skill before you commit to the appointment.

Massage Locator Services
My top sources for great massage therapists are massage locator services (versus Google or any other search engine). Massage therapists that register with these services must meet minimum standards of training, normally 500 hours or more and have graduated from an accredited massage school.

One of the best is the Association of Bodywork and Massage Professionals massage practioner site here.

Massage Today also has a great service as well here.

Insider Pages is a review site that provides user comments about massage and spa services.

How Do I know if My Massage Therapist is Qualified?
In the State of Illinois, Licensed Massage Therapists are required by law to have at least 500 hours of training and graduate from an approved school. You can look up your therapists to see if he or she is licensed at this site. This site will also display a Y or N to indicate whether the massage therapist has ever undergone disciplinary action by the state of Illinois’s Department of Financial and Processional Regulation.

Other states vary in requirements. Some states do not require a license at all and allow municipalities to regulate massage. For example, in California, there is no state license. Hours of training required vary depending on the city. So some therapists in Northern California only have 100 hour of actual massage training! The Truth About California Massage Licensing here. However, at the other end of the spectrum is New York State, which requires 1000 hours of training. New York Licensing Requirements here

Still Unsure, Try a Sample Massage
Lastly, if you want to try a sample massage, your best bet is to try a chair massage at Whole Foods Gold Coast or Lincoln Park in Chicago. Or at a local health food store or mall. You can get a few minutes of massage, determine if the therapists fits your needs, then ask for his or her business card to set up a longer massage!

If you have questions about Chicago area massage therapists, feel free to contact Working Well Massage here!

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