Massage And Fibromyalgia

What is Fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a condition in which people experience widespread pain throughout their body. This achiness presents itself on known points called Tender Points (not to be confused with Trigger Points). The symptoms, including generalized muscle pain, affects 2-6% of the adult population, primarily women. Symptoms can be aggravated by overexertion, lack of exercise, stress, depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, and extremes in temperature. People who suffer from Fibromyalgia are often told to exercise when their energy levels are high, focusing on improving posture, stretching and increasing endurance. They are also encouraged to listen to their body for signs of pain and fatigue and to alter their lifestyle accordingly. Exercises like walking, swimming and yoga are encouraged.  

So how does massage help?

There are a few ways in which massage therapy can help manage the pain of Fibromyalgia. When we are stressed or anxious, it is common to hold tension in places like your shoulders, neck and hips. Spending some time on the massage table will create a safe and relaxing space where you can learn to manage the stresses in your life and let go of that tension. Massage therapy is also known to release neurotransmitters such as serotonin (the happy ones) and decrease levels of cortisol (the sad ones). Once we get your body to relax, skilled RMTs are able to find specific areas of tension, or trigger points, that can be released, leading to better circulation, increased mobility and decreased pain. There is evidence found in a Swedish study suggesting that massage therapy can decrease the levels of myoglobin in the blood stream, which is a protein thought to be leaking out of muscle tissue contributing to increased levels of pain. Additional studies show that massage therapy can decrease stiffness and improve sleeping patterns in sufferers, helping you to reach a deeper, more restorative sleeping pattern, one necessary to rebuild and heal tissues.

Where do I go from here?

At Bloom Therapy we treat many clients with Fibromyalgia with great results. If you are interested in trying massage therapy as a treatment, we suggest that you begin with a 30 minute session to see how your body reacts. This syndrome varies widely between individuals and we want to make sure we don't overwork and fatigue your muscles. From there we can work up to a 60 minute treatment reaching towards sessions once a week.  Each treatment is individualized and based on how you are feeling that particular day, leaving you in full control. Communication is key in a treatment for Fibromyalgia. Our aim is to improve your quality of life by decreasing pain levels, increasing mobility and decreasing feelings of anxiety and depression. If you are ready for a restorative nights sleep, book and appointment with us today. Still have questions? Feel free to give us a call!

Bloom After Baby - Postnatal Massage

Having a baby is such a fantastically beautiful and life changing event. From the very beginning you feel your body adjust. After announcing your pregnancy you are flowered with congratulations and questions;  are you going to find out the gender? Have you decorated the baby's room? How are you feeling? What can I do for you? The attention continues as your belly begins to grow. Strangers come up to you and ask when you are due. You begin to feel your baby moving. Your whole identity shifts. You start to glow.  You are entrusted with this precious life and you are on a mission to ensure the best possible environment. 

Then, your new bundle of joy is born. People flock to your house to hold them. They bring gifts and food. They start setting up play dates. They forget your name...well not really, although it feels as if you no longer exist as an individual. You are pushed to the side. Simply the carrier of this cute, tiny human. People eventually stop bringing you food and, often unintentionally, start bringing judgement. You start feeling the unrealistic pressure to be the "perfect" mom. You are left isolated to go through the changes that your body is experiencing. To deal with the stretch marks. To rein in your unpredictable hormones. Pressured to act as if your baby is perfect, and happy, and sleeping all the time. Your light begins to fade. When you think about it, it is surprising that more moms don't experience postpartum depression. Or maybe we just don't hear about it.

Following the birth of your child it is crucial that you make time for self care. But too often mothers feel guilty leaving their baby alone. How in the world are you supposed to find time between diaper changes, feeding and laundry while still making sure they feel loved?!  You are constantly on the move and when nap time comes you are exhausted. There is no way you can carry on like this! You deserve to relax in the midst of all the chaos a new baby brings home with them.  When alone time becomes a thing of the past it is essential that you begin to carve it out once again. It will give you the strength to return home and meet the needs of your baby with more love and compassion.

The benefits of postnatal massage are numerous. It is a great way to soothe sore and strained muscles. If you are nursing, you may be experiencing neck and shoulder tension due to poor positioning. You may be carrying your baby with your dominant arm and begin to notice an imbalance in your spine and hips.  Headaches due to lack of sleep and stress can be subdued. Achiness from sleeping in positions you didn't think were possible can be relieved. We can increase circulation and decrease any residual swelling. And most importantly we can give you the chance to feel whole, valuable and precious once again. We can create space for you to breathe, slow down and even cry if you need to. We know parenting isn't easy and thats ok. 

So how do we make it happen? Ask for help. Talk to someone you love and trust and ask them to look after your little one while you get a massage. Leaving them with someone trustworthy will ensure that you can relax further. Schedule in advance. Book your massage when you know your husband will be home, or when your parents are in town. Talk to them in advance and make sure it works for everyone. Do a trade. Maybe you and another mommy friend can take turns watching each others littles while the other can indulge. Talk to your doctor. If you had a C-section or a difficult delivery, your doctor can provide a timeline that is appropriate for you. This permission may help you feel more comfortable.

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of having a massage right away, know that we are not here to judge. Your stretch marks are beauty marks. You can continue to wear your bra if you are lactating. We will adapt to your needs. We are simply here to help you get your GLOW back. 

Raising a High Level Athlete

With the Rio 2016 Olympics coming to a close we now have a nation of young athletes who are left in awe and lit up by their new heroes.  We have had the chance to watch the BEST in the world compete against one another and they were absolutely incredible. Sitting on this side of the TV screen we are shown the highlights, the wins and the losses. We get to know the athletes and we cheer on our favourites. But it is easy to forget about the challenges, the injuries, and the long hours spent training. Most of these athletes have spent their entire lives preparing for this one, single event. Countless hours have been spent with their coaches, parents working two jobs and driving back and forth to practice, families sacrificing holidays for more training hours and money spent on gym time rather than amusement park rides.

Growing up a child of a highly competitive mother who was a National level Gymnastics coach, I have received an inside look at the physical and mental challenges that are involved in being a high level athlete. I was lucky enough to watch two Gymnastics World Championships with my mom and my sister; one in London and the second in Belgium. I have worked beside World Class coaches and their athletes. I have a brother who ranked 5th in the world in Tae Kwon Do only to break his leg in an exhibition fight during trials to the Athens Olympics. I have seen the highs and the lows first hand. I have taken part in the sacrifices made to ensure another gets to follow their dreams. And I have seen these dreams being shattered. So when I see a gymnast break their leg on their first vault after they have already qualified for finals on another event, or a swimmer who dives too early and is nearly disqualified, you can bet I am close to tears, as I  know how much work has just been lost with one wrong move. My mom would say this is why I was never a great competitor, but you can bet I won team spirit award!

When it comes to sports there are many factors that can affect how far an athlete will go. It takes an entire team to get one athlete to the Olympics; coaches, parents, siblings, physiotherapists, massage therapists, school teachers, dieticians, community support, and even psychologists.  For any high level athlete it is extremely important that they learn to listen to their body and trust their instincts. From a young age, athletes are pushed to their limits, their potential shining through in the eyes of a well trained coach in a matter of minutes. In the world of gymnastics, kids can start participating at the age of 18 months, basically as soon as they are able to walk. By age 4, coaches are looking for kids who are talented, flexible, strong, and hard working. By age 6 they are already training a couple of days a week.  A female gymnast peaks around age 17. This is an incredibly young age and these athletes must be taught from the beginning how to understand and communicate what their body is telling them. 

Ensuring your child has a good, supportive and educated team can mean the difference between success and failure. But as a parent there also needs to be a great level of trust with all the members of the team. It can be difficult to step back and let someone else take over. At a certain level, your child will spend more time with their coach than with you. So what can you do to keep your child safe and supported?

• Remind them that no matter what happens you are proud of who they are and what they have accomplished. They need to know their mistakes do not define who they are. 

• Never push them too hard. You cannot make someone love a sport, and it takes a certain passion to develop the skills necessary to win.

• Teach them how to communicate. Ask them how their body is feeling, how they are feeling mentally. Teach them how to express those feelings. This way they can have a more enriched relationship with their coaches.

• Don't let them quit. It is never easy to accomplish your dreams no matter what they are. Everyone wants to quit at some point. Have an expectation that once they start something it is their responsibility to finish it. Once the season is over, if they still aren't fully committed, this is the time to reassess the end goal. 

• Ensure they are taking care of their bodies. Speak to their coaches to get insight on how you can help. Do they need to work on certain stretches? Would they benefit from seeing a massage therapist, physiotherapist or chiropractor? Should they be doing any hydrotherapy?

• Fuel their bodies. Send them to training with fruits and veggies. Encourage them to drink lots of water. Starving your kids or putting them on a diet is NOT the goal here. Teach them to respect their bodies. Moderation is key, not deprivation. So let them eat that piece of cake!

Massage therapy can play a huge role in the journey of an athlete. When it comes to sports massage there are three different phases. Pre-Event massage is a fast paced treatment, done without any oils or lotions, used to wake up the muscles, increase circulation and hype-up the athlete. Post-Event massage is a much slower treatment focusing on tissue drainage and soothing fatigued muscles. Most important is the Maintenance massage where athletes of all levels can benefit. This is done between events and used to decrease recovery time, reduce potential injuries, and allow for more intense practice intervals. 

One aspect of sports massage that is not often talked about is the psychological benefits. By making massage a part of the routine, a safe space is created for the athlete to process the highs and the lows of their sport. Whether they take this time discuss it with their therapist or not, it is a great way for them to focus on their body and their breathing, to mentally go over their techniques and to deal with any major set backs in their training. It is not uncommon for athletes to go through a period of depression when their career is suddenly ripped out from under them due to injury or their time has come naturally to retire. By having that comfortable routine established and the space available to them, they have the potential to navigate through this major life change and go through the expected stages of mourning in the privacy of the treatment room.

We can't say enough here at Bloom how important it is for kids of all ages to spend time on the table. Especially if we are expecting them to work and make decisions like adults. Being an athlete isn't easy but as a team we can create kids who not only excel at their sport but who grow into responsible, hard working and driven adults.