Whether you receive massage and bodywork on a regular basis or are experiencing it for the first time, as you prepare for the session you lie on the table under comfortable, fresh linens. Soft music draws you into the moment. Once the session is underway the daily stressors and aching muscles fade away into a blissful 60 or 90 minutes of relief. Perhaps you even wish the session would never end. 

What if those minutes of massage did more for you than just relieve the pressures of the day? What if they helped you combat stress? Or if the targeted bodywork helped you recover from strained quadriceps in half the time? What if you found relief from years of chronic pain? What if your sleep, digestion and mood improved with massage and bodywork?

What if?

Evidence is showing that the more massage you can allow yourself, the better you will feel. Here's why:

The Effect of Stress

Experts estimate that 80 to 90 percent of disease is stress-related! Massage and bodywork is there to combat that alarming number by helping you remember what it means to relax. The physical changes massage brings to your body can have a positive effect in many areas of your life. Besides increasing relaxation and decreasing anxiety, massage can help to lower blood pressure, increase circulation, improve injury recovery, relieve pain, encourage deep sleep and increase concentration. It reduces fatigue and can give you more energy to handle stressful situations.

Massage is a great addition to your health regimen and can also provide an integration of body and mind. By producing a meditative state or heightened awareness of the present moment, massage can provide balance on an emotional and spiritual level, bringing with it true relaxation, calm and peace.

What Massage Does

In an age of technical and sometimes impersonal medicine, massage offers a drug-free, non-invasive, and humanistic approach based on the body's natural ability to heal itself. What follows is a brief list of the many known, research-based benefits of massage and bodywork:

• Increases circulation, allowing the body to pump more oxygen and nutrients into tissues and vital organs;
  
• Stimulates the flow of lymph, the body's natural defense system. And,  increased circulation of blood and lymph systems improves the condition of the body's largest organ -- the skin; 
  
• Relaxes and softens injured and overused muscles;
  
• Reduces muscle spasms and cramping;
  
• Increases joint flexibility; 
  
• Reduces recovery time and helps prepare the body for strenuous workouts, reducing subsequent muscle pain of athletes at any level;
  
• Releases endorphins -- the body's natural painkiller -- and is proving beneficial in patients with chronic illness, injury, and post-op pain;
  
• Reduces post-surgery adhesions and edema and can be used to reduce and realign scar tissue after healing has occurred; 
  
• Improves range-of-motion and decreases discomfort for patients with low back pain;
  
• Relieves pain for migraine sufferers and may decrease the need for medication;
  
• Provides exercise and stretching for atrophied muscles and reduces shortening of the muscles for those with restricted range of motion;
  
• Assists with shorter labor for expectant mothers, as well as reduces the need for medication, eases postpartum depression and anxiety, and contributes to a shorter hospital stay.
  

The benefits of massage are diverse. No matter how great it feels, massage isn't just a luxury; it's a health essential.

Interested in additional information about the healthful benefits of massage and bodywork? I’d love to talk with you! Call me at 513-703-3697, email melissa@motionTMB.com, or schedule an appointment online here: MotionTMB Schedule

Happy summer to you. Be well!

I’m excited about the upcoming weekend. Two of my favorite events are taking place: The Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3rd in Louisville and The Flying Pig Marathon Sunday, May 4th in Cincinnati!

Growing up in central Kentucky, it seems the Derby will always be a favorite for me no matter how long it’s been since I've actually lived in the state. I love singing “My Old Kentucky Home” and sipping a bourbon before the race.

Another race has taken over first place in my heart, though. I completed my first marathon in 2013. It was the Flying Pig. I couldn’t have picked a better race to begin. 16 weeks of training with the fantastic coaches at Bob Roncker’s Running Spot and I was ready to go. (Thank you, Jim, Karen, Rich & Glen!) I trained with the walking group to learn the techniques used in “race walking”. After years of running and playing Ultimate Frisbee, it was like learning a new language. But I must say my knees appreciated the change. I won’t be competing this year but I’ll be there in spirit, cheering on my friends and clients as they take to the hills of Cincinnati bright and early Sunday morning. It looks to be a great day.

I incorporated regular massage therapy sessions as part of my training program, especially as the training miles added up. I found that working with my therapist to focus on loosening restrictions in my hips, glutes and hamstrings helped immensely to reduce muscle tension, pain and increase range of motion to keep me moving smoothly while concentrating on my form. The post-race massage I had a few days after the race was one of the best I’d ever experienced. My body needed it to deal with ‘delayed onset muscle soreness’ (DOMS) which is typical after a strenuous athletic event.

Here is the link to an article by Kelly Bastone that touches on the Pros and Cons of Massage for Runners (and walkers) that recently appeared in Runner’s World. I’ll share part of the article now as she says it better than I could:

‘What massage does do is apply moving pressure to muscles and other tissues such as tendons, ligaments, and fascia (which sheaths muscles like a sausage casing). "That energy softens fascia tissue and makes clenched muscles relax," Sefton says. It also removes adhesions between fascia and muscles (places where the two stick together and restrict muscles' movement). That's especially great news for runners, who rely on limber joints and muscles for pain-free peak performance.

Science's biggest discovery is what massage can do for athletic recovery. Studies published in the Journal of Athletic Training and the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that massage after exercise reduced the intensity of delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)—that is, the peg-legged feeling you get two days after your marathon. And other research suggests that it improves immune function and reduces inflammation. Emory University researcher Mark Rapaport, M.D., found that just one massage treatment resulted in an increased number of several types of lymphocytes (white blood cells that play a key role in fighting infection) while also decreasing levels of cortisol (the "stress hormone" linked to chronic inflammation). "More research is needed, but it's reasonable to think that massage could help runners taxed from exertion," Rapaport says. It may also help curb chronic diseases. "We know that systemic inflammation is associated with a lot of deleterious effects, such as heart attack and stroke, and that it predisposes people to cancers," he says.

Crane's research, published in Science Translational Medicine, found less inflammation in massaged limbs—and 30 percent more of a gene that helps muscle cells build mitochondria (the "engines" that turn a cell's food into energy and facilitate its repair). "What we saw suggests that massage could let runners tolerate more training, and harder training, because it would improve their recovery and speed up their ability to go hard two days later," he says.

Studies on rabbits confirm Crane's prediction. At Ohio State University, Thomas Best, M.D., Ph.D., put a device on exercised animals that simulates massage and records the applied pressure. "We've shown a 50 to 60 percent recovery in muscle function compared with no massage," he says.

The new evidence is so convincing that even the researchers have made massage a regular part of their routines: Crane, Rapaport, and Best have all become devotees as a result of their findings, and they recommend that runners follow suit. Regular massage can boost recovery and be a valuable training tool to help you run your best. "Muscle stiffness can throw off your gait, which leads to problems over time," Sefton says. "And by getting a sense for how your body should feel when everything is in balance, you're more likely to notice small issues before they turn into chronic problems." Even beginning runners can benefit from massage, because alleviating the soreness that comes with starting a new sport makes people more likely to stick with it.’

I hope you found this information useful. I would love to help you incorporate massage therapy into your training program to help you be your best. And if you're participating in the Pig this weekend, please call me at 513-703-3697, email melissa@motionTMB.com, or visit MotionTMB Schedule to schedule your post-event session.

Happy running (and walking). Be well!

Many people would probably agree that massage makes them feel good. But how many recognize a regular massage can be an important part of their overall health regimen?

Here are five ways massage therapy can improve your health and wellness.

1. Lower stress. The long-term effects of stress can take emotional and physical tolls. Massage therapy is proven to relieve stress and conditions associated with it, such as tension headaches.

2. Help immune function. Medical research indicates that massage therapy can help boost your immune system strength by increasing the activity level of the body’s natural "killer T cells,” which fight off viruses.

3. Boost mental health and wellness. Research suggests that symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression (all associated with mental health) may be directly affected with massage therapy.

4. Manage pain. Pain can negatively affect a person’s quality of life and impede recovery from illness or injury. Recent findings highlight the role of massage in pain management.

5. Improve physical fitness. Elite and recreational athletes alike can benefit from regular massage therapy—massage is proven to reduce muscle tension, improve exercise performance and prevent injuries.

Here is the entire article from the American Massage Therapy Association with links to the above mentioned research: AMTA 5 Ways

Getting a massage can do you a world of good. Getting a massage on a regular basis can do even more: lower stress, benefit immune function, boost mental health and wellness, manage pain, and improve physical fitness. Remember, just because massage feels like a wonderful treat doesn't mean it is any less therapeutic. Consider regular massage and bodywork sessions a basic part of your health and wellness plan. I can work with you to come up with a treatment plan that best meets your goals.

Looking for additional information about the benefits of therapeutic massage and bodywork? I would love to talk with you. Call me at 513-703-3697, email melissa@motionTMB.com, or schedule an appointment here: MotionTMB Schedule

Happy Valentine’s Day. Be well!

Image credit: Writing a Blue Streak, AMP

3 ideas to help you create a happier year

The New Year is something of a clean slate. We start a new calendar, make resolutions, pop champagne, and a few days later, jump into a January of slightly elongating days with a fresh hope that this year we can begin again, and do it all better.

But wherever you go, there you are. Flipping a page on the calendar isn't going to dramatically alter day-to-day habits. For the average person change happens incrementally, just a little at a time, with baby steps.

Here are some ideas, just a few little changes you can make to improve your health, life, and happiness over the next year.

1.) Use your tools


You probably have a computer and, perhaps, a smart phone. And I bet you spend plenty of time using them. But are you using them well? 

A great grocery list app can reduce the number of trips you make to the store, and the amount of cash you spend on groceries. Mint is a fantastic money app to keep track of your cash, create (and stick to) a budget, and plan for the future. TripIt can keep your travel plans organized and make it easy to share that info with the people who need to know. And, if you are balancing a family with multiple schedules, use Cozi to get everyone to the right place at the right time.

Taking full advantage of the technology at hand can simplify your life without detracting from it.

2.) Say no

You've heard this before, no doubt. But this year actually do that. Your time and energy are valuable commodities, spend them carefully. If you have trouble saying no, practice it. Really. It helps to be prepared with a reply that is kind, but still conveys a firm, "No." You can find some ideas here. One of my personal favorites is, "Thank you so much for thinking of me, but this project sounds wonderful, and there is no way I could do it justice with my schedule right now."

3.) Schedule regular massage (you had to know that was coming)

Massage is known to reduce stress, alleviate pain, and enhance the quality of sleep. All good things. If you think you can't spare the time or funds for massage, consider this: what is it worth to give your family, friends, and coworkers a happier, more productive YOU? (A lot. It's worth a lot. You are worth it.) Regular can mean weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Whatever works for you is just fine, but stick to it. After you get a massage, I'll always ask if you want to schedule your next appointment. Do it! You can call me now at 513-703-3697 or schedule online at motionTMB.com to get started.

To a happier, healthier you in 2014. Be well!

In a world that sells dissatisfaction, it’s almost heretical to feel happy about your body. And on the rare occasion when body satisfaction is socially acceptable, it’s usually in the context of “Wow, I look amazing in my wedding dress/tailored business suit/perm/bathing suit/whatever I just spent a lot of money on in order to make me feel this way for a couple of hours.” For all the Facebook messages telling you “You’re beautiful!” there’s not much to make us feel legitimately joyful to be in our own skins.

So where does happiness come from, anyway? Psychological studies show that happiness stems not from being the best, most successful, or sexiest, but from gratitude. So telling yourself over and over that you have a great body is less likely to leave you feeling happy than feeling grateful for the body you do have. It’s not always easy. None of our bodies are perfect. We often feel at odds with our bodies, feeling as though they’re betraying us in some fundamental way.

Still, it’s the season of gratitude and joy, and if there is ever a time to give thanks for the bodies we inhabit, it’s now.

You can give thanks that your body has seen you through many long years of life.

You can give thanks that your body is young and healthy and strong.

You can give thanks that your body has taught you important lessons about pain and the mental and emotional strength you have in bearing it.

You can give thanks that your body has survived the ravages of cancer.

You can give thanks that your body has given rise to new life.

You can give thanks if your body honors your parents with features it received from them.

You can give thanks if your body honors your parents with its presence, against all odds, having been born to others.

You can give thanks if your body has the senses to know beauty, the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and feelings of the world around you.

You can give thanks if your body includes a mind that can think, imagine, and dream.

You can give thanks that your body has built, dug, cooked, sewn, planted, and shaped the world around it.

You can give thanks that your body has held and honored and taught the bodies of others around you.

Massage therapists are lucky people. We get to see the wonder in the bodies around us every day. It’s an honor, and one we’re perpetually grateful for. This holiday season, give thanks for food and family and friendship. Express your gratitude however you normally do, through writing in your journal, phone calls to your loved ones, a reflective walk in the woods, or prayer. But don’t forget that inimitable body of yours, which has accomplished so many things throughout your life. If we all inhabited our bodies with an attitude of gratitude, who knows what might happen? Maybe that whole peace on earth business wouldn’t seem so far away.Be well!

It's a snowy day in Cincinnati, just a couple of days before Thanksgiving. What am I thankful for? So much it is hard to put it all into words. I'm thankful for my husband Oz. My friends and family. My new business partners, Cheryl and Seth. The animals in my life - Bootsy and Digby. And, almost pinching myself, I'm so very thankful that I am a licensed massage therapist with a new studio in Cincinnati. It's taken me awhile to get to this place but now that I'm here, I believe I'll stay for a good, long time. Looking forward to reaching old friends and new through my practice. Be well!