Author: info@wellnesslincs.com

You know that feeling when you get sore, aching shoulders and you might ask a partner or friend to rub or massage them?

Chances are they’ll hit a sensitive spot that feels very tender. If that point makes you feel a bit ‘ouchy’ or jumpy – or even tickles, they’ve probably hit a trigger point.

Trigger points are hypersensitive spots in a taut band of muscle. They’re often actually found away from the real problem area and can present themselves as more of a referred pain.

An experienced massage therapist can use specific techniques to treat trigger points, relieving tight muscles and helping to improve joint mobility. By applying direct, gradual pressure to the trigger point and then releasing the pressure, fresh oxygenated blood is allowed to flow through to the area, helping to flush out toxins.

This improves circulation to the tissues, helping to relieve pain and tenderness.

Trigger point therapy is just one of many techniques Zoe uses here at Wellness Lincs in her massage therapy. For more information about our services or to get in touch with any questions, please contact us here.

Losing weight is one of the most commonly set goals and is often one of the biggest reasons people hire personal trainers or coaches, join gyms or attend diet clubs.

Seeing the number dropping on the bathroom scales can be very motivating and can often be one of the signs that we are getting results. But measuring our body weight doesn’t help us identify any of the other positive changes that could be happening (such as losing inches and looking more toned).

If the number on the scale isn’t coming down as quickly as we think it should, we can become demotivated and frustrated.

For some of us, this can lead to an unhealthy relationship with the scales, basing happiness and feelings of self-worth on a number.

It can be really frustrating when we have made the effort to eat well and train hard, only to see that the scale hasn’t budged! This is especially the case when the only thing we are tracking is how much we weigh. What if we noticed that, although we hadn’t lost weight, our jeans were not as tight, or that we had lost an inch from our waist? Or even just that we had better energy levels?

Chances are we wouldn’t feel like our efforts were a waste of time and we’d feel more motivated to continue with the healthy habits that will ultimately lead us to reaching our goal.

When someone sets a goal of weight loss, what they really want is to lose fat. (Remember the body is made up of blood, bone, our organs, essential fat and muscle – they all make up the number on the scales).

So it’s useful to use a tape measure to track inch loss and to notice changes in how our clothes are fitting. You might like to take progress photos for yourself so you can appreciate the changes that occur over time.

The pitfalls of losing weight too quickly

Losing weight too quickly can be a bad thing because the quicker we lose weight, the more likely that we are losing muscle. Losing muscle will slow down our metabolism and will not lead to a ‘toned’ look.

Not only does losing weight too quickly not improve or potentially even worsen our body composition, a harsh calorie restricted diet just isn’t sustainable in the long run and can lead to an increased risk of ‘yo-yo dieting’.

Factors affecting body weight

Hydration status

Weighing yourself before and after drinking a litre of water can make a difference. After drinking a litre of water you can weigh 2.2lbs (1kg) more than before you drank it.

Salt intake

Sodium levels in the body can cause a fluctuation in body weight week to week

Stress

When we experience stress our bodies release cortisol and this can lead to an increase in anti-diuretic hormone. This hormone causes our body to retain water.

While exercise and healthy eating help to reduce our stress levels, excessive exercising and crash diets can actually be a major cause of stress, more reasons why attempting to lose weight too quickly can backfire.

Other issues that come with stress are the ways in which we try to cope with it. Many people use alcohol and food as ways to get some temporary relief. Of course, too many glasses of wine and takeaway meals are not going to help us reach our goals.

The menstrual cycle

Changes in hormone levels in the days leading up to the monthly period can cause an increase in fluid retention – which can appear as an increase in body weight of as much as 5lbs. This isn’t an overnight fat gain but it can lead to frustration and a reduction in motivation if we focus too much on the scales. This spike is only temporary and not a true reflection of overall progress.

Gaining muscle

Engaging in resistance training and increasing our protein intake can often lead to an increase in muscle mass. Remember muscle and fat weigh the same but muscle takes up less ‘space’ in the body leading to that toned look.

The scales may show a slower change in body weight but you are gaining muscle while losing fat. Your clothes will fit better, you’ll feel healthier and your metabolism will increase.

Other benefits to keeping on track and being more active include: an increase in strength, improved cardiovascular fitness, better energy levels, reduced stress levels, improved mood, clearer complexion and better sleep.

(The above was extracted and summarised from our eBook: Beyond the Scales: There’s more to it than Weight Loss. Available here.)

Anyone who’s watched big sporting events will have seen some athletes wearing tape (often brightly coloured) on different parts of their body. But what is the tape actually doing?

The tape is mostly known as sports tape but is used much more widely now to help assist with injuries and recovery for people from all walks of life and professions.

Here at Wellness Lincs massage therapist Zoe is qualified in the Kinesio Taping Method. This is a unique method of sports taping using a therapeutic tape which mimics the qualities of the superficial layer of the skin: the epidermis.

Kinesio Tape is applied in specific ways with a deep understanding of muscles, tendons, ligaments and pathological movement patterns, to help reduce pain, swelling and aid injury repair.

It can also be used as a corrective technique and to support lymphatic drainage as the body gets rids of toxins from an injury site.

The reason why so many sports people like to wear the tape is because it moves with the body. So instead of having a brace on your knee, for example, the tape does not need to be restrictive; you can still move about as you would normally but still have that awareness to not over extend the limb, or move the knee out of its normal alignment.

For more information about the technique, get in touch here.

A question that I am asked a lot is how often should a person have a sports or deep tissue massage?

The answer to that varies for each individual.

Firstly, it depends why a person has come to see me. If it is for a recent injury then I would need to wait for inflammation to reduce before I can massage.

Once the tissue has begun to heal then massage can help support tissue repair by bringing more oxygen and nutrients to the tissue and removing waste products from the injured area, thus also reducing scar tissue build up. A reduction of excess scar tissue means better movement of the injured muscle once repaired.

In this case, massage may be beneficial to be delivered once a week, or at least once a fortnight, depending on a person’s budget and availability.

If I am treating someone for general maintenance and muscular tension, the greatest benefits come from a treatment at least once a month to six weeks (at the most).

We want to be able to work out the tension in the muscles. If you have a chronic condition then having a regular massage can help ‘retrain’ the muscles into behaving correctly and relieve tension. Back pain, for example, may be coming from tension or over development in the glutes (the buttock muscles) or the big thigh muscles (those hamstrings or quadriceps).

As well as massage working out tension in the muscles, and myself identifying areas of imbalance in my clients, it is important that people also follow a self-care routine. I like to advise stretches and exercises that people can do in between their massages and help to correct any imbalances.

How long will it take to feel an improvement after having a massage?

Most people will feel a sense of relaxation and the muscles feeling ‘easier’ after one treatment. (There may be some soreness if muscles have been particularly tense). However, from my experience and feedback from clients, it normally takes at least 3 treatments before people really start to notice a difference.

After 3 treatments, if people are feeling better, we can start to space out the treatments more to keep on top of things.

Massage has so many benefits and, while in my personal experience I have seen how effective the treatments can be, it has to be pointed out that it should be used as a complimentary treatment and not replace medical care.

For more about Wellness Lincs sports and deep tissue massage therapy click here.

Zoe

With work being so busy and the days being shorter I hadn’t been able to get out running much.

I still walk my dog and teach many fitness sessions, deliver sports massage and personal training each week, as well as doing my own workouts.

So in order to make sure I squeezed in a bit of running too I set myself a target over November of running 25km (that’s over the whole month – not in one go!) – See my spreadsheet (above) for my completed runs.

It’s not a lot and I would only go out for 2-4km at a time but having a realistic target in mind meant there were no excuses!

That’s something I encourage our clients to do too. Set yourself a target – no matter how small (or large if you wish). But do make it realistic – something you think you can achieve. It doesn’t have to be running. It could be walking, swimming or cycling or anything you like. Make a target – whether that’s distance or time (e.g walking 20-30 mins a day – broken up into chunks if you want).

Once you’ve done that you can set yourself a bigger target. I’m planning on completing 30km over December. I might manage a bit more than that. I actually did just over 27km in November.

The main thing is to start somewhere. Doing something is better than nothing!
Let us know how you get on.

Zoe

Now the days are getting shorter how can we fit extra activity into our day?

It’s easy to go for an evening walk in the summer but not so appealing in the dark autumn and winter nights.

There are still plenty of ways to keep active though.

Why not pop on some of your favourite music and have a dance around the house? Make sure you take the stairs where possible if you are able instead of a lift or escalator.

Now is the time to have a good clear up if you have a garden – and that’s exercising too. Anything that gets you warmer and raises the heart rate, as well as moving your body, will help.

Our evening and daytime classes will help keep those muscles working, maintain flexibility and help with balance.

Renew class, featuring moves from Tai Chi, Yoga and Pilates runs at various locations in Coningsby, Tattershall, Billinghay and Scopwick.

We provide Zoom classes and, of course, our seated exercise class at Tattershall Village Hall (as well as on Zoom).

See here for more details.

We all know the positive effects exercise can have on improving our health – but can it help boost our brain power and make us think more clearly?

I certainly notice that I am much more productive after having been for a short run, cycling or doing a bit of resistance work. Even doing the housework or gardening counts!

Researchers believe that one of the reasons exercise can improve our cognition ‘or thinking capacity’ is because of the increased blood flow that occurs in the body when we exercise.

Our vital tissues and organs – including the brain, get a boost of energy and oxygen from that increased blood flow.

Harvard Health indicates: “Many studies have suggested that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory are larger in volume in people who exercise than in people who don’t.”

Perhaps this is why the risk of dementia is thought to be reduced in those who exercise.

The Alzheimer’s Society reports: “Several studies looking at the effect of aerobic exercise in middle-aged or older adults, have reported improvements in thinking and memory, and reduced rates of dementia.”

The moral of the story is we can all benefit from moving more – and perhaps boost our brain power too.

For some time we have lived our lives aiming for the mythical number of 10,000 steps, not truly understanding the origins of this. It turns out that this was concocted from a marketing campaign rather than being based on scientific research. Nevertheless, a new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology suggests the recommended number of steps needed is significantly lower.

According to the research 3,967 steps is enough to reduce the risk of dying from any cause and it’s 2,337 to make you less likely to fall victim to cardiovascular disease.

The research also found that the more steps you take will significantly decrease the risk of dying. We would always suggest making walking part of your daily routine, along with other forms of movement, but not to get bogged down with the numbers. The more steps the better but don’t get hung up on the numbers.

For many years we have been concerned about the use of artificial sweeteners and ingredients. Now the World Health Organisation’s cancer research agency is set to declare Aspartame (used in many foods and drinks as a low calorie sweetener – from Diet Coke to flavoured yoghurts) as a possible carcinogen. A carcinogen is a substance that could cause cancer by damaging the way the body’s cells function.

This is why we encourage our clients to eat foods that are as natural as possible and to avoid products containing man made or processed ingredients. By eating home cooked foods, prepared by yourself, you know exactly what is going into that meal. Drinks and foods containing artificial ingredients or sweeteners should be avoided.

The body was never made to consume these types of manufactured ingredients, and as a result does not know how to process them. In our belief, this is a key source of many illnesses.

So eat smart, prepare your own food wherever you can. Fill up your drinks bottle with water or add a few lemon or orange slices if you want some extra flavour and avoid any ingredients you don’t recognise.