Natural Touch Sports & Injury Massage
#6, 41 Chelsea Street NW T2K 1P1 Calgary, AB, Canada

Sleeping on your stomach can lead to neck tension, headaches, and also TMJ (TemporoMandibular Joint) dysfunction. In my practice I have seen a correlation between patients that sleep on their stomach and jaw pain amd dysfunction. The weight of the head, coupled with gravity, can apply a lateral force to one side of the jaw causing asymmetry in the joints. Symptoms of jaw asymmetry might include pain, discomfort and headaches along with clicking and/or popping noises. As a... TMJ specialist, I can help reduce the pain and tension by working to realign the jaw through myofascial release, joint mobilizations, and massage therapy. To book an appointment see link in bio. Feel free to share #calgary #calgarybusiness #cambrianheights #health #healthylifestyle #injuryprevention #jawpain #jawpainrelief #jawpaintreatment #massage #massagetherapy #massageclinic #massagebenefits #massagetherapist #myofascialrelease #myofascialtherapy #myofascial #myofascialreleasetherapy #myofascialmassage #painrelief #pain #sportsinjury #sleepingposition #soreness #stress #stressrelease #tmj #tmjtreatment #tmjpain #tension

Very interesting, well worth a listen!

Super happy with my indoor bike trainer #wahookickr from @thebikeshopyyc Making sure I keep up on my exercise schedule to help my mood during COVID. Helps me keep my strèss eating pounds off too Can't wait until Spring ... #yyc #yycfitness #yycbusiness #yycsmallbusiness #yychealth #yyccycling #yyccommunity #yycliving #wahooligan #cycling #cyclinglife #health #healthylife #healthy #cyclingtraining #calgaryfitness #calgarybusiness #calgary #calgarylife

Since I've started growing food indoors, I have noticed a reduction in my food bills This has been especially helpful during the pandemic where the price of food seems to have skyrocketed I can't tell you how happy it makes me feel to be able to harvest my own ORGANIC lettuce for my salad that day ... I have recently sown microgreens for my daily smoothie and they are now ready to harvest Super excited to get some concentrated nutrients and antioxidants into me Have you ever grown microgreens and if so, what's your fave? Let me know in the comments below #microgreens #microgreensyyc #microgreensalads #microgreensathome #microgreensmoothie #healthylifestyle #healthyfood #healthy #health #healthyeating #healthyliving #healthyrecipes #healthylife #healthychoices #healthyeats #indoorgardening #organic #organicgardening #organicgarden #organiclife #salad #salads #smoothie #foodism #food

A very wise and knowledgeable friend shared this information about COVID vaccines.

A lot of the patients I treat that complain of neck pain or headaches are typically using two computer monitors at their workstation. The muscles in the neck do not like to be in a constant state of rotation, even if it's a slight turn of the head. By swivelling your chair so that you are looking at the monitor directly in front of you, without turning your head, you significantly reduce the amount of tension in the rotators of the neck. This would also apply to watching TV. Allow me to help with your neck tension by booking an appointment online. #neckpain #ergonomics #headache #massagetherapy #myofascialrelease #desksetup #painrelief #anatomy #rehabilitation

For years I used to be stomach sleeper. It was so comfortable. It was the only way I could fall asleep. Then my low back started to hurt. Nothing crazy, just a low grade ache on my right side that never really went away. I was young and active with no history of injury to that area so I couldn't figure out why it pained me so much. [ 476 more words ] https://naturaltouchmassageblog.wordpress.com//why-sleepi/

Happy New Year everyone!! This year I decided that I would like to start to incorporate more vegetarian/vegan dishes into my diet. I'm not planning on cutting meat out entirely but I've noticed that I feel better when I only eat it 2-3 times per week instead of everyday. This month's edition of Alive magazine featured a recipe from her cookbook, The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons written by Laura Wright. She also has a blog..., The First Mess, which features lots of great vegan recipes. I made this dish for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I absolutely love it! Instead of using individual ramekins I decided to just make it in one pot and it turned out fine. Great as a side dish or a stand alone meal. Enjoy :) 1 Tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided 1 medium yellow onion, small dice 1 medium carrot, small dice 1 stalk celery, small dice 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp (5 ml) minced fresh rosemary (about 1 sprig) 1 tsp (5 ml) tomato paste 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2 in (1 cm) cubes 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) cooked white beans, such as navy, cannellini, or butter beans 2 Tbsp (30 ml) dry white wine salt and pepper, to taste 3 Tbsp (45 ml) whole spelt flour 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) vegetable stock 1 medium sweet potato or 6-7 mini new potatoes, thinly sliced, or a mixture Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). Place 5 ramekins or ovenproof dishes with 1 cup (250 ml) capacity on a baking sheet and set aside. Heat half the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery, and saute until onions are slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, rosemary, and tomato paste, and stir. Add zucchini and white beans to pot. Stir to combine. Pour in white wine, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Season stew with salt and pepper. Sprinkle spelt flour over vegetables and beans. Stir until flour is moistened and is starting to get slightly pasty. Pour in vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Divide stew among the 5 ramekins. Arrange sweet potato slices on top of ramekins in a fan or layered pattern. This will form your top crust. Gently brush the sweet potato slices with remaining oil. Season crusts with salt and pepper. Slide pot pies into the oven, and bake until the filling is bubbling and the sweet potato slices are tender and lightly browned on the edges, about 30-35 minutes. Serve the pot pies hot. Serves 5.

Wishing you all a Healthy and Happy New Year!!

#Finkelstein Test A test called the Finkelstein test can help your doctor confirm de Quervain's tenosynovitis. To do this test, you bend your thumb down across ...the palm of your hand, and then cover your thumb with your fingers. Next, bend your wrist toward your little finger. If this causes pain, you likely have de Quervain's tenosynovitis. De Quervain syndrome involves noninflammatory thickening of the tendons and the synovial sheaths that the tendons run through. The two tendons concerned are those of the extensor pollicis brevis and abductor pollicis longus muscles.

One of my clients passed this recipe on to me the other day. I haven't had a chance to try it yet but it looks super yummy and easy to make! Enjoy Yogurt Parfait Breakfast Popsicles Makes 6 popsicles 1 1/2 pints strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped (around 3 cups chopped) 1/4 cup sugar (or honey) 1 cup Greek yogurt [ 346 more words ] https://naturaltouchmassageblog.wordpress.com//yogurt-par/

I often get asked the question during a massage treatment, do I use cold or heat for this? In order to answer that question, we must first consider what types of situations that cold or heat would be used. Cold or Cryotherapy Cold therapy is used primarily when there is inflammation in an area. The cold helps to suppress the pain and also to reduce swelling in the tissues by causing a decrease in blood flow. [ 264 more words ] https://naturaltouchmassageblog.wordpress.com//cold-vs-he/

MUSCLE OF THE MONTH Adductor group (Gracilis, Pectineus, Adductor Longus, Adductor Brevis, Adductor Magnus) The Adductors act to bring the leg closer to the midline of the body. Each individual muscle has a slightly different action, in addition to adducting the leg, and that will determine whether it acts like a hip flexor or a hamstring. Thus these muscles will be recruited when you are walking, sitting or running etc. [ 206 more words ] https://naturaltouchmassageblog.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/85

If you didn't already have a library card, maybe now is the time to get one. These online courses are amazing and totally FREE!!!! Tons of great information so be sure to check them out :)

Some warning signs to watch out for.

This is a gentle reminder to all those parents out there who have kids in sports, whether it's dance or hockey etc. I've personally treated patients who used to play competitive "fill in the blank sport" when they were younger and they now have serious musculoskeletal conditions due to overtraining and injuries that they suffered in their younger days. Some of these patients were as young as 25 when I treated them. None of them had ever been massaged for those conditions/i...njuries at the time they were competing. Many sports are very repetitive (ie, tennis, baseball, swimming) and may also have a rotational aspect to it that puts extra strain on the lumbar and thoracic areas of the spine. Shoulder issues are very common, that in turn lead to neck tightness and headaches. Running and jumping sports (ie. basketball and soccer) tend to lead to hip, knee, ankle injuries as well as plantar fascitis and conditions such as Osgood-Schlatter. Couple this with muscles that just can't keep up with a young, growing body and you have the potential for tightness, strain, or possible injury. I ask that you be mindful of this and to check in with your kids and ask them how they feel. If they are complaining of aches and pains now, it's time to think about getting them in for a treatment. Age doesn't discriminate when it comes to injury and the sooner you have them treated the faster they will recover and the better they will feel!!! If you have any questions concerning treatment for your kids, please feel free to contact me :) See more

Lately, I've had a couple of patients present with this condition. This is something that massage therapy can help treat. It typically is caused by repetitive movements (ie typing and/or using the mouse) and if left untreated can become quite problematic.

It is the best medicine!!!

Your brain on meditation.

#Gluteus Maximus Muscle The gluteus maximus (also known collectively with the gluteus medius and minimus, as the gluteal muscles, and sometimes referred to info...rmally as the "glutes") is the main extensor muscle of the hip. It is the largest and most superficial of the three gluteal muscles and makes up a large portion of the shape and appearance of each side of the hips. #Origin: Gluteal surface of ilium, lumbar fascia, sacrum, sacrotuberous ligament #Insertion: Gluteal tuberosity of the femur and iliotibial tract #Artery: Superior and inferior gluteal arteries #Nerve: Inferior gluteal nerve (L5, S1 and S2 nerve roots) #Actions: External rotation and extension of the hip joint, supports the extended knee through the iliotibial tract, chief antigravity muscle in sitting and abduction of the hip #Antagonist: Iliacus, psoas major and psoas minor #Daily Uses: Walking, Sprint #Strengthening Excercise: Squat (Dynamic Malasana), Warrior 3 #Stretches: Ardha Matsyendrasana When the gluteus maximus takes its fixed point from the pelvis, it extends the acetabulofemoral joint and brings the bent thigh into a line with the body. Taking its fixed point from below, it acts upon the pelvis, supporting it and the trunk upon the head of the femur; this is especially obvious in standing on one leg. Its most powerful action is to cause the body to regain the erect position after stooping, by drawing the pelvis backward, being assisted in this action by the biceps femoris (long head), semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and adductor magnus. The gluteus maximus is a tensor of the fascia lata, and by its connection with the iliotibial band steadies the femur on the articular surfaces of the tibia during standing, when the extensor muscles are relaxed. The lower part of the muscle also acts as an adductor and external rotator of the limb. The upper fibers act as abductors of the hip joints. #QuizAnswer 2/5: C Contracting your gluteus maximus extends the hip and tilts your pelvis back and down (retroversion). This stretches the iliopsoas, which has opposite actions. Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org https://www.youtube.com

Words to live by :)

This is fantastic information. A must read if you have kids in dance!!!

In light of recent events in Fort McMurray, Natural Touch Massage will be making a donation to the Red Cross to help with relief efforts. Thoughts and prayers are with all of those who have been affected by the fires. Those who wish to donate can do so by following the link below. www.redcross.ca

MUSCLE OF THE MONTH Peroneals - Peroneus Longus, Peroneus Brevis, and Peroneus Tertius A group of muscles in the lower leg that everts (or pronates) the foot. Both Peroneus Longus and Brevis also plantar flexes the foot whereas Peroneus Tertius will dorsiflex the foot.... These muscles form the lateral compartment of your lower leg and are often used posturally to prevent dorsiflexion, as in standing. More often than not, these muscles promote excessive eversion, or pronation, of the foot when they are too tight. In conjunction with the Tibialis Anterior, the Peroneus Longus forms a stirrup under the foot that supports the medial longitudinal arch, thus helping to maintain the 'spring' in the arch. In most cases of fallen arches, Tibialis Anterior is stretched and weak and Peroneus Longus is short and tight. By working on loosening or strengthening these muscles you may be able to bring that arch back up. The Peroneal muscles are also involved when it comes to an inversion ankle sprain. Since the ligaments surrounding the ankle have been compromised, it is important that the musculature of the lower leg be strengthened in order to help maintain the stability of that joint. This will help to prevent further sprains moving forward.

One of my patients has been doing this technique for over a month now and she swears she hasn't taken anything for her allergies since!!! Worth a shot and so easy to do. Hope it helps :)

If you haven't been to the Body Worlds exhibit at the Telus Spark it is well worth a visit!!! It's only here until the end of May :) http://www.sparkscience.ca/experience-telus-s//body-worlds

All you ladies out there should read this, especially if you have had/do have endometriosis or infertility problems!! Absolutely fascinating. We truly are an amazing machine :)