Ben Lucas Massage

22/06/2021

The Show Must Go On

In this long overdue article, I will be discussing the AFL, its treatment of its players, my thoughts and experiences in treating athletes, both past and present, at the highest level.

The AFL Queen’s Birthday weekend split round 12 marks the halfway point of the home and away season. The AFL, being a results-driven industry, means more pressure on clubs, officials and players to cement a spot in the final eight.

This weekend, I will no doubt witness yet another player limping off the ground and down the race, only to return to the interchange bench spritely and ready for action. This happened six weeks ago to a 19-year-old Port Adelaide player. I couldn’t help but think he has a long season and career in front of him and that cortisone injection may in the long term, not be in his best interests. Before you throw in your “doctors know best” argument in the Comments section, the following are the long term effects of cortisone injection (from the Mayo Clinic):

• Cartilage damage
• Death of nearby bone
• Joint infection
• Nerve damage

Case Study 1
In an early round match, a highly respected player received an injury which was later found to be as serious neck condition. For the remainder of the season he was injected weekly with a pain killer. At the end of the season, an operation was performed to put a cage (supporting structure) in his neck. Honestly, where is the duty of care here? This type of treatment wouldn’t happen in any other workplace!

Case Study 2
I had the pleasure to treat a local footballer who is now playing college grid iron in the USA as a punter. He told me of his concerns for his former team mates (who were on the verge of being drafted in the NFL) and how they have resorted to using ma*****na to deal with the pain and trauma associated with injuries. This reminded me of the movie “Concussion” with Will Smith where injuries were ignored rather than being treated. Although this movie was no Shawshank Redemption, it was thought provoking nonetheless. No wonder the AFL is concerned.

Case 3
A Brownlow medallist from the ‘80’s who can’t lift his arm higher than his shoulder. Charlie ain’t a lot of use if he can’t lift his grandchildren up!

Case 4
A recently retired young footballer who suffered 12 concussions, is barely able to run more than a few kilometres.

While it appears I am the voice of doom and gloom, the AFL does a fantastic job but the landscape has changed. With these changes the AFL has its challenges as every club strives to gain an advantage.

There are interesting times ahead.

12/10/2020

In this week’s article we’ll be discussing Cranial Sacral Therapy (CST), its uniqueness, its effectiveness and my experience with it. In the early 1900's William Sutherland, a final year student of osteopathy was examining a set of disarticulated bones of the skull.

Like other students of the time, Sutherland believed as he’d been taught that the adult cranial bones don’t move because their sutures (joints) become fused. While examining the temporal bones and sphenoid bone he realized that what he was holding resembled the gills of a fish and were designed for a respiratory motion. In fact the bones could easily separate from each other.

Sutherland decided to emulate it on a series of experiments to prove his theory on movements of the cranial bones. Resembling the mad professor he designed a helmet made from bandages and leather straps which could be tightened in a range of positions therefore preventing any potential cranial motion from occurring. Wearing the weird looking helmet he adjusted the tension in the straps and in a short period of time he started to experience headaches and digestive problems.

Over many months of trial and error he surmised that the bones do actually move. The human skull is made up of 28 bones. Inside the skull the brain is surrounded by cero spinal fluid. The fluid is secreted in the brain and from there flows out of the skull and down the spinal cord and the base of the spinal nerves. The cero spinal fluid is pumped through the spinal canal by means of rhythmical pulsations called the cranial rhythmical pulse or more commonly known as the cranial wave.

When the bones of the skull are moving normally, the cranial rhythm remains balanced but any dysfunction to them can affect the normal motion and consequently alter the cranial rhythm which in turn affects other functions. Typical disturbances can occur at childbirth where the baby’s skull bones are compressed which allows them to pass through the birth canal. It can also relieve the discomfort of colic, glue ear, constant crying, breathing problems and learning disturbances.

The chronic conditions which respond favourably to CST:
• Bell’s palsy
• lower back pain
• TMJ pain
• Head and spinal injuries
CST also works well as a maintenance program for healthy people who report an increase in energy levels, improved sleep patterns and in fact improvement in health generally.

The key to CST is the ability of the practitioner to hold and exert very gentle pressure on the skull (the weight of a penny) feeling the rhythm of the cranial wave and being able to detect the irregularities then being able to manipulate the bones of the skull to restore rhythmic balance.

There is no doubt CST is an acquired taste. I don’t practise it a lot apart from a few holds for headaches and whiplash injuries. It definitely has its place in a massage world where most practitioners are HEAVY HANDED. CST allows you, with practise and patience, to sit and listen to the tissues with surprisingly great results. The changes are subtle and but as they say “small hinges swing big doors”.

04/08/2020

This week I wanted to discuss the posterior muscles of the shoulder and how massaging them using a variety of techniques can alleviate pain and help restore shoulder movement.
Because the shoulder joint is very unstable and has poor mobility, it makes it very susceptible to overuse injuries. The muscles around the shoulder can become fatigued because of their workload, which will result in these muscles developing ‘ACTIVE’ trigger points (tight bands or knots), and at times can be hard to shift. There are however, several ways you can treat these trigger points (TPS), a few of which I am going to discuss.

1. Massage
TPS can be massaged using a thumb or just a finger with pressure applied into the muscles and waiting for the tissue to soften. The downside I find with this method is that generally when too much pressure is applied, the treatment becomes too DIGGY and a little uncomfortable.
Like most massages I believe TPS should be done in conjunction with other modalities.

2. Dry needling.
Unlike its eastern counterpart (acupuncture), dry needling has more emphasis on TPS. Dry needling is similar to massage, but instead of using a thumb or a finger, you’ll be using a very fine needle and inserting it into the skin, then waiting for the muscle to produce a twitch response. This twitch response allows the muscle to soften (think of a rabbit who twitches its nose).
This treatment modality is certainly not everyone's favourite, but it has some advantages e.g. good results because of the depth in which you can insert the needles, especially the larger muscle groups and thick fascia around the hip and lower back.

3. Neuromuscular therapy technique
This technique involves simply working with and against the muscle fibres, softening TPS and muscle adhesions, this technique can be used on any muscle in the body. I find this technique works well gliding over the upper shoulder muscles and pinning the infraspinatus muscle against the shoulder blade. It is great for relieving pain down the arm locally or between the shoulder blades. I place both thumbs together allowing me to work on a broader surface area as well as being easier on my joints and thus allowing me to stay in the massage game for longer.

13/05/2020

I’ll be veering off the usual topic of massage and instead will be offering some free advice. STOP listening to all the bu****it and conspiracy theories. One such rumor floating around that I heard is that Bill Gates stands to gain millions from this because we will all be forced to be vaccinated. Another was that the virus was man made in a lab in China. Yes this could be right (but highly unlikely), however there is not much me or anyone can do about it, and to be quite honest I’m not really interested in it at this point in time. I’m also sure spending 3 hours on facebook trying to hammer home your personal opinions won’t help you or your business. It is my belief that instead we would all be better off taking a more positive approach and running your eye over your business and doubling down on the things you are good at and that you can control. This way, when the tough times do subside, and they will, you will have identified what isn’t working in your business. Or as Entrepreneur Gary V would say “You will stop buying the $7 Turmeric lattes and all the other dumb sh*t”.
I see some big changes in business, the main one being employers spending more days working from home, meaning less time spent in traffic leading to more productivity and time spent with the family. There have been many successful businesses that have started during depressions and periods of economic crisis. Such examples include Microsoft (started during recession of 1973-1975), Fedex (Oil crisis of 1973), and probably the most famous being Walt Disney company (After 11 months of smooth operation, the twelfth was the market crash of 1929).
I do, like most, have grave concerns for the retail sector as AMAZON flexes its muscles; as seen by the reports that Australia Post has been doing over 30,000 deliveries daily, making it busier than the Christmas period. Shop owners continue to put tenants under pressure, who continue to charge exorbitant rents, the same amounts as before the virus arrived. These times may also make people take STOCK and re-evaluate what is really important. Living on a busy highway I have seen an increase in families riding their bikes and dogs being walked. This is something that I haven’t seen for years. There’s no doubt there are some interesting times ahead but it won’t be dull, and how can it be with the mighty Donald Trump at the helm.

12/04/2020

It never ceases to amaze me the value (or lack thereof) people put on their health. I've noticed this first hand having worked in the massage industry, treating people's injuries and ailments for close to 30 years. I came to see early on in my career that the vast majority of people treat their body like an amusement park, with no regard for the long term impacts of how they live their life or the foods they eat. To me, it is laziness and a lack of discipline that sees us prioritising mobile phones and social media over the more important things in life. We have come to develop a disconnect between our mind and body. The reason for this problem, to me, surely can’t be because of money. Anyone can google a yoga class on youtube and it doesn’t cost a cent. The explosion of gyms in Mornington with weekly prices starting as low as $15, which is equivalent to 3 cups of coffee; shows there are plenty of options available to assist people in becoming active.
In this article I'll be discussing the quality of self-discipline and the benefits of developing good habits.
DISCIPLINE is closely related to your habits. It keeps your life on schedule, keeping your chaos in check. Good discipline is basically choosing what is in your best interests, eating good food, and staying away from people who aren’t good for you to name a few. Poor self-discipline is the opposite, for instance smoking and excessive drinking. By being disciplined it narrows your focus, removing distractions. This will inevitably put in front of you, what is really important to YOU.
HABITS - Everyone has habits, unfortunately many of us (me included) have bad ones that are not particularly helpful or life enhancing. In James Clear's great book ‘Atomic Habits' he talks about making a 1% improvement each day. He used the example of the British Cycling Team, who (until recently) had a history of mediocrity, having nabbed an Olympic gold medal in 1908 and fared even worse in the Tour De France. So having acquired good coaches, they applied the 1% rule by breaking down what goes into riding a bike, with the belief that every little change would get a significant improvement across the board. The changes included rubbing alcohol on the tyres for better grip, better massage gel leading to better recovery, hiring a surgeon to teach riders the best way to wash their hands so they wouldn’t get a cold. These and hundreds of little improvements accumulated, and so did the results for the team. During the next 10 years (2007-2017) BRITISH cyclists won 178 world championships, 66 Olympic or Paralympic gold medals and captured five Tour De France victories. This is regarded as the most successful run in cycling history.
Good habits like (bad ones) make all the difference. Self-discipline is something that when implemented as a habit, it can help you to stay focused on your goals to achieve amazing results.

05/03/2020

Following on from last weeks article on Tom Bowen. This week I will be discussing the 3 elements that make Bowen therapy so uniquely DIFFERENT.

1. The MOVE or technique is a rolling technique it is relatively light designed to effect underlying tissues and fascia. It is not a painful technique, nor is it a FLICK if the therapist isn’t doing it right.
2. Breaks- The reason these 2-3 minute rest periods are done is to let the technique do its thing and allow the tissues to soften. However some critics of Toms work believe the breaks were introduced so he could make more money. I believe this is a little disrespectful, to be honest, as after reading several books on the man. It is clear that money was not a driving force in his life.
3. Bowen is a stand-alone
In my 28 years of experience in treating musculoskeletal problems, I have found that it is very hard to use Bowen therapy as a stand-alone treatment method. The reason being is that I have found better patient outcomes when introducing various other modalities such as dry needling, cupping, onsen, neuromuscular therapy alongside Bowen.

Over the years there are reports of practitioners and schools who have taken a bit of creative license claiming ‘more advanced versions of Bowen’. One therapist commented “You can put a saddle on a pig, but that doesn’t make it a horse”.
Unfortunately during the passing of time, the interpretation of techniques and the philosophies change depending on its teacher, with everyone putting their own spin on it.

This NAT online course in Bowen Therapy will give you a solid grounding in the theory and practice of the technique. The course material includes detailed in...

20/02/2020

In today’s article I will be writing about an amazing man called Tom Bowen, the legacy he left and the lives he touched.

Tom Bowen was a very simple man who grew up in Brunswick, Victoria. He first delivered milk and became a carpenter. It was during the 50s that he began an association with a physical manipulator by the name of Ernie Sanders, they would meet and spend long hours discussing techniques and fine tuning treatment methods. At the same time, he was working at the Geelong cement works where he developed a relationship with a man called Stan Horwood. Stan believed that Tom had a unique gift, and he decided that Tom should set up a practise at his house; which he did.

Tom would work every evening after finishing at the cement works. The practise grew and grew, helping bad backs and other ailments. His treatments generally didn’t take long. Between the moves he performed, there would be a break of 2-5 mins, during which the patient would lay on the treatment table for a number of minutes before the next move was performed. It is because of this time gap, built into the treatment that he was able to see multiple patients at the same time (up to 5).

Tom in his "heyday" was known to see up to 100 people a day and said to see up to 12,000 a year. Tom was extremely humble and a man of few words, I remember my father (my family is from Geelong ) as a young child told me of the line that spilled onto the main road as they waited for a treatment. He was also a generous man, known for treating disabled children on Saturday mornings for free. The the results were said to be slow at first, but over the years his results were amazing. He was also known for having 2 collection boxes at all his clinics, always trying to help others. Unfortunately his life was cut short in 1982 by complications from diabetes. He was 66 years old.

Tom’s favorite saying was:
“I expect to pass through this world but once,
any good thing therefore that I do or any kindness that I can show to any fellow –creature, let me do it now.
Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall never pass this way again.”

In next week’s article I will be discussing the ‘BOWEN MOVE’ principles and theories that make Bowen so uniquely different.

10/02/2020

THE SUB-OCCIPITALS
A culprit in causing headaches and neck pain

In today’s article I will talk about one of the most overlooked, yet most problematic areas of the body. This area is called the sub –occipitals and is located in the neck. The sub-occipitals along with the surrounding muscles play a large role in neck pain and headaches. The best way to treat these muscles is to have the patient lying on their back (fig 1 & 2), by working along the occipital ridge and asking them to push lightly into my thumb these extensor muscles will SOFTEN. These muscles work in harmony to balance the head on the neck. When these muscles shorten, they cause restricted neck rotation and a nerve impingement, leading to headaches as well as a forward head posture. Figure 3 & 4 clearly show the pain patterns that these muscles can produce if they are not treated. In many cases sticking an acupuncture needle or manipulating the upper cervical joints won’t be enough.
If you’ve got constant headaches or neck pain get your massage therapist to try working in this area or better still give me a call.

17/12/2019

In today’s article I will be discussing deep tissue massage, what it is and its short comings as a treatment modality.
Deep tissue massage involves firm pressure and slow strokes to reach deep layers of muscles and fascia (The connective tissue surrounding muscles). It is believed to benefit a number of musculoskeletal issues including carpel tunnel syndrome, tennis and golfers elbow, and postural problems.
I’m not convinced the results are ever going to be anything other than that of a short term nature. The reason I say this is because the fascia is not being addressed. If you don’t address the problems with the fascia, then you are not having an impact on POSTURE. Not doing this will mean that the problem will never go away.
Ploughing through tissue and putting more pain into the body generally without a plan or structure I believe is ridiculous. It’s like you asking a builder to build you a house the first thing he will ask is “WHERE ARE THE PLANS?”

27/11/2019

MASSAGE THERAPY- PROBABLY NOT FOR YOU

A few years ago I was reversing my car and I couldn’t help but have a chuckle at the latest advertisement on the radio for SAGE massage school. “If you want the lifestyle you’ve always wanted then MASSAGE is for you”. After hearing this I nearly crashed the car. I couldn’t help but think what a bloody load of rubbish this was (Probably why Sage came and went within 5 years).
The ironic thing about doing massage for a living is that you end up being sorer than the people you’re working on. I once joked to a chiropractor that he had the best job in the world, given that his treatment only lasted 6 minutes, whereas mine lasted for a full hour.
I have a good friend of mine who is interested in becoming a massage therapist. So I did some research on massage schools in Melbourne, only to realise a lot of them are no longer there; and a few of the late arrivals to the scene show signs of a thrown-together, take the money and run educational approach. These “Educational institutes” leave the students with only a few instructors whose skills are limited at best (that’s not to say that all of these schools fall into this category).
I believe 80% of the learning comes from on the job training in clinical practise and continuing education eg. online courses, workshops. There is simply no substitute for growth of knowledge and depth of connection that comes from day to day contact with real life clients.
Figures show that beginning practitioners do not survive more than 4 years in this trade. This is because they weren’t prepared to GRIND or do the work. The USA marines have a saying “Everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die”. I personally think this a great shame because the satisfaction from helping people and making people feel better far outweighs the long hours I spend studying.

05/11/2019

In today’s article I will be discussing one of my favourite massage therapies, Traditional Thai massage (TTM), its uniqueness and why it has become so popular. Traditional Thai massages origins are surrounded in mystery. One of the main reasons is that a lot of the research & history which were written on tablets were destroyed throughout years of fighting with neighbouring Burma.
The theoretical foundation is based on energy lines called sen. The belief is that through these lines there is an energy force called lom. Very similar to the asian massage systems, chinese- Tuina, Japanese- Shiatsu (but call it chi/ki).
Disturbances in the flow of energy results in insufficient lom, which will in time lead to sickness. Working on these energy lines with massage can break the blockages, stimulate the free flow of lom and help to restore general well-being.
TTM’s main point of difference is that it’s generally a clothed massage that incorporates the use of elbows, knees, forearms and feet. The kneading of muscles as in Swedish massage is absent in TTM. It’s been called “Yoga massage” because of its strong roots to Hatha yoga.
TTM has been traditionally done in rural areas on farmers, 75% of the work is done on the legs, I suppose to ease the pain of working long hours toiling in the fields.
In my opinion TTM is one of the best feel good massage styles. Another point of difference with Thai massage is that it is not done on a massage table, but instead on a throw mattress or futon, making it extremely comfortable. Do yourself a favour and try it sometime.

03/10/2019

In this week’s article we will be discussing the Quadratus Lumborum (QL) muscle, its role in lower back pain and the best way to treat it.

"The Quadratus Lumborum, muscle (QL), laterally flexes the spine. What makes it different from most muscles, is that it can cause "hip hiking". This occurs when the QL becomes tight and causes stresses in the lumbar spine and the corresponding leg to shorten.

The best analogy I've heard it’s like stepping off a curb every step, you do that 10,000 times a day you wonder why you’re in pain.

When working on the QL I prefer working with the muscle in a side lying position, the main reason I do this is because I can access the fibres of the thick fascia and pin it against the hip bone as well as working along the transverse process of the spine where there are some nasty trigger points. It also allows me to put the muscle on stretch as I work on it.