Element Balance Massage Therapy

11/02/2025

09/24/2025

Tension Headache.
Tension Head Ache is a Muscle-contraction-type headache.
Symptom
* The figure suggest 63 percent of men and 86 percent of women experience them.
* The pain is bilateral (Both sides) Cervicogenic and Spinally mediated headaches may have associated neck and shoulder pain
* Variable frequencies
* IN most cases the onset (stars) in the later afternoon.
* Associated symptoms are muscle tenderness and stiffness. Hypertonicity (tightness ) in the affected muscle and can cause loss of appetite.
* Factors that aggravates : - STRESS, FATIGUE, COLD, HYPOGLYCEMIA, POOR POSTURE AND REDUCED RANGE OF MOTION OF THE HEAD AND NECK.
Does Massage Therapy helps. YES, if there is no underlying pathology (ies) and the cause of the headache is muscle tension and trigger points.
reference: the physio movement
clinical massage therapy by Fiona Rattray and Linda Ludwig.

08/01/2024

The reality of medical diagnose.

X has a stomach pain and went to consult Medical Practitioner. (Medical Doctor). The diagnosis was an infection in small intestine. The antibiotics were given along with rest. The Medical Doctor suggested X to come back after 7 days.

Scenario 1, X reported back after 7 days and stated NO stomach pain. Doctor re did the test and results were negative. The conclusion is the stomach pain was the result of the infection and it is cured and therefore treatment consider complete.

Scenario 2, X Reported back after 7 days stating X still have the stomach pain. Doctor re did the test. The test were negative. In this case the stomach pain may or may not be cased by the infection and needs further investigation to find out why X still has the pain.

Scenario 3, X reported back after 7 days stating NO stomach pain. Doctor re did the tests and the tests were positive. In this case the infection is still there and need to continue the treatment eliminate the infection.

Modern Medical science is Evidence based and through that it came a long way.... still there is a long way to go.. Even though, Science is a better tool.

02/16/2024

PES PLANUS or Flat feet.
Pes planus is a decreased medial longitudinal arch and a pronated hindfoot. Or in other words, the arch of the foot is lower or no arch at all and back of the foot, bellow the ankle joint is twisted outward.
There are 2 types.
1, Functional:- it can be corrected.
2, Structural or rigid:- It is bone related and can not be corrected.

Symptom Picture.
* Very flexible ( hypermobility ) in medial arch ( the arch of the foot is lower or no arch at all ) and the foot is twisted outward ( foot is pronated )
* Over use of the foot with out medial arch support worsen the condition.
* Fatigue in muscles and ligaments result pain in planter surface of the foot and front and back of lower leg. This pain occur with regular activities.
* Possible discomfort and pain in knee, hip, lower back and even head ache.
* Foot Pain in walking and other recreational activities.

Is massage therapy a help :
"Yes" if the condition is functional. Or in other wards if the cause of the condition is muscle imbalance, it can be treated with regular massage therapy and proper home care.

Reference: Clinical Massage Therapy:- Fiona Rattaray and Linda Ludwing.
Istock

11/17/2023

Reclining chair and Body Posture.

Sitting too long on reclining char can cause back pain.The observation of the reclining sitting posture show there are bend in neck, waist and knee.

Lets assess the bend in the waist: The extension (straitening of the waist) is done by a group of muscles at the back of the body. (includes Erector Spinae, Multifidi, QL, Hamstrings. Gluteus Maximus and so on) On the other hand the flexion (bending the waist) is done by the muscles at the front of the body. (Includes Iliacus, Psoas, Re**us abdominis and so on)

Now picture the sitting in reclined position. The bend at the waist will cause the muscles at the front to shorten and the muscles at the back to stretch. When standing up after too long sitting in this position will make a sudden demand on the shortened muscles to stretch and the stretched muscles to shorten. (The back muscles are the one working now, - Remember the extension of the waist (truck) )This sudden demands on muscles may cause mild to severe back pain.

The write up is made up on personal clinical assessment and objective observations. Therefore this write up does not claim any medical value.

09/10/2023

Depression and the Anterior Shoulder roll.
The mental state of depression often causes the "slump posture". One of the prominent observations of the slump posture is anterior shoulder roll form side view and the protracted scapula from the posterior view (view from the back)

The muscle imbalances will be shortness in (reduced length) Pectoralis minor, Pectoralis major, Latissimus dorsi, ( lats ) subscapularis and teres major. The stretched muscles will be infraspinatus, supraspinatus, teres minor, rhomboids and mid trap.

The above muscular length deference may lead to the conditions of Frozen shoulder (reduced range of motion in lateral rotation, abduction and flexion of glenohumeral join (Shoulder joint). and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome ( TOS ) ( symptom picture is numbness and tingling in fore arm and fingers, sharp shooting pain, can not lay down in side position and so on.

Nos: Do not stretch already stretched muscles.
Do not strengthen already shorted muscles

Yeses. Do strengthening on stretched muscles and stretch the short muscles.

How the fix the issue; First step is the proper assessment and diagnosing the condition. Then doing proper exercises to correct the posture.

Will massage therapy helps ? The answer is yes if it is done properly along with clients responsible home care.

Please note: This write up done on the basis of observation and assessment done as massage therapist. Hereby I declare this write up does not claim any medical or scietific validity.

Ref: Clinical massage therapy. Fiona Rattray and Linda Ludwig.
Science direct.com
Apicareonline.com

06/19/2023

Beautiful summer.. Warm lake.. But....
Waking up with neck pain.. !!!?? Slept wrong... wrong pillow ..!! ?? Mmmm... I am not sure.. Most possibly back and forth from A/c to heat and heat to A/c. and sleeping in the draft from the air con. This will activate trigger points (Which could be latent) causing neck pain in morning.

How to stop it ?
1, Stay away from extreme cold or heat.
2, Do not sleep by the draft directly on to head and neck.
3, Feeling too hot ? Do not pour ice water over head. wait until cool down and then go for cold.
4, Feeling neck and upper back tension? Stretch or warm up or GO FOR MASSAGE THERAPY.
5, Wear cap, use sun glass and sun screen
6, If already existing head ache, stay away form extreme weather.

Just sharing my thoughts. The statements above are NOT with medical evidence. ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL SUMMER.

03/12/2023

"HOW DO WE FEEL WHAT WE FEEL"

Nervous System Basics.

POSTERIOR COLUMN-MEDIAL LEMNISCUS PATHWAY.( Sensory)

In this pathway, Receptors picks up the stimuli through 1st order neurons to spinal cord and it travels at the same side of the spinal cord till Medulla, there it decussate (cross over) to other side of the medulla, there the 2nd order neuron brings the sensation to Thalamus, from there the 3rd order neuron bring it to the Primary somatosensory area of cerebral cortex. That is how we feel "TOUCH, PRESSURE, VIBRATION, and PROPRIOCEPTION.

ANTEROLATERAL (SPINOTHALAMIC) PATHWAY.

In this pathway, 1st order neuron bring the info to spinal cord, there it decussate (cross over) to the other side of the spinal cord to the 2nd order neuron (Reflex arch happens here through inter neuron connecting it to Motor neuron to with draw from the stimulus) and it travels to the thalamus, from there through 3rd order neuron carry the sensation to the Cerebral cortex. That is how we feel " PAIN, COLD, WARMTH, TICKLE, and ITCH".
Note: The reflex arch happens before the sensation reaches brain.... It means we are saved from burning even before our own brain knows it... ha.. ha..

02/24/2023

PLANTER FASCIITIS: "Is an overuse condition resulting in inflammation of the planter fascia"

CAUSE: Overuse due to over training, poor technique, running on hard surface, or prolonged standing and activities that require ankle planter flexion (bending foot towards ground) and simultaneous extension of the metatarsophalangeal joint (stretch at the ball of the foot)

SYMPTOM PICTURE: Pain in heal with the first few steps after NOT STANDING. Ex; when getting out of bed in morning or after sitting long period of time.
Pain in heal when climbing stairs.
Reduced pain after 30 to 45 min and intensifice again 2 or 3 hrs later.
WILL MASSAGE THERAPY HELP: the answer is YES if there is NO severe tissue damage. Ex; if there is no tear in planter fascia or damage in heal bone.

Suffer from Planter Fasciitis ? Do not hesitate to contact Element Balance Massage Therapy.

Ref; Clinical massage Therapy; By Fiona Rattray and Linda Ludwing.