My Elite Massage, LLC

11/14/2025

Three frames into league night, you're locked in—consistent hook, perfect pocket hits, your average climbing. But by frame 7, that familiar ache starts in your thumb. By the tenth frame, your wrist feels like it's grinding bone on bone. You finish the series, shake it off, and come back next week for more of the same. A study published in the Malaysian Orthopaedic Journal, the only published one examining elite tenpin bowlers, found that 53.8% suffered from de Quervain's tenosynovitis, a painful inflammation of thumb and wrist tendons. The research revealed that competitive bowlers develop pain in the wrist, ring finger, middle finger, and thumb of their bowling arm, frequently accompanied by stiffness and swelling.
The bowling motion creates unique repetitive stress. To generate the hook that creates pin action, bowlers release the ball exclusively through wrist action, dramatically increasing repetitive strain. The awkward grip using only thumb, middle, and ring fingers creates unnatural forces through specific digits. A study in Clinical Pediatrics analyzing bowling injuries over 18 years found that sprains and strains accounted for 42.7% of all bowling injuries, with fingers, trunk, and wrist most commonly affected.
A 2022 study examining collegiate bowlers revealed that upper extremity injuries were most common, with injury recurrence frequent among elite bowlers. The repetitive 16-pound swing combined with torque generation during delivery creates cumulative loading that traditional rest alone cannot resolve.
Orthopedic massage addresses bowling's specific mechanical demands. Research in Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice found that massage therapy significantly reduced hand pain and increased grip strength in participants receiving weekly sessions. Treatment releases chronically shortened forearm flexors, addresses inflammation in overused wrist extensors, and restores mobility to digits locked in repetitive gripping patterns. Regular sessions help bowlers maintain their game without the chronic compensation that sidelines their league nights.

11/12/2025

The airport gate, the rental car, the hotel desk, back to the airport. Business travel promises career advancement, but your body accumulates the cost with every trip. Research in the journal “Environment and Planning A” analyzing frequent air travelers found that prolonged flight exposure creates physiological consequences including jet lag's disruption of circadian rhythms, deep vein thrombosis risk from cramped seating, and chronic muscle stiffness from static positioning. The study noted that frequent travelers experience these effects compounding over time, not just during individual trips.
The damage extends beyond flight time. A 2021 systematic review in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity examining over 178 studies found that prolonged sitting during travel significantly increases musculoskeletal pain risk. Whether you're driving three hours to a client site or sitting through presentations, your hip flexors shorten, your thoracic spine rounds forward, and your lumbar discs compress. Research in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living demonstrated that prolonged sitting without muscle activation significantly increases back muscle stiffness, with effects measurable after just 4.5 hours.
The business traveler's pattern creates cumulative dysfunction. Different rental car seats each week prevent postural adaptation. Hotel beds with varying firmness disrupt sleep positioning. Time zone changes interfere with recovery.
Orthopedic massage addresses the specific mechanical stresses of frequent travel. A 2024 study in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders found that targeted massage therapy significantly reduces neck pain in sedentary professionals. Treatment releases shortened hip flexors from airplane and car seating, restores thoracic mobility compromised by laptop and steering wheel positioning, and addresses asymmetrical loading patterns from lifting luggage. Regular sessions help maintain tissue health between trips, preventing chronic compensation patterns that eventually force you off the road and into the doctor’s office.

11/12/2025

11/11/2025

Miles of uneven terrain, constant elevation changes, pack weight compressing your spine, repetitive impact from thousands of steps. Hiking seems peaceful, but research shows it demands more from your body than you might realize. A 2021 study by Chrusch and colleagues in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine surveying Appalachian Trail hikers found 40 to 60% of long-distance hikers experience musculoskeletal injuries, with knee pain reported by over one-third of respondents.
The repetitive nature creates predictable problems. The downhill impact loads your knees asymmetrically, stressing the patellofemoral joint (where your kneecap meets your thigh bone) and menisci (shock-absorbing cartilage). Eccentric muscle contractions—when muscles lengthen under load while controlling descent—create significantly more microtrauma than concentric contractions (when muscles shorten under load), leading to delayed onset soreness and cumulative tissue damage. Pack weight increases compression on lumbar discs and facet joints. The uneven terrain forces constant ankle adjustments, fatiguing the stabilizing muscles and creating chronic strain on ligaments. Uphill climbing in flexed hip positions tightens hip flexors and strains the low back. Extended treks create overuse injuries in feet and ankles from repetitive microtrauma that accumulates faster than tissues can recover.
Many hikers push through soreness, treating it as part of the challenge. But continuing to hike on fatigued or injured tissues allows compensation patterns that shift stress to other structures, creating secondary problems that can end your season or worse.
Orthopedic massage addresses hiking-specific demands. A 2015 systematic review by Bervoets and colleagues in the Journal of Physiotherapy demonstrated that massage reduces pain and improves function in people with musculoskeletal disorders. Regular sessions between major treks help maintain tissue quality and address accumulated strain before it becomes injury.

11/10/2025

Hours in the studio, repetitive movements through extreme ranges of motion, impact from jumps and turns, partner lifts requiring asymmetrical loading. Whether you're training in ballet, modern, contemporary, ballroom, or hip hop, dance combines artistry with athletic demands that take a serious toll on your body. A 2008 systematic review by Hincapié and colleagues in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation found lifetime injury prevalence in professional ballet dancers ranged between 40% and 84%, while point prevalence of minor injury in university and professional dancers reached 74%. A 2023 study by Keijsers and colleagues in the Journal of Dance Medicine and Science found 80.7% of ballroom dancers reported lifetime injury. Hip hop dancers face even higher risks, with a 2010 study by Ojofeitimi and colleagues in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports reporting annual injury incidence of 237%.
The repetitive nature creates cumulative microtrauma. Forced turnout beyond your natural range stresses the hip joint capsule and labrum (cartilage rim). Pointe work and relevé compress the forefoot and create impingement (pinching) in the ankle. Extreme spinal extension during arabesque and backbends loads the facet joints asymmetrically. Partner work creates one-sided strain patterns. Breaking movements stress wrists and shoulders. The explosive power moves in hip hop generate high forces through knees and ankles.
Many dancers push through pain, viewing it as part of the art. But continuing to dance on injured tissue allows compensation patterns to develop, shifting stress to other structures and creating secondary problems.
Orthopedic massage addresses dance-specific demands. A 2015 systematic review by Bervoets and colleagues in the Journal of Physiotherapy demonstrated that massage reduces pain and improves function in people with musculoskeletal disorders. Regular sessions help maintain the flexibility and tissue health necessary for performance without the cycle of injury that shortens careers.

11/07/2025

Delivering adjustments all day means your body absorbs the forces you're using to help others. A 2020 cross-sectional study in Chiropractic & Manual Therapies surveying Ontario chiropractors found widespread occupational musculoskeletal disorders, with many practitioners continuing their regular workload despite injury. A 2006 nationwide U.S. survey by Holm and Rose in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics revealed that 40% of chiropractors reported work-related injuries, with 58% experiencing upper extremity pain.
The physical demands are significant. Side-posture lumbar manipulation creates asymmetrical loading through your own spine and shoulders. Positioning patients for adjustments requires sustained awkward postures while stabilizing your body to generate controlled force. The repetitive nature of delivery—sometimes 30-plus adjustments daily—creates cumulative microtrauma to your thumbs, wrists, and hands. Your lead shoulder absorbs significant rotational stress during diversified technique. The forward-leaning position required for thoracic and cervical work loads your lower back and creates chronic tension in your posterior chain. The sustained grip pressure needed for instrument-assisted adjustments strains the intrinsic hand muscles and can lead to thumb carpometacarpal joint degeneration.
Many practitioners continue working through discomfort, modifying technique or reducing hours rather than addressing the underlying tissue dysfunction. But compensation patterns only shift stress to different structures.
Regular orthopedic massage maintenance addresses the specific demands of your profession. A 2015 systematic review by Bervoets and colleagues in the Journal of Physiotherapy demonstrated that massage reduces pain and improves function in people with shoulder complaints and musculoskeletal disorders. Treatment helps maintain the tissue quality necessary for a long, sustainable career helping others without sacrificing your own physical wellbeing.

11/06/2025

Four hours on the course, 100-plus swings, repetitive rotation in one direction, bent over to line up putts. Golf might seem gentle, but your body knows otherwise. A 2024 systematic review in the British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzing over 9,000 golfers found that more than half face lifetime musculoskeletal injury risk, with professionals showing significantly higher rates of lower back and hand injuries than amateurs.
The golf swing creates enormous forces. A 2019 study by Haddas and colleagues in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine confirms professional golfers experience approximately 7,500 Newtons of compressive force during the downswing—equivalent to eight times body weight. The repeated rotation combined with lateral bending creates shear forces (sliding movement between vertebrae) on lumbar discs and facet joints. The lead shoulder experiences significant strain during downswing and follow-through. The trail elbow faces stress causing pain, though the source could be several structures requiring proper assessment. The bent posture for addressing the ball creates chronic tension in the thoracic spine and posterior chain.
The weekend warrior approach often involves masking pain with medications to get through rounds. But continuing to play through pain while relying on NSAIDs allows mechanical dysfunction to worsen. That lower back stiffness after eighteen holes could be progressing to disc degeneration. That elbow pain you're managing with ibuprofen? The tendon damage is accumulating.
Orthopedic massage therapy targets golf's specific demands. A 2015 systematic review by Bervoets and colleagues in the Journal of Physiotherapy examining 26 randomized trials with 2,565 participants demonstrated that massage reduces pain and improves function in people with shoulder complaints and musculoskeletal disorders compared to no treatment. Regular sessions help maintain the flexibility and tissue health necessary for a powerful, pain-free swing throughout your playing years.

11/05/2025

Bending over treatment tables hour after hour takes a serious toll on your body. Research published in a 2008 cross-sectional study of cosmetologists reveals that neck pain affects 58% of beauty professionals, with hand, wrist, and low back symptoms frequently leading to chronic issues and work absences. Estheticians face unique ergonomic challenges from prolonged sitting, repetitive hand movements, and awkward postures while performing facials and specialized treatments.
The forward head position common during facial work creates a cascade of problems. When your head tilts forward, it shifts your jaw backward, increasing tension in the temporomandibular joint (the hinge connecting your jaw to your skull). This altered alignment strains the cervical spine (neck bones) and overworks the muscles supporting your head and shoulders. Over time, these compensatory patterns can lead to chronic discomfort that affects both your professional performance and personal wellbeing.
Regular orthopedic massage maintenance offers evidence-based relief. A 2015 systematic review in the Journal of Physiotherapy analyzing 26 randomized trials found that massage therapy reduces pain and improves function for people with shoulder pain and musculoskeletal disorders when compared to no treatment. The research demonstrates that massage helps break the cycle of muscle tension before it becomes chronic.
In other words, even just a regular monthly session with a quality orthopedic massage therapist, focused on your neck, shoulders, upper back, and hands can interrupt and even reverse the damage caused from the positioning your career requires of you. Between appointments, simple self-care practices and proper ergonomic adjustments can extend these benefits. That means massage is more than a luxury; it’s essential for you. Your skilled hands deserve the same care you provide your clients.

11/04/2025

Standing at an easel for hours, arm extended to reach the canvas, brush gripped in a precision hold. Artists create beauty while systematically injuring their bodies in ways most people never see until the damage forces them to stop.
The biomechanics are brutal. Your painting arm is held in sustained elevation, creating constant tension in the shoulder muscles while the back works overtime to maintain the scapula’s normal position. In Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment and Rehabilitation, a 2020 study titled "The prevalence of performance-related musculoskeletal disorders in fine arts faculty students and academics" found that 88.8% of visual artists reported musculoskeletal pain, with 64% experiencing pain severe enough to reduce activity or interfere with their ability to work. The precision grip required to control brushes creates chronic tension through the forearm, stressing the structures from elbow to fingertips. The sustained forward posture rounds the thoracic spine and creates tension in the neck extensors and upper trapezius muscles.
The danger isn't the muscle fatigue. It's the cumulative overuse developing silently over years. Repetitive fine motor control can lead to focal dystonia - involuntary muscle contractions making precise brush control impossible. A 2012 study in the same journal found that visual artists commonly develop chronic pain in the hand, wrist, shoulder, and neck that progresses when unaddressed.
Many artists push through discomfort with pain relievers, believing pain is part of the creative process. But a 2013 review in the Journal of Applied Physiology titled "NSAID therapy effects on healing of bone, tendon, and the enthesis" found that NSAID use can impair healing while masking pain allows continued tissue stress that worsens damage.
Orthopedic massage addresses artists' specific patterns, releasing chronic tension in the shoulder girdle, freeing forearm restrictions before they become dystonia, and maintaining tissue quality through studio work's repetitive demands. Regular sessions keep you painting for decades.

11/03/2025

Concrete dust on your boots, a tool belt around your waist, and pain that's become as much a part of the job as your hard hat. Construction workers face some of the highest rates of musculoskeletal injuries across all occupations. According to the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, these injuries account for over 30% of all construction-related workers' compensation claims, with the back, shoulders, and knees most commonly affected.
Repetitive heavy lifting, overhead reaching, kneeling on hard surfaces, operating vibrating tools, and maintaining awkward postures. This creates muscle strains, tendon degeneration, and joint dysfunction. The rotator cuff tears under the stress of overhead work. The meniscus (cushion pf your knee) wears down from kneeling and squatting. The spine’s discs compress from lifting. Hand-arm vibration syndrome develops from power tool use, causing nerve and vascular damage.
Construction culture often normalizes pain, treating it with whatever's in the first aid kit. But a 2013 review, NSAID therapy effects on healing of bone, tendon, and the enthesis, in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that NSAID use can impair healing of skeletal injuries, while its masking of pain allows workers to continue stressing damaged tissues, turning minor strains into chronic pain. That shoulder you're "toughing out"? The small tear is getting bigger. That knee pain you're ignoring? The cartilage is continuing to degrade. Long-term NSAID use adds its own risks: gastric ulcers, hypertension, and kidney stress.
Orthopedic massage addresses the specific demands of physical labor. Its treatment releases muscle adhesions, improves joint mobility, addresses compensatory patterns, and enhances tissue recovery. Think of it as routine maintenance for your body, just like you'd service equipment. Regular sessions can extend your working years and improve your quality of life outside work.