Bodywork by John Tacchi

01/27/2025

12/16/2022

The ball and socket joint of the hip.

12/03/2022

Do you think massages are healing or just relaxing?
For those who want relaxation, massages can be that. I would argue however that massage is healing-promoting, and that as a byproduct feels relaxing.
Massage compressions the tissues and aids circulation. Most of the fluid in your body is not in your blood vessels, it’s within the cells and between the cells. Massage compresses the tissues, like a sponge, and pushes this interstitial fluid back into circulation. It either gets there by going directly back into the blood vessels, or gets pressed into the lymph vessels which eventually dumps back into the venous blood. Either way, you’re getting fluid to circulate through the liver and kidneys (and arguably lungs) that helps break down compounds and to expel others. (one could say ‘toxins’ but that is a semantics issues I won’t get into.) So, getting biological waste out is good, but then the release of the compressed tissue draws in fresh fluid. The fresh fluid contains dissolved minerals, hormones, oxygen, etc. All things the cells need to maintain their function. Among those functions is repair and division. Healing of the body’s cells are very energy and resource consuming, so circulation is fundamental to the body’s repair.
There are massage techniques that are selectively destructive in their nature. This aids breaking down structural tissue that was created following injury. I’m talking about scar tissue. It was needed at the time, but scar tissue inhibits range of motion. Once the body has recovered from an initial injury then comes the process of breaking up the scar tissues so the body can resume it’s original function, as best as possible, potentially better. The human body has the biological processes to build up and break down every tissue and massage aids this.
Compounding these healing benefits, massage is calming, even the kind that beats you up can be calming. That calm is the transition from sympathetic system dominating hormone levels, to the parasympathetic system dominating hormone levels. This also aids in healing the body.
Skin is shed, hair grows, your nails grow. All your life your body is constantly repairing, and massage helps in many ways. A good massage, you’ll know it. An ok massage… that was relaxing. I would encourage you to not settle for just relaxing, when you can be better.

This was a question from Quora that I answered.

08/17/2021

Out door spaces become outdoor massage spaces.
Massage house calls offered.

06/09/2021

Pre-pandemic I kept a 15 minute window between appointments. Now it’s a 30minute window. No need to push the traffic laws and risk a ticket, I’ll be here. Chill.
I want you low stress ‘before’ and ‘after’ the massage. Help yourself going into the appointment. Take it eeeeeeeeeasy.

03/27/2021

Still Masking after Vaccination

03/23/2021

Shot #2, done. In two weeks, I’ll be considered vaccinated. Also in four weeks all the staff at Whole Athlete will be vaccinated as well.

02/06/2021

I won’t fix you, but I can set the stage for you to fix yourself. You may feel sluggish and lazy, but at a cellular level you’re very active. We can use that.

02/06/2021

Chronic ailments don’t have to be chronic.

01/27/2021

Massage is cleared! I’m still going to be masked and shielded with the air purifier running, but I can open indoor services.