Getting a massage or bodywork is no longer just for luxury. Finding a talented, experienced bodyworker that can help eliminate body dysfunction and educate you on stretching, strengthening and other biomechanical habits can have a profound effect on the alleviation of pain and discomfort, the prevention of injury and the ability to increase the longevity of your active life.

The concept of "Bodywork for Life" is borne of the combined bodywork experience of Psoas owners, Scott and Jennifer. They have found that maintaining a bodywork plan designed for one's personal activity type and level, stress, posture, work, habits, and individual body health can dramatically increase overall wellness.

This concept can not be over exaggerated in the case of desk workers. When you do certain activities, like sitting in the same position for long periods of time or using a mouse or keyboard all day, every day, for years, your muscles tend to get and stay tight. Keep this in mind when reading these next couple of paragraphs.

Introducing Fascia
Fascia is a truly amazing substance that is pervasive throughout the body. If you have cooked a chicken breast, the shiny substance that holds the fibers of the breast together is fascia. It surrounds muscles and surrounds single muscle fibers. It coats sections of the body and allows single fibers to slide over other fibers. When you have a trauma, the fascia gets very tight - it is said that fascia can have the tensile strength of steel but remember it is thinner than Saran Wrap. When you run, fascia becomes well lubricated so that the muscle fibers can move independently over each other.

When fascia sticks to other fascia or muscle, tendons, ligament etc... it is called an adhesion. Adhesions are not good yet most everyone has a few at least. Sitting in the same position, not stretching after workouts, not enough water intake, repetitive motion, overuse, injury and many other situations increase the occurrence of adhesions.

As we age, we begin to stop creating the enzymes that naturally combat the accumulation of adhesions in the body. This begins in your mid to late twenties. Most people notice that they heal slower, stay sore longer after workouts and just feeling more achy around this age. It is often due to adhesion build-up and the inability to naturally self regulate them through biological means.

Over time adhesions cause muscles to work harder and often cause the body to compensate by using other secondary muscles to do the job of adhered muscles. Its not that the adhered muscles do not work but that they now have to move an attached structure when asked to contract. When muscles can not move independently of each other you effectively are weaker; using stronger contractions in order to accomplish even the simplest task - such as clicking a mouse. Before long the muscles that are helping can become adhered as well.

As adhesions continue to remain untreated they begin to limit the amount of blood flow to the muscles and become leathery to the touch. Leathery muscles are created by hundreds of muscle fibers, adhered to each other, with poor blood flow and subsequent poor oxygenation becoming one solid cord. When muscles become leathery like this, they tend to limit range of motion and cause tension on tendons and the bones they are attached to. Continued tension will cause overuse syndromes and pain at the site and often in related muscles, bones and ligaments. Also, prolonged tension often causes impingement to nerves and neurological symptoms, often away from the area of tension, such as numbness, tingling loss of strength and pain. Quite often, as time progresses, muscles that are compensating for these compromised muscles begin the same journey.

This cycle of adhesion production and the creation of compromised leathery muscles can take as little as 3 months. Sadly, many people never have these muscles treated and simply believe that their aching neck or knee or tight calf is just part of who they are - something they have to live with. The cycle can be broken after muscles become compromised but may take weeks or months to regain health. Our goal is to help as many as possible completely avoid the cycle leading to bodily pain and discomfort.

Regular visits to Psoas, either after treatment of compromised muscles or proactively, before the formation of serious adhesions, can easily eliminate bodily aches and pains before they begin. Thereafter, having an experienced bodywork therapist who understands your personal habits, activities and the intricacies specific to your body will help you enjoy less pain, more flexibility, more strength and more ability to enjoy the activities you love.

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Artisan Stretch

This is for all of you who have repetitive stress in your arms - carpal tunnel-like symptoms.

Everyone is built slightly different so this is a generalization but if you adhere to these points your desk should be set up relatively, ergonomically sound. With that said, an ergonomic evaluation may be warranted if pain persists, gets worse or if your company provides it. If pain increases substantially, seek help; you could contact Psoas or another provider of physical healthcare.

Note that increased pain from an ergonomic change is not uncommon, even if it is helpful. When your desk setup is poor, your body will start to adapt to it (not good). So a change will have your body adapting again which could come along with some discomfort. Again, if its bad seek help.

Class begins:

• Adjust your seat so that your feet are placed firmly on the ground or on a foot rest.

• Both knee angle and hip angle should be 90 degrees to 120 degrees. (Less than 90 degrees will have you shortening and subsequently unnecessarily tightening your hip flexors and upper calves and lower hamstrings)

• Now let your arms fall from your shoulders naturally.

• Place your hands on the keyboard. The angle at your elbow should be 120 degrees. Use a keyboard tray to lower the keyboard if needed - it rarely needs to be raised. (The body does not like it when the arms have to reach up for the keyboard so it adjusts by contracting the upper trapezius muscle on the tops of your shoulders. This will leave your shoulders tight and over used. We find this to be the number one area of complaint in desk workers)

• Your eyes should be level with the top of the monitor.
  

Also note:

• Arm rests tend to raise shoulders upward - keep them low enough to have your shoulders extended down fully or remove them - I take mine off.

• Back rests should be used for rest - continuous use will weaken your core and make your back muscles lazy. Use it if needed but try to practice sitting up straight on your own.

• Sit forward enough that the backs of your knees are not pressing against the chair.

• Try to avoid lurching your neck forward.

• Avoid too much bending at the wrists.

Simple but effective. See if it helps or ask for professional help.

San Francisco has been voted the country's top running city. San Francisco's US Half Marathon embraces this top designation by creating a course that boasts the world's most renowned landmarks, including a roundtrip across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Join us on April 11, 2010 for the event that has been voted Best of the Bay by Competitor Magazine, since 2002.

Psoas Massage + Bodywork is the exclusive Massage team for the US Half Marathon, and will be providing post-run sports massage after the race.

Use the code "PSOAS10" to receive $10 off your entry fee.

Sign up and pay for your pre or post race massages here.