Welcome to Psoas Massage + Bodywork

Psoas Massage + Bodywork Newsletter

Greetings!

Hello all. Welcome to our May Newsletter.

In this issue we will introduce you to a physical condition known as Lower Crossed Syndrome - very common in desk workers. Jennifer Lightstone reports on the State of Massage and how Psoas fairs in that landscape. Our partners at MVNutrition clear up the hydration debate and we announce the start of Fleet Feet's new half Marathon training program for San Francisco's home town event "The City 13.1"

We are also proud to host Marathon Matt's first endurance running Biomechanics seminar on May 13th. We are offering up a great Mother's Day Discount at Psoas and we give our definitive 10 best albums to listen to while getting a massage at Psoas all of which are also a great Mother's Day gift for Mom.

And finally, if you haven't voted yet - wouldn't it be a crime if we didn't win Best of the Bay - vote for us for best massage on the Chronicles BayList.

Peace out,
Psoas

BayList Best Mind & Body Contest

Have you benefited from our healing hands? Spread the word!

Psoas has been nominated for the first annual
San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com
BayList Best Mind & Body contest!

Click here to vote and help us win!

If you feel like writing a review for us we would truly appreciate it.
You can do so here.

Conquer the San Francisco Half Marathon with 'The City 13.1'

Team launching on Sat., May.9 @ 9:30AM!

Are you looking to conquer the San Francisco Half Marathon?
Are you looking to meet 100+ fun and fit teammates?

Look no further than 'The City 13.1' launching on Saturday, May.9 @ 9:30AM!

Here are a few reasons to join 'The City 13.1' team:

-22 professionally coached run workouts
-5 wildcard workouts focusing on core strength,
stability, and range of motion.
-A comprehensive training schedule
-An email newsletter supporting your training.
-Over 100 fun teammates to run with!
-A technical running shirt
-A $25 Fleet Feet gift card!
-Team social events (team breakfasts, bar nights, team dinners, etc.)!

Start Date: Sat., May.9 @ 9:30AM
Training:11 weeks (Sat. Mornings@ 9:30am, Tues. Nights@ 6:30pm, and every OTHER Thurs. Night @ 6:30PM)

Coached by: Marathon Matt and his coaching staff
Workout Locations:Marina Green Monkey Bars (adjacent to Marina/Webster.)
COST:$130

If you'd like to learn more about the program AND/OR SAVE $10 OFF REGISTRATION, Swing by Fleet Feet Sports @ 2076 Chestnut Street on Friday, May 8 from 5PM-7PM!
If you register in store during these days/times, the price of registration is $120.

REGISTER ONLINE FOR THE CITY 13.1!

STILL NOT SURE? Swing by the Marina Green Monkey Bars on Sat., May.9 @ 9:30AM and you're welcome to 'test drive' the program.

QUESTIONS? MARATHONMATT@MARATHONMATT.COM

Mother's Day Discount

We have two ways to save on gift certificates for your "Mom" through Mother's Day.

Purchase a gift certificate during your session at Psoas and receive $30 off the total.

Purchase one or more gift certificates and
receive $15 off each one.

Why do people need to be hydrated? What does it do for our bodies?
By: Manuel Villacorta

In our last newsletter Tim McGrath touched on the importance of hydration. We had so many questions we decided to ask the expert. Here is an in-depth look at hydration by Manual Villacorte of MV Nutrition.

Fluids: Why is consumption important?
You've probably heard that you should be drinking 8oz of water a day, but do you know why? If you are not a water drinker, should you be concerned? What about drinking coffee or tea? Read on to learn the truth about hydration.

Water Facts

50% to 70% of our bodies consist of water; water makes up most of our blood, muscles, brain, and bone.

Studies show that dehydration or water deficits of as little as 2% body weight can impair physiological performance and response.

Dehydration of 5% to 7% body weight can cause dyspnea (difficulty breathing), headaches, dizziness, and apathy.

Research also indicates that fluid consumption can affect the risk of urinary stone disease; cancers of the breast, colon, and urinary tract; childhood and adolescent obesity; mitral valve prolapse (irregular heartbeat); salivary gland function; and overall health in the elderly.

Fluids: How much do you need and what can you drink?
All of us have heard that we need to drink 8 glasses of 8 oz. cups of water a day. While most of us might try to achieve these amounts, some of us fall short. Some of us have a hard time drinking a total of 8 glasses of water a day; but if you are someone who drinks other beverages throughout the day, then you are contributing to your minimum daily fluid intake requirements!

I heart caffeine?
This brings us to the all-curious and important question: do caffeinated and carbonated beverages count as part of the required fluids a day? YES! Studies show that large doses of caffeine, about 250-300 mg, equivalent to the amount found in 2-3 cups of coffee or 5-8 cups of tea, contribute to short-term stimulation of urine output. However, a tolerance to the diuretic and other effects of caffeine develops in individuals who regularly consume coffee or tea. Normal amounts of tea, coffee, and carbonated drinks found in standard servings appear to have no diuretic effects. Therefore, non-excessive consumption of caffeinated and carbonated beverages as part of a normal lifestyle does not lead to fluid loss in excess of the amount ingested and is not associated with poor hydration status.

Don't like Water?
Studies show that water is not the only type of fluid that can account for total daily fluid intake. All types of fluids count towards hydration in varying levels, such as juice, milk, tea, and carbonated beverages. In addition, you can actually get water from eating foods such as fruit, soups, meats, and vegetables (just to name a few). At the end of the day, it is best to have at least half of your daily fluid intake from pure water and the rest can be from other drinks or food. Ofcourse, do keep in mind that the types of beverages you choose will provide varying levels of hydration as well as calories!

What does this all mean?
It is very important to get plenty of fluids throughout the day for vital bodily functions and peak physiological performance. However, if 8 glasses of water are not possible; other drinks can contribute to the daily requirement of fluid. Also, water in food could account for one third or up to one half the fluids we need throughout the day. Therefore, a recommendation of approximately 6 cups of fluids is sufficient and at least half needs be from pure water.

References
Kleiner, Susan M., PhD, RD (1999) Water: An Essential But Overlooked Nutrient. J Am Diet Assoc. 99:200-206.
R. J. Maughan, J. Griffin (2003) Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review.
Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 16 (6), 411-420.
Valtin, Heinz (2002) "Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day." Really? Is there scientific evidence for "8 X 8"? Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 283: R993-R1004

Lower Cross Syndrome
By: Scott Schwartz

A few months back we talked about Upper Crossed Syndrome and how it affects desk workers; how common it is, what the predictable characteristics are and how to avoid it. Today we will move down the body and discuss Lower Crossed Syndrome (LCS). LCS may not be seen as often as Upper Crossed Syndrome but it's still quite common in desk workers and runners - both of which we have plenty of in the Bay Area.

The characteristics of LCS are easy for a trained therapist to spot in an instant. I did an informal tally, watching about 100 people just walking down the street, and in my estimation between 35 and 40 people exhibited signs of LCS.

The common characteristics are:

Tight hip flexor muscles
Tight quadriceps muscles
Tight low back muscles

And...

Weak gluteal muscles
Weak abdominal muscles

It may also include:

Tight calf muscles
Weak hamstrings

These characteristics create a predictable posture which includes a swayback, protruding abdomen and buttocks and locked knees as seen in the picture here.

Let's discuss this from the desk worker view.
Sitting all day causes the hip flexors to shorten, and muscles shortened for a long time tend to stay shortened. This shortening or sustained contraction causes a Reciprocal inhibition, which is a neuromuscular condition that occurs when a contraction in a specific muscle causes a decrease in the nerve impulse to that muscle's functional opposite. When the muscle is contracting continuously, like it does in this case, it's opposite muscle stops firing as much and sometimes it stops completely. The desk worker tends to have increased tightness in the hip flexors. Subsequently, its opposite muscle, the gluteus maximus will have decreased neural impulse, resulting in muscular inhibition and, essentially, more weakness. Similarly, sitting for long periods of time causes the low back to tighten and subsequently the abdominal muscles (the opposite of the low back muscles) to stop firing effectively.

At Psoas, we see this condition every day and know how to decrease and even alleviate it. But due to the nature of the condition or more concisely due to the cause - sitting - getting rid of LCS is not the end of the battle, as LCS can easily return. Changing the behavior that caused LCS is just as important. When muscles tighten, even if they produce adhesions, they can be loosened, stripped, relaxed etc. When a muscle is inhibited, the releasing of its opposite muscle combined with exercises designed to both strengthen and retrain the muscle to fire properly usually do the trick.

In general, these muscle imbalances are caused by postural stress, repetitive positioning, repetitive movement, lack of core strength, lack of neuromuscular control, immobilization and decreased tissue recoverability following activity.
We see many clients that have the double wammy - they are desk workers and running athletes. The repetitive nature of running combined with the sedentary nature of desk work greatly increases the risk of LCS.

Next time you visit Psoas, we'll show you how to stretch those tight muscles and how to activate the weak ones. We will also give you a couple of tips on how to reduce your LCS risks no matter what your profession or hobby.

If you think you might have Lower Crossed Syndrome let us know - we can work it out.

Running Biomechanics/Form 101: with Marathon Matt

Wednesday May 13th 6:30pm - 7:30pm

Running is an activity that on the surface seems easy and straightforward. All you have to do is tie your shoes and put one foot in front of the other. But, consider that every footstrike can generate between 3-10 times your body weight in impact force!

Not surprisingly improper running biomechanics/form is one of the BIGGEST causes of running related aggravations/injuries. Join Marathon Matt on Wednesday, May.13 from 6:30PM-7:30PM to learn the basics of running biomechanics and form.

In just 60 minutes you'll have a better handle on how your body 'should' move when you're running and learn how this will improve your running performance and more importantly REDUCE the chances of running related aggravations and injuries.

Questions? EMAIL MARATHONMATT@MARATHONMATT.COM

Psoas Massage + Bodywork: Striving for the Best
By: Jenny Lightstone

We maintain very high standards for our therapists at Psoas Massage + Bodywork. They must have a minimum of 1000 hours of education, perform at least 500 massages with specific focus in clinical bodywork, and keep dedicated to continuing their education. We also do a "skill share" once a month where Psoas therapists come together and share ideas and new modalities that we all have learned. Our 14 therapists combined have over 120 years of practice in many different bodywork modalities as well as a breadth of credentials outside of massage such as personal training, physical therapy, Feldenkrais Method, and sports and clinical massage teaching. The Psoas Massage + Bodywork owners are clinically trained and they both practice in the studio so there is a strong connection between therapists, clients, and even our receptionists, who are trained in the industry -- one is a certified massage therapist and another is a pilates instructor.

We think it's imperative to keep to these standards, keep current with the increasingly growing world of massage and make sure that each of us at Psoas Massage + Bodywork continuously updates our skills to meet your needs and to get you feeling and moving better. With this in mind, I booked my flight to New Braunfels, Texas to attend the 4th annual World Massage Festival and study with James Waslaski, a well-known author, orthopedic massage guru, and international lecturer.

The Festival had about 250 attendees mostly from the middle of the country, and included a Symposium with all the instructors, a national massage federation, and therapists. The main topic discussed was the need to create distinctions between spa massage and medical massage; "medical massage" being the umbrella term for all sorts of clinical bodywork like orthopedic massage, sports massage, trigger point, neuromuscular, A.R.T., myofascial work and any other modality that is meant to treat conditions. The goal of the symposium was to discuss how to make insurance companies recognize massage as a modality that can rehabilitate people and heal injuries, and therefore get them to begin to cover massage treatments.

Massage is still in its infancy in forming national standards of practice. Many states don't even have regulations about licensing and hours it takes to get certified, including California. We have created such intense hiring practices at Psoas, forming our own strict requirements for our therapists, because we know that an experienced and well trained team can actually help our clients' conditions and help get your body feeling better.

One of the greatest parts of the conference for me was the great James Waslaski, who shares the same passion as Psoas, in the belief of the art and science of bodywork and its ability to get people better. His process is broken down into a 3-part process, which in my opinion should be the basis of all clinical bodywork.

These are also general categories that most Psoas bodywork sessions will fit into:

Thorough assessment of the client to figure out exactly what to treat
Clinical bodywork
Self-care program

1. Assessment

James does a specific muscle testing program with every client to figure out exactly which muscle is weak and inhibited and which muscle has the adhesion that is causing a problem.

At Psoas, this process starts with your initial phone call, where receptionists are trained to get you the most appropriate therapist, and each therapist has their own method for muscle testing. This can be done by active or passive range of motion before the client even gets on the table, postural analysis, and then feeling the specific muscle tissue.

2. Clinical Bodywork

James uses myofascial release, trigger point therapy, cross-fiber or multi-directional friction, eccentric contractions, and stretching to get rid of the adhesions, congested tissue, or tender areas in the body, and he is able to facilitate the healing process with every client.
The Psoas therapists' expansive toolbox includes the modalities listed above in addition to sports massage, neuromuscular therapy, active release technique, and deep tissue. Psoas is able to really treat your muscle tissue and help you work through injuries.

3. Self-Care

James is very strict in ensuring his clients agree to a self-care program which includes pain-free stretching and strengthening, and he will not continue to see clients if they do not adhere to this part of the treatment. He supplies clients with therabands for stretching and strengthening and informative sheets with a client's specific program on it.
We are not quite that strict at Psoas(!), but the more you can get involved the sooner you will get better and the longer you will stay that way. Psoas therapists each have their unique way of providing you with a self-care program whether it is stretches, strengthening, foam roller exercises, healthy toes, using the stick, etc. We designed our stretching guide to be used very easily via our website, so you have a visual to remind yourself of your exercises. It is our goal to work with you to figure out what's happening in your daily life that is causing you problems, and helping you to make the changes you need to stay healthy.

It was a great honor to train with James Waslaski, and I am continuously amazed at how awesome the massage industry is. There is never a limit to learning in this field, and new research and modalities are being found and developed every day to help us to treat you in a non-invasive, non-surgical way. I am very proud to be reminded that Psoas ranks in the top echelon of clinical bodywork in San Francisco and around the country, and it is my promise to you that we will always strive to be the best so that we can help you be your best.

May 2009