Quick Tip: Ready for some forearm Deskinetics?
A lot of our Deskinetics videos deal with the upper back and neck, but as many desk workers know, our forearms can also suffer from too much work at the computer. When you’re doing a lot of typing, the muscles in your forearms can become so tight that they start to pinch nerves — causing tingling and numbness in the hands. This week’s Quick Tip is a classic Deskinetics stretch for the fascia around the forearm flexors, one area often related to forearm pain. And this video uses the magic of Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) which can be ideal if static stretches haven’t offered you relief. (If you need a refresher on AIS, check this out.) Even if your forearms aren’t bothering you, incorporating the stretch below into your daily routine can help prevent repetitive stress disorders in the future. Try it out and let us know what you...
read moreQuick Tip: Do you need support in your forward bend?
If you're struggling with discomfort in the low back, forward bends can be tricky. Maybe you've tried leaning down towards your toes and felt extreme tightness around the sacrum? Or maybe you've experienced some sharp pain heading into this posture? Either way, this week's Quick Tip is great for you: a modified forward bend that keeps your low back safe. Check out how the support of a chair, stool, or table allows the low back to release instead of straining to hold your torso up, and still gives you a solid stretch in the hamstrings and glutes. Try it out — playing with the depth that works for you — and let us know what you...
read moreQuick Tip: Have you heard about Jason’s kidney?
Support Jason & Niem Jason has dedicated the last 20 years of his life to helping others with his incredible bodywork, and he's been a member of the Psoas team for 11 years now. So, we weren't surprised when he told us he'd be donating a kidney to save his friend Niem's life. Jason's known Niem for 25 years. He watched his friend go through all the stages: diagnosis of his chronic kidney disease, following the doctor's recommendations to minimize damage, and finally dialysis and getting on the long waiting list for a kidney transplant. After a long series of tests, Jason learned that he was a compatible donor and is now preparing to donate his kidney on December 20th! We know many of you rely on Jason's work, so just a heads up that Jason will be away from Psoas as he recovers: from December 19th through February 10th. And finally, as the sole income earner in his family, Jason will need support for his wife Melanie and his three awesome daughters during the time he's away. So if you feel moved, please donate here to support Jason "massage guru"...
read moreQuick Tip: Want to go to a soccer game?
Did you hear the SF Deltas' announcment? Psoas is the official massage provider for our city's newest professional sports team! We are proud to be a part of the Deltas’ first season in San Francisco and look forward to another successful pro sports organization in our city and the revival of Kezar Stadium. It’s been really rewarding doing bodywork with the guys this season, especially because our philosophies are aligned around the importance of muscle maintenance. We'll be doing our best to help the team maintain their healthy tissue and kick some butt out there on the field. To celebrate this new partnership, we're raffling off 3 pairs of tickets to the game on Saturday, 9/9 (SF Deltas vs. Miami FC) AND a free sports massage. Love soccer and bodywork? Click here and enter your name to...
read moreQuick Tip: Want some Deskinetics for the suboccipitals?
Did you catch our anatomy lesson on the suboccipital muscles last week? In this week's Deskinetics Quick Tip, Scott Schwartz demonstrates an active isolated stretch for those small muscles at the base of the skull. This is especially important for us desk workers. Many of us spend a lot of time with our heads tipped downwards, causing the suboccipitals to fire all day. This stretch can help bring our heads into healthier alignment with our necks — easing neck and back pain, and preventing further dysfunction. It can also be really helpful for folks with tension headaches. Try it out, and let us know how it...
read moreQuick Tip: What do you know about your suboccipitals?
Pretty much everyone on our clinical team is an anatomy nerd. When we hang out in the Psoas break room, we often find ourselves in the middle of an impromptu anatomy lesson — it's pretty great! But since we don't want to keep all the fun to ourselves, we're going to start bringing the anatomy lessons to you from time to time. This week, check out a quick lesson from Scott Schwartz on the suboccipitals. The suboccipitals are a group of muscles at the base of your skull, partly responsible for the head's ability to move on the neck. Suboccipitals tend to be way overworked in desk workers, so understanding this muscle group can help make important adjustments in your movement patterns. Check it out, and let us know what you think!...
read moreQuick Tip: Ready for another doorway stretch?
Did you catch last week's tip for the lats and internal shoulder rotation? This week we're sharing another active isolated stretch that uses the good ol' doorway as a prop. It targets the pecs, and is great for drivers, desk workers, parents picking up heavy toddlers…and the list goes on. Stretching the pecs is one integral way to address the aches, pains, and serious issues that can arise from our forward-bending tendencies. The bonus with this active isolated stretch is that it both stretches the tight pecs and engages the typically weaker upper back muscles. Try it out once a day for a week, and let us know if you notice any reduction in neck and upper back pain, or a difference in your resting...
read moreQuick Tip: Are you making the most of your doorway?
We know it can be tricky to make time in your day for stretching. That's why we love finding reminders and props in our everyday environment. Doorways are especially great for this; they're everywhere, and they're awesome supports for a certain kind of upper body stretch. So check out this week's doorway Quick Tip — an active isolated stretch for the latissimus dorsi (lats). This stretch is great for desk workers, drivers and for anyone with shallow breathing or tightness around their rib cage. You'll likely feel this in the shoulders and down into the lats, but it will also get at some of the other muscles that help with the shoulder's internal rotation. Try this one out next time you walk through a doorway, and let us know how it goes. And keep an eye out for another doorway quick tip next week!...
read moreQuick Tip: Did you run in the marathon last weekend?
Congratulations to everyone who ran in the SF Marathon last weekend! If you haven't visited the clinic for a post-race recovery session yet, come on in today (7/26) or tomorrow (7/27) to get 10% off. For the most beneficial post-race session, we recommend scheduling within a 2-7 day window. And either way, we hope you'll start thinking about how bodywork can make your next race more successful, safe, and enjoyable. Here's a quick rundown of how it works… During your training, your therapist can use deep work to address acute issues, evaluate your movement patterns, and suggest stretches. Right before an event, lighter sports massage is great to flush the muscle tissue, reduce stiffness, and increase mobility — without changing too much before the race. And after the marathon, massage can help you reduce soreness, recover more quickly, and get back to training sooner. In all these sessions, your therapist can talk through what they're finding to help you become even more connected with your body and its patterns of movement. Using sports massage in this way can prevent injury, increase your time, and offer a whole host of benefits. So, let us know if you have questions. We're here and ready to design a personalized plan for your goals around the next marathon! SF Marathon – Psoas Style "I completed the SF Half Marathon last weekend and it was my first race since 2015. Without a great team for maintenance and recovery, I wouldn't have been able to complete this run without any major aches and pains. Two thumbs up to the Psoas team — especially Jenny and Kenny — for helping my muscles trigger more effectively and recover quickly!" – Lyz Abalos, Psoas front desk team...
read moreQuick Tip: When was your last Deskinetics check-in?
We're always excited about Deskinetics — a system to help combat the repetitive stress disorders so common for desk workers. (If you're new to the blog, check out past Deskinetics stretch + exercise videos like the Posterior Kinetic Chain Exercise and the AIS Pec Stretch.) But before we get moving at our desks, it's crucial to set up our workstations functionally. Check out this week's Quick Tip to make sure you have all your angles right. This can save you so much trouble later on! And as usual, if you're in pain from working at a desk, looking to consult, or want to learn more about Deskinetics for you or your business, we're here to listen. P.S. Have you been practicing Deskinetics? Send us a photo and/or testimonial. We'd love to hear how it's going! ...
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