Quick Tip: How well do you know your nervous system?
Our bodies are enormously complex. And it’s not just about the bones, muscles, and tendons. It’s also about the nervous system, which transmits sensory information between the brain and all corners of the body. Sometimes, working directly with the tissue and bones is not enough. We have to focus on the neurological impediments to recovery and well-being. That’s why our clinical team is always thinking about how massage speaks to the nervous system. But we go deeper than that, too. When our tissue therapists identify physical...
read moreQuick Tip: Want to address your neck tension at home?
This week we’re getting a-head of neck tension (pun intended) by discussing an important set of muscles that stabilize the head. The sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles run from the bottom front of the neck all the way up to the ear. And they can become chronically tight when you spend long periods with your head leaning forward — whether sitting at a computer or looking at your phone. When this tension goes unaddressed, it can cause further pain and tension throughout the neck, shoulders, and back. If you want to...
read moreQuick Tip: Do you have your best foot forward?
Your feet feel the effects of whatever activity keeps you going: whether you’re ramping up training, walking, standing, or sitting still. So while we’ve been showing you some great tools for your low back and legs lately, this week we want to zero in on the feet. Many of our clients find tension building up in the fascia that runs from the toes to the heel. And when we don’t address that tension early on, it can lead to problems like plantar fasciitis. So check out this week’s Quick Tip from the archive for a variety...
read moreQuick Tip: How are you recovering after the race?
After a big event like the SF Marathon, some runners are in a rush to get back to training. But we believe prioritizing recovery is just as important as ramping up for your next big race! During your recovery period, we recommend giving yourself time for nice, long static stretches that address the tension that built-up while training. As runners, you’re likely familiar with hamstring tension and the classic static hamstring stretch we’re sharing today. But we invite you to use this moment to check-in and make sure your stretching...
read moreQuick Tip: Are you ready to race?
The San Francisco Marathon is nearly here! Are you ready? If you need support to get the most out of your last training days, we’re here to help. Our clinical team works with runners preparing for events all year round. And we love offering pre-race sports massage to help increase range of motion, prevent injury, and reduce recovery time. If you have questions about how bodywork can support your goals for the marathon, just give our intake specialists a call! In the meantime, we’re sharing a great runner’s warm-up from our library...
read moreQuick Tip: Want to create more space in the low back?
Relief from pain often comes with a sense of freedom in the body. Many of you seek us out when feeling tight and compressed, and are amazed at how our bodywork can facilitate more length and openness. Still, it can be tricky to maintain that feeling in your daily life! And whether you’re training hard, sitting for long days at a desk, or just living in gravity — compression in the low back is particularly common. This week’s Quick Tip from the archive is a great Active Isolated Stretch (AIS) that invites you to reach out of...
read moreQuick Tip: Have you checked-in with your quads today?
Many of us — desk workers, walkers, cyclists, and runners — frequently move through the world with our hips in flexion. This often results in short quad muscles that can cause tightness in the hips and back. If you’ve looked for a good stretch to lengthen those quads, you’ve probably come across the common stretch that requires balancing on one leg. It’s a great one, but it’s not for everyone. For some, the balancing piece can be difficult and, for others, it doesn’t deliver a deep enough stretch....
read moreQuick Tip: Want a quick activation for the legs?
When clients ask us for the best pre-workout warmups, we often recommend active stretches. This technique requires you to use certain muscle groups in order to stretch others. And it’s a great way to lengthen some muscles, activate others, and promote blood flow — everything you need before pushing your body to jump, dance, run, or lift. In this week’s Quick Tip from the archive, Jenny Lightstone shows proper form for a great and simple active stretch: leg swings. The series helps stretch the hip flexors, hamstrings, IT...
read moreQuick Tip: Want to relax while you open up the pecs?
Many members of our clinical team assign pec stretches as homework between sessions. It’s often clinically indicated because so many of our clients work at desks, or in professions that require them to frequently reach and bend forward. These activities often lead to tight pec muscles, and tight pecs can end up pulling you farther forward. Over time, these patterns can lead to pain and misalignment, and you might find them playing a role far from the desk — like as you train for the Rock n’ Roll Marathon this coming...
read moreQuick Tip: Ready for your next alignment tip?
Did you catch the first stretch in chiropractor Dr. Katherine McCarty’s 7-point posture program? Katherine compiled this series of stretches to help us counteract our forward-bending tendencies — and to address the neck and back discomfort those patterns often cause. This week, we’re sharing the second and third points in the program: stretches for the Trapezius and Levator Scapulae. Take a little break from your desk today, and follow along with the video below! While practicing these stretches regularly can point us in the...
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