I injured myself in the kitchen last week and managed to slice a small piece of my pinky finger off (Ouch!). I’ve had to cancel a number of appointments and move them to late June/July, and I’m hoping to start back to work this week sometime on a reduced schedule.

At this point, I don’t have many open appointments, so please give me a call if you’d like to be placed on the cancellation list.

I apologize for having to cut back on sessions while I get my finger back in shape - I’m ready to be working, but my pinky isn’t quite there yet. While it might be an interesting marketing angle to be “Heather the Nine-Fingered Massage Therapist,” I think I’d rather pass and just be Heather Wibbels, LMT.

This newsletter includes information on combining massage with outdoor activity in the summer and some more information on craniosacral therapy – a modality I recently started studying.

- heather wibbels (615.294-6672)

Getting a massage after a day spent at the pool or the lake is a wonderful idea, but take a few precautions when you know you’ll be spending time outdoors in the hot sun before or after getting your massage.

Massage therapists remind their clients to drink water after every massage. In the summer, this is even more critical. Massage uses the additional water to process and remove the waste products from the massaged muscles and invigorated lymph system to rid the body of those toxins. When hot, the body sweats, using water to create perspiration that cools the surface of the skin and lowers body temperature. If the body is using the water for perspiration, it may not have all it needs to properly revitalize your system after a massage.

Here are a few tips to make sure you get the most out of your massage in the summer – and that you stay healthy in the sun:

Drink up before you go. If you’re getting a massage after spending a portion of the day out in the hot sun, make sure you are well-hydrated before arriving for your massage. Sweat removes water from the body, dehydrating it as it uses water to cool the body’s temperature. Staying hydrated before, during and after your massage keeps you from suffering heat exhaustion, which, if left untreated, develops into a dangerous medical condition called heat stroke. It also keeps you from developing headaches, nausea or intestinal problems that can result from drinking less water than your body needs after a massage.

Massage on sunburn hurts! If you have sunburn that’s still red, cancel your massage or avoid any work on burned areas of skin. Sunburned skin is easily irritated, and getting massage on skin that’s burned can itch, burn, or sting. If you get a bad sunburn the day before a massage, call to cancel or inform your massage therapist the day before the session. You might have to avoid work on sunburned areas at all, or modify the massage to use only light pressure. Ask the massage therapist to put a little lavender essential oil in the lotion or oil she’s using. Lavender soothes sunburned skin. Use an aloe lotion or cream on your skin before and after the massage to soothe the skin as well.

Out in the sun afterwards? If you plan working outside for any extended period of time after your massage, you must keep drinking water. Massage therapists ask clients to avoid any exercise or exertion for about 24 hours after a massage. If you find yourself in a situation where you are in the heat, or working in the sun, make sure you are drinking a lot of water – at least ½ - 1 liter per hour. Take plenty of breaks in the shade, and check for signs of nausea, dizziness, muscle cramps, heavy sweating, cold/clammy skin, headaches or rapid heart beat. These are symptoms of heat exhaustion, the precursor to heat stroke (in heat stroke, the body loses its ability to regular temperature altogether, and requires immediate medical attention (call 911) to avoid serious injury or death). If you find yourself with any of these symptoms of heat exhaustion, get out of the heat immediately, start drinking a lot of water and seek medical attention).

Re-apply sunblock after the massage. If you’ll be outside after a massage, remember to apply sunscreen. If you the massage therapist used oil or an oil-based lotion rather than water-based lotion, the best course of action is to take a shower to wash off the oil, then apply the sunscreen and/or wear protective clothing. Decades ago, sun worshippers used Crisco or cooking oil to intensify the color they received while tanning. Today, we know the dangerous connection of tanning to skin cancer. Remember that massage oils have the same effect on the skin as Crisco and cooking oils before you head out to the pool after your massage so you don’t sauté your skin while in the sun. As always, drink lots of water after your massage, and continue to make sure you are hydrated through the afternoon and evening.

Common sense precautions can keep your massage and your skin in good shape when you combine bodywork with outdoor activities. Have fun in sun, use sunblock, and drink plenty of water.

More on Massage: Craniosacral Therapy
Effective light-touch therapy treats myofascial dysfunction

Craniosacral Therapy (CST), a modality of massage researched and developed by Dr. John Upledger, uses light touch to feel and manipulate pulsations of the craniosacral system. This system is contained within a membrane that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord – all the way down to the sacral area. It consists of both the membrane surrounding them as well as the cerebrospinal fluid contained in the system. The theory behind it states that injuries to the body, especially those involving the head, neck and back, affect the flow and pulse rate of the craniosacral fluid – which can cause many different kinds of symptoms throughout the entire body. “The role of this system in the development and performance of the brain and spinal cord is so vital that an imbalance or dysfunction in it can cause sensory, motor and/or neurological disabilities” according to the Upledger Institute.

Dr. Upledger was assisting in neck surgery when he observed a slight pulse on the membrane surrounding the spinal cord – this pulse rate differed from both heart and breath rate. Further research at Michigan State University (using Cranial Osteopathy, Kirlian photography and acupuncture) revealed evidence of the pulsation of the system, and the interaction between the bones of the head and spine and the free movement of the fluid within the system. A healthy pulse rate for the craniosacral system was determined to be 10-12 pulses per second, but pulses less than or greater than that rate were often associated with dysfunctions within the body. Myofascial restrictions throughout the body pull, tug and twist the supporting fascial structure connected to the dural tube and the CS system.

Evaluation of the craniosacral system is done through hands-on work. The practitioner places her hands on the head, spine or sacrum of the patient, and evaluates the pulse rate and myofascial movement at different places in the system, locating any blockages or restricted areas that may be causing problems. Evaluating and treating the system requires a soft, deft touch, and sensitivity to the craniosacral rhythms through the fingers. Using a light touch, the practitioner loosens the restricted areas. Sometimes a single session is enough to promote healing. More often, multiple, regular visits to a practitioner are required to manage and "decrease/diminish" the symptoms resulting from craniosacral imbalance.

CST can be very effective in treating head, neck and back injuries resulting from an accident. Used in children, it can treat the effects of birth trauma and reduce restrictions in the craniosacral system in infants and small children. Stress-related problems are often helped through the therapy – headaches, anxiety, TMJ and digestion issues have been successfully treated with CST. In addition, its' relation to the nervous system makes it a treatment viable for such problems as “eye-motor coordination problems, autism, dyslexia, loss of taste or smell, tinnitus, vertigo and neuralgias” (the Upledger Institute).

• The Upledger Institute
• Shareguide: An Interview with Dr. Upledger
• Association for Comprehensive Neurotherapy: Interview with Dr. Upledger