MoveWell Belleville

Deep tissue does not equal deep pressure.

And not all therapists do deep tissue treatment.

Tissues layer, from superficial to deep. The intention with deep tissue treatment is to get to the.... deeper tissues! The more superficial a muscle is, the less pressure required to access it.

So let's have a conversation about pressure.

"Go as hard as you can!", "take your anger out on me", "I have a high pain tolerance so I can take as much as you can give"....

These are things I hear on a regular basis. But they negate our abilities as professionals to be able to determine the appropriate pressure based on the tissues necessary to treat.

Let's take trapezius for example, everyone's favorite muscle. It is superficial, with that knowledge, I do not need to dig too far in order to access it.

Massage therapy can no more lengthen your muscles, squash knots, or breakup tissue, anymore than it can strengthen you or make you more functional. It is passive.

What it does do, is calm your sympathetic nervous system (your fight or flight). Temporarily reducing pain and opening up range of motion.

If I needlessly dig into tissue with too much pressure, I run the risk of agitating your nervous system, creating more tension in the process.

With appropriate pressure, we can relax tissue that is over stimulated, without needing to bite down on a piece of wood.

Yes, pressure can feel good. "The good pain". Anyone can rip into tissue, a good therapist finds the effective middle ground between not enough and too much.

I draw the line when you can't breathe! You tensing up and holding your breath to get through it helps no one.

So the next time you go for a massage, and ask for deep tissue, or more pressure. Consider what is necessary vs what feels good, also ask if they even do deep tissue before assuming. We are trained therapists, we are constantly assessing and working towards the best course of outcome for you. Which isn't being sore for a week after your treatment.

Trust your RMT and have a conversation about pressure with them, before thinking you need as much as possible.
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www.movewellbelleville.com

While I look forward to seeing all your beautiful faces again someday soon, masks will still be required until further notice during your visits to MoveWell.

Thank you for your ongoing understanding and support!

It's never just one thing.

It's never just muscle, never only joint, never only whatever.

Everything in the body is continuous. Our muscles flow into tendons, your tendons flow into ligaments, ligaments into other connective tissues that form your joint capsule. The deepest stuff.

It's all connected, and it all responds to your nervous system, from the movements that you make to the sensations that you feel.

Your nervous system is what I work on, what I aim to achieve an effect on, using both manual techniques and movement training.

We are one with everything, and because of that, you can never just work on one thing or one spot, to fix everything. There is no one technique or exercise that will fix you.

Because of that, sometimes we have to improve your breathing to help you stretch properly, improve joint function and capacity before adding load, or work on mindfulness to reduce chronic tension. This is also why sometimes why just doing yoga to be flexible doesn't work, or you've been lifting the weights but still in pain.

It's never just one thing.
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www.movewellbelleville.com

Happy Holidays from me, myself, and I at MoveWell Belleville!

The clinic is now closed until January 3rd. If you need to reach me at all during the next couple weeks, please feel free to email me at [email protected].

I'm really happy to share that through PennyKnits, we were able to raise $1000 for Fixed Fur Life! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this cause!

Thank you to all of my wonderful patients for making this year incredible. I'm so grateful to have such kind and generous people that put so much trust and faith in me. I'm wishing you all a very merry and relaxing Christmas and looking forward to seeing you in the New Year!

This year, I wanted to find a way to give back to my community. So I teamed up with my mom, Penny, to help raise some funds for , especially heading into these cold months when so many babies will be in need of help.

Fixed Fur Life is an organization that is near and dear to my heart. They are a non profit organization that takes in strays, providing health care and safe lodgings until they are ready to be adopted into loving furever homes.

I took advantage of Penny's mad knitting skills and had her create some beautiful pieces to keep you warm this winter!

We have a limited quantity of handmade socks, mitts, headbands, and dish cloths up for sale. Roughly 18 hours goes into one pair of socks, Penny has been working hard this past year, putting her whole heart into everything she knits.

100% of the funds made from this will go straight to Fixed Fur Life and the animals that they help.

I will be selling PennyKnits in the clinic. Keep in mind I am a one woman act and the clinic door is locked while I am with patients. However, feel free to message me through Instagram, by email at [email protected], or by phone at 613-967-7887, if you would like to set up a time to pop by and check them out!

Assessments are a key part of your massage therapy treatment.

A thorough assessment is my guide to an effective treatment.

From the moment you walk in the door, I'm assessing your energy and how you're feeling. Once in the treatment room I'm subjectively assessing what's bringing you in, what do you feel and what are your goals?

Objectively I assess how you move, your limitations, and what you feel when you move. I want to know what tissues are causing dysfunction and what type of treatment would best address your concerns.

On the table I continue to assess joint ranges, muscle tension, your ability to relax, and how you breathe.

My assessments on and off the table guide me to prescribing mobility exercises and self care that will best serve your body and lifestyle.

Massage Therapy is more than just pushing on the sore spots. Assessments are used so I can w**d out possibilities, address the correct tissues, and get to the root of your issues to help restore balance and function.
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www.movewellbelleville.com