The Massage Geek^® Blog

Is it essential to stretch and be flexible? I think yes, it is. Can a person stretch too much? Yes. Here is a very interesting New York Times article about the economy of flexibility. According to them, the more flexible a runner is the lower their performance. And they are probably right.

For years I have been telling my clients to NOT stretch before an event for this very reason. Instead, I recommend they stretch AFTER an event. But the purpose is not to lengthen a muscle or stretch out tendons and ligaments. The purpose is to separate the fibers and layers of tissue to prevent adhesions. THAT kind of suppleness will serve you quite well. And I think that is why resistance stretching is so effective. The best analogy I can think of is those 3M Command adhesive strips. Pull them taut and slow, voilà! Unstuck.

Someone might say “But Lynn, if you are more flexible you can extend further and your running stride will be longer and more fluid.” I would answer “Yes. If you are STRONG at your end-range.” If your are just loose and weak, the flexibility will not improve your performance and possibly will be detrimental. Hm. I see opportunity for injury here. I surmise this weakness is why the loose feeling after a stretch does not last (as mentioned in the article). This is why resistance stretching is doubly effective. It builds strength at the end-range.

I’m starting to sound like a commercial for resistance stretching. That is not my intention. Resisted and passive stretching make good partners. Passive stretching seems to target the attachments and tendons while resisted stretching seems to target the belly of the muscle.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

“…they found that, across the board, the tightest runners were the most economical. This was true throughout the groups and within the genders. The inflexible men were more economical than the women, and for both men and women, those with the tightest hamstrings had the best running economy. They also typically had the fastest 10-kilometer race times. Probably, the researchers concluded, tighter muscles allow “for greater elastic energy storage and use” during each stride. Inflexibility, in other words, seems to make running easier.”

A few weeks ago I posted a blog on the definition of massage and outlined what I thought to be the three overall categories of therapeutic massage based on desired outcome.  Well, after seeing Dara Torres with her trainers I had to create a new category.

So here is the new list:

Four Types of Therapeutic Massage

1. Relaxation Includes Swedish, Full-body, Fluff-n-buff, etc.
2. Corrective Includes Deep Tissue, Clinical, Medical, Orthopedic, etc.
3. Conditioning Includes Sports Massage, Resistance Stretching, etc.
4. Energetic Includes Shiatsu, Reiki, etc.

The new category is “conditioning.”  A Conditioning Massage is one that seeks to improve the texture, flexibility, and strength of healthy soft tissue with the overall goal of enhancing performance and endurance.

Wow!

The Olympics are so much fun to watch. I’m especially interested in the career of Dara Torres as she and I are the same age. The difference is that she has an exquisitely sculpted body. While I don’t. NBC aired a feature of Dara Torres receiving a massage and stretching routine from two trainers. It was waayyy different from a relaxation massage and different from the corrective massage that I do. Perhaps I will have to add a fourth category to my list of massage types.

Would the new category be Sports Massage? I just taught a class on Sports Massage and it didn’t include anything like what I saw being demonstrated. The trainers were literally mashing Dara’s muscles with their feet before some stretching. I did some research and discovered it actually is called “mashing” (!) and “resistance stretching.”

Currently, the type of corrective massage that I do is best suited for athletes who have chronic issues with old injuries. I do my share of mashing and it’s good stuff.  I sent an email to the trainer who developed the protocol, Bob Cooley, asking about training and certification in this method. I can’t wait to hear from him!

Here are some links and articles about this type of massage/stretching:

• Olympic Swimmer Credits Trainers With State Ties
• Dara’s current trainers
• Bob Cooley and his story
• The Today Show video
• Training Secrets of Dara Torres A great article with very practical tips for even the most modest athlete.
• Dara Reveals Her Secret Weapon This link was recommended by a reader of my blog.

I did a quick search on YouTube.com for Bob Cooley and also for Dara Torres.  Both searches resulted in a few good videos.

Are you an athlete undergoing intensive training in the Minneapolis area?  Would you be willing to let me practice this technique on you?  Send me an email!

Speaking of massage therapy for cancer patients, this article appeared today:

Massage therapist works with cancer patients

Ran across this article today on WashingtonPost.com:

How well do you know your Massage Therapist?

The article is about the lack of government regulation of some medical professions that fall under the heading of “Complementary and Alternative Medicine,” or “CAM” for short.  Examples include acupuncture, naturopathy, massage therapy, and many more.

I’m really glad that people are discussing this issue.  I live in Minnesota, a state that does very little to regulate or support alternative therapies, especially massage therapy.  The only thing that Minnesota requires of a massage therapist is that they disclose what kind of training they have had, if any, and tell clients where they can file a complaint with the State.  The State does not require them to actually have training… or insurance… or a clean work space… or a background check.  This means that the letters after a therapist’s name like CMT (Certified Massage Therapist) or LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist) have no meaning in Minnesota.  There is no regulatory agency that oversees the use of those credentials.

In other words, the following people can legitimately call themselves a professional Massage Therapist in Minnesota and use LMT or CMT behind their name:  sex offenders, pedophiles, rapists, convicted felons, parolees, prostitutes, etc.

Extreme examples, I know.  Some municipalities recognize a problem with that kind of laxity.  So they have taken it upon themselves to create city regulations.  I chose to locate my office in St. Paul because they do require a license and they do background checks and they do site inspections.  It’s not cheap  (~$300).  But I happily pay the fee each year for their seal of approval. Unfortunately, if I want to do a massage at someone’s home in Burnsville, I have to get a Burnsville massage license (~$10).  If I want to do chair massage in Minnetonka, I have to get a Minnetonka license (~$1,000).  But I can do anything I want in Minneapolis.  No requirements there.

There is an active group of massage therapists in Minnesota trying to create statewide regulation.  Here is their website:
Alliance for Licensing Massage Therapists (ALMT)

If you are looking for a massage therapist in your area, please make sure they are licensed.  In addition, here are some acronyms to look for:

NCTM = “Nationally Certified Therapist of Massage”
NCTMB = “Nationally Certified Therapist of Massage and Bodywork”
website

ABMP = “Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals”
ACMT = “ABMP Certified Massage Therapist”
website

AMTA = “American Massage Therapy Association”
website

In a future post, I will discuss the bias embedded in the words “complementary” and “alternative.”

Sincerely,

Lynn K. Patricia, NCTMB, ACMT
Professional Member of AMTA