Free Sports Massage Clinic

Do you need a sports massage?  How about joining us for our free sports massage clinic?

We are looking for volunteers who can commit to 2hours on either Tuesday 23^rd or Wednesday 24th August and would like to be assessed and treated for an injury or condition that they may have - You're more than suitable if you are recovering from an injury, have an unresolved injury, have aches and pains from training or one or more of the following: Tight hamstrings, a stiff neck, sore elbows, weak ankles, tight calf muscles, knee problems, sore shoulders, sore hips.

Treatments will be carried out by our sports injuries & massage diploma students on the last days of their course and their tutor, Jane Johnson, Chartered Physiotherapist, will be facilitating the day.  All students are skilled in the assessment of a wide range of injuries, including those in the hand and wrist, knee, shoulder and hips and fully insured for their practise.

The clinic is free to all attendees and held at The British School of Osteopathy in Borough (BSO) Teaching Centre, 275 Borough High Street (http://www.bso.ac.uk/mm6cnts.htm)

Slots are 2hourly and are as follows:

09.30 - 11.30

12.00 - 14.00  

15.00 - 17.00

During this time the students will carry out an assessment of your injury/condition before carrying out your treatment.  All the students and clinic attendees will be in one room together and you will be seen on a one to-one basis. It is highly likely that, you will be removing an item/s of clothing but the usual massage protocol and discretion will be followed by the students at all times. 

Before your time slot is confirmed, we ask that you fill in and return to us, preferably by email, the questionnaire attached.  The questionnaire not only rules out conditions unsuitable for sports massage but also helps us ascertain how best to treat you on the day. Thank you. We are taking bookings on a first come first serve basis and please keep in mind that if you have more than one condition or area that needs assessing we will only be able to look at and treat one specific problem on the day.

Please feel free to pass these details on to anyone you think could benefit from on the day and ask them to be in touch.

Look forward to booking you in!

Warm wishes

Zoë & Jane

Newsletter 28

Asking for What You Want

Do you remember....In the previous newsletter I encouraged you to tell people what you wanted, arguing that the more people who know about it, the more likely your wishes are to be satisfied. We had this email in from Eleanora Lawson. "My husband and I tried to convert the loft space we have on top of hour heads, for two years now. We had problems and delay along the way.
Fortunately it didn't cause too much stress but it's something that we really wanted and need done!!!!   During this two years we where able to receive permission and everything, we where just missing the right construction company to come along. And it did! Just after that e-mail where I shared with you my dream of having more living space!!! So thank you for allowing the energy to flow!" Others on the list...... 
- I want a garden and a dog


- to succeed as a massage therapist and have a popular wellness centre in the north London area


- to be able to earn and make a living out of my passion and business idea


- a baby


- the best for the people I love, and for my husband to find a more supportive team to work with and a better environment to be in


- the all word to experience the positive benefits of touch. The all word experiencing the power of nurturing touch since young age!


What's on your list?

A Tasty Experiment

Last month I participated in a collective tasty experiment. I was invited to be part of a recipe exchange concept. I received an email from a friend who, like me loves cooking and was asked to send a quick and easy recipe that didn't contain rare ingredients to the person whose name as first on the list. The recipe was preferably one you know by heart so you could type it out there and then and one you could make when you are short of time. After you send your recipe to the person in position 1, and only to that person, you move yourself into position two (the send-ee to position one) and then you email 20 friends asking them to do the same, and so on.


In theory you should receive 36 recipes in a relatively short amount of time, perhaps from someone you don't know depending on how wide the circle has gone, but I waited, and waited.........still waiting......! But hey ho, it was worth a try and I hope my recipient enjoyed my recipe -
- Take 4 x good sized pork chops (1 per person)
- 2 x 400g tins of cannellini/or butter beans
- 250g of fresh smoked bacon bits (lardons in French!)
- several sprigs of fresh thyme
- salt & pepper
- Season your pork chops with salt, pepper and some of the thyme leaves. Grill your pork chops until cooked (!) and a little crispy ( between 5-7mins each side depending on their side)
- Mean while, in a dry pan, fry off your lardons on a medium heat until just golden (no extra oil needed). Once golden add your 2 cans of cannellini beans and the rest of the fresh tyhme, stir occasionally and continue to cook whilst the pork is cooking and resting.The beans should begin to take on a creamy look/consistancy - this is when you know they're good.
- When your chops are cooked, leave them to rest for 5 mins but keep the fat and the juices collected to one side as at the last minute add the pork juices/fat to the beans and stir in for a further 1 minute. then Voila! Ready to serve it all.


For a lower fat version, you don't need to add the pork juices/fat, but this can make all the difference between good and great : )

Mechanical Massage

Also last month, loads of you loved the link to the massage tools that we included. So, for those of you who took the plunge and popped your 'tool cherry' and even those of you who'd like to be re-inspired and give your hands and thumbs a break, perhaps our Mechanical Massagearticle will be just the thing!

Scary Scapula Stuff

Did any of you see that photo of Heather Mills next to an image of her fractured scapula? She hit a plastic pole during slalom training and a massive chunk fractured off her lateral border, for which she apparently does not need any surgery. I'm curious to know how the rehabilitation for that goes.

Rhomboid Pain

Interested in rhomboid pain on the medial border of the scapula? This is the article I'm always on about Cervical Diskography: A Contribution to the Etiology and Mechanism of Neck, Shoulder and Arm Pain by Ralph B. Cloward (Submitted for publication January 20, 1959, revised May 15, 1959). Now you have the link so can download the whole article for free! Thank you Mr Cloward!

Travels in Thailand

In early May I returned from 15 days trekking, riding elephants, washing elephants, zip wiring, rafting, abseiling, snorkeling, swimming, mountain biking, riding the sky train, riding the Bangkok-Chang Mai sleeper train, long massages, slow walks, sitting in a swing seat watching the waves lap the shore whilst sipping something red with glacé cherries, the like of which have been banned in Europe for the last 10 years.


At Kanchanoburi we visited the Bridge on the River Kwai and then walked a little of the Hellfire Pass. It was incredibly hot, hardly any visitors, and under large leaved tropical trees the air still and silent at The Pass itself. Lizards fixed to rocks. The snap of occasional twig. I thought about the men who had died here in such extreme conditions, trying to hew rock in this humidity. On return to London I immediately bought a copy of The Railway Man by POW survivor Eric Lomax and read it in two sittings.In Bangkok I took Jake walking an old railway line. 'That's the slums' said our guide without looking up. Obviously off the tourist track and quite disinteresting to someone who prefers to show visitors the Royal Palaces. Under the flyover a woman had set up a 'cafe', four tables covered in vinyl tablecloths at which a few people were eating. As I stepped from one sleeper to another I felt immense appreciation for living a world away from this. 'Imagine that when you come home from school you come home to live here,' I said, 'you sleep in a home made from cardboard boxes.' People were washing themselves and hanging out washing, had pet dogs and were cooking and eating by the track. A group of elderly ladies laughed as they played cards. I smiled and said 'hello' to everyone and most smiled back, our shirts wet through with sweat. Jake was sullen, trying hard to mask his irritability. 'I bet no other mums make their kids do this,' he said with forced resignation.

Turning Things to Your Advantage

When the Waldorf Astoria Hotel started excavating part of Syon Park in order to build a new hotel there last year, the remains of an entire Roman village were unearthed, including pottery, coins and even human skeletons. Work on the hotel was halted whilst archaeologists were called in to help excavate the remains properly and transport them to the London Museum. One might think that this was something of a spanner in the works for the Waldorf construction team, but instead of looking on the negative side - delays in building and the need to reschedule - the hoteliers instead focused on how to turn this unexpected discovery to their advantage and have chosen to incorporate some of the Roman heritage into the hotel itself. There's a lesson here for us all. Instead of asking, "what's difficult and challenging about this?" why not turn things around and ask, "what's great about this? How can I turn this to my advantage?"

Forthcoming Workshops

More great days in July & August:
// July 26th, Postural Assessment


// July 27th & 28th, Common Back & Neck Conditions
// Aug 13th, How to Treat the Cervical Spine with Cameron Reid, osteopath
// Aug 21st, Client Rehab Using Foam Rollers with Jay Proven, sports massage practitioner, sports rehabilitator and Personal Trainer
// Sept 2nd, Day in the Dissection Lab

The Psychology of it all

Fab therapist and ultra runner Sarah Hutton told us about her latest conquest and in her own words “It may help therapists appreciate the (ultra)runners mentality :-)”
I ran 100 miles before my legs entirely seized up. Very disappointing but it had got to the stage where I could not walk up or down slopes - not even if I tred to walk backwards or sideways! I've been turbo training on my bike for the last 4 days as well as doing lots of stretching. I went for my first "walk/run" today, 8 days after the canal race and managed to run about 1.5miles out of the 3. At least I know which muscles need immediate attention when I go for my sports massage on Friday Last time I finished the race it took me a month to get back running so I'm quite pleased with managing a little run this morning.  My next race is either 70miles or 105miles in August, so I need to get back up and running asap!


100miles is a long way but it was also a failure since I didn't make it to the finish :-( Weird thinking of 100miles as a failure! I simply had a very bad race day despite perfect prep and taper. By the end of my race pain/discomfort levels were on a 9/10 (where 10= childbirth maybe) and I was hyperventilating and talking to myself to keep going. Talk about flogging a dead horse though! But despite that here I am looking forward to my next looooong run. Luckily I know a good sports therapist I can do swapsies with - my legs need a good flush out and my right hip a good stretch. Not sure DTM would be a help at this stage!


Hope your adductors are up to your next martial arts class! I would say don't over do it, but that might be a case of pot and kettle.
Warm wishes


Sarah

Thinking Outside the (shoe) Box

I was interested to read in an article in Metro (April 11th) that shoppers were being offered a £100 shopping voucher for turning up in their underwear at a particular shopping mal here in the UK. The article showed two almost naked svelte young women examining shoes in a shoe shop. I'm not saying that I approve of schemes to promote women roaming around in their underwear (although one assumes the offer was made to male shoppers also) yet I cannot help but think this may have attracted more (clothed) shoppers, arriving out of pure curiosity. I know that I for one am curious to know how many people turned up in their boxer shorts and lingerie to get their £100. Whether this tactic increased overall male sales we don't know. Yet it's a good example of marketers thinking outside the box. If you were thinking outside the box, what ideas would you offer to increase sales of your products and services?

Following Your Passion

Talking of shopping, did anyone see that Mary Portas, popularly described as Queen of Shops, has been appointed by the government to investigate the causes of our disappearing independent shops on the high street. Criticized by some as being anti-department store, and not the right person for such an important role, what this appointment demonstated for me, was that if you are passionate about something you cannot help being drawn towards it. An investigative number-crunching researcher could have been appointed, yet I can think of few people with more energy and enthusiasm about investigating this subject than Ms Portas. What are you passionate about? Are you doing it and if not, why not?

Things we Think You'd Like

// I make a point of keeping free newspapers and magazines and reading them whilst dog walking. I regularly find interesting articles which are thought provoking or useful. Occassionally I come across something special. I recently came across an absolute gem of free information. It was in a free magazine called Cygnus Review. I don't know how I got but inside found a great article by Carol Martin in which she lists 7 ways to attract clients. Here I came across How to be a Successful Therapist: A Guide to Starting and Running Your Own Complementary Therapy Business which lead me to find A Guide to Starting your own Complementary Therapy Practice: A Manual for the Complementary Healthcare Profession Happy reading! // Faye Dawson has 5 spaces left to work offering quick 10 minute massages over the clothes, with the client sitting on a simple fold-up stool to the public and VIP guests at Relentless NASS Festival Weekender. It’s a 3-day action sports and music festival - Friday 8th to Sunday 10th July at Bath and West Showground (it is camping!). Arena opening times are 10:00am until 3:00am (apart from Sunday, when the Arena closes at 8:00pm). For more infomation please email Fiona onfaye@4wellbeing.org.uk or call her on 07827 960 134. I hope to work with you at the festival, where we can work hard and have a lot of fun! Faye Dawson // Nash College in Croydon are looking for a physiotherapy assistant. Thought some of our readers might be interested if you can squeeze it into the newsletter. Closing date 30th June. To request an application pack please call 020 8315 4805 (4800 for main reception) or email: admin@nash.livability.org.uk // Check Out Timber Wharf Time Bank Another great website to trade your skills and time rather than your money! // Another great websiteTerra Rosa featuring this great article on fascia // Pilates instructor Sue Cubitt of Passion4Fitness sent us this great link to a website devoted to locating trigger points // This year the British Association of Sport & Exercise Sciences Conference explores fatigue, a debilitatig symptom limiting performance in many athletes. The conference is on 6-8th Sept, in Essex.

More of What you Want

Springing into action

Ok it's official: winter is over, spring is here. Last month the blue tits in the garden were fluffed up in the wild warm wind and chirruping endlessly as they tried to get to the pine nuts I scattered. Personally, I think they were blaspheming at being trapped in a wind tunnel that puffs them into pom poms on the air and prevents descent to ground level. Frustrated at their thwarted aeronautical attempts to drop like deadweights from the branches (they're rather fat here in central London), they were squeaking away in the bushes. Occasionally one made a break for it and struggled valiantly, a blur of blue and yellow, until nature won and the little chap gave up and whizzed backwards slap bang back into his bush.

Not any more. The sun is out, the days are sunny and...the ants are here. I keep finding six legged scouts in odd places, searching out what food they can nick from the kitchen. Although no sign of them today. I'm worried. I think they have retreated and are regrouping. I may come home tonight to find the fruit bowl empty.

Getting what you want

I believe that you may get what you want in life if you keep it quiet and work away at things in secret. However, you are more likely to get what you want if you tell people. So, what do you want? Too shy to tell? Ok I'll go first:

I want...

* a fantastic free massage every day for the rest of my life (Hey, I'm just being honest here, stop laughing)

* to improve my drawing skills

* to transform my garden into paradise by acquiring (1) some plants (2) garden table and chairs

* for Postural Assessment to sell 300 copies between Dec 13th this year (when it is published) and Dec 31st this year when I get my royalty statement. 

* to learn how to play great guitar

* A living space with a roof garden full of plants and plenty of space and the ability to let in lots of light, with areas to do my craft work and to write books, perhaps overlooking the Thames or on the edge of Hampstead. 

* To have the ultimate Dream Team, a team of like minded souls supporting each other's dreams and celebrating with each other when these manifest.

There, I've told about 2,000 people. If I can do it, perhaps you can too? What do you want? Who can you tell? How quickly can you tell them? What might happen if your family, friends and colleagues all knew you wanted to move house? move country? change career? have another baby? become a canine masseuse? sell your artwork for money? write a book? paint your window frames pink? build a school? become a horticulturalist? train as an osteopath? set up your own business? make your own beauty products? run a farm? run a marathon? adopt 12 cats? adopt a child? spend three months in Costa Rica? spend three years studying physiotherapy? win Masterchef? win a local election? join mensa? join a circus? live in the country? live in the city?....

The Ultimate Wish List Edition 

Are you curious about what other people wish for and whether anyone wants the same kinds of things as you? Wouldn't you just love to know what other therapists want to have, do and be? How about you email us your wishlist and Zoe and I will remove all names and mix everything up and publish the entire list in the next newsletter? It could be the Ultimate Wish List edition, a collection of therapists' hopes, dreams and desires. Will will make it if you will create it. (How's that for an offer?)

Professional Values and Behaviour

Ok, back to some therapy-related stuff. The Charered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) is updating its Code of Members' Professional Values and Behaviour, attempting to answer questions such as, "is it ok for a physiotherapist appear on X Factor?" "may a physiotherapist endorse a product?" If you are working as a therapist in almost any capacity, whether it be massage, reflexology, sports therapy, or sports massage, you too will no doubt be a member of an organization that requires members to adhere to a a similar code. With changing times and opinions it's good to review these codes. Yet it is not always clear how these codes relate to actual practice. The four tenets of the CSP Code are (1) Behave ethically, (2) Take responsibility for your actions, (3) Strive to achieve excellence and (4) Deliver and effective service. Do you have a copy of the code to which you should adhere? Do you meet its requirements? Are there any aspects about which you are unclear? Reflecting on these kinds of questions contributes to Continuing Professional Development and may be documented and submitted as part of your ongoing learning.

Motivation to Try New Things

Where does motivation come from? Do we feel motivated because we want to move away from a negative situation, or because we want to move towards a positive one? I've noticed that when running workshops, therapists come with different motivations. Some want to learn a new skill of course, yet many come to meet other therapists and to network, or to improve their confidence, or simply to 'keep their hand in' at a skill they already have but may not have used for a while. Some are hoping to move on to more advanced courses. 

Since the last newsletter I have been motivated to start learning guitar. I pluck away at the three strings I now 'know' trying to relax, maintain good posture, put my fingers in the correct positions, breathe, look ahead to what's coming next in the score. Last week my 11 year old son put his hand on my shoulder and said, "you're much better than I was after 2 lessons" and gave me the raised eyebrow look of encouragement parents give their children who are 3 bars short of having a tantrum. The dog heaved herself to her feet and quietly left the room. I put the instrument down sucked my sore fingers and went and made fruit kebabs. When you are frustrated at not being able to play a tune through without a single mistake its very satisfying to STAB pieces of apple, banana, grape, raspberry and blueberry onto a wooden skewer. Except that you can only really stab apples as the rest provides no resistance. So a handy tip if ever you need Fruit Kebab Relief Therapy. 

Is there something new you would like to try? What motivates you to try it? What barriers prevent you from doing it? Can you remove any of those barriers? If not now, when?

Personal Progress Report

* On Thursday 7th of April I took and passed my 3rd kung fu exam and have moved up a rank. I had been training hard, four times a week in preparation, and rather relived when, standing sweating with my fellow wing chun brothers and sisters was informed I had passed. For safety, I'm having to remove some of my piercings in preparation for training at this new, higher rank. Oh my Goodness! Now I'm naked!!!

* I officially submitted my 5th book proposal, Treating Runners, to the publishers Human Kinetics. And now we wait.

*  I had the photography shoot for the cover of Postural Assessment. Richard Lewis, an ex sports massage student (now training in osteopathy) very kindly volunteered to be the 'body' in the photograph and stood patiently whilst we shot photos of his back. Some of you reading this met Richard when he popped into a workshop I was teaching on Palpation Skills at the British School of Osteopathy in April. So when you see a copy of Postural Assessment you can say, "Hey!  I know what that man looks like from the front!" To maintain his physique prior to the shoot Richard gave up eating sweets for a month. Thank you Richard. Obviously, anyone who can do that  can certainly do a five year osteoapthy degree.

Too often we cite our failings and pay less attention to our successes. What have you achieved in the last for weeks?

Getting what you focus on

Many of you know that I believe in metaphysics - that you get what you focus on, that like attracts like. Life frequently finds ways to help me support this belief. For example, yesterday I was enjoying a long walk home from the supermarket, trundling behind me a shopping trolley full of food and thinking how nice all the cast iron railings were in the fronts of the large houses I was walking past. I noticed that whilst some of the railings looked original, they were probably new because they had definition to their fleur de lis and spear-shaped tops and were not all gunged up with years and years of that thick black railing paint. 

As I walked, I wondered who made all these new railings and if they had the original molds or had made copies of the old railings, and I thought what an interesting job it must be to be asked to recast or sand blast decorative ironwork. I stood outside one house, abandoned by the looks of things, the railings of which were leaning outwards and their 1930s pastel green/turquoise paint flaked off and rusting, and I wondered what was going to happen to the railings when eventually the house was sold and the new owners had to decide what to do about their ironwork. 

All the way home and in the evening I took pleasure in thinking that there are many unusual jobs in the world, and making casts from old iron railings was probably one of them. It was comforting also to reflect on the fact that some people still wanted to preserve these old designs and take pains to clean up and repair this kind of metalwork. 

Then the strangest thing: the very next day amongst the post I found a catalogue addressed to JJ Engineering. The first thing was that it was my initials (Jane Johnson). Secondly there has never been a JJ Engineering at this address, ever. Thirdly, the catalogue was from James Hoyle & Son, an 'architectural foundry' detailing the pages and pages of cast iron railings they supply. I hadn't told anyone my thoughts about the railings, have never received this catalogue before, and as far as I am aware, nor have any of my neighbours. So this is yet another 'proof' for me that the universe gives you what you focus on. 

How about we all try an experiment? How about, you choose something you want to achieve, or something you want to have or to happen, and to focus on it for a month, thinking about it, writing about it, talking about it. Really put your focus on it. Shall we see what happens?

Seeing clearly now

Talking of seeing things, I finally got round to ordering my new glasses. Unsurprisingly, the only free NHS glasses in the shop were the large rimmed mock tortoiseshell a la Tootsie pair that really suit women with hair the colour of hyacinths. Or, a 'funky' pair (the salesman assures me) in boiled sweet lime green or boiled sweet red only available in one size: pygmy. I ended up buying a not too bad pair in black that would have been better if they'd had little wings at the top corners so I can practice my 1950s diva look, but apparently Ronald Brown opticians in Kentish Town Road have no demand for 'fashion' spectacles. Now that I can see clearly and the weather has warmed I'm feeling a little more springy (apart from my fingertips which cannot feel anything at all due to zealous guitar practice). Is there something you've been putting off that you could get sorted this month?

Things We Think
You'd Like
// Sue Carberry sent us in a tip for a new massage tool Check it out! Sue says, "It’s fab for working on the body through the towel and through clothes. It can get a bit slippy when covered in oil, but, so far it shows great promise."
// 16th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science. Liverpool 6-9th July 2011. Theme is 'New Horizons in Sports Sciences'.
// 13th European Congress of Sports Psychology, Madeira, 12th-17th July. This year's theme is 'Sport & Exercise Psychology: Human Performance, Wellbeing and Health.'
// 28th June Soft Tissue Release (STR)
// 29th June Massage in Hospitals
// 30th June Muscle Energy Technique (MET)

To subscribe to the E-Newsletter or see what we're up to inside the class room visit : www.thelondonmassagecompany.com or email us:
ask@thelondonmassagecompany.com

Advertising Standards Authority and Massage - Opportunity or Threat?

Rank This
This week in kung fu class I saw one of the Rank 5 students break a piece of 1 inch wood with one kick. It cracked and a third fell off and hit the floor.  Describing force and energy to the juniors, the Master later split a same sized piece with one punch. It split cleanly, right down the middle and fell in two. When no one was looking I checked to see if what they were using was 'real' wood, hard wood. It was.  So now I'm thinking, 'fractured phalange, cracked metacarpal, at least a dislocated knuckle' (once a therapists, always a therapist). But nothing. Not a graze, not a bruise. Later in my own class, the Master called me over to the whiteboard, "there", he said, pointing, "that's your Rank 1 grading date. April 7th. Its a Thursday," and he walked off. All the blood rushed from my head to my feet. This exam would mean moving up to Rank 2. But I'm not sure I want to let go of Rank 1. I'm not sure I'm ready. I'm enjoying training, love every class, never tire of what we do, and feel like I'm always improving. But gradings are good says Sifu, they help us to grow and to expand, to go outside our limits. He's right of course. And if a man who's been practicing for 37 years thinks a grading should be attempted it would be foolish not to comply. There's comfort in familiarity but I guess you'll never know whether you can split wood or not unless you let yourself expand to that level. Comfort zones can be restrictions. Sometimes it takes someone else to tell us that. Have you outgrown a comfort zone? Is there any area of your life that would benefit from expansion? 



Getting to the Bottom of Things
How do you get Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) in just one buttock? After one of these regular kung fu classes I had DOMS in my left butt. Of course, the day after that it was even worse, and Jake took delight in showing his mates, "watch this, watch what I can do to my mum," gently prodding me with a finger which elicited an "Ah! Ah! Ah!" and a hopping 
retreat on my part to much giggling amongst small persons. A few days later I happened upon two fantastic wooden chairs near a dumpster, just what I was needing for a 'shabby chic' makeover project I'm working on (translation: how to keep 4 kids busy in winter with nothing but a piece of sandpaper). I carried the chairs home, and after 20 minutes realized that either they were much heavier than they looked or my biceps were weaker than I thought. Now they are in the hall. I just can't fix them up or sit on them. 





Opportunity or Threat?
Zoe and I have been fielding emails from some therapists, anxious about the latest Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) clamp down on how therapists (of all disciplines) market their 
services. As you may know, the ASA is responsible for ensuring all advertising is 'legal, decent, honest and truthful.' Long story short: on your business cards, leaflets and website you can't claim that massage (or sports massage or aromatherapy or reflexology or myofascial release or whatever other therapy you practice) relaxes you, stretches you, improves tone, for example, unless you have a peer-reviewed research paper to back it up. Don't even think about suggesting that massage (of any sort) may be able to help clients with specific medical conditions such as a stiff shoulder, swollen joint or tight muscles. The Federation of Holistic Therapists (FHT) have been quick and thorough in responding to questions about this from their members. For example, the FHT highlight that using the word 'may' before a claim (eg Indian head massage may help clients suffering from headaches) is not likely to be acceptable by the ASA. Other organizations are no doubt also looking at this issue.


Here at The London Massage Company we are excited and rubbing our hands together (not just because its absolutely freezing) at this development. There's nothing we like more than a marketing challenge. Lets be honest here folks, we've all seen therapists' business cards with claims that certain treatments can do all sorts of things and improve all sorts of conditions. Some therapists have had an easy ride. But we're no different to any other service provider and the ASA are simply being fair. Its not our fault as therapists that hard core research papers supporting the value of massage as a treatment for various conditions are thin on the ground. Yet neither is it the fault of the ASA for not knowing that there is a vast body of anecdotal evidence to support our treatments. Those therapists who claim to be able to improve stiff joints, tight muscles, headaches, leg cramps, etc., do so because that's their experience. Such therapists don't need a research paper, they have all the evidence they need to satisfy themselves that what they do works. However, under ASArules that's breaking the law. So what do we do? 


None of us are going to rush straight out and do research to show that massage helps 
decrease tone in quadriceps, that STR helps improve joint range or that manual lymphatic drainage improves lymphatic drainage. Most of us have neither the time nor the inclination. So we need to take a different approach. A different approach? Now I'm totally excited. I love different approaches. This is a fantastic opportunity to think creatively about how we market 
ourselves. Two of my favourite topics combined: creativity + therapy. Where shall we start?


How on earth does a sports massage therapist, for example, advertise the fact that they may be able to help clients recovering from, for example, a sprained ankle if they can't say, 'sports massage may help with the recovery of ankle sprains'? How about this for an idea: we no longer list in bullet points the conditions nor the treatments we offer. Instead, we simply say Sports Massage Therapist (or whatever therapy we are practicing) on our business cards, and then when potential customers call we describe what we do? ASA guidelines do not cover verbal 
communication, (though of course its wise to be aware of their overall purpose to ensure advertising is legal, decent, honest and truthful). Let me ask you this: Do you think you will get fewer clients if you are unable to market your services by listing the conditions you 'treat'? In my experience, many clients don't 'know' we can help with stiff calves or adhesive capsulitis until we suggest this to them, they simply come to us wondering whether massage might help? How's this for an idea: I propose we dump all of that other 'stuff and simply pose the question on our business materials, 'might massage help you?' and leave it at that. Then we can provide a treatment and ask the client how they feel and use what they say on our materials later with their 
permission (yes, you can do that according to the ASA). So, if many of your clients have found that regular massage with you helps keep them in shape as recreational runners, for example, you can state that in your marketing materials. 


If all therapists had only their name, contact details and therapies in which they are trained in on their cards, clients would be forced to try out different therapists and to go where they got the best results. Free market economy or what!? How will you now differentiate your services from those of other therapists? Remember, your marketing materials are only one way of communicating, only one way of differentiating yourself. What else could you do? Its not like the ASA are saying, 'all therapists must use rectangular black business cards with white lettering or they will go to jail'. There's still so much we can do! Let's rejoice in that fact! 


Yet if my excitement and enthusiasm regarding this challenge isn't rubbing off on you, you could always give the problem of how you market yourself to a marketing expert. Set out the facts: This is what the ASA say I can do, this is what they say I can't do, please sort it out. Let the marketing 
expert do the marketing. That is, after all, what you are paying them for.  


Lets all collaborate on this to help each other. Contact us with your ideas and we will 
include them in the next newsletter. Lets use this ASA legislation as an opportunity rather than a threat. Oooo, yummy yummmy yummy! Start rubbing those hands together!



Camel in the Kitchen
Some of you reading this might know that I've made quite a few visits to morocco, my favourite being to the desert, far south of the village of Mhamid. At the start of March I returned from the latest visit, a holiday/work venture. Holiday because there is nothing but sun, stars and space, not to mention healthy food and some much needed warmth at this time of year. Work because I've written a book, Camel in The Kitchen, a travelogue and departure from my usual therapy titles. I was continuing with an ongoing interview of Khalid, my long time Berber guide. The interview has been ongoing for around 5 years because there's a limit to the number of questions you can ask when only one of you speaks Arabic and my French enables me to order a plate of butterflies and to ask whether the British Embassy is near the train station. Not much good when you're 400km south of Marrakech approaching the Algerian border with three camels and a brilliant chef (Hussain) but no interpreter. Still, its amazing what you can do with a pencil and paper and lots of gesticulating. When I told her that here in the UK we put thyme and mint sauce on our lamb, the woman in Zagora tried unsuccessfully to suppress a raucous laugh. Or was that because I was making bleating lamb ba ba noises? Then, using only Arabic and lots of hand movements she told me they used thyme as an inhalant when they got runny noses. I was fascinated in the tiny new herbalist (called Espices) tucked away in a side street there, where the chemists brought out the argan massage oil and packets of spice, rose-scented balms, all sourced in morocco. Their peppermint tea was so raw and strong that when I used three teaspoon full of the leaves back in the UK it nearly blue my head off. I bought a packet of dried vervain. The chemists gesticulated and put their hands together as if praying and lay on their sides to indicate its properties. I wasn't quite sure whether they were telling me that it was sleep-inducing tea or that it would put me into a comma if I used too much. They have no care for ASA advertising regulations here. They just show you what their products do. Perhaps there's a lesson to be learned here?


Women Wanted
I'm looking for travelling companions for my return to the desert in early 2012. Do you feel like getting away from it all? Want some sun and some space to read, relax, chat or chill? Contact me at jane@thelondonmassagecompany.com for more information or to see photographs of my previous trips. (p.s the hotel in Zagora at which we need to stop overnight en route to meet the camel caravan at Mhamid has a floodlit swimming pool for use at night. Not that I'm trying to 
influence you or anything).




Two therapists win payout for RSI
Two 'beauty' therapists have won a combined payout of £300,000 form Virgin for developing RSI as a result of providing through-clothing shiatsu massages to first class Virgin Atlantic passengers in the airline's Heathrow lounge. The therapists claimed their RSI was due to insufficient breaks and having to apply very deep pressure. What do you think about this?


How much to charge?
We often get asked by therapists if we can give them some hints and tips on how much they should charge. Sports Massage Therapist Jane Paul asks, "how can I find out how much to charge for treatments, is there any sort of governing body that could tell me or is it a question of deciding your own worth or what the rates are of other such people in the area? I don't want to 
over-charge but then again I don't want people to think I'm really cheap." What do you think? We know that therapists have very different views on this. Jane is happy for any readers to contact her with ideas: jp014s2735@blueyonder.co.uk


My experience so far of Voluntary Massage at UCLH, by Justine Hutchins
Hi everyone,



As one of Jane’s students, I was keen to get as much variety of ‘hands on’experience as possible, after passing the intensive sports massage course.


I met a Cranio-Sacral therapist who told me about her experience of working at University College Hospital (UCLH) as a volunteer, I thought It sounded like a challenge, which would
be out of my comfort zone and a worthwhile venture.


After getting the relevant red tape taken care of, such as CRB checks and inductions, you are let loose on the wards. (I haven’t worked in the Pain clinic yet.)


I wasn’t quite sure what to expect and imagined that most of the time you would have limited access to a patient’s body as they may be attached to a drip, unable to sit up, or not easily accessible. This has turned out mostly to be the case; however even with those limitations I have had interesting and rewarding experiences.


I felt a bit uninspired to begin with, being limited to only working on the hands of one particular patient, but I was soon reminded of the power of simple touch and the circulation. When I arrived the patient was the colour of alabaster and after I had worked on one of his hands for about 10 minutes we were both amazed to see pink travel up his arm to his cheeks and even his feet! It was funny to hear him ask, being a medical man, how that happened! He said that he had always been against complementary therapies, but since being in hospital, it had given him a chance to be on the receiving end and has now changed his mind. Even though he was paralysed in both legs, receiving reflexology made him feel deeply relaxed.


Another woman I massaged had generalised Dystonia and had been described by her Doctor as being like a ‘crisp’ as she could not bend her joints when all her muscles seized up. The physios had her walking up and down but she was unable to dorsiflex her feet properly which made walking very difficult. After massaging her calves, I tried MET on her ankles which
greatly increased the range of movement in her ankle and immediately after massage, made walking much easier. She let the physios know that the massage had made a difference and they apparently looked at her in disbelief. During the following session she said that she could still notice the benefit of the previous treatment and it had made walking up steps easier. She also had a medical background and found this way of working fascinating. So I guess you never know what you are going to get which I find interesting. The amount of patients you work on can vary each time from as few as one to about four or five depending on how quickly you can locate people.


Most nurses, in my experience are really helpful and friendly, but there are a few who can be a little reluctant to inform you on the patient until they are reassured that it is important that I know of any contraindications to massage. I have found that you can usually get a very detailed 
description from the patient.


I’d be interested in hearing from anyone who has worked in the Pain Clinic, I’m going to look into that next.


Kind regards,
Justine


If you’d like to volunteer your skills in a hospital or hospice environment but would like more understanding of what’s involved then perhaps our June workshop - Massage In Hospitals - can help you take the first step.  Keith Hunt, Complementary Therapies Co-ordinator at the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, will help you overcome your concerns and have you ready to offer your treatments.

Things we Think You'd Like

// Recruiting on site massage therapists now  Inspirit www.inspiritmassage.co.uk supplies 
therapists to offices and events. They are expanding their elite team and are looking for 
talented, experienced therapists who are passionate about bodywork, dedicated to client care and understand the importance of professionalism. 

To apply, you must have an On Site Massage qualification (one day courses not acceptable), which insures you to give treatments using a massage chair. You will have at least 6 months of OSM experience and own a portable chair. 

They are recruiting now for work in all parts of London. If you are interested in joining the Inspirit 
team please send you CV to contact@inspiritlondon.com detailing your qualifications and experience.


// Emma-Louise Tyack is looking for a massage therapist with a wide range of skills to take over her very healthy client base in central London. Having a wide range of skills and passion for your work is important to the quality of massage demanded by her clients. If you're that fantastic practitioner looking to expand their client base please call Emma-Louise at Feel Good Massage 07855 860 848


// Anthony Nolan the pioneering charity saving the lives of people with blood cancer, are looking for massage therapists who can make up a team offering massage to their supporters on 
Sunday 10th July as part of their 10km run frundraiser in London.   If you can support the charity and make the runners feel extra special on the day a please do get in touch with Rebecca on 020 7284 8284 or email Laura on - laura.gorringe@anthonynolan.org

We love

// Vertical Veg, a not-for-profit organization 'that inspires and supports food growing in small urban spaces.' For more information see www.verticalveg.org.uk


// RE the company that recycles. Check out these re-fired skeleton plates or their skeleton paper garlands! Of course, its not all bones, they do gorgeous recycled products for the home. 
www.re-foundobjects.com


// Kew Lecture, Materia medica in the 19th century – ethnobotanist Mark Nesbitt, curator of Kew’s Economic Botany Collection. Wednesday, June 29, 2011 @ 6pm Apothecaries’ Hall, London EC4.  Admission free but must book with the Society of Apothecaries on 0207 236 1189  (Thank you Sue!)


// Ok, I'm on about it again: justfortheloveofit.org I really do love this website. Its a site for 
people trying to live without money, swapping stuff or simply giving it away. Freeconomists as we are called. In order to fund my Moroccan trip I'd put lots of items for sale on ebay and raised £1000. But I had many items remaining. I posted messages about these on the justfortheloveofit website and within 3 days individuals from all over London had come and taken away my 
unwanted items, beaming from ear to ear at getting what they were looking for free. A young couple came all the way from Lambeth to collect 22 old glass jars which they intended to fill with their new recipe for fig chutney. A woman from Elephant and Castle took away two 4kg handweights and two 5kg handweights, 'just what she was looking for' to help her build up some muscle. I split my stock of unused A3 flip chart paper between two other people who were willing to share it, and had 24 others it could have gone to. Also gone is the large 4-person tent that took up the space of two kitchen cupboards. This really is recycling at its best. Stuff you no longer need going to people who really need it and will use it immediately. Is there anything you need to get rid of? 


//  Curry!!  In every shape, size, colour and form.  Zoe’s just been on a bit of a curry binge thanks to having her other curry-loving friends visiting her in France.  Ok, so coffee and 
pastries took a hammering in the morning but after that it was chilli time!!  There is nothing 
better than weighing out your spices, inhaling the explosion of aromatics as they’re ground down and then you wait for magic of the mix to unfold.  Pure genius!


// Finally, lets be thankful we are not Mongolian goat herders. The rice of cashmere is due to rocket as these farmers have been forced to eat their livestock due to severely harsh winters in recent years. Putting things into perspective, having to fan-dangle about with how we market ourselves aint so tough huh? 

Workshops for May

// 14th May 2011 Foam Roller Techniques for Rehab - Want to know how to use or be more effective with foam rollers? Want to integrate rehabilitation and corrective exercises into your treatments? Then Foam Roller Techniques is the workshop for you. 
(www.thelondonmassagecompany.com/workshop7)


//14th May - Deep Tissue; No-Hands7 – In conjunction with the launch of Jane’s new book – Deep Tissue Massage - join us for the workshop. Learn to access deep tissues safely and 
effectively without using, and therefore damaging, your hands. 
(www.thelondonmassagecompany.com/workshop11)


//15th May - Intro to Trigger Points – Learn about this effective and fascinating Neuromuscular technique - a National Occupational Standard (NOS) for sports massage as set out by Skills 
Active. (D522) You will spend the majority of the day locating and treating trigger points on the major muscles of the body as well gaining an understanding about their anatomy and physiology and why they occur. (www.thelondonmassagecompany.com/workshop12)

To subscribe to the Newsletter or see what we're up to inside the class room visit : www.thelondonmassagecompany.com or email us:
ask@thelondonmassagecompany.com

The Benefits of Massage for Sufferers of Motor Neurone Disease: A Personal Perspective

A Different Outlook
If you have been receiving this newsletter for some time you will have come to realise that Zoe and I are not just about anatomy, physiology and massage. We each have many other interests and make no excuses for the fact that we sometimes get very excited about other things (chocolate, deep baths, big dogs, travelling...). One of the things that particularly interests me is the concept of entrepreneurialism. Are you born an entrepreneur or do you
become one? Do you choose self employment or is it simply an alternative to redundancy? Like many of you reading this, both Zoe and I are scrumptiously self employed. (Ok I added the word scrumptiously.) And at the start of this spanking new year I yet again acknowledge what a gloriously empowering state this is. When many are worrying about VAT increases and how they might tighten their belts, I'm asking, 'how can I bring in more income?' not 'where can I save?' And there lies all the difference.






Raise the Roof
By February 26th I need to have raised £1200 for my trekking holiday in Morocco with little Jake. Sunshine, sand and sky. Miles and miles of it. No one to talk to except a gurgling camel. Jake, myself and a handful of berber guides happy to busy themselves with putting up tents and being berbers, their quiet compraderie apparent as we trek, trek, trek in silence. We have to go on this holiday. Its become a kind of ritual. Getting away, the lull in conversation, lilt of the camel, nothing but ourselves under the stars. A time of replenishment and renewal. "Have we got £1200?" asked Jake when he saw me daydreaming. I love the way that our financial outgoings are discussed in the pleural and have become a joint affair despite the fact that he is only 11. I didn't want to say "no" just because £1200 hadn't yet materialised. So I said what I always say, "we've always got the money, I just need to call it home", at which he nods contentedly and goes off to shoot bad guys on the Playstation.


It was January 1st. Instead of cutting back on essentials (sushi, massage, Fenjal soap at £5.95 a bar) we decided to draw a huge thermometer on the wall, like those used to show how much money has been raised to replace stolen tiles from a church roof.  Each day I go from room to room and open cupboards and drawers, pull out 5 things and list them on ebay. When they sell Jake colours in the thermometer. Last week was something of a triumph in selling supplies when I arrived home to find a large selection of toys available for sale. It seems that Captain Jack Sparrow, 15 pirates, a large selection of rubber dinosaurs and 6 propellerless corgi aeroplanes no longer hold as much appeal as riding a camel all day and the promise of lamb tagines for dinner. It already been a good week for raising holiday funds. A very nice man who used to
manage pop groups in the 80s came round and bought the 13 sheeps jaw bones I had in the cupboad under the sink. Delighted, he took them home and arranged them beneath a glass dome that used to house stuffed birds. Five ladies from Crewe fought a touch and go bidding war for the 8 tins of buttons I seemed to have amassed over the years, and a well-spoken woman in Islington took off my hands a large collection of enamel coffee pots and pans. Its an interesting experience. Suddenly, one reassess what is valuable and what is not, what holds sentimental value and what can be let go. Jake is optimistic at how easy it is to make money, ("you find a toy like a knight and his horse, you put it on ebay. A man who likes knights buys it and sends you the money even if its a bit dirty because it got buried in the garden?"). That was pretty much it.  We may have nothing to cook in and safety pins holding together our clothes but the thermometer stands at £550.  Will we make it?




Tooth and Skull Workshop
You know when I'm about you are never far from bones. They follow me around in the nicest possible way. I find them on the heath when walking, get sent them in the mail, and receive email alerts about bone-related events such as this one at the Hunterian Museum. Got kids who need something to do over the half term? Let them get their teeth into this one (heh heh heh). Its called Long in the tooth: Object handling workshop . For more info: www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums/events/family-activities

Breathable Cocktails
Ok so I'm not a cocktail drinker but I'm fairly certain most cocktails are mixed in a shaker and served in a glass and then poured into the mouth, for there's only one way to make and enjoy cocktails, right? Wrong! In his book Screw Work, Lets Play, John Williams provides a great example of how one team (Bompass and Parr) take an original twist on an old idea. They were commissioned to create a breathable cocktail, so they vaporised gin and tonic (as you do when you have nothing better to do on a cold January afternoon). In the process it was necessary to call in the help of an explosives expert as vaporised gin is apparently flammable above a certain level and I guess they wanted ensure their guests became enjoyably intoxicated not dangerously inflammed. Williams uses this story to demonstrate that there is always someone who has the answer to a question you might have (in this case it was "how much alcohol can you vaporise before it becomes an explosives risk?" (p79). Is there a question you need an answer to? Who might have the answer you need?

Straplines
Question: What do all of these phrases have in common?:
- Reset Your compass
- Just Do It
- Looking After Your World
- The magazine for a million voices for nature
- Soft, strong and very very long


Answer: They are all straplines for different companies, that is, they each appear after the name of the company and are used as a means of letting people know the ethos of that company, its
values, or simply what it stands for. Can you match the strapline to the company to which it
belongs? (for answers see end of newsletter). If you had a strapline what would it be? Would it be for you as a person or for you as a
business?

Did Anyone See....

That fantastic Lurpak advert? It was showing on the cinema screen when I went to see The King's Speech. A hungry man raiding the fridge makes an omelet and the viewer is one of the eggs. To see the advert go to: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1Y77SU3hD4   To see the film, go to your local cinema ; )




Monthly Treats
With January ushering in the new year with cold and wet weather it was nice to realise that I had not 'used' my monthly treat. Each month I give myself a £5 treat and last night sank into some brand new giant, fattest ever pillows. B-l-i-s-s. How little (ok in this case not so little) things can make a big difference. These pillows and the word r-e-l-a-x go together like coffee and cream. If you had £5 to spend on a treat what would it be?


Finally....
I'm really excited to have a date for the publication of Postural Assessment. Many of you volunteered to have your photos taken for this book in return for a copy, and you will be delighted to know that it is scheduled to be in the shops on Dec 13th. The publishers were very happy with the photos and manuscript and made very few changes to the material. I'm hoping that the 25 of you who took part in the photo shoot in the summer last year will receive your copy before christmas. Maybe we can celebrate with a Postural Assessment Party? (you can keep your clothes on this time).

Things We Think You’d Like:
// Venue Hire - Does anyone need to hire a large dance/workout studio? The Martial Arts Academy in NW5 are now hiring their venue by the hour during weekdays. Anyone interested can contact the venue direct at info@sas-martialarts.co.uk and see the room here www.saswingchun.com/about-us/branches/gospel-oak-hq/


// We love.... the blogg by Ann Barkman www.randomactsofkindness.org/Lee+Ann+Barkman/  If you too want to make the world a kinder place check it out.


// Congratulations! to our summer sports injuries & massage students who have recieved their exam results after a nerve-wracking wait.  Well done all of you - we’re really proud! We also received the good news that Martin Belles, a visiting
therapist from Argentina, had his project accepted by the APNT and so has been awarded his sports injuries & massage diploma for the course he took with us autumn 2009. Martin went to considerable lengths to document his treatment of clients in many different countries, working hard to translate his material into English. Many students are challenged by studying for an advanced course and Martin's efforts show that it is possible to excel if you are committed.

The Article

The Benefits of Massage for Sufferers of  Motor Neurone Disease: A Personal Perspective

by Phil Atkin MICHT

Summary
The measurable, physiological improvements and the immeasurable psychological uplift and boost in self-esteem gained from regular massage treatments for the two sufferers of Motor Neurone Disease discussed in this document have had a positive effect on their and their carers‟ quality of life and could possibly have substantially extended that quality of life. It is therefore indicated that, when such a dramatic result is achieved from a critical starting point, it might be advantageous to consider commencing an holistic massage program from the point of initial diagnosis in order to retard the effects of muscle atrophy and wastage, to maintain circulation to inactive areas and to maximise the length and quality of a sufferer‟s remaining life.


Introduction
Since taking early retirement from my engineering job in 2006, I have been working as an holistic therapist running my own practice, specialising mainly in reflexology and therapeutic massage. As part of my weekly routine I volunteer for The Arthur Rank Hospice(ARH) in Cambridge. ARH offers terminally ill patients up to six free treatments provided by a team of volunteer therapists who visit them in their own homes. Through this scheme I was referred to and treated two Motor Neurone Disease sufferers: Pete and Maureen.


I'd had no previous experience of treating sufferers of MND and, before I met these two patients, had no real knowledge of the mechanism of the disease, how it manifests and how devastating it is. In building relationships with my two clients I also became acutely aware of how stressful it is for family members to fight to get the best care for their loved ones suffering with MND. Through this scheme I have not only been able to provide relaxation and a modicum of relief to my MND patients, but also provide some much needed release for their carers. I have found it extremely rewarding to be able to provide such relief and am grateful for this invaluable learning experience. Many people living with MND find that complementary therapies can help to make day-to-day living more comfortable and tolerable by helping to control symptoms. It is widely accepted that deep relaxation can help to reduce anxiety and stress. Massage, aromatherapy and reflexology are known to offer effective means of muscle relaxation, improve blood circulation and lymphatic flow and help to relieve pain by encouraging the production of endorphins, the body's natural pain killers. Here follow two stories of how complementary therapies have benefited two of my clients who suffer from MND.


Pete’s story
My client Pete was good enough to grant me an in depth interview to help fill in some gaps in his story and to give his personal perspective on the value of the massage treatments he has received. In 2002 Pete first noticed that he was suffering with poor circulation, leg cramps, twitching and "lazy" right foot. By mid-2003, after specialist tests, he was diagnosed with MND. For three years his was able to continue his job overseas until he eventually came back to the UK in April 2006 when his mobility was so impaired that he could not perform certain aspects of his job without great hardship. As many elements of his work were computer-based, he was however able to continue to work at home. For a while he could move around well using a wheelchair and could still stand well enough to get around the house by holding on to rails and furniture. Only a few months after moving back to the UK, Pete‟s symptoms became much worse making it almost impossible for him to get up and down stairs. In November 2006 he and his wife moved into a specially converted bungalow to avoid the need to use stairs. Soon after the move his condition began to deteriorate at a faster pace. A hoist was needed to help his wife lift him. By the summer of 2007 Pete‟s breathing became much more difficult; his diaphragm was not functioning and he was having to breathe using his shoulder, chest and neck muscles. Because of his breathing problems, Pete was unable to sleep flat in bed, so was forced to sleep in his conventional, vertical-backed wheelchair. This meant that when he fell asleep, his head would slump forwards and to one side and he would wake up with chronic neck pain. He was also suffering from panic attacks when attempting to sleep. He couldn't get accustomed to the breathing machine and was typically only sleeping for around two hours a night. This lack of sleep was becoming a real issue. He was frustrated by his inability to work, which had often helped him through the long hours of the night. He was eventually provided with a neck brace, which helped to reduce part of the problem, but he found it very uncomfortable. Pete was at a really low point and the prognosis was poor. It was at this time that Pete and his wife were referred to me by the ARH scheme to hopefully provide some relief for the neck problem for Pete and, by reducing the panic attacks, help to relieve stress for them both.


“How on earth was I going to massage this?”


Initially, I have to admit, I found this challenge quite daunting with totally different requirements to the cancer patients I had previously dealt with. Pete's neck was contorted to the left and forward (he had not been given the neck brace at this point); the musculature to the left side of his neck, chest, shoulders and upper arms was wasted and atrophied; there was a lot of involuntary muscle twitching in his upper chest; breathing was pronounced and forced. It was especially noticeable that he was having to consciously use secondary chest muscles to expand his chest in order to breath. His feet and lower legs, in which he had no voluntary movement, were swollen and covered with approximately 80% cyanosis, which is a bluish colouration of the skin due to the presence of insufficiently oxygenated haemoglobin in arterial blood vessels near the skin surface, but Pete was keen to concentrate on the neck issues as a priority as he was getting some regular foot massage from his carers. Resting my hands on his shoulders for the first time revealed the extent of the muscle twitching and the degree of muscular activity needed just for breathing. How on earth was I going to massage this? This was where I needed to draw on all the massage skills I had been learning over the last five or six years and combine them to provide him with an effective treatment. With limited access to his neck and shoulders due to his wheelchair, I commenced with what was essentially a modified Indian Head Massage to establish contact and palpate as necessary. He was clearly having difficulty supporting his head so I cradled his forehead in one arm whilst standing to one side and deep stroking his neck muscles on the other side. He seemed to respond very well to this and was enjoying the rest that he got from having his head supported. Over the following few treatments I developed this concept and was able to relatively deeply massage the supporting neck muscles. Slowly but surely, his neck became more supple and strong. Pete told me he felt a reduction in pain levels and his posture became noticeably more symmetrical; he could hold his head more erect, breath and speak better and his general demeanour had improved enormously. After a long wait, Pete was eventually provided with an advanced wheelchair but, whilst it has multiple adjustments, it does not have any head support to help him sleep or rest the neck. As well as getting tangible muscular relief, what was emerging was the peace and relaxation that both Pete and his wife were getting from the treatment sessions. I felt that, in a way, by them both sharing the experience they were united. In effect I was passing each of them the caring, nurturing contact that they were no longer physically able to give to each other. They both looked forward enormously to their weekly period of pure relaxation, release and pleasure. For Pete's wife, the sessions gave her a break from, and some treatment for, the difficult lifting, manipulation on the hoist, organising care as well as a chance to just switch off, relax and meditate for a while.


Maureen’s story
The Arthur Rank Macmillan nurses similarly referred Maureen to me. Her case was especially poignant as she had, for some time, been a volunteer herself at the Hospice. Maureen was referred to me in early September 2007. She had been eventually diagnosed with MND in mid-2005 having endured a two year period of being treated for early stages of Parkinson‟s Disease. Although she does not have the same respiratory problems as Pete, she has almost total loss of movement in her left arm and leg but is, however, still able to weight bear to transfer from chair to wheelchair or bed albeit with some assistance. Her muscle wastage is most noticeable in the left triceps. Circulation in her arms and legs is poor and there is some fluid build up in her lower legs and ankles. The objective of the treatments was initially to provide relaxation and cheer her up a bit as well as improve circulation in her immobile limbs and lymphatic drainage to reduce fluid build up. The first few treatments I did with Maureen were on her lower legs only but, having heard about the results achieved with Pete, she requested some work on her arms, neck and shoulders and latterly I have included some elements of Indian Head and Face Massage to deepen the relaxation. In Maureen‟s case working is slightly easier as her smaller wheelchair allowed freer access to the shoulders, arms and upper back. To facilitate working I use a normal therapist‟s stool to enable sitting closer but to be able to move around freely. We then transfer her to a comfy reclining chair to finish the session with Reflexology and lower leg massage. She‟d had experience of gentle foot massage from the therapists in the Hospice Day Therapy unit and had been recommended to me by the staff so she knew a little about me and felt at ease with my visits from the outset. Initially she thought, as it was a free service offered by volunteers, that she had nothing to lose from trying it and then she would be able to assess whether it would be worth continuing privately afterwards.


“A psychological boost”
Maureen told me that her previous experiences at ARH Day Therapy Unit, whilst very pleasant and relaxing, were not really comparable with what I offered. She says it is the most relaxing thing she has ever experienced. She often complains of her limbs feeling heavy “like lead” before the treatment and is always delighted with the remarkable improved appearance of her legs following the foot and lower leg massage. The reduced swelling gives her a significant psychological boost with the physical effects lasting up to three or four days. She also finds that the massage significantly improves her skin tone. This again greatly raises her self-esteem and frame of mind. Before the course of treatment she would need to apply moisturiser heavily all the time. The improved circulation to the skin tangibly reduces this need.


Maureen also points out that she benefits in more ways than just the massage. The social side is a fillip for her. She looks forward to my visits, we have a laugh and a chat. I have got to know her and her husband quite well and we feel relaxed in each other's company, all of which is an aspect of this type of work, which should not be underestimated. She values the fact that the treatments she gets from me are focussed totally on her requirements unlike that which one might get if receiving a massage in a holiday hotel spa, for example, where a set procedure might be rather impersonal and done to a strict time frame. When the series of free ARH treatments ended, both Maureen and Pete approached the MND Association who granted funding for a further tranche of treatments for each of them. When they finished, they both had no hesitation in continuing with self-funded treatments. I continue to treat Pete and Maureen on a regular basis for the symptoms of their disease and, at time of writing, the MND Association, having learned of the value that they put in their treatments, are about to commence another round of funding.


Conclusion
The physiological improvements and the psychological uplift and boost in self-esteem gained by regular massage treatments for my two MND patients have had a remarkable positive effect on their, and their carers‟, quality of life and have possibly been instrumental in substantially extending that quality of life. Having achieved such dramatic results, my conclusion is that it would be advantageous for those diagnosed with MND to consider commencing a programme of holistic massage from the point of initial diagnosis in order to help reduce and delay the effects of muscular atrophy and wastage, to maintain circulation to inactive areas and to maximise the quality of the sufferer‟s remaining life.


Phil Atkin MICHT runs his “Rothleigh Grange” practice in the Cambridge area: www.rothleighgrange.co.uk


This piece was reproduced with the permission of Philip, Maureen, Peter and their families.  Thank you.


If this article has inspired you but you're not sure where to start maybe our Massage in Hospitals workshop can help you get started. www.thelondonmassagecompany.com/workshop18


Until next time!
Jane & Zoe


STRAPLINE ANSWERS:
- Looking after your world (British Gas)
- Just Do It (Nike)
- The magazine for a million voices of nature (Birds, the RSPB magazine)
- Reset your compass (Exodus )
- Soft, strong and very very long (Andrex  toilet tissue)

To subscribe to the Newsletter or see what we're up to inside the class room visit : www.thelondonmassagecompany.com or email us:
ask@thelondonmassagecompany.com