To help manage swelling near the site of surgery, often surgeons will recommend Manual Lymph Drainage. This is a gentle technique developed to assist lymph flow and aid in draining tissues in the surgical site. Typically, patients start lymphatic drainage 2 weeks post-op.

Get the Lymph moving again!

After plastic surgery like liposuction and abdominoplasty, swelling or edema can be significant. Sometimes the patient finds it difficult to stand fully erect from the excess edema. Manual Lymph Drainage (MLD) is an excellent way to manage the edema and assist in the healing process by directing lymph flow out of the swollen areas. This technique drives out the stagnant lymph that has pooled in the tissues. Additionally, MLD allows fresh lymph to enter the region encouraging a healthy healing environment.

Add Some Compression

If the edema is persistently reoccurring after a knee or hip replacement, a combination of MLD and compression can be beneficial. After these types of surgery, MLD is performed then a compression wrap or bandage is applied. For the hip region, a compression garment can be worn whereas on the legs a bandage or wrap is used. Compression helps to maintain the reduction of edema and continues to encourage further lymph flow out of the area.

Drive the Flow in the Right Direction

Special attention to the direction of the MLD technique is important if lymph nodes have been removed during surgery like a mastectomy. Your therapist will apply MLD and direct flow away from the excised lymph nodes. This prevents pooling in the tissues from occurring in areas where the lymph nodes were removed.

Break up Scar tissue and Adhesions

Scar tissue that develops in the fleshy layers near the suture and surgical site can also impede lymphatic flow. Gentle scar tissue techniques of the scar tissue or sutures can assist with diminishing edema in the surgical site. Similar to scar tissue, adhesions between the tissue layers can impede lymph flow. Likewise, gentle spreading techniques can release these adhesions and allow improved lymphatic flow as well as improved mobility in the tissues. Generally, the patient experiences decreased pain after treatment because of the improved mobility and movement in the body.

Manual Lymph Drainage is offered at Jockvale Massage & Physio by Irene Gunn, RMT. Irene is trained in Dr. Vodder MLD techniques and has been offering treatments since completing the full training in 2009. Initial treatment is ideally 60 min with follow-up treatment ranging from 30, 45 to 60 min.

Feel free to book your appointment via our online booking web page here. We also can be reached by phone at (613) 825-3837.

Mother’s Day may be right around the corner, but it’s not too late to get your mom the perfect gift.

This Mother’s Day show your mom how much she is appreciated by gifting her a relaxing massage experience.

We know how hard it is to think of a gift she’ll use (and want) – you gave her flowers last year, you’ve already gifted her beauty products the year before, and every year you treat her to brunch.

What most moms want though is a relaxing escape, without having to lock the door. And she can find that experience at Jockvale Massage & Physio.

Gifting your mom a massage therapy experience with us is simple (and has a guaranteed delivery by Mother’s Day!) – just grab a gift certificate or book a time for your mom at our clinic.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about our services, get in touch with our team today.

Cheers,

Irene

Are you ready for the Ottawa Race Weekend on May 28th -29th? Training for a big event requires dedication and a strong strategy. You may have participated in local events like the Winterman as a preparation for the Ottawa race weekend. With less than 2 months to go before the marathon weekend, it’s a good time to be on top of your injury prevention strategy.

Despite the fact that it can take as much as 20+ weeks to train for a marathon, we often see runners coming into the clinic with injuries a mere 3 weeks before their event. This can be a real tragedy since many injuries can take 4 – 8 weeks before recovery.

Let’s take a look at some tips to prevent injury.

1. Warm-up

As simple as it sounds start your training runs at an easy pace. While you may feel a real urgency to get the miles done allowing your body to adjust to the effort will make the whole run more productive.

2. Going too hard on Easy Runs

Easy days need to be easy so that your hard days don’t suffer. Otherwise, it will be more difficult to reach tempo training paces and recover from tougher efforts. As a result, you’ll have limited physical gains and a higher risk of injury. Aim to carry a conversation without having to stop and take a breath. Ideally, you want to finish a run feeling like you could have gone a bit further.

3. Stretch, Foam Roll, Mobilize and Repeat

Keeping muscles supple and joints moving with ideal mechanics is key when you cover distances. Be sure to stretch hips and legs regularly and foam roll the stiffer areas like the ITB, quads, and hamstrings. Pick up some dynamic stretching techniques to keep your hips mobilized. And a tennis ball is a great tool for rooting out knots in the gluteal muscles.

4. Regular Massage

If you haven’t incorporated regular massage in your program you need to get one soon. Often runners tell me that they have their best runs the day after they had their massage. Massage is a great recovery tool after hard workouts. By removing adhesions between the fascia and muscle tissue layers and flushing out the legs massage helps runners recover faster. Research has also shown that there is less inflammation in massaged limbs.

5. Vigilant for Injuries

Be mindful of running through your pain. Gradually increasing pain or intermittent pain should alert you that there is something wrong. At the first sign of pain be sure to seek out a physiotherapist to help you through. Sometimes your physiotherapist can identify a muscle imbalance that is holding you back from good body mechanics while training. Early intervention can help you get the best performance out of your training.

6. Hot and Cold Therapy

We often associate recovery from activity with a warm Epsom salt bath. Improved circulation from the warm bath and the benefits of Epsom salts have been experienced by athletes for years. For runners, Epsom salt baths can alleviate pain, reduce stress, help your muscles relax, and aid in the recovery process.

To help with inflammation and aching limbs an alternative is an ice water bath. For many people, the thought of an icy bath is not a pleasant one. Even if you can only tolerate the water up to your hips you will get a benefit. Coldwater therapy constricts blood vessels and decreases metabolic activity, which reduces swelling and tissue breakdown helping you recover faster and then get more from your next training run.

So there it is, a number of tips to get you through to your race day and if you are feeling you need to take care of an injury or a niggle then reach out to us at the clinic for an assessment

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle manual therapy that addresses a broad range of health concerns.  Many clients find it deeply relaxing and restorative. It’s a safe and effective therapy at any stage of recovery. It’s even safe for babies and children who have experienced trauma including birth trauma.

Treatment by your craniosacral therapist will emphasize listening for the health and quality of the Craniosacral rhythm. By listening and understanding your unique rhythm your therapist will then encourage the most robust and fluid expression of your rhythm. Improved quality and movement of your craniosacral rhythm is directly tied to your health and wellness. Each session includes both listening and gentle manipulation of the Craniosacral system via key points in the body including the head and sacrum (found in the back of the pelvis).

Who can benefit?

The healing and relaxing effects of Craniosacral therapy can help support those with:

• Neck and Back pain
• Migraine and stress headaches
• Tension related problems: stress, emotional difficulties, depression, and anxiety
• Scoliosis and postural dysfunctions
• Traumatic Brain and Spinal Cord injuries: Concussion and Post-Concussion syndrome
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• Jaw pain, Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJD)
• Dental and Orthodontic problems
• Sciatica
• Chronic Fatigue, Insomnia
• Post-surgical dysfunction

What is happening during treatment?

When the body is impacted by trauma either physical, emotional or long term micro injury, the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord can be affected. The membrane that encloses the brain and spinal cord is called the dura. Adhesions and restrictions in the dura and related tissues will alter the flow of the Craniosacral rhythm.  Your therapist can feel these changes in the craniosacral rhythm and assesses the craniosacral movement during the listening phase of your treatment.

Using gentle touch, the tension and restrictions in the dura surrounding the brain and spinal cord are eased allowing improvement in blood and lymph circulation as well as more normal functioning of the nerve tissue is restored. Often the client experiences a feeling of relaxation and wellness.

Treating the restrictions in the cranium (skull) is achieved by gently guiding the bones forming the cranium into a position of ease. Restrictions throughout the spinal cord and sacrum are also assessed and treated by gentle touch. Further evaluation of the Craniosacral rhythm can be observed via the pelvis, legs, feet, and arms.

What to expect during your first appointment?

During your treatment for craniosacral therapy, you can remain fully clothed the entire time. There are some instances when your therapist will recommend additional treatment which may include massage therapy.  A combination of massage therapy and craniosacral therapy will typically require a one-hour appointment.

To book your craniosacral session please reach us via our online booking https://jockvalemassageandphysio.janeapp.com/#/staff_member/1 or call  (613)825-3837.

With milder temperatures in the forecast we are all looking forward to more time outside and a shift in our physical activities. Many of us have been indoors and less active for months so the first efforts to increase our activities can lead to aches, pain and even injury. While we love the benefits of Physiotherapy and Massage Therapy, we now have a new treatment approach to offer – RAPID Neurofascial Reset.

RAPID Neurofascial Reset is a manual therapy for treating chronic and acute pain. What makes it unique is that RAPID targets the nervous system rather than muscle tissue, with the goal of completely resolving pain and improving range of motion.

This treatment is fast, intense and can be momentarily painful. Effective results are happening for clients dealing with migraines, low back pain, and sciatica. RAPID has proven beneficial for the treatment of athletes’ injuries such as, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, and tennis or golfer’s elbow. Many people have also shared with us the benefits they have seen for chronic conditions like joint pain, osteoarthritis and frozen shoulder. We all have “chronic artifacts of inflammation” from previous injuries limiting our body and its movement. This approach is for everybody!

Norman Chow, RMT offers RAPID Neurofascial Reset throughout the week. These appointments are a shorter duration so they can fit into your busy schedule easily. Alternatively, you can request that Norman incorporates RAPID into a regular massage therapy session.

Get back into the activities you love to do and recover with RAPID. To book with Norman we are just a call or a click away.