For those who don’t know me, I am an artist as well as a massage therapist, and whenever I write something about a particular muscle, I look for clip art of that muscle and think to myself, “I really should just make my own muscle illustrations.”
Well, I recently got a fancy digital stylus that makes it possible to use my iPad like a sketchpad. It didn’t take me long to realize that making muscle illustrations would be a fun use of this particular technology.
That’s Nice, Now What’s This About Knotty Muscles?
Now, to get to the point… this knotty little muscle, the trapezius, also know as “the traps”. Named for it’s trapezoid shape, it covers a large portion of your back and shoulders and is the muscle you can pretty easily feel right below the surface of the skin at your upper shoulders.
This is one of the main muscles that is likely bothering you when you say your neck or shoulders ache. Because of the wide region of the body it covers, it is responsible for, or at least involved in, a lot of actions of the neck, back and shoulders. This includes shrugging your shoulders, moving your arm and shoulders backwards, and tilting your head back.
What Makes a Trapezius So Knotty?
Pain in the trapezius can result from injuries such as whiplash, carrying heavy objects, neck and shoulder tension, or poor posture. I feel like the most common source of upper trapezius pain I see is due to the tendency to scrunch our shoulders up towards our ears when we’re stressed. When we do this, those muscles contract to hold that position. After being contracted like that for a long time, the muscles tighten and can get stuck that way, tear, or develop those sticky spots we call “knots”.
How Do We Get the Knots Out?
If your traps prove to be a problem area for you, we’ll spend time working on them during your massage. We’ll work to soften, relax and lengthen them again. The trapezius has three different sections, upper, middle and lower fibers. Each section has different functions and different ways we can work on them during massage.
For the upper portion of the muscles, I’ll use a mix of massage strokes, deep pressure/compression or “pincer pressure”. Stretching and range of motion of the arms and shoulders meant can help get them loosened up and moving again. The middle and lower portions of the trapezius are worked with massage strokes and different stretches and movements down your back, alongside your spine, and across the shoulder blades.
If you’ve got pain or tension in these areas, I can help! We can work on the trapezius and other shoulder muscles both on the massage table and in the massage chair. Even a short session can help. Contact me to schedule your appointment, and we’ll get that knotty muscles back into shape!
~Tricia
If you have never had a massage before, looking at a full menu of massage options might seem kind of intimidating. Or maybe you’ve just always had “a massage” and didn’t really consider the benefits beyond relaxation. Here are some short descriptions of the types of massage I offer, and what I feel we can accomplish during specific appointment times.
You may have seen this type of massage at any assortment of locations, from offices to sports events. A specially designed chair allows you to sit relaxed and fully clothed, leaning forward into a cushioned face cradle. From that position, the massage therapist can work on your back, shoulders, arms, hands, neck and head. In some instances, it’s possible to turn and face the other way in the chair for work on legs and feet.
For a relaxation massage, I use the long, flowing, and soothing strokes of Swedish massage, adjusting the pressure of the strokes to suit you. When you just want to relax and let go, this is the massage for you. We don’t focus on a specific problem area, nor poke and prod at “knots” or tight spots. At most, I may adjust the timing of the massage a little bit so I can spend more time on tired feet or achy shoulders, but nothing intense. This massage is just about relaxing, reducing stress, and improving your outlook on life.
With this type of massage, while we’re not completely ignoring relaxation, we’re focused on it less. There’s a bit more “poking and prodding”, as I seek out “knots”, tight muscles, and sore spots and spend time on those areas. We’ll talk more as I ask you to let me know when something hurts and when it starts to ease up. I might include stretches for your arms or legs, or ask you to move a body part against resistance, or while I put pressure on a specific muscle. This massage is about improving your mobility, releasing tension and relieving pain.
This type of massage is geared primarily towards relaxation, but if there is a particularly painful problem are, most often the neck or upper back/shoulders, we can put a little extra focus or deep work into that area.
Reiki has been steadily growing in public awareness in recent years. Chances are, you’ve at least heard the term, or seen it and wondered how to pronounce it (Ray-Key). In a nutshell, Reiki is a simple, safe method of natural healing and self-care that anyone can learn to use.
The name Reiki comes from two Japanese Kanji, Rei and Ki. Rei is generally defined as meaning “universal” and representing body, mind and spirit. Ki is life energy, and you’ll find similar concepts throughout the world, such as chi, prana, qi, or ti. It is the non-physical energy that animates all living things. Therefore, Reiki can be generally translated to “universal life force”.
Reiki is a powerful, yet gentle healing method. Because its source is that of spiritual or universal consciousness, it is believed that this spiritual consciousness always knows what a person needs and will adjust the healing for each individual person. As a result, it can be complementary to other forms of treatment, including medical and psychological care.
Anyone can learn Reiki. You don’t need any particular education level or spiritual belief system to use it. It doesn’t even take years of practice to be able to use it successfully. Once a student receives the attunement, they have Reiki and can use it.
What is Intuitive Bodywork?
Maybe taking the time out for a massage DOES feel decadent. We have busy lives, we have other financial obligations, and many of us have gotten horrible at self-care. The human race needs to stop shaming people for taking care of themselves. I’ll keep saying it until I don’t need to anymore… What you give to all of your obligations and the people you care about is only as good as what you allow back in. When your body finally gives out, who will take care of all of it then?
Most licensed massage therapists are members of a national organization such as the American Massage Therapy Association (
The stones commonly used for hot stone massage are usually basalt, a volcanic stone that retains heat well. The stones used for cold stone massage are typically marble or marine sedimentary stones, which hold cold longer. Basalt stones are often naturally smoothed from the river water or waves where they’re found, while the marble usually needs to be hand cut and smoothed.
I had so many ideas for homemade scrub for the summer season. I like to offer two different “personalities” for the scrubs, to try to appeal to different people’s likes and dislikes. I finally managed to settle on two. Choice one will be cucumber mint sugar scrub, with real pureed cucumber, peppermint essential oil, coconut oil, and granulated sugar. The second option is a mixture of Dead Sea salt, sweet almond oil, and lavender essential oil.
You’ve scheduled your massage and you’re eagerly awaiting the moment you can lay down on that warm, comfy table. How can you get the maximum benefit from your 60 minutes (or more!) on the massage table? Here are a few ways you can help ensure you get the most out of your massage appointment.
If possible, try to skip the perfume, cologne, or aftershave on the day of your appointment. You don’t want your scent-sensitive massage therapist sniffling their way through your massage. It can also drown out the effects of aromatherapy.
Maybe you start to feel it as the days get shorter, or it really kicks in when it’s getting dark out at 4:00 in the afternoon. You might be dreading the dark, cold days of winter for more reasons than just having a lot of snow to shovel. You’re not alone. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a subtype of major depression that the National Institutes of Health estimates affects 6% of the US population, primarily those living in northern climates. Another 14% of the US adult population suffer from less severe form of seasonal mood changes, sometimes referred to as “winter blues”.
While the exact causes of SAD or Winter Blues are not know, it’s believed that changes in the amount of sunlight can throw off your internal clock (circadian rhythm) and leave not sleeping well, or feeling tired and depressed. Reduced sunlight levels may also decrease your body’s production of serotonin, a chemical that affects mood, and melatonin, which also has a role in mood and sleep patterns.
Do you wake up with stiff, sore fingers? I have had several people mention fears of early arthritis (without confirmation by a doctor). You should of course see a doctor if you’re concerned about your health, however there is a possibility that it is not arthritis.
While November’s flavor claim to fame is pumpkin spice, December is all about chocolate peppermint! At least to me, it is!