Kanwal Bowen and Remedial Massage

02/11/2023

There's a ligament in the shoulder that commonly adheres to the biceps tendon creating pain and restriction. It's called the coracohumeral ligament. Adhesion here can also impact shoulder mechanics leading to impingement.

07/04/2023

We no longer use this as a posture cue: “Pull your shoulder blades back to stop your shoulder blades from going forward.” The muscles around the shoulder blade begin to fatigue. Instead, just elevate your chest and feel as though you are trying to lengthen your spine (neck & back).
Bob

03/06/2022

And if it’s not kept in good condition, it can affect not only our bodies, but our entire well-being. In fact, I believe that many common health conditions are caused by this muscle not being stretched enough, strange as that sounds. What is it?

28/04/2022

21/04/2022

ATMS

10/04/2022

17/03/2022

Monty has been promoted by my wonderful client👏👏👏

Monty, the Remedial Massage Therapist, is ready for me now.

I love seeing my therapist for a great massage… even better when Monty comes to greet me. 🐾🤗

17/03/2022

Kanwal Bowen’s apprentice receives positive review

04/01/2022

🔈 KNEE PAIN? IT CAN BE PATELLA MALTRACKING

Patella maltracking is one of the main causes of knee problems, so it’s important to understand why it occurs. If you have general knee problems, this brief guide will help clarify exactly what patella maltracking is and how it might be responsible for your pain. We will explain what the patella is, why it tracks incorrectly and the problems this can cause, as well as briefly touch on what can be done to relieve pain.

What is the patella?
The patella is what most people know as the kneecap. It is the point highlighted green in the picture. The movements of areas of the whole body can have an impact on the way the patella tracks over the knee, so the movement of the kneecap can point to different problems. In the immediate area around the knee, we are most concerned with the impact of these quadricep muscles.

What is patella maltracking?
Patella maltracking is an imbalance problem. The muscles in the upper thigh, the vastus medialis (inside) and vastus lateralis (outside) pull on the patella tendon in different directions. If one side is tighter than the other, it will pull the patella out of balance. Demonstrated with this simple diagram, the patella should ideally run smoothly down the middle of the groove between the condyles (the two sides) of the femur, at the end of your thigh bone.

In most cases of patella maltracking, the lateral (outer) quad is overactive and stronger than the medial (inner) quad, which is weak and underused. In these cases, the patella gets pulled out of the groove, to the side, and rubs against the femur, and this is what causes the pain you feel.

When the outer quad is especially tight, it can even pull the patella out of the joint and cause a dislocation. To tackle patella maltracking, therefore, you have to address the tightening of the muscle and the strength imbalance.

What causes the muscle tightness?
There are a number of reasons that the patella movement can become imbalanced, but muscle tightness is caused by an imbalance in strength or through muscles being overworked or used incorrectly. The muscle tightness stemming from improper muscle use comes from an evolutionary survival mechanism. When the muscle is overworked, there is a risk that it will tear and be damaged. In order to prevent this, the body sends impulses for the muscle to contract and avoid overstraining. This contraction forms a permanent knot in the muscle, which shortens the muscle. The shortened muscles then pulls tighter on the joint, causing it to feel stiff. The stiff feeling makes you want to avoid using the joint.

The corrective measures made by your body are well-intentioned, as they may prevent you from performing seriously harmful actions, but these warning signs leave lasting stiffness in the body. The muscle knots causing this stiffness can be removed manually. If you remove the knot, the muscle can be restored to its full length, preventing tightness and alleviating the pain. You can do this, simply, by massaging the knot. This breaks it down, switching off the nervous impulse and releasing the waste products caught in the knot. It also restores blood-flow to the muscle.