Rodrigues Relaxation

05/02/2026

Rodrigues Relaxation Massage is open today!

I’m fully booked and ready to treat both my wonderful regular clients and some lovely new faces—exciting times ahead. Thank you all for your continued support, it really means a lot.

Wishing everyone a relaxing and positive day!

04/02/2026

It started with a sore shoulder - and ended with one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever been given.

A few years ago, I began to feel pain in my shoulder. It got bad enough that I couldn’t sleep properly. I knew I needed proper guidance.

I went to see Dr Rod Jaques, who had looked after the British Olympic team for 20 years. He examined me, listened carefully, and then shared some advice that changed how I train.

He said: “If you want to keep swimming at a top level, remember this number - 51.”

“Train every day for 51 weeks of the year,” he said. “Then take one full week off to rest.”

But the real wisdom was in how to train. He explained that it didn’t have to look the same every day. One day might be swimming. The next could be a run, a row, a weights session or even a long walk in the mountains.

I took his advice seriously. For the past two years, I’ve trained almost every day - not by pushing harder, but by training more wisely.

My shoulder pain is gone. I feel strong. And I’m grateful to still be doing the work I love.

The lesson is simple: if you want to keep moving, you have to keep moving - and you have to do it with care.

Thank you, Dr Rod Jaques.

04/02/2026

📢 New Research Alert: Foot Reflexology in Pediatric Care
A recent randomized controlled trial explored the impact of foot reflexology on postoperative recovery in children.
🔬 Key findings:
The study found that foot reflexology applied after surgery helped:
✨ Reduce postoperative pain
✨ Influence vital signs including blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiratory rate
These results highlight the potential of foot reflexology as a gentle, non-invasive supportive approach that may contribute to comfort and physiological regulation in pediatric postoperative settings, when used alongside standard medical care.
👣 Evidence-informed care. Thoughtful touch. Support where it matters most.
✨ Learn more here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41603833/
🔎 Find a Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist (RCRT™): www.reflexologycanada.org

03/02/2026

Great benefits for plantar fasciitis 🙏🔆

I recently treated a client with plantar fasciitis on both feet and noticed a meaningful shift after a targeted Foot Mobilization session. I also worked on the ankles and calf muscles to ease muscle and tendon tightness that often contribute to heel pain.

The result? He shared this: "My feet feel good thank you. I am concenctrating walking and standing the way you suggested and doing the exercises. Thanks for your help"

Read more: Blog: https://energyreflexology.com.au/Blog/b/footmobilization

02/02/2026

✨ Appointments Available This Week ✨

If your body’s been asking for a reset, this is your sign. I’ve got a few massage appointments open this week—perfect for easing tension, calming your nervous system, and giving yourself some well-deserved care.

Massage can help with stress, sore muscles, better sleep, and overall balance. Don’t wait until your body is screaming—book while spots are still open 💆‍♀️

Experience lasting relaxation with Sally Rodrigues, a blind massage therapist in Bristol. Holistic treatments tailored to relieve pain and reduce stress.

28/01/2026

Appointments are available this week — now’s the perfect time to treat yourself!
Massage isn’t just about relaxation 💆‍♂️
✨ It helps reduce stress
✨ Relieves muscle tension
✨ Improves circulation
✨ Leaves you feeling refreshed and re-energized

Your body works hard for you — give it the care it deserves 🤍
Check my availability online www.rodriguesrelaxation.co.uk

27/01/2026

Reflexology: supporting conception and pregnancy naturally

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 doesn’t begin in the womb alone, it begins with balance in the nervous system, hormones, circulation and emotional wellbeing.

Reflexology gently supports the body as it prepares for conception by:
🔆 calming the nervous system
🔆 supporting hormonal balance and communication
🔆 improving circulation to the reproductive organs
🔆 easing stress, which can quietly interfere with fertility

When the body feels safe, supported and balanced, it can focus on what truly matters.

𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆, once it begins, reflexology continues to offer beautiful support.
Treatments are adapted to be gentle and nurturing, helping to:
🔆 ease some discomforts
🔆 ease morning sickness
🔆 support changing hormones
🔆 ease tension and fatigue
🔆 encourage better sleep
🔆 support digestion and circulation
🔆 help the nervous system adapt to the many changes taking place

Reflexology during pregnancy supports the body’s incredible intelligence as it grows and nurtures new life. I have even seen a wonderful change with two women who had p***c symphysis, the pain disappeared only after one or two sessions 🙏

Whether preparing to conceive or already pregnant, reflexology offers calmness, connection and trust in the body’s natural wisdom.

27/01/2026

Your lymphatic system plays a key role in fluid balance and waste removal, helping the body feel lighter and more comfortable. When lymph flow becomes sluggish - often linked to stress, reduced movement, or warmer weather - puffiness or swelling in the feet and lower legs can occur.

Reflexology works with specific lymphatic reflex points on the feet, using gentle, intentional techniques to encourage the natural movement of lymph.

Reflexology may help to:
• support healthy lymphatic circulation
• assist the body’s natural detox processes
• reduce fluid retention and swelling
• promote a sense of lightness and balance

A calm, supportive approach that works with the body, not against it.

26/01/2026

TIBIALIS POSTERIOR – THE KEY BIOMECHANICAL SUPPORT OF THE MEDIAL ARCH

The tibialis posterior muscle and tendon play a central role in controlling foot posture and maintaining the integrity of the medial longitudinal arch. As illustrated in the image, the tendon courses behind the medial malleolus and inserts primarily onto the navicular and medial cuneiform bones, placing it in a powerful position to influence midfoot stability during weight-bearing activities.

Biomechanically, tibialis posterior functions as both a dynamic arch lifter and a rotational controller of the foot. During the early stance phase of gait, it acts eccentrically to control pronation, preventing excessive flattening of the arch as the foot accepts body weight. This controlled pronation allows for shock absorption while maintaining alignment between the hindfoot and midfoot.

As gait progresses into mid-stance and push-off, tibialis posterior transitions to a concentric role. It helps elevate the medial arch and stiffen the midfoot by drawing the navicular upward and medially. This action works in synergy with the Achilles tendon and plantar structures, converting the foot from a flexible adaptor into a rigid lever capable of effective propulsion.

The anatomical relationship between the tibialis posterior tendon, the navicular bone, and the spring ligament complex is biomechanically critical. When this system is functioning properly, load is evenly distributed across the medial column of the foot. However, weakness or dysfunction of tibialis posterior reduces arch support, increases strain on passive ligaments, and shifts forces laterally, compromising gait efficiency.

Excessive stress on the tibialis posterior tendon often results from prolonged overpronation, altered foot mechanics, or poor proximal control at the knee and hip. Over time, this can lead to progressive arch collapse, increased hindfoot valgus, and conditions such as adult-acquired flatfoot deformity. These changes also alter force transmission up the kinetic chain, contributing to knee, hip, and low back symptoms.

In summary, tibialis posterior is a cornerstone of foot biomechanics. Its ability to control pronation, support the medial arch, and coordinate with other plantarflexors is essential for efficient and pain-free movement. Preserving its function is key to maintaining foot stability and overall lower-limb biomechanical health.

25/01/2026

Toe Position Matters: The Hidden Link Between Feet, Knees & Hips

This image highlights a simple but powerful biomechanical truth: where your toes point determines how forces travel through your ankle, knee, and hip.

When the toes turn outward or inward, the rotation doesn’t stay at the foot. The tibia follows that rotation, the knee joint is forced to adapt, and the femur responds with compensatory rotation at the hip. Over time, this creates instability, uneven joint loading, and excessive stress on soft tissues.

In the left illustration, toe-out positioning causes external rotation at the foot, which drives rotational stress up the leg. The knee experiences twisting forces it was never designed to handle repeatedly, while the hip loses optimal alignment. This often contributes to knee pain, hip discomfort, and inefficient movement patterns during walking, running, or squatting.

On the right, toes facing forward create a clean vertical alignment from foot to knee to hip. This allows the ankle to stabilize properly, the knee to hinge efficiently, and the hip muscles—especially the gluteals—to control motion instead of compensating for poor foot position.

Biomechanically, toes-forward alignment improves:
• Ankle stability and load distribution
• Knee tracking and joint integrity
• Hip control and pelvic stability
• Force transfer during gait and functional movements

The key message is that lower-limb stability starts at the ground. Correcting toe position is often one of the simplest yet most overlooked ways to improve movement quality and reduce injury risk.

23/01/2026

🚶‍♂️ Trendelenburg Gait – A Complete Biomechanical Explanation

Trendelenburg gait is a classic abnormal walking pattern that reflects hip abductor dysfunction, most commonly involving the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus. Although it appears as a simple pelvic drop during walking, the underlying biomechanics involve complex interactions between muscles, joints, and the entire kinetic chain.

⚙️ Normal Single-Leg Stance Biomechanics

During the stance phase of gait, body weight is supported on one leg while the opposite leg swings forward. In normal mechanics, the hip abductors of the stance leg contract to stabilize the pelvis, keeping it level. This allows efficient load transfer from the trunk to the lower limb without excessive stress on the spine or hip joint.

🔻 Pelvic Drop – The Key Feature

In Trendelenburg gait, the hip abductors on the stance side are weak, inhibited, or painful. As a result, they cannot counteract the downward pull of gravity on the swing side. This causes the pelvis to drop on the contralateral side, which is the hallmark sign of this gait pattern.

↔️ Compensatory Trunk Lurch

To reduce the demand on the weak hip abductors, the body compensates by leaning the trunk toward the affected side. This trunk lurch shifts the center of mass closer to the hip joint, reducing the moment arm and muscular effort required. While this strategy decreases hip joint load temporarily, it introduces abnormal forces elsewhere in the body.

🦴 Joint Loading & Energy Cost

Biomechanically, Trendelenburg gait increases compressive forces at the hip joint and alters force transmission through the lumbar spine and sacroiliac joints. The altered alignment also increases energy expenditure, making walking less efficient and more fatiguing over time.

🧠 Muscle Imbalance & Kinetic Chain Effects

Weakness of the gluteus medius often coexists with poor core stability, altered pelvic control, and abnormal foot mechanics. These issues can propagate upward and downward, contributing to low back pain, hip impingement, knee valgus, and foot overpronation.

🩺 Clinical & Rehabilitation Perspective

Effective management of Trendelenburg gait focuses on restoring hip abductor strength, neuromuscular control, and pelvic stability. Addressing contributing factors such as hip joint pathology, leg-length discrepancy, and foot mechanics is essential for long-term correction rather than compensation.

📌 Key Biomechanical Insight

Trendelenburg gait is not just a hip problem—it is a whole-body movement dysfunction. The visible pelvic drop and trunk lean are protective strategies that signal deeper issues in strength, control, and alignment.