Kala Hildebrand -Physical Therapy and Massage

11/18/2022

Just realized that it’s been about 3 years since I made any updates on this page! Might be time to delete the account, but I would love to have you come follow me on Instagram- .pt - where I actually DO post regularly 😉😂
Thanks for the support 🙏🙏

10/08/2019

Unexpected availability tomorrow and Thursday + gray weather and a little chill in the air = Perfect time for you to schedule a last-minute massage ;)

03/17/2019

"We discovered that there is a positive feedback loop between expectation and pain. The more pain you expect, the stronger your brain responds to the pain. The stronger your brain responds to the pain, the more you expect."

Definitely at play when you have an injury or painful movement pattern - and an essential part of rehabilitation!

A new brain imaging study of 34 people found that when people expect to feel intense pain, they do, even if they aren't subjected to painful stimuli. Surprisingly, these false expectations can persist even when reality demonstrates otherwise, the study found.

01/25/2019

Functional anatomy pictures always amaze me! It's so cool to see what's happening "beneath the surface"- especially in postures/activities in the real world!

LA CURIOSA:
“Kilo por kilo, los bailarines de ballet son tan fuertes como los jugadores de fútbol americano, probablemente más fuertes. Estar en puntas de pie es una de las cosas más atléticas que puedes hacer, estás ejerciendo una fuerza equivalente a 10 ó 12 veces tu peso corporal, subiendo y bajando en esas zapatillas de ballet”; ha dicho Lisa M. Schoene, entrenadora y podóloga de bailarines y atletas olímpicos en Chicago.

01/22/2019

Pro tip if you want to ice the efficient way

Some people love a good ice pack, and can sit for what seems like hours on end without taking them off. But if you want to create some deep, penetrating cold in just a few minutes - or if the idea of having a large ice pack touching your body makes you want to retreat to a tropical climate - then ice massage might be just for you!

The easiest option is to grab an ice cube and wrap one end in a paper towel (or washcloth if you don’t want to create waste). Another option, is to fill a paper dixie cup (those tiny 3 or 5 oz ones) half way, freeze, and when you want to use them, simply peel back the cup until the ice is exposed.

Rub the ice in small, gentle circles on the area in need for 5-10 seconds, then remove. Dab with dry cloth/paper towel. Repeat. This is ideal for an area of maybe 6-8 inches (i.e. not your entire back) and the whole application should take no more than 3-5 minutes.The trick to making this totally tolerable for the rest of your body, while quickly chilling the specific area, is to dab up any dribbles of water before they start to run down your skin.

Sometimes an ice cube size is perfect, maybe for your elbow tendonitis or to get that small area of your neck that’s really hurting. Other times an ice pack is more effective, like for your entire lower back after you help someone move all weekend. There’s also the option of freezing a water bottle to use as an ice roller. Pick the best option for you and enjoy!

01/15/2019

Why Bodywork Isn't Just About Being Pampered

We make an effort to go the dentist and eye doctor routinely. We join the gym. We attend our scheduled yoga/pilates/crossfit classes. We keep up with haircuts. In other words, we schedule regular activities as both preventative and maintenance care.

But our bodies? Why don't we think of massage and bodywork as pivotal to our maintenance routine? If I use my body all day everyday, and I strive to exercise for my body's strength and health, why would I not also give it a helping hand?

It's okay to give your body a specific "treatment high five" for working for you all the time. It will also help keep things in shape to help avoid major setbacks. And, of course, it is always okay to simply go for the goal of relaxation. We live in an over-stimulated world, where sleep problems are pervasive, stress is high, and we don't get enough physical activity.

Are you a carpenter or musician? Maybe getting targeted work on forearms, hands and upper back 1-2x/month would keep you from the occasional episode of nerve pain down your arm. Are you a farmer or landscaper? Perhaps getting some advice about exercises that could most benefit you - especially when you're exhausted from physical labor - so you have an efficient and effective exercise routine to keep back pain at bay. Sit all day at a desk? Maybe your low back and hamstrings could use a little love, and also upper back and neck, particularly those little muscles right at the base of your skull. Are you a dancer or a runner or a cyclist? Might be nice for your calves and hamstrings, along with your glutes and quads to get some specific attention, especially when you've been training hard.

So if you've always scoffed at the idea of massage, check it out!

01/08/2019

I really like this line of thought..

💥There are no bad movements, just ones you’re not currently prepared for.⤵️
❓What do you think is a bad movement for everyone? Why do you think that? Are there situations which might challenge your belief and think otherwise? Let’s talk it out in the comments!
👉I came from a strength and conditioning background and was always looking to learn and maximize my knowledge for my athletes. Through that I’d follow tons of other great coaches and read their work where I’d often hear about X movement is bad for the shoulder, Y movement is bad for the spine, Z movement is bad for the hip. Generally these notions were based on that coaches experience with the movement - either for themself, or for their athletes. Then they’d make an over arching statement that it’s not appropriate for anyone.
🤳Information gets shared over time, traveling along the grape vine and progressively people take a statement made by one person in one situation as gospel for all. This can then lead to fear about movements or positions and increased hesitation, frailty, etc. People begin to preach the negatives of exercise instead the positives or think about context of situations.
👍This might get me in trouble, but I’m here to tell you humans aren’t that simple or that frail. Humans can adapt, change to stress, become less sensitive to positions, and increase load capacity.
♥️I’m not preaching every movement is the best, or that we need to train every range of motion. What is meaningful to you, what has purpose, what could benefit you for your goals, etc. is what should be trained and developed. In that process, there may be things to work on that you once feared or viewed negatively - that’s cool, time to adapt.
🙌Props for being a total bad ass human!

12/11/2018

Let's Talk Thai Massage

“Is Thai massage that thing where they twist you into a pretzel?? I’ve heard it’s painful! I'm not flexible, so it's not really my thing.”

I’ve heard comments like this from multiple people, and it makes me so sad! Thai massage may be one of my favorite styles of bodywork I’ve ever received…or given. And guess what? You absolutely, positively do not have to be a yogi to enjoy it! (That being said, it is also 100% fine if you are.)

Thai Massage (Nuat Boran in Thai), often referred to as Thai Yoga Massage, is a traditional technique incorporating Ayurvedic, acupressure, and yoga principles. It is performed clothed, typically on a mat on the floor but also applicable to table work. The client is moved passively through a series of stretches and focus is given to range of motion of various joints throughout the body, compression work of soft tissues (with the therapist’s palms, thumbs, knees, or feet), and energy work along Sen lines (similar to meridians in Chinese medicine). Stretches are specific to each client’s body and flexibility. Similarly to a yoga class, or any style of massage, no two people are alike and therefore what stretches, and how deeply they are performed, is specific to each person.

My background is in dance- and Thai Massage is possibly the form of bodywork that comes the closest to a dance. Movement for both the practitioner and the client are at its core. The “feel good, just worked out, stretched and limber, and flood of endorphins” you get from a good yoga or dance class can be experienced with Thai massage as well!

11/23/2018

So many letters…what do they mean?!?
What is a PT? LMBT? LMP? MPT?

I started my career in massage therapy, so let’s start there! In North Carolina, if you are licensed to practice massage therapy you are considered a LMBT (Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist). Other terms, like LMP (Licensed Massage Practitioner) or LMT (Licensed Massage Therapist) are commonly used, but not specific to NC. Titles, as well as certification requirements, vary between states.

The term PT refers to a physical therapist – often you will see MPT or DPT, which indicates whether the therapist received a master’s or doctorate level degree in physical therapy. Initially, one obtained a bachelor’s in physical therapy, until the master’s program was introduced in the late ’90s. In the last few years, all U.S. programs have transitioned to doctorate level only (master’s and bachelor level degrees have been grandfathered in).

Numerous other certifications exist within both physical therapy and massage fields for anything from enhanced manual techniques, to functional movement training, to work with specific populations of people/ people with specific diagnoses. Most of these techniques require some degree of certification to practice, and it is always okay to ask a therapist where they received their training for specific certifications.

11/03/2018