Amanda Relph LMT

04/04/2026

The piriformis. A tiny muscle buried deep in your butt that somehow thinks it’s the CEO of your entire lower body. 🫠🍑

It externally rotates your hip, helps with abduction when your hip is flexed, and stabilizes the joint… which is impressive, considering it’s about the size of your patience after sitting too long. 🙃

And because it lives right next to the sciatic nerve, when it gets irritated it’s like, “Cool, let’s involve the entire leg.” 🔥⚡️ Cue the classic “sciatica” symptoms that may or may not actually be your piriformis—but don’t worry, it will absolutely take the blame anyway.

But here’s the part nobody loves: it’s usually not just “tight.” It’s often overworking because your hips aren’t doing their job, your glutes are on vacation, and your nervous system is a little… spicy. 🌶️ So maybe—just maybe—aggressively trying to destroy it with a lacrosse ball isn’t the personality trait you think it is.

👉 Try this:
Seated piriformis stretch (aka “office-friendly regret”):
Sit tall, place one ankle over the opposite knee, then hinge forward at your hips (not your spine) until you feel a stretch deep in the glute. Keep your chest lifted, go slow, and stop before your body files a complaint. 🪑😌

03/27/2026

Chronic pain isn’t just your body being dramatic for fun (even though it really feels like it) 😅
Over time, the system itself changes—central sensitization, increased dorsal horn excitability, glial cell activation, and reduced descending inhibition all make pain signals louder and easier to trigger 🔥🧠

So no… it’s not always about “tight muscles” or something needing to be aggressively bullied into submission 💪
Pain is an output shaped by the brain, not a direct readout of tissue damage. Nociception ≠ pain. Your brain is constantly weighing input, context, and prediction—and sometimes it gets a little… overprotective 🤖⚠️

Massage can help—but not because we’re out here breaking up mythical knots 🫠
It provides novel, non-threatening sensory input that can modulate dorsal horn activity, reduce temporal summation, shift autonomic balance toward parasympathetic dominance, and update cortical maps and threat perception 🌿

Less “fixing tissue,” more “changing how the system processes input.”
Wild concept, I know 😌

03/10/2026

Muscle of the Week: The Palmaris Longus 🖐️💪

Meet the palmaris longus — the overachiever that our bodies apparently decided we didn’t really need anymore. 🧬

About 10–15% of people don’t even have this muscle, and the rest of us are just walking around pretending it matters. 🤷‍♀️

Touch your thumb and pinky together and flex your wrist. 🤏

If a little tendon pops up… congratulations, you have a palmaris longus. 🎉

If nothing shows up… congratulations, you’re also perfectly fine. 😆

About 10–15% of people don’t even have this muscle, and the rest of us are just walking around pretending it matters.

Surgeons actually harvest this tendon for grafts all the time because your body basically shrugs and goes, “Yeah… we weren’t really using that anyway.”

So the palmaris longus is kind of like the office employee who still technically works there… but nobody can remember what their job is.

Anatomy is weird.

Bodies are weird.

And yet somehow everything still works.

02/27/2026

💪 Muscle of the Week: The Quadratus Lumborum (QL) 🧱

Ah yes… the Quadratus Lumborum.
Also known as: “Why does my low back hurt on just one side?”

This deep little brick of a muscle sits in your lower back, connecting your ribs to your pelvis. It’s not glamorous. It’s not aesthetic. It’s just back there holding your torso upright like a stressed-out stagehand making sure the show doesn’t collapse.

What does it do?
👉 Keeps you upright when you stand.
👉 Helps you bend side to side.
👉 Stabilizes your spine when you walk.
👉 Quietly works every time you carry a bag on one side like a rebel.

When the QL gets overworked (which it loves to do), you might feel:
• One-sided low back pain
• Achy hips
• Pain when rolling in bed
• Tightness that stretching barely touches
• That “locked” feeling when you try to stand up straight

And here’s the fun part — sometimes your QL is tight because it’s weak. Or weak because it’s overworking. Or overworking because something else isn’t pulling its weight. It’s basically the middle child of the core.

✨ Quick check: stand and slowly hike one hip up (like you’re stepping over something). If one side feels dramatically harder… your QL is telling on itself.

From a bodywork standpoint, when this muscle finally relaxes, people often say, “Oh wow, I didn’t realize how crooked I felt.” Exactly.

So tell me: does your low back complain evenly… or does one side like to take center stage?

02/17/2026

💪 Muscle of the Week: The Tibialis Anterior 👣

Let’s give a slow clap to the tibialis anterior — the muscle running down the front of your shin that keeps you from tripping over absolutely nothing.

Its main job?
👉 Lift your foot (dorsiflexion).
👉 Control your foot as it hits the ground.
👉 Save you from face-planting on flat surfaces.

Every time you walk, run, go downstairs, or try not to scuff your shoes, this muscle is working overtime. And what does it get in return? Neglect. Zero stretching. No strengthening. Just vibes.

When it gets weak or overworked, you might notice:
• Shin splints
• Anterior ankle tightness
• Foot fatigue
• Tripping more than you’d like to admit
• Calves that always feel tight (because they’re fighting the imbalance)

Here’s the kicker: sometimes your “tight calves” are actually your tibialis anterior trying to compensate for a lack of strength or coordination.

✨ Quick check: walk on your heels for 20–30 seconds. If your shins start burning like you’ve made a terrible life decision… congratulations, you’ve found it.

From a therapy perspective, this muscle loves slow controlled strengthening, proper gait mechanics, and not being ignored until it screams.

Be honest: do your shins ever feel tired or tight after long walks or workouts… or do you only think about them when they revolt?

02/14/2026

💪 Muscle of the Week: The Serratus Anterior (a.k.a. the “Boxer’s Muscle”) 🥊

Let’s talk about the serratus anterior — the muscle that looks like little finger-like ribs on the side of your torso and quietly keeps your shoulders from falling apart.

This muscle wraps around your rib cage and attaches to your shoulder blade. Its main job?
👉 Hold your scapula flat against your ribs.
👉 Help you reach overhead without turning it into a full-body event.
👉 Keep your neck from doing everyone else’s work.

When your serratus checks out, things get… messy.

• Shoulder pain
• Neck tension
• “Winged” shoulder blades
• Clicking or instability overhead
• That feeling like your traps are permanently on strike

And yet what do most people do? More trap work. More shoulder shrugs. Because obviously the tight muscle needs more responsibility. 😌

In reality, the serratus loves controlled protraction work, breath integration, and stability training. Think: push-up plus, wall slides, bear holds, and smart overhead loading.

✨ Quick test: Stand against a wall and slowly reach both arms overhead. If your ribs flare, shoulders shrug up to your ears, or your neck tightens instantly… your serratus is probably filing a complaint.

This is one of my favorite muscles to address in bodywork because when it turns back on, shoulders feel lighter almost immediately.

Tell me: are your shoulders strong and stable — or are they dramatic and loud by the end of the day?

02/02/2026

💆‍♀️ Mobile Massage Therapy — For Women Only! 💆‍♀️

Looking for a massage that comes to you — in a space where you feel completely comfortable and supported?

I’m a licensed mobile massage therapist offering in-home sessions exclusively for female clients. Every treatment is completely tailored to each individual — no routines, no templates. Your session is customized based on your body, pain points, stress levels, health history, and goals that day.

I’m also an NCBTMB-approved educator, which means my work is grounded in advanced training, evidence-informed techniques, and a deep understanding of the body — not just “feel good” massage (though you’ll get that too 😉).

✨ Fully personalized treatments
✨ Relaxation, pain relief, recovery, and stress reduction
✨ Safe, private, and respectful environment
✨ 20+ years of hands-on experience

If you’re ready for intentional, professional care designed specifically for you, send me a message to book or ask questions 💬

01/27/2026

🧠💆‍♀️ Massage fun fact most people don’t know:
Massage doesn’t just relax your muscles — it literally talks to your nervous system.

Slow, intentional massage stimulates the vagus nerve, which helps shift your body out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and repair.” Translation? Your heart rate drops, digestion improves, inflammation calms down… and your body finally unclenches like it’s been holding its breath all day.

That’s why a good massage can leave you feeling emotionally lighter — not just less sore. It’s not magic. It’s neurobiology. 😌

01/20/2026

💪 Muscle of the Week: The Soleus 🦵

Ah, the soleus. The calf muscle nobody talks about because it’s not flashy, not aesthetic, and not popping in mirror selfies. But make no mistake—this muscle is out here doing blue-collar work all day long.

The soleus lives under the gastrocnemius (the showy calf muscle) and works hardest when your knee is bent—walking, standing, balancing, controlling your stride, keeping you from face-planting. Basically, it’s your anti-collapse muscle.

When the soleus is tight, weak, or cranky, things get dramatic fast:
• Achilles pain
• Heel pain / plantar fasciitis
• Ankle stiffness
• Calf tightness that never stretches out
• Fatigue when standing or walking for long periods

And yet… people keep stretching the gastroc and wondering why nothing changes. 🙃
(Spoiler: you’re stretching the wrong roommate.)

From a movement and therapy standpoint, the soleus needs bent-knee loading, slow strength work, and patience. Think seated calf raises, controlled eccentrics, and actual rest—not bouncing on stairs like it owes you money.

✨ Quick reality check: if long periods of standing make your calves burn, your feet ache, or your ankles feel locked up—your soleus is absolutely involved.

Honest question: do your calves feel tired during movement… or do they wait until later to ruin your evening?

12/17/2025

💪 Muscle of the Week: The Gluteus Medius 🍑

Ah yes… the glute medius. Not the show-off glute. Not the one Instagram cares about. The other one—quietly doing all the work while everyone ignores it.

This little overachiever sits on the outside of your hip and is basically responsible for keeping you upright like a functional human. Walking? Yep. Standing on one leg? Absolutely. Not waddling side to side like a penguin? Thank the glute medius.

When it’s weak or asleep on the job, the rest of your body jumps in to “help,” and by help I mean overcompensate badly. Hello low back pain. Hi cranky hips. Oh look—knees caving in, IT band yelling, maybe even some foot pain just for fun.

From a therapy standpoint, waking this muscle up with intentional strengthening, movement retraining, and hands-on work can be a game changer. It’s often not that you’re broken—it’s that this muscle has opted out of the group project.

✨ Quick check: stand on one leg. If your hip drops, knee dives inward, or you immediately feel personally attacked… congratulations, you’ve met your glute medius.

Be honest: do your hips feel strong during movement—or do they wait until later to complain loudly?

11/25/2025

Okay, hear me out: while we’re all filling our plates this week, your muscular system is basically saying, “YES, THANK YOU.” 😂

🍗 Turkey is loaded with amino acids that help your muscles repair and rebuild. Leucine kicks on that mTOR pathway so your body can recover like a champ.
🥔 Mashed potatoes and stuffing? Your muscles use those carbs to refill their glycogen tank — aka their energy stash.
🍇 Cranberries and veggies bring in antioxidants that help calm down inflammation and oxidative stress in your tissues.
🥧 And pumpkin pie (yes, pie!) gives you that slow, steady energy release thanks to the carb + fat combo. No shame here, we love a supportive dessert.
🚶‍♀️ And if you go on that classic post-meal walk, you're boosting circulation, improving glucose uptake, and helping your muscles soak up all that good fuel.

So basically, your Thanksgiving plate is doing more for your muscles than we ever give it credit for. 💪🍽️

Curious — what’s the one Thanksgiving food you absolutely can’t skip?

11/25/2025

✨ Massage Therapists: Ever had a moment in session where you thought… “Wait… is this an ethical dilemma?”
Yeah. We’ve all been there. 😅

That’s exactly why I created Bioethics in Massage Therapy: Navigating Ethical Dilemmas in Modern Practice — a 3-hour CE course packed with real-world case studies, clear ethical frameworks, and the stuff we wish someone had taught us sooner.

From consent and boundaries to cultural humility and tough client scenarios… we’re covering the real issues MTs face every day.

📌 Earn 3 CE hours
📌 NCBTMB-approved
📌 Perfect for every LMT who wants to level up their professionalism

If you’ve ever said “I just want to do the right thing,” this course was literally designed for you.

Ready to join us? 🙌

A 3-hour NCBTMB-approved ethics course that helps massage therapists navigate real-world dilemmas with clarity, confidence, and compassion.