Wexford Massage & Bodywork

09/18/2024

Fun/interesting anatomy and physiology fact of the week:
A single step requires the coordination of over 200 muscles! That is approximately 1/3 of the entire skeletal muscle system.

No wonder, then, why something as simple as walking can be so beneficial.

09/10/2024

Fun/interesting anatomy and physiology fact of the week:
At any given time, people do about 75% of their breathing from one nostril and 25% from the other. The dominant nostril switches throughout the day. This is called the nasal cycle.

Although we don't usually notice it, during the nasal cycle one nostril becomes congested and thus contributes less to airflow, while the other becomes decongested. On average, the congestion pattern switches about every 2 hours.

09/03/2024

Fun anatomy and physiology fact of the week:
We all have a sixth sense called proprioception. This is the sense that detects where the parts of your body are with respect to each other. Close your eyes and touch your nose or balance on one leg. You're using this meta-sense, combining your brain's knowledge of what your muscles are doing with a feel for the size and shape of your body.

And if you're clumsy or uncoordinated, don't worry, you just have poor proprioception which can be improved.

08/20/2024

Fun anatomy/physiology fact of the week:

Humans actually glow with our own form of bioluminescence. Our bodies give off a tiny amount of light which is too weak for the human eye to see.

08/13/2024

Fun anatomy/physiology fact of the week:

Baby kneecaps are made of cartilage which turn to bone (the patella) between the ages of 2 and 6. This makes the birthing process safer and easier. Also, a kneecap made of cartilage more easily handles the transitions a child makes when learning to crawl and walk.

08/06/2024

Fun anatomy/physiology fact of the week: The word “muscle” comes from a Latin term meaning “little mouse“, which is what Ancient Romans thought flexed bicep muscles resembled.

01/15/2024

Hello friends, happy (belated) New Year! Now through the end of January I am offering either $25 off any service or a free half-hour upgrade. Whichever you prefer. Just mention this post when you come in.

Also, please feel free to share this with anyone who may be interested. I'll knock an extra $5 off for any referrals! Hope to see you soon. Stay warm.

11/20/2023

Treating the body in three, rather than two, dimensions significantly improves client awareness and the quality of the massage. I have also found that maximizing contact (e.g. hand AND forearm on client) feels much more nurturing and relaxing.

11/18/2023

Another important feature of Esalen® Massage is passive joint movement or range of motion (ROM). While improved ROM is one of our ultimate goals, we're also using it here as one of our tools. Passive joint movement techniques offer vital real-time feedback for both the client and massage therapist. They are also an integral part of a holistic, three-dimensional experience.

11/18/2023

One of the distinctive foundational techniques of Esalen® Massage is the long, slow (or slower, or slowest) stroke. I have found, based on both personal experience and client feedback, that this most effectively activates the parasympathetic (rest and digest) nervous system. It also gives the client a bodily sense of connectedness and integration (i.e. upper and lower, left and right, etc.)

11/17/2023

My experience with massage therapy and bodywork began quite accidentally at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA back in 2016. Now, I'm proud to be the only Certified Esalen® Massage Practitioner in the Pittsburgh area. I love this modality and think you will too.

05/21/2023

Hey Everyone, I now have all the tools and equipment to provide Thai Massage at Wexford Massage & Bodywork! In order to gain some more experience and give clients a taste of this wonderful modality I'm offering donation/pay-what-you-can-based sessions (90 minutes) this week only. Head on over to my website to check availability and schedule online. And please share with anyone else you think may be interested. Thanks and I hope to see you soon!

(If you're unfamiliar with Thai Massage the video below provides a good example of the style I was trained in.)

Dans cette première vidéo sur le massage Thaï ma pratique est moins axée sur le "protocole" que sur le ressenti. J'y allie aussi beaucoup de manoeuvres de la...