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Myofascial release is becoming more known as people are experiencing the benefits of receiving this treatment.  'Myo' refers to muscle and 'fascia' refers to the material covering the muscle, so myofascial release is the process of loosening the tightness of the tissue. As you can see in the image below, the fascia surrounds the muscle fibers and also attaches itself in between the fibers.  This covering protects the muscle and keeps it in it's place. Fascia is throughout the entire body from head to toe. When there is tension due to daily activities, injury or emotional strain, the body's response is to send extra fascia tissue to the area to help support it. This tissue is sticky and referred to as an adhesion, which allows it to stick to the area in need. The less hydrated the system is, the more sticky the adhesions becomes. Eventually this leads to the feeling of having knots as the adhesions collect and become clumped together in stickiness. ...

April is stress awareness month. Common Effects of Stress A lot of common symptoms that are blamed on illness, such as headaches, insomnia, and fatigue, are actually caused by stress. It is important to be aware of how stress is effecting your health, because left unchecked it can lead to worse problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity and diabetes according to the Mayo Clinic. Our mood and behavior can also be negatively effected by stress. Anxiety, restlessness, lack of motivation, irritability and sadness just to name a few, can make life miserable. Act Now to Manage Stress Now that you know how bad stress can be to your health and overall wellness, it's time to reap the benefits of managing your stress by setting up your strategic plan for success! Exercise regularly : 30-60 mins of physical activity everyday will help you mentally and physically handle stressful situations. It can literally change the chemistry in your brain to make you feel ...

The alignment of your knees greatly affects your gait and your gait greatly affects the way your body feels. If you have genu valgum, known as knocked knees, or the opposite problem, valgus angulation, your body is going to eventually let you know that it is not happy with the situation. When that happens, it's time to act quickly to find a remedy! Just like the vehicles that we drive, when the alignment is off, the tires (or in our case feet) start to wear improperly. If your knees bend in, it puts more weight on the inner foot. For knees that point outward the opposite is true. The negative chain of events can unfortunately spread upward to hips, back and eventually the neck area when the foundation of our structure is compromised. To make matters worse, for every pound over your ideal weight that your knees are carrying around, the problem intensifies. Our bodies are amazing at adapting to less than perfect dynamics, but after a bit of time of being forced to comprise it...

So many tools, so little time!  We are in an era where tools for myofascial release abound. There are so many choices, that it can become confusing as to what tool to use for what issue and how often, how much and....  The confusion can go on and on. Let's try to unpack some of this to make it easier to understand. First of all it is important to understand what the purpose of these tools are for. Muscles build up tension from such stressors as exercise, poor posture, work and lifestyle habits and even from emotional stress. Have you ever been in terrible traffic for a long amount of time and found yourself reaching for your neck to give it a rub because it feels tight? Tightness that stress has caused initiates the body to respond by sending more fascia to the muscles in the area that is feeling stressed. Fascia is a thin sheath of fibrous tissue that encloses muscles and organs in the body. When extra is needed, it is produced with a stickiness to it...

Roisin Thompson Hi!  My name is Roisin Thompson.  I have been a massage therapist for the past 3 years.  Besides practicing massage at Massage Extraordinaire, I also am a acupuncturist.  My favorite modality for muscular pain is Cupping.  I use it often to accelerate recovery and ease local tension. You may first have been exposed to cupping during the Rio Olympics when Michael Phelps used it as a medical therapy to help him win his most recent gold and silver medals!  I wanted to share some more information about this ancient Chinese medical practice. Benefits of Cupping - Increase in circulation by decompressing the connective tissue surrounding tight muscles Speeds healing and decreases recovery time by allowing fresh nutrients and oxygen into the muscle and carrying away metabolic waste Speeds recovery from athletic events Reduces chronic pain Relieves local tension " I have found cupping to be successful for students and profess...

The Many Benefits of Massage for Cyclists (of all levels) Tammara - Massage Extraordinaire and Cycling Enthusiastic Not only is Tammara an Extraordinary massage therapist, she is also an avid cyclist.  Tammara gets a massage at least once a month and sometimes more often if she's dealing with a particular issue.  Her philosophy,  "The better I take care of myself, the better my body takes care of me." Massage Benefits for Cyclists: Help loosen tight spots Promotes recovery by flushing out toxic chemicals Keeps your fibers smooth and limber Relieves post-exercise pain Boosts heart health Prevents injury with the help of stretching Enhances performance Feels good!! Tammara shares how massage can benefit all parts of the body , which take a beating from cycling. " Massage helps TREMENDOUSLY for a cyclist.  Anyone who spends an hour or more in the same position on a bike will tell you that their low back, neck and shoulders can start compl...

Introducing Roisin Thompson ---     We are excited to announce that Roisin Thompson recently joined the extraordinary staff of Massage Extraordinaire!  Not only does Roisin have top notch experience as a massage therapist, she also offers acupuncture to the multitude of massage services we provide!   Roisin is a Florida native who currently lives in Ocean Beach.  For as long as she can remember, Roisin has been involved in athletics, fitness and personal health care.  Some other highlights about Roisin: High school competitive swimmer Graduate of Florida State University ; Exercise Science major  Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach  through NSCA Personal trainer Age group swim coach Sarasota School of Massage Therapy Licensed massage therapist in 2013 Master's of Science in Oriental Medicine - East West College of Natural Medicine - graduated with honors in 2015 Since Rosin graduated wi...

GOOD LUCK in RIO USA Rugby Eagles Sevens! First,  CONGRATULATIONS to all the superb rugby athletes who were named to represent the United States at the 2016 Rio Olympics!   Men's, Women's and Paralympic Rugby Teams   Massage Extraordinaire Massage Therapists at the Jersey Ceremony - July 21, 2016  Last Thursday, July 21st, Massage Extraordinaire's massage therapists were honored to be invited to attend the jersey ceremony where the Men's, Women's, and Paralympic teams were celebrated!   FACTS ABOUT THE RUGBY 2016 RIO OLYMPICS:     R ugby will be played from August 6th - August 11th The women compete first from August 6th - 8th. 12 women's teams are competing for the Gold medal.  The men then compete from August 9th - August 11th. Matches will be held at the 15,000 seat Deodoro Sports Complex. Match Schedule: Day One - 2 Group Stage Matches Day Two - Final Group Stag...

Wedding/Bridal Party Massage Are you planning a wedding (or know someone who is) this summer?    Beautiful wedding couple we were honored to work with Wedding clients who included Massage Extraordinaire in their special occasion Treat your bridal or bachelorette party to a special day of pampering!  Massage can also be incorporated into rehearsal dinners and bridal showers. Want to add a FUN, RELAXING feature to your event in preparation for the "BIG" day?  We can help you do just that by adding table or chair massage for your bridal or wedding party!  We can come to your site (home, office, hotel, restaurant) with all supplies needed and provide a unique experience to make it even more memorable!  On-site chair or table massage can help you and your guests reduce stress and become more revitalized and focused. Offering massages is also an ideal gift for the bride and groom to thank their families and attendants for the...

Let Us Introduce You To: The Nunn Family - Crystal, Josh and Burkelee Crystal and Josh with Burkelee Meet Crystal and Josh Nunn from Bay Park.  Two young professionals, busy with their careers and family, who value their frequent massages from  Massage Extraordinaire . Besides keeping up with a busy 21 month-old toddler, Crystal and Josh both run and lift weights.  Josh also enjoys pick up soccer games.  Professionally, Crystal is a baby nurse at Sharp Mary Birch and Josh is the Marketing Director at California Western School of Law. They enthusiastically endorse the benefits of massage. "It promotes health from every day wear/tear and facilitates recovery from the workouts we are still trying to sneak into our busy schedules.  Massage is also a much needed relaxation session for the mind as well as the body.   It's like taking a mini vacation every time we get to come in for massage!" Crystal states, "It is great to know whichever ...

Happy Anniversary to Maddie Lavelle! Maddie just celebrated her 1 year anniversary on the Massage Extraordinaire team on September 7th -  CONGRATS Maddie! Maddie's massage technique specialties are: Sports Massage Deep Tissue Massage Trigger Point Massage Stretching Many Massage Extraordinaire clients rave about Maddie's massages and return often.  Her chair massages are the best; she is frequently requested for special events. Maddie is originally from Athens, Ohio.  She attended Ohio University and obtained a degree in Sports Management and business.  In 2011, she attended Columbus State Community College to complete her massage training. Maddie is a massage therapist for the USA Rugby teams (who will be representing the US in Rio) at the Olympic Training Center.  Recently, she was the massage therapist for the 2015 Jr. Nationals Tennis Tournament at Barnes Tennis Center in San Diego. Maddie loves sports and enjoys hik...

INTRODUCING - Bobby and Shanna McCarron Shanna, Bobby, Maelce and Maxx McCarron If you're a San Diego Tennis and Racquet Club member, you probably recognize Shanna - one of the club's wonderful Personal Trainers and the Group Exercise Coordinator. Shanna and her husband Bobby have been receiving massages for over 15 years ! Their answer as to why they receive massages - "I get massages because I think with all my workouts and daily activity, my body forgets how to relax.  Massage reminds me to breathe and release inner tension that I don't realize I have.  We have also used massage as rehab.  Massage helps loosen muscles that have been injured or overused.  We believe massage helps us recover faster." McCarron Family Sports: Bobby - baseball Shanna - run, weight training, dance Their children: Maelce - competitive cheer; 14 years old; Massage has helped Maelce with her overuse injury from cheer, as well as helping reduce her stre...

Massage Extraordinaire's Clients of the Month - October 2014 Leslie & Karl Bunker We would like to introduce Leslie and Karl Bunker,  who we are happy to feature  as our  October massage clients of the month! They have been receiving massages for more than 25 years.   Their philosophy on massage  is to get massages early and often  with  someone who knows the right way  to take care of you.   They almost always get massages to relax,  but invariably they have  aches and pains  that need to be worked on as well. "We love the personal touch we get at Massage Extraordinaire.   The therapists know us by name and know exactly how we like our massages.   We feel like part of the family every time we come in because we get  to  catch up  on what is going on in each others' lives." Both Leslie and Karl play golf and kayak.  Karl also rides his road bicycle. They both are ...

Meet Madeline (Maddie) Lavelle We are pleased to announce that our  newest  massage therapist,  MADDIE LAVELLE,  will begin working at Massage Extraordinaire  in September.   She was licensed as a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) in 2012  after attending Ohio University.   At Ohio she attained a B.S. degree  in Sport Sciences,  majoring in Sport Management  and minoring in Business Administration. Maddie interned for the NFL, Buffalo Bills.   Her passion lies in working with athletes  at a wide variety of  sporting events,  from triathlons to soccer tournaments to football games . Her specialties are Sport Massage, Therapeutic Massage,  Trigger Point Therapy,  Swedish Massage,  along with Hot Stone and Chair Massage. Not only does she work with athletes to enhance their performances  but she also  focuses on treating temporary and chronic pain. "Maddie has...

Massage for Four-Legged Clients   Did you know that there are massage therapists that specialize on four-legged clients, such as horses and dogs?  Massage therapists work in veterinarian offices, barns, tack rooms - wherever their animal clients call home.  Some therapists work on people, their horses and their dogs. There are some therapists that began their massage career working on humans while others specialized on animals first.   "Many pet owners willingly invest in services to enhance their animal's well-being, even when they won't spend the money on themselves."   It is expected that US spending on pets will top $55 billion in 2013! Animal massage therapists not only work on horses and dogs; they also may work on cats, ferrets, minks, rabbits, goats and sheep.  Massage can be used to help deliver babies by using acupressure points to help with contractions. Interesting Fact - Often pets and their owners seem to suffer from the ...

Massage Extraordinaire is Proud to Welcome Ashley Romo! Ashley began working at Massage Extraordinaire on July 4th!   She moved to San Diego with her son three weeks prior from Santa Barbara.  Already she has received GREAT compliments from the happy clients she has massaged! Ashley has 7 years experience doing massage.   Prior to that time, she worked in sports medicine for 4 years, working with student athletes.   Her specialties are sports massage, deep tissue and hot stone massage! Ashley states, "My passion has always been to take care of the well being of athletes of all ages." Ashley loves hiking, going to the beach, kick boxing, and going to the movies. Her philosophy is "They say you only have one life to live and I'm going to live in it every moment I can!" Massage Extraordinaire is proud to have Ashley join our team!

And, Here's Barbara Cox... Our Birthday Girl Today, June 27th, is the birthday of a very special person who is one of our wonderful massage therapists, Barbara Cox.  Barbara was born in Budapest, Hungary and moved to the United States in 1994.  She is now a very proud U.S. citizen. Barbara has been a massage therapist since 2004.  Since joining Massage Extraordinaire, she works with Olympic athletes, WTA tennis players, San Diego Chargers, and the USA Rugby teams. When Barbara is not massaging at Massage Extraordinaire, she is very busy raising three children, who range in age from 5 to 17 years of age.  Barbara also is a personal trainer and teaches a variety of fitness classes, including body sculpting, cardio boxing, spin, Pilates and step classes.  She also massages and teaches Pilates to seniors.  They love her great enthusiasm for life. Another passion of Barbara's is mountain climbing.  Her next goal is to climb Mt. Whitney. Barb...

 Did You Know? SPORTS MASSAGE... Promotes Flexibility to Decrease Risk of Injury Improves Endurance Reduces Post-Workout Recovery Time Offers Balance to Training Regimen Increases Blood Flow Increases Joint Range of Motion Improves Relaxation & Sense of Well-Being Decreases Fatigue & Anxiety   All of the massage therapists at Massage Extraordinaire specialize in Sports Massage and provide therapeutic massage to many athletes in the San Diego area.   www.sandiego-massage.com