Is Osteopathy the right treatment for me?

| Categorized: Broadway Wellness News, Vancouver Massage Therapy.

Is Osteopathy right for me?

Osteopathy

Vancouver Osteopathy:  Is Osteopathy the right treatment for me?

As described from the Canadian Academy of Osteopathy, “Osteopathy is a manual form of therapy that emphasizes the relationship between the structure and function of the human body. This therapy follows a belief in the body’s ability to self-heal and self-regulate, which is why manual osteopathic practitioners do not see themselves as healers, but instead as facilitators to health.”. This article describes and references what an Osteopathic Practitioner is trained to do.

What do they do?

“We work on all kinds and layers of body tissue; bones, of course, but also muscles, ligaments, fascia, nerves, organs and even fluids…an Osteopathic Practitioner is interested in correcting a vertebrae that may be out of alignment, but we are also concerned with investigating and normalizing the fascial elements preceding the boney layer, as well as, the membranous or “dural” and vascular layer that lies deeper than and within the spinal column.”

Is Osteopathy applicable to my condition?

Is Osteopathy the right treatment for me?  Osteopathic practitioners utilize their techniques to treat various conditions, injuries and illness in the body. The following are the most frequently under this modality.

  • arthritis
  • foot, ankle, hip, and knee pain
  • back pain, neck pain, and sciatica
  • hand, shoulder, and elbow pain
  • headaches
  • tennis and golfer’s elbow
  • postural problems due to pregnancy, sports injury, driving or work strain, or digestive issues
  • nerve pain

Here at Broadway Wellness we have 1 Osteopathic Practitioner, Alison Ritchie.  Alison is available to give 50 min Adult Osteopathic as well as Pediatric treatment for infants up to 15 years of age. She is available for bookings on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9am-2pm.

Laura Schroeder and Cara Marks are Vancouver Registered Massage Therapists who in training for Osteopathy and are currently practicing RMT’s here at Broadway Wellness.

To book an appointment in today please visit our online booking page for more details.

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Broadway Wellness is a community multidisciplinary clinic focused around a group of Vancouver Registered Massage Therapists (RMT’s), also offering Reflexology, Acupuncture, Naturopathic Medicine, in the VGH / Fairview / Broadway Corridor communities since 2004.

 

Vancouver Massage Therapy: Myofascia

| Categorized: Broadway Wellness News, Vancouver Massage Therapy.

Vancouver Massage Therapy: Myofascia

Myofascia. Photo Credit: Fascia land by Dreaming in the deep south

Vancouver Massage Therapy: Myofascia

In the Vancouver Massage Therapy field, there are many approaches for Myofascia. But before we get into the details of this technique let’s start with what exactly is fascia?

What is Fascia?

Vancouver Massage Therapists focused on Myofascia keep the following in mind with their approach:  Fasciae is a very fine and spider web like tissue that runs throughout the entire body as one specialized connected system. It wraps around each and every muscle, bone, nerve, artery, vein and internal organ in our body. This tissue keeps our individual parts separate and reduces the friction from moving our bodies everyday. It plays a role in keeping our body balanced in regards to mobility, flexibility and strength.

 

Fascia Health

Vancouver Massage Therapy practitioners promote the health of Myofascia.  This can involve home care such as daily stretches or yoga, staying hydrated, maintaining a regular sleep schedule, keeping active and eating a healthy balanced diet. When the body is malnourished, dehydrated and inactive the fascia tends to begin to hold tension and become brittle. This can lead to adhesions and distortions in the fasciae, restriction in our movement patterns which will appear as inflammation and pain in your body. To further assist and for regular maintenance seeing a Registered Massage Therapist or other qualified practitioner for Myofascial work can assist the process of bringing your body back into balance.

This article also sheds more light on fascial health:

“Fascia plays an important role in the support and function of our bodies, since it surrounds and attaches to all structures. In the normal healthy state, the fascia is relaxed and wavy in configuration. It has the ability to stretch and move without restriction. When one experiences physical trauma, emotional trauma, scarring, or inflammation, however, the fascia loses its pliability. It becomes tight, restricted, and a source of tension to the rest of the body. Trauma, such as a fall, car accident, whiplash, surgery or just habitual poor posture and repetitive stress injuries has cumulative effects on the body. The changes trauma causes in the fascial system influences comfort and function of our body. Fascial restrictions can exert excessive pressure causing all kinds of symptoms producing pain, headaches or restriction of motion. Fascial restrictions affect our flexibility and stability, and are a determining factor in our ability to withstand stress and perform daily activities.”

What is Myofascial Release?

‘Myo’ means muscle and ‘fascia’ means band. The therapist will have a consultation and assessment with the patient to then create a treatment plan. Because the fascia is the connecting fibre throughout the entire body, the treatment plan at times, is not directed at the area of pain.

According to this article on Myofascial Release, “The specific releases to different parts of the body vary, but generally include gentle application of pressure or sustained low load stretch to the affected area. Progress is gauged by the level of increased motion or function experienced, and/or decrease in pain felt by the patient.” Every Registered Massage Therapist in British Columbia is trained to do Myofascial techniques as part of their training however there are some who bring focus to this particular technique. At Broadway Wellness the following Registered Massage Therapists have this marked as one of their primary treatment techniques:

  • Amin Aghvami
  • Ana Yu
  • Ashley Fowler
  • Cara Marks
  • Chanel Jorsvik
  • Jennifer Keene
  • Kyla Mccaig
  • Laura Schroeder
  • Liz Schaeffer
  • Mai Holmes
  • Marie Arcand
  • Michael Scottnicki
  • Monica Cleland
  • Pia Sutter
  • Stacey Spring
  • Will Wells

Brent Scrivner, RMT, also does Rolfing as his primary focus which is a specialized technique that also releases tension due to fascial pain.

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Book in your appointment today at Broadway Wellness for assistance with your health and wellness needs here on our online booking site. If you have any further questions, feel free to call our Front Desk team for assistance at 604.732.5222.

 

 

 

 

 

Vancouver Acupuncture: German Auricular Acupuncture

| Categorized: Vancouver Acupuncture.

Broadway Wellness: Article of the Week:  Vancouver Acupuncture: German Auricular Acupuncture.

German Auricular Acupuncture is a fairly new advancement in the medical field. Developed by French Physician Dr. Paul Nogier in Germany in the 1950’s. He understood that the brain constantly projects information about the health of the body through the ear. This information is read not based upon the meridians in the body but the central nervous system. Please see photo below for reference.

(Photo of Ear with labels)

 

“The ear has the potential to tell the entire story of the condition of the body, brain and mind by reflecting any disturbance as an “active” area on the ear …”

Our in house Acupuncturist Brian Kushniruk is certified and trained in this unique and effective modality as well as Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. He wrote an article in Medicinal Roots Magazine regarding history, method of treatment and more.

“Active points are treated using needles, electrical stimulation, seeds or LASER. The use of a laser that is capable of different frequency settings will allow for more options in diagnosis and treatment. The customization of the frequency can also allow for more specific treatment as there are specific frequencies of laser light that can be used for different types of ear points (e.g. focus points, internal organs, musculoskeletal tissue, nervous tissue, psychosomatic points, etc.) as well as specific meridian frequencies that can be used for the treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine body points. As mentioned above, the course of treatment is determined by the comprehensive diagnosis which identifies active points, focal points, main and supporting symptoms, the level of importance of those points, etc.”

Brian is curious about how both Traditional and Auricular Acupuncture can work together to create new dimensions of treatment and understanding of different health conditions. He works from Broadway Wellness on Mondays and Wednesdays, 2:30-8:30pm. Most benefit providers cover Acupuncture services, check in with your provider today about coverage. Broadway Wellness direct bills for Pacific Blue Cross, Manulife, Canada Life (Great West Life) and Sunlife.

Click here to book an appointment today! 

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Broadway Wellness is a multimodality healthcare clinic serving the Broadway Corridor, VGH, and Fairview Slopes Communities since 2004.

Vancouver Massage Therapy for Stress and Anxiety Management

| Categorized: Broadway Wellness News, Vancouver Massage Therapy.

"Day Sixty - Stress Management for Professionals (60/365)" by The Crystal Fairy is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Photo Credit: The Crystal Ferry

Vancouver Massage Therapy Article: Massage Therapy for Stress and Anxiety Management

 

As we progress further into 2020 there is still a heightened sense of anxiety and tension due to COVID19 and other global issues at hand. Many are experiencing various mental health repercussions due to the current climate which can greatly affect ones ability to manage their daily routines. Having self care management for when the body is undergoing great amounts of stress has never seemed more important than it does today. Creating space in your schedule to have a massage, go for a walk in nature, have a bath, enjoy the company of a trusted friend or making your favourite meal can go a long way in the longevity of your energy levels, as well as increase the frequency of positive interactions in your relationships. Vancouver Registered Massage Therapy has now been widely used for stress, anxiety and emotional distress symptoms. According to this article by Psychology Today “The anxiety-reducing and mood enhancing benefits of massage are probably related to changes in EEG activity, decreased levels of cortisol and increased activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which acts automatically to calm the body and brain during stress.”

In addition to decreased brain activity the immune system response to relaxation and or therapeutic massage is greatly beneficial. Studies have shown that moderate pressure massage enhances the body’s immune response by promoting the production of natural killers cells. Anxiety and stress has been known to have adverse effects on the body and can create long term health issues. According to this article on Medical News Today:

“Anxiety can have a significant effect on the body, and long-term anxiety increases the risk of developing chronic physical conditions. The medical community suspects that anxiety develops in the amygdala, an area of the brain that manages emotional responses. When a person becomes anxious, stressed, or frightened, the brain sends signals to other parts of the body. The signals communicate that the body should prepare to fight or flee.”

Staying in the sympathetic nervous system for a pro-longed period can keep your body in a survival pattern unless properly managed. Broadway Wellness is a multidisciplinary clinic but our primary service is Registered Massage Therapy. We have 19 dedicated and passionate RMT’s working out of our space to assist you with your health and wellness needs. Our practitioners are fully trained and licensed to treat a range of physical injuries, body tension as well as do relaxation massage.

Click here to book your appointment today!

Rolfer Vancouver Massage Therapist: Welcoming Brent Scrivner, RMT

| Categorized: Vancouver Massage Therapy.

Rolfer Vancouver Massage Therapist: Brent Scrivner, RMT

Welcoming Brent Scrivner, RMT

Vancouver Massage Therapist Brent Scrivner – Rolfer / Structural Integrator

We are excited to be welcoming Brent Scrivner, RMT in Vancouver, to our team at Broadway Wellness.  Brent is a Vancouver Massage Therapist who is a Certified Rolfer / Structural Integrator.

The philosophy behind Brent’s work and the method of Rolfing Structural Integration in which he’s trained, is that our bodies have an inherent wisdom to find balance. Sometimes that natural progression towards harmony meets blockages, tissue restrictions or functional limitations, and the body needs a bit of help to remove those challenges.

Brent began experiencing these challenges first through the study and practice of yoga. He was able to feel how conscious, intentional movement combined with breath was able to change his postural patterns. This encounter led him to become a certified yoga teacher. His curiosity deepened which led him to become an RMT. He has trained in Cranio-Sacral, Thai Massage, Deep Tissue, and ultimately became a Certified Rolfer at the Rolf Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

In his studies of the body and more than ten years of experience, Brent’s found that our physical structure is incredibly fluid, constantly changing and connected as we move through gravity, even when we feel like we’re standing still. His work as an RMT and Rolfer focuses on understanding postural habits and how they can make and break us and be reconsidered. Ida Rolf, the mother of Rolfing SI described her approach as “the yoga you would do for yourself if you could”. Brent delights in sharing Rolfing SI, Ida Rolf’s “yoga”, for his clients. He looks at every session as an opportunity to continue answering the question of what’s possible and how we can move the obstacles that stand in the way of our balance, our comfort, and our lives.

What is Rolfing?

Structural Integration practiced by Brent Scrivner, Rolfer, Vancouver Massage Therapist at Broadway Wellness, was developed by Ida Rolf, a biochemist and avid follower of yoga, roughly 50 years ago. Her perspective was that our bodies are organized around a central vertical axis, so ease and freedom can only exist when our verticality is aligned with gravity.
The hallmark of the Rolfing method is a series of 10 sessions spaced 1-2 weeks apart that address the body through specific session goals and designated territories. The work is cumulative, building on the session that came before it, progressing toward the goal of vertical alignment. It is not necessary to commit to this series to benefit from the Rolfing method.

Whether through a series or an individual session, my goal as an RMT trained in the method of Rolfing SI is to bring more ease and freedom of movement to your body.

As your body finds more uprightness, you will notice that it requires less effort to stand and to move. As a result, you’ll feel more relaxed, energetic, and uplifted. Our experiences of Injury and chronic tension can take away our easy, relaxed verticality. They create, instead, restrictions in our joints, stress on our tissues and can threaten the physical integrity of our nerves and blood vessels. As a result, we feel fatigued and burdened in our bodies.

Based on the information that you provide and an analysis of your structure that includes simple joint movements as well as walking, I will develop a strategy to address any found restrictions in your body as well as the compensations these imbalances might have produced. With my hands, I will manipulate the contractions held in the fascia, a network of connective tissue throughout the body’s structures, working on some areas more than others or differently from one side to the other, helping to restore your vertical alignment. Throughout this process, I might ask you to move a part of your body to better isolate or challenge that contraction.

As movement and ease returns to these stuck areas of your body, you can experience increased strength, energy and freedom. You may also enjoy relief from pain, better physical performance, and the discovery of new avenues to personal growth.

Brent will be practicing at Broadway Wellness starting on August 4th on Tuesday evenings, Thursday mornings and Saturday all day. Click here to book an appointment with Brent or call our office at 604.732.5222.

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Broadway Wellness is an Integrative Healthcare Clinic in Fairview near VGH, serving its communities for over 15 years.  We are focused around a phenomenal group of Vancouver RMT’s, a Registered Osteopath, Registered Acupuncturist, Naturopathic Doctor, and Certified Reflexologist.