Category Archives: Healthy Living

Mental health group sessions with Roxy at You Massage & Therapy Studio

Posted on by
Reply

You might have noticed that since February, You Massage (we) have started hosting Mental Health groups ran by Mental Health Southampton, a project that aims to build a mental health-friendly community in Southampton by organizing in-person groups, discussing mental health-related themes and educating individuals on well-being tools.
The groups are run by Roxy, a mental health practitioner with a passion for educating the community on mental health and well-being. They run on a monthly basis and welcome anyone who is interested in learning more about mental health, either due to facing their own mental health struggles, knowing someone who does, or just pure curiosity!

Drawing on from her experience, Roxy has become passionate about the importance of
maintaining our mental health by regularly using evidence-based well-being tools, such as mindfulness, journaling, breathing exercises and gratitude, rather than only seeking help when our mental health is already suffering. She is also passionate about the importance of community and the sense of belonging and being accepted as who we are, which are basic
human needs.
We live in fast-paced, stressful times where we tend to overlook the importance of our
mental health, and keeping a healthy balance of achieving, connecting with loved ones and performing activities we enjoy. This is reflected in the rise in mental health issues as we have become more disconnected from ourselves, each other and the environment.

‘A recurrent theme I see in many people who suffer from mental health issues is a lack of community, of supportive relationships, of deeper connection with others, which is what inspired me to start these groups, as safe spaces where people can come and meet others and listen compassionately to each other. A safe, non-judgemental space where people can be authentically themselves, wherever they find themselves in their life, whether they want to share and celebrate a win, or share something they’ve struggled with.’ – says Roxy

Every group has a specific theme that the facilitator introduces at the beginning of the
session, which then leads to a group discussion where participants can share their opinions and experiences if they wish to, while the others listen with compassion. After the sharing is over, the facilitator will introduce about a well-being tool and the scientific evidence for it, and demonstrate it for the group to try it.
The groups are donation-based with a minimum suggested donation of £5 either cash or through PayPal which helps keep the groups running. Before attending we encourage you to fill in an intake form to let us know why you are willing to attend and what you hope to get out of the groups.

You can get in touch with Roxy via email, at mentalhealthsouthampton@gmail.com
or via Instagram at @mentalhealthsouthampton ,as well as join the Facebook group ,
Mental Health Southampton Support Group.

Next Session is tonight 24.03.23 at 6pm

HEALTH AND FITNESS by Phil, Physiotherapist

Posted on by
Reply

The terms health and fitness are often used interchangeably but they’re different, although often related.

The World Health Organization defines health as: “A state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing”.

Fitness class

There’re various definitions of fitness, but commonly it’s stated as: “The ability to fulfil a particular role or task”.

We can therefore see that fitness is specific, so we may be fit to walk but not to run and that a certain level of health may be required to perform a specific task.  Similarly, the fitness required to be a sprinter, requiring power and speed, is different from that being a distance runner, needing endurance. This makes it difficult to ascertain who is the “fitter” person. Continue reading →

REFLEXOLOGY LYMPH DRAINAGE (RLD) THIS TREATMENT MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE MOMENT PLEASE CALL TO INQUIRE 02380 639747

Posted on by
Reply

reflexology lymph drainageReflexology is wonderfully healing non invasive therapy, it can help the body to ‘detox’ and reduce swelling by stimulating the Lymphatic System. Here, our in house Reflexology Specialist, Alex, explains this targeted treatment.

Reflexology Lymph Drainage (RLD) is an award winning reflexology technique which focuses on stimulating the lymphatic reflexes on the feet; it is a very gentle treatment and the aim is to cause an effect on the lymphatic system in the body. It is a unique sequence that has been researched and developed by Sally Kay BSc (Hons), whilst working in Cancer Care but her protocol has also been found effective in treating clients suffering with problems such as lymphoedema, plus many more (for more information, see www.reflexologylymphdrainage.co.uk) I am lucky enough to have trained with Sally and I have found that RLD has added a whole new dimension to my work…

Continue reading →

How do Mobile Phones cause health problems with our necks and how can we prevent it?

Posted on by
Reply

Holistic and Sports Massage therapist, William, talks text neck.

Have you ever found yourself scrolling through your phone aimlessly in an act of procrastination?

If you’re anything like me then I’m sure you have. The average person spends over 24 hours a week on the internet. This amount of time online has doubled in the past 10 years and stats are increasing!

And why wouldn’t they?

The rise of Facebook, Instagram and twitter has had us glued to our phones. Even if you’re not a social media junkie, there are no escaping emails and phone calls. All of this leads us ‘looking down’ as a society where instead we should be looking up.

Mobile phone usage has a massive effect on our health. As a society we are learning more about how technology can affect our mental health, but one thing we forget to factor is how this can affect our physical health, particularly our necks.

The human head weighs around 11 pounds in a neutral position; however when we are looking down our head can weigh up to 60 pounds. That equals roughly 60 pints of water… Or 600 golf balls!

Doesn’t that put things into perspective?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue reading →

Introducing Holistic-Thai-Sports Therapist: Chris

Posted on by
Reply

Greetings to all!

Excited to establish myself as the newest therapist operating out of: You Massage Southampton.

Please allow me to share a little of my journey thus far:

Having been told in teens that I had a natural gift, I began my studies and later qualified as a Holistic Therapist in 2004. From a very young age, I had always been drawn to Asian culture, so knew instantly that I was destined to further my knowledge and training with traditional Asian massage techniques.  I roamed South East Asia and eventually settled in Northern Thailand to study Traditional Thai Massage at the prestigious TMC School. I was blessed enough to train in ancient Thai techniques perfected by the late Mama Lek Chaiya and her legendary Nervetouch system. From there I was one of the lucky few that studied Meridians and Acupuncture at Mungkala Chinese Medicine Centre, and became the embodiment of healthy-vegan living, staying in a bamboo hut within a remote Buddhist temple built beside a jungle waterfall and dabbling in Shamanic rituals.

Continue reading →

Introducing new Sports Massage Therapist – Ali

Posted on by
Reply

Hi! My name is Ashraf Ali, and you can call me Ali, I run Optimal Sport Massage from YOU Massage & Therapy Centre at weekends. I’m a Sports massage therapist and a Chiropractor in training at Bournemouth AECC

My interest in sport from a young age has led me to train as a Chiropractor and a massage therapist. I have learned a lot of about avoiding injuries and self-treatment methods from playing rugby for years and competing in Powerlifting.

Continue reading →

Western Acupuncture – Dry Needling – with Osteopath Edward

Posted on by
Reply

Southampton AcupunctureSouthampton Osteopath, Ed Webb, offers Dry Needling from our Bedford Place studio

What is dry needling?

The popular treatment of dry needling (as opposed to wet needling such as Botox, corticosteroids, anaesthetics etc), also known as western or medical acupuncture, is frequently used by health care professionals such as osteopaths, physiotherapists, chiropractors and even some GPs.

By effectively isolating problem areas on the body, namely myofascial trigger points, the therapist can deliver fine acupuncture needles intramuscularly. Several studies have shown immediate improvements in pain and/or disability by targeting trigger points in this way, and there is no shortage of clients and patients who can advocate the outstanding effects of this ever-popular treatments.

How does Dry needling it work?

The proposed mechanism of dry needling involves the mechanical disruption of the integrity of dysfunctional endplates, alterations in the length and tension of muscle fibres and stimulation of mechanoreceptors, increased muscle blood flow and oxygenation, and endogenous opioid release affecting peripheral and central sensitization, among others.

What on earth does that all mean I hear you say?

Essentially, dry needling therapy induces a stimulatory effect on the body’s tissues, which helps kickstart the body’s own painkilling and healing capabilities; amazing right? Osteopaths amongst many other practitioners and therapists have known for a long time about the internal powers our bodies possess to heal themselves, our job is merely to bring about and facilitate this change and reach equilibrium.

Continue reading →

Ideas to reduce the risk of injury whilst running

Posted on by
Reply

This list has been compiled by Southampton Physiotherapist and running expert, Phil at YOU Massage Southampton

Running on hard services increases the risk of injury. Research does not show a strong link, but it’s probably best to run on a variety of surfaces as this varies the loading pattern.

Here are some more Ideas to reduce the risk of injury

  • Have a training strategy!
  • Increase volume no more than 10% a week
  • Never increase intensity and volume simultaneously
  • Your longest run should be less than half your total weekly mileage
  • Sleep well – this is when the body recovers.
  • Good nutrition. It is now thought that distance runners need higher levels of protein to ensure recovery. Also, vitamin C has an affinity to collagen and so may aid tendon repair.  Runners are commonly found to be low in iron and vitamin D, essential for tissue repair and performance.
  • Strength training. There’s growing evidence (more than stretching!) that exercises such as squats, lunges and calf raises can protect against injury.
  • The ideal cadence, or step rate, is thought to be 170 – 190 per minute. If your cadence is less than 170 you could be over striding, increasing the stress on the body.  Simply by shortening your stride slightly can help.  Over striders tend to be noisy on their feet and heel strikers.  Some GPS watches show cadence.
  • Know when not to run. Try the hop test – you should be able to hop quickly on each leg x 20 times with no pain to run.  Increasing pain when running, increased pain the next day, pain above 5/10 and running with a limp are indicators that you should not run and be checked.

Performance Indicators

Below is mainly from Frank Horwill, the late and great running coach.

  • Marathon potential is 5 x 10K time minus 10 minutes
  • All distances are connected – to run a good marathon you need to run a good 10K, to run a good 10K you need to run a good 5K, need to run a good mile, need to run a good 400m. Therefore training should reflect this with multi-paced runs. https://www.runnersworld.co.uk/rws-training-pace-calculator  is a link which explains the different paces and can auto calculate your paces.
  • Frank Horwill described the 4 second rule – for example, if your best 400m time is 60 seconds, your best possible 800m is 2:08 (64+64). For 1500, add another 4 seconds per lap, and so on. So everything is based on your best 400m time.
  • Optimum training mileage for a marathon is thought to be 70 miles a week. Although Mo Farah does 120 a week but then he’s a full time athlete

Book in to see a Runners Physio for your optimum health report and guidance for injury prevention, Book online today, follow this link >

Reducing Running Injuries

Posted on by
Reply

RUNNING INJURIES AND PERFORMANCE

By Southampton Physiotherapist, Phil Coleman

Click to book online for your Free Consultation *

I have been a club runner for 35 years, competing on road, cross country and track.   I am a physiotherapist with a specialist interest in running and I have no injuries and my knees are perfect (thought I would get that one out of the way!)  I have contributed to magazine articles such as Why Cheetahs Don’t Stretch in Frontline and Power up Your Hamstrings in Athletics Weekly.

Running injuries are very common, but rarely serious, with up to 80% getting injured every year.  Running can be stressful on the body with impact forces of 2.5 times body weight with every step. This increases further with fast and downhill running.  The body takes time to adapt to this stress. New comers to running are more prone to injury than experienced runners. Continue reading →

What Therapy should I book?

Posted on by
4

Plenty of people feel confused about where to turn to when they have pain. With so many choices available it’s important to know who’s who and what they can do.  Health and safety Executive (2016/17) states that 507,000 workers suffered from work-related musculoskeletal disorders and 45% of the disorders were from upper limbs or neck. Millions of work days are lost per year due to injuries.

Each therapist is unique, and the education varies between different practitioners. But most importantly their main goal is to ensure you are living your life to the fullest pain free. Different types of treatments suit different people and depending on your condition it’s important to find the most suited professional for your needs.

Chiropractic

Chiropractic care – you either love or hate it. In history they’ve been known as bone crackers and this can create some unease for people who haven’t tried it before.

Although they are defined as Neuromuscular specialists the scope of practice is classified as an ‘alternative medicine’. To become a chiropractor in the UK, 5 years of training is required before practising. There is emphasis on treatment and prevention of mechanical disorders, manual therapy and adjustments are used. There is a large focus on the function of the spine and the neuromuscular system of the body.

Types of treatment:

Rehab, massage, X-rays, ultrasound, and different manual techniques.

Common conditions that are treated:

Sciatica, migraines, herniated disk, chronic pain, neck and back pain.

Osteopathy

Osteopathy was introduced in America before Chiropractic, there have been stories that the inventor of Chiropractic stole his theory. Now there is still some questions about the differences.

Osteopathy is also classed as an ‘alternative medicine’ and 4 years of education is needed before practising. Osteopathy treatment aims at preventing mechanical disorders by moving, stretching, and massaging a patient’s muscles and joints. A person’s wellbeing depends on the health of the individual’s bones, muscles, ligaments and connective tissue functioning smoothly together.

Types of treatment:

Dry needling, soft tissue and articulation techniques.

Common conditions that are treated:

Arthritis, digestive problems, tennis elbow, neck and back pain.

Osteopathy is offered at our studio in Bedford Place, Southampton.

Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy aims at treating disease, injury, or deformity by using massage, exercise, and heat treatment without using drugs or surgery. There is a large emphasis on movement and increasing mobility in the joints to prevent further injury.

It’s most commonly practised within the NHS but also in private care. Minimal training required is 3 years, but some may extend their education further within a specific field. It’s a science-based therapy which treats neurological, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, and respiratory conditions.

Types of treatment: Movement and exercise, manual therapy, education and advice.

Common conditions that are treated: Sport injuries, stroke, Parkinson’s, chronic heart disease, and asthma.

We welcome Philip to the team of YOU Massage Therapy offering Physiotherapy, appointments available for Physiotherapy in Southampton NOW. Book online or call 02380 639747

Massage therapy

Massage therapy aims at enhancing a person’s wellbeing with manual manipulation of soft tissues of the body, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue. There are several different types of massage treatments available, but the two main groups are:

Rehabilitative massage: Sports massage, Deep tissue, medical, therapeutic or clinical massage.

Relaxation massage: Swedish massage, holistic massage, and reflexology.

The main purpose of massage is to relieve stress and tension from the body and mind. There are a lot of choices of massage, it’s important to find the type that suites you. Trigger points and soft tissue techniques are used to relieve pain and stress within the muscles.

Types of treatment:

Lymphatic drainage, Reiki, Myo-fascial, aromatherapy, and Thai massage.

Common conditions treated:

Headaches, frozen shoulder, strains and sprains, muscular pain, and tendinitis.