Tuesday 29 March 2011

Knobbly Knees

David, (my long suffering but much loved husband), came back from an all guys ski trip in the three valleys last week. He came back; bonus! However, the result from four days of snow-boarding isn't so much of a bonus for him. Basically his knees are stuck.

Fascia is a fascination for me. It runs throughout our whole body, it has no beginning and no end, it's made from collagen, elastin, water and ground substance and it is totally cool. I was in a study group up in Harley Street last week with Leon Chaitow and we were discussing the fact that the view of anatomy is totally out of date and instead of having muscles, tendons and ligaments, we should just accept the fact that the locomotive system is just fascia.... It was a brain stretch, but I can see the value in reassessing how we relate and talk about the stuff that allows us to move our frame around this planet.

Through out our lives we go through different amounts of trauma. We are born; which is so amazingly traumatic for baby and Mum, neither really remembers it much most of the time. Our first three years of life are so uncomfortable I am convinced this is why we don't remember our young selves. We then go on as a child; skidding on wet leaves and bumping our knees, loosing a parent in an department store, falling off a swing, braking arms and being teased at school and all the rest. By the age of about 18 each year can hold a category of emotional, physical, mental and arguably spiritual traumas that we just store in our body. Then we get older and diet, exercise, stress, smoking, drinking, relationships and work take over. Wow, what a life!

So the body carries us through all this, including 4 days on a snow-board. By the time we stop and think are we really surprised that we ache?

You see, the theory goes like this. Fascia, that amazing web that holds us together and moves us in all directions at all times even when we sleep, holds on to bits of trauma and this in turn causes pain. Why? It traps things like nerves and put pressure on them, it also causes what is commonly called 'knots' (trigger points), which can manifest pain on the localised point or it send pain to another region of the body. Many (including me) also believe that because of the restrictions, our body's posture changes and not always for the better and this can cause tension and pain around the body. So the long and short of it is that we ache.

That is a tiny bit of what I was discussing up in London last week, but as always it is pointless just talking about it, the theory needs to be tested and treatments need to reduce pain, which is why at half ten last night I was treating David's pair of knees. He sits on the bed with his laptop playing Mine Craft and I drink hot-choc in-between cross hand stretches over his kneecap. I have done 3 treatments for David now which have included stretching and shearing the fascia as well as a lot of stretching of the muscles bellies around the whole leg and have even got him using a spiky ball under his foot to help loosen the fascia around the back of his body (it sounds odd, but it really works). From not being able to walk to work comfortably (about 15mins) and saying that his knees felt think, heavy and vulnerable, he seemed to set off with quite a spring in his step today. I am really happy with the result and look forward to seeing him progress in the next week. I'll keep you posted!

What I'm loving in the Treatment Room today: Woman's Balance Essential Oil Blend and Aromatic Massage Oil, both from Neal's Yard.




Music in the Treatment Room today: 100 Best Relaxing Classics

My exercise today: 3 mile round trip walk to Godalming and a ballet class at the Surrey Sports Park.

Jenny xx

Friday 25 March 2011

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to the Cornerstone Therapies Blog! This has come about after 7 years of publishing newsletters on paper and then sending them to my clients. The have been beautiful, but due to the speed of life they are often slightly out of date (by about a month), and only published every quarter. This blog is for everyone, clients and therapists alike, to find out what I am doing in the pursuit of amazing therapy, how I am doing it and why I believe it is best for you.

I could sit here and write a seven year history of Cornerstone Therapies, but I think it would be best to start with today and go forward from here. I can colour in the blanks if and when you want me too. Saying that, I would like to introduce you to Cornerstone Therapies (CST) and myself now.

CST comes from my firm belief that the cosy 'World Of Spa' and the healing, yet slightly clinical, 'World Of Sports Therapy' can be brought together in a wonderful relationship. I have had 11 years to see how people react to therapy and I can safely say that my clients feel a million times better and start to beat their pain patterns a lot quicker if they are warm, relaxed and not beaten up! Sports Massage Therapy is often seen as something that you have to do if you do sport and you hurt, then the massage is painful and a bit of an ordeal. That is why I choose to call myself an Advanced Clinical Massage Therapist. It's a bit of a mouthful, but it means that people don't associate me with inflicting pain to my clients. You will here this concept broadened and sculpted over the next few months and years, but that is my nugget of thought.

I am often asked why I choose to offer Skin Care Treatments. The reason is very simple; your skin is your largest organ and so needs to be looked after! Facials are not only one of the most relaxing treatments I know of, but carried out every 4 to 6 weeks they can help regulate this fascinating organ and help you to live in it more comfortably. (Plus; I really enjoy doing them!!) Dermalogica offers you the best products on the market as there is a huge difference from your home care regime and what I can do for you in your treatments. You are able to do the best for your skin every day at home with Dermalogica, so when you come for a treatment with me at CST I can take your skin to the next level with tailor made products of a professional strength. No facial should be something that you could do yourself in the bathroom as they are simply a waste of your time and money. You need a professional therapist with the latest technology for your skin care facial and that is what I can offer you.

I am hoping that this blog will take shape soon. I would like to start writing up days that have gone really well with my studies, products I have enjoyed during the week as well as offering you some videos of what you can do in-between treatments to keep in tip top condition! Also, I will endeavour to learn how to put links up for all the companies that I use, as well as photos so you can see where I work and what CST looks like. I hope you enjoy reading this regularly and that it brings you closer to a healthier you.

Jenny xx

Shop Dermalogica