News: January 2018

Are you hurt? Well, get moving!

Acute muscle injuries heal relatively quickly. Collagen fibers are replaced at an approximate rate of 14% per month. This means that the injury is fully healed in about seven months. Tendon injuries, however, take twice as long as muscles heal. This is probably because it's easier for blood to get to muscle tissues.

Surprising new research has shown that exercise causes collagen fibers to renew two to three times faster in both muscles and tendons! The key is to activate your metabolism. Your doctor will probably tell you to rest the injured area, and that is usually a good idea. You want to find an exercise that will increase your metabolism while still protecting your injury from further harm. If you need to keep weight off your foot, for example, an exercise bike might be the way to go. Just think, if you don't exercise you will take two or even 3 times longer to heal! It's worth it to get your body moving.

For more information about this fascinating research, check out this amazing lecture by Robert Schleip, PhD, International Rolfing Instructor and International Fascial Anatomy Teacher.

Source: Robert Schleip, PhD, World Massage Conference

How to Relax Tight Shoulders and Improve Posture

If your shoulders are rounded forward or stuck up to your ears, try this quick and easy shoulder opener exercise to relax tight shoulders and improve posture. This exercise with stretch your shoulders, increase shoulder flexibility, relax your shoulders, and improve your posture by allowing your shoulders to rest down and back. This exercise is also helpful in alleviating shoulder pain.

What's new with me ...

Aside from having awful colds, Jesse, Sienna and I enjoyed the holidays. Sienna slept over at Grandmum and Grandad for a few nights, giving Jesse and I some much needed R&R, and a chance to get rid of Sienna's baby toys. (I only cried a little ...)

Sienna has spent hours each day drawing and playing with Play-Doh. A favorite recent Sienna quote: "Your dreams and imagination can fly by when you're playing play-doh!"

Happy, healthy new year to you all!