Resources – Page 5 – East Village Spa Blog

Proven benefits of massage therapy

In the nearly 10 years I’ve been a massage therapist, it has been really fun to see the shift in attitudes about massage therapy. It used to be viewed as more of a luxury, or something to do only for fun or a special occasion. While massage therapy is still an awesome way to celebrate an anniversary or birthday, more people are using it as a regular part of their health and wellness routines.

Groups like the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami have published great studies on the benefits of massage therapy. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine is another great resource for good, solid FACTUAL information.

Findings from massage therapy research is well summarized on an article at MassageTherapy.com and highlights include the following benefits of massage:

alleviate low back pain
Shorten labor, reduce labor pains, and reduce hospital stays after delivery
Exercise and stretch weak, tight, atrophied muscles
Help people working to ease dependence on pain medications
Increase joint flexibility
Help after surgeries to reduce adhesions and swelling
Reduce scar tissue
Reduce anxiety and depression (there are great studies on the effects of massage on people undergoing cancer treatments and the effects of massage to reduce their anxiety about their diagnosis)
Reduce migraine pain and frequency

The Mayo Clinic lists other benefits including:

Help with digestive concerns
Help reduce insomnia related to stress (I can personally attest to this! A hot stone massage does the trick for me!)
Reduce pain from TMJ
Help recover from sports injuries
MORE!

Really, the best way to see if massage can help you is to book one. Not every kind of massage is beneficial for every condition. For relaxation, circulation, and stress reduction, a Swedish or Hot Stone massage might be the ticket. For recovery after a sprain or strain, a myofascial or sports massage is best. If you’re struggling with migraines, a cold stone massage, craniosacral massage, or other focused massage could help.

Also, because massage therapy can serve to help so many conditions, it is important to note that not every massage therapist specializes in every type of massage or in work with every type of injury. Our clients who are happiest and benefit most from their treatments have 2-3 therapists at the spa they see based on their needs. They might see Tiffany during their pregnancies and Justin for sports therapy. They might see Clair for deep tissue and stretching work, but Teresa for migraine help using Craniosacral techniques. All of our therapists are very flexible in their treatments, but they also are very familiar with what their colleagues specialize in so are always happy to make a referral. And NO! You aren’t cheating on your LMT if you try a different style of work!

We have a little quiz (not super scientific, more for fun and info) to help guide you in choosing the best spa massage for you to try for your first time, or you can call and ask Kelly at the front desk what she recommends based on your needs!

Breast Cancer and Spa Services

According to the American Cancer Society’s 2013-2014 Breast Cancer Fact Sheet, a woman living in the United States has a 12.3% lifetime risk of developing breast cancer.

At East Village Spa, our trained and licensed providers have experience working with individuals undergoing cancer treatments and research has shown that massage therapy can be helpful in combating side effects of breast cancer treatments.

This study showed a statistically significant reduction in nausea and vomiting related to breast cancer treatments in people who received foot reflexology treatments.
2003 research from the University of Miami has showed massage therapy to be more beneficial than progressive muscle relaxation in combating depression among people undergoing breast cancer treatments and that massage was also effective in reducing treatment related anxiety and anger.
Lymphatic Drainage massage can be helpful in people who experience lymphedema after surgery (it should be used as a complement to lymphedema management done by a licensed lymphedema specialist like an Occupational or Physical Therapist).

Massage can be modified to help people relax during all phases of cancer treatment and most physicians are accepting of massage provided by experienced and knowledgeable practitioners during cancer treatments. The Mayo Clinic has even opened a spa in their hospital!

Some modifications need to be made to ensure that clients receiving spa services while receiving cancer treatments are safe and that the services are most beneficial.

Sidelying massage techniques (similar to those used in prenatal massage) may be necessary after surgery
Lighter to medium pressure may be needed as opposed to heavier pressure which could be contraindicated due to the treatments
Treatments with heat, like hot stone massages, are not advised for individuals undergoing treatments like radiation, which can cause inflammation and burns on the skin.
Facials are fine and a great way to relax and help skin feel soft and hydrated, so long as the products are gentle. Facial peels would not be advised.
Your esthetician and massage therapist will avoid ports or other areas of concern like burns
Waxing may be contraindicated due to changes in your skin from certain cancer treatment medications.

This is a great simple article from cancer.org about massage for people with breast cancer and I agree with all of their points.

If you are considering spa services as a way to de-stress and help reduce the negative side effects of cancer treatments, we’d love to visit with you. We always encourage people to share any complementary services they are receiving with their medical providers and we welcome any suggestions from your physician as well.

2014 World Reflexology Awareness Week

It is currently World Reflexology Week…who knew!? Well, actually I knew because I got a call from the nursing home where I served as Activity Director eons ago to do a program to residents, staff, and families on the benefits of Reflexology.

What is Reflexology?

According to the American Reflexology Certification Board, Reflexology is a scientific art based on the premise that there are zones and reflex areas in the feet and hands which correspond to all body parts. The physical act of applying specifric pressures using thumb, finger, and hand techniques result in stress reduction which causes a physiological change in the body.

Here is a really cool interactive hand and foot chart by the Barbara and Kevin Kunz.

Who developed Reflexology techniques?

Reflexology is ancient…so ancient that the first records of reflexology were pictures and statues dating back as far as 2500 B.C. when early Egyptian papyrus and wall paintings depicted medical practitioners treating the hands and feet of patients. Cultures in India, Japan, China, Egypt, and Europe have been working on feet since the beginning of time. (Karen Ball 215 Hour Reflexology Certification Program, 2002)

Who can benefit?

Anyone who is under stress or who loves a great hand or foot massage can benefit, but research has shown positive results with the following conditions:

Reduction of pain and stress when trained partners provide reflexology to individuals undergoing cancer treatments. (Read more here)

Reduction of constipation and improved digestion. One study of 20 women who had severe chronic constipation for an average of 24 years improved bowel movement frequency from once every 4 days on average to once every 1.8 days on average after 15 reflexology sessions over 7 weeks. (More information here.)

There have also been studies about Reflexology in pregnancy and labor and in migraine sufferers. (more here.)

Who can do Reflexology?

Basically, anyone. In Iowa, Reflexology is not licensed like Massage Therapy is. If you are seeking to hire a reflexologist, you will want to do your research and check on their training and experience to make sure you are receiving the most beneficial services possible. People who proclaim themselves to be reflexologists may run from self taught through books and videos to people who have taken an extensive training course to qualify for national certification. Many of our employees have about 50 hours, some more. The certification track program I took was 250 hours.

There is really no harm in providing simple reflexology techniques to a loved one as a caring gesture so long as you aren’t causing pain. Even the good intention of wanting to help someone feel better has physical and mental health benefits in itself, in my opinion!

Can I book a reflexology appointment at East Village Spa?

Yes! We offer a Therapeutic Foot Massage which is primarily reflexology, but may integrate some stretching and deep tissue foot massage based on your concern. Any therapist we open for that massage has specific training in foot reflexology. The focus can be entirely reflex point based or can be entirely deep tissue or any combination. If you book a longer body massage and your therapist is reflexology trained, she may incorporate some work on reflex points to enhance the overall benefits of the work. For example, I had a client with jaw pain and after some facial and neck massage, I ended the session with some work on her jaw reflex points on the foot which were incredibly tender. If a client complains of constipation, I’ll often blend abdominal massage with foot reflexology techniques. We think of this as the 1-2 punch!

Click here to schedule your reflexology or massage appointment at East Village Spa.

Great free resources for stretching and yoga poses

There are so many schools of thought on stretching…different opinions on when to stretch, how long to hold a stretch, how deep to go into a stretch. It can get very confusing!

A client loaned us a book, Brad Walker’s “The Anatomy of Stretching” today and it is fantastic and a very simple and well-illustrated guide to stretching just about every muscle you’d ever need to stretch. I decided to learn more about Brad Walker and his websites are a wealth of information for athletes, people who work in sedentary jobs, and really anyone!

Check out his blog, for lots of articles. His book is available online, even used, very reasonably if you’re looking for a good stretching resource! His website even has stretching videos for different muscle groups and different types of sport participation.

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Another great FREE resource is the website Do Yoga with Me that features yoga videos for different ability and experience levels. This is a great way to find some yoga poses to help with pain and stress management!

catstretching — Photo by Hisashi (wikimedia commons)

Common foot care questions and solutions for runners

After Dam to Dam, we started seeing more pedicure and massage clients in with black toenails, a curse of distance running! I’ve personally been upping my mileage for the first time training for a half marathon and can see the importance of good socks, great fitting shoes, blister management and keeping my toenails short.

Based on the experience of our team and friends, we’d like to share solutions to help runners address common foot issues.

Fleet Feet Des Moines Women's Running Group — Fleet Feet Women’s Running Group (photo by Andy Roat)

1. Black Toenails: Many experts recommend making sure your running shoes are about a half size bigger than you everyday shoes, especially in hot and humid weather when feet expand. Keeping toenails short can also help. Downhill and distance running are the biggest culprits in causing black toenails that will eventually fall off. Pedicures can help keep your nails properly trimmed, but start getting them early in your training, not the day before a big race. If you have black toenails, you can still get a pedicure and polish, but be sure the nail technician is properly trained and treats the nail gently.

2. Calluses: These are a GOOD thing! If you are training for a race, you need your calluses to prevent blisters. If you get a pedicure, be sure to tell the nail technician you want to keep your calluses and ask that the time she’d normally be spent softening them go toward lengthening the massage…which you really need! At our spa, the best choice for runners is a Wellness Pedicure. The EV Signature Pedicure features a callus softening heel treatment which you don’t want and the Eco Dry pedicure doesn’t include a massage which you need.

The Clarisonic Callus buffer is a gentle way to soften calluses and we use it for clients who want light callus work.

3. Blisters: If you have a blister, please tell your nail technician or massage therapist ahead of time so she knows to avoid the area. Good socks make a world of difference and our friends at Fleet Feet have socks meant to prevent blisters. I personally started getting blisters during triathlons this summer because of putting my shoes on with wet feet. I found that soaking my foot in a shallow dish of hot water, a handful of oats, and a few drops of tea tree or lavender essential oil (optional) zapped the pain and helped them heal quickly. You can cut a moleskin adhesive (found at any drugstore) to pad around the blister too. Just cut out a round or square piece and cut a hole out of the center so you aren’t sticking it to your blister. This works like a charm!

4. Foot pain: If you are experiencing foot pain from running, there could be many causes. First, make sure you are wearing the right shoes and visit a business that can do a professional evaluation and fitting. You can also try approaches like podiatry, massage therapy, or chiropractic (or a combination) if the pain is limiting your ability to run. Our therapists can help address issues in the foot, but also tense muscles in the hips and legs that can contribute to foot pain. If your foot pain is new or you just want to try a short service, book our Therapeutic Foot Massage. If your foot pain is accompanied by back, hip, leg, and knee pain, you’ll need a longer treatment and we recommend trying the 60 or 80 minute Athletic Edge Sports Massage.

Therapeutic Foot Massage is a deep massage focused on reflex points and areas of tension.

Our goal is to not only help you keep running, but to ENJOY the journey! If we can answer questions, offer treatments, or refer you to other health professionals like podiatrists, physical therapists, chiropractors, or experts at shoe fitting, don’t hesitate to ask!

East Village Spa to Receive ISPA Innovate Award at 2014 ISPA Conference & Expo

I am very pleased to announce that we have won an ISPA Innovate Award! We’ll be recognized along with 14 other spas around the world for business innovations. I am particularly excited about this award because it will give me an opportunity to speak to a large group of my peers about the advantages of hiring people with disabilities.

In March this year, we met with Candeo, an organization that helps businesses to identify unmet employment needs and then works to fill those needs with an individual with a disability. Our laundry mountains had been growing and our employees were getting busier doing treatments (yay!) but were needing help with the laundry.

Mallory, LMT, Holly, Laundry Assistant, and Tiffany, LMT/Receptionist work together to keep up with the linens!

Candeo introduced us to Holly, whom we hired. They have been coming to work with Holly at every shift to help train her, though she’s super independent with her work and possibly our most enthusiastic employee! Holly’s co-workers were asked to write down their favorite work memory from the first half of the year so far for a spa party and nearly every single one pertained to something awesome Holly said or did!

If you’re needing help at your workplace or have an unmet employment need, even if it is just for a couple of hours a week, I’d guess that Candeo can help you find a perfect employee! Feel free to contact me if you have questions and I’ll put you in touch or reach out to them directly.

Below is the press release for our award:

Des Moines, IA Sept. 3, 2014 – East Village Spa will be celebrated by the International SPA Association (ISPA) at the upcoming 2014 ISPA Conference & Expo with an ISPA Innovate Award. The ISPA Innovate Award is given to spa industry leaders with innovative and successful spa-related initiatives.

Cassie Sampson, spa owner will represent East Village Spa at the 2014 ISPA Conference & Expo, focusing on the topic, “individuals with disabilities find perfect spa employment.”

“Innovation is the driving force behind growth in the spa industry,” said ISPA President Lynne McNees. “Recognizing the innovation that is occurring within ISPA’s membership will encourage and inspire future ideas.”

“Hiring an employee with different abilities and strengths has helped to fill an employment need for us,” said Sampson. “Our laundry assistant, Holly, is proud to be a part of the East Village Spa team and her co-workers are thankful that the work she does helps them to be able to focus on providing great treatments to customers. Her positivity is contagious and we look forward to her shifts. I’m excited that this award will help us educate more people about the benefits of hiring individuals with disabilities.”

The ISPA Conference & Expo Innovate Session will be held on October 15 at 3:30 pm at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nev., where a select group of award recipients will share their innovations with ISPA Conference attendees. Attendees can register for the ISPA Conference & Expo by visiting attendispa.com.

“Cheap” nail services may come at a high price

I typically try to keep this blog focused on lighter topics, but the issue of human trafficking in the spa and nail industry lately has been bubbling up again on my radar. Often people think of sham “massage” businesses when they think of human trafficking, but over the years criminals are getting more creative in hiding victims.

We know we are not the “cheapest” place to go for a manicure or pedicure. We don’t compete on price. We hire experienced, licensed, and just super nice nail technicians and cosmetologists to provide our services, use high quality products including many we send home with you, and our polishes are widely regarded as some of the best in the industry in their categories. We love our employees and know if we treat them well, they will treat our clients well. Providing manicures and pedicures is a great job, one that our employees thoroughly enjoy. They get to be artistic, nurturing, and spend time getting to know their clients. Their regular clients are like their family to them! Unfortunately, this isn’t the case for all people working nail salons in the United States.

We know how expensive it is to provide great nail care (the spa cost of one teeny tiny bottle of CND Shellac is $18.95!), which is why I’m always shocked at the ridiculously low price of some manicure and pedicure services, especially in big cities that have a much higher cost of living. To compete on price alone, salons have to cut costs elsewhere. Typically this is done by using lower quality products. Unfortunately “cheap” salons frequently cut corners on sanitation because they depend on high volume to make rent and proper sanitation takes time (it takes more than 10 minutes to disinfect a whirlpool tub in a pedicure lounge, but rarely would you see that happen in a high volume salon).

The most alarming reason for “cheap” nail services is that costs are being cut with labor. It might be that employees are not being paid a fair living wage, but sadly, some nail salons are being used as human trafficking fronts and raids and arrests in other areas of the United States are shedding light on this. In recent years, nail salons were found operating as a front for human trafficking in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Virginia, and California. Nails Magazine published one of the best articles on this problem specific to nail salons. Click here to read it. Just last month, a popular DC spa came under scrutiny for suspected willful refusal to pay wages and abduction.

Fortunately, the majority of nail salons are like ours in that they strive to build nurturing relationships with clients to help them look and feel great while providing a supportive work environment. The unfortunate reality is that unethical and shady business practices are more common in the industry than people realize so consumers need to be vigilant. The Polaris Project works to educate the public and rescue victims of human trafficking. These are the warning signs they recommend looking for.

It was never my intent to learn as much about nail salons and nail care as I do (I’m a nursing home activity director turned massage therapist!) but I’m glad I know what to look for and I’m thankful for the opportunity to work with the bright, enthusiastic, and creative women providing the nail services at our spa. I appreciate them and I know for a fact, they appreciate all of you!

Cassandra, Camille, and Leah posing for our New Year card!

Memories lie in muscles

Off and on, I struggle with stiff feet and ankles when I run. I call them my “franken-ankles” because I feel like I’m running like Frankenstein’s monster. I often see Tiffany or Teresa for massage to help increase my ankle mobility and range of motion and with my last visit with Tiffany, a flood of memories surfaced.

She was working deeply on the muscles and ligaments of my foot as I was drifting when I was startled awake by a very vivid flashback of the time when I was 15 and one of the bones in my foot snapped in a freak accident on the day my mom was scheduled to have a major surgery. Because of the timing with my family, the doctors postponed casting me and my foot took a very long time to heal. It doesn’t consciously give me any issues now and I truthfully wouldn’t even remember to write that injury down on a health history, but the moment Tiffany worked around that area, I was instantly transformed 20 years back in time to that day like it was happening right then.

Our bodies hold on to tension and stress in ways we can’t consciously comprehend. Many times, a client has felt a rush of emotion as their shoulders loosened up or their jaw relaxed during a massage as the stress from from a tense argument at work, or the death of a loved one starts to escape. Clients might perk up with an “a-ha!” moment when a muscle releases, revealing an old sports injury or childhood fall. We have even experienced clients having an anxiety attack on the table as a muscle releases. Even if our minds aren’t consciously aware of all of your memories and emotions, you can be sure that your muscles are.

If you happen to experience an “emotional release” during a massage, don’t be embarrassed. Chances are, your therapist has witnessed several, and many therapists have received enough massage through their schooling and self-care that they may have even experienced one themselves. If you wish to have a moment alone, that is fine. Your therapist can also offer you a tissue and a safe space to talk, laugh, or cry while they continue with the massage. They will take their cues from you. If you remember an old injury, do share! It is certainly possible it could be contributing to new pain.

If you get massage all the time but never experience a rush of emotion, you are also perfectly normal! We have had clients over the years try to “force” a release, thinking hard on old traumas or forcibly breathing deeply during work because another therapist or a friend told them that it is the only way to heal, but that isn’t true! Your body knows what it needs and whatever your response to massage, you are a-ok!

The article “The Body Remembers” and the sources used in the article are good reads for anyone who is curious about this topic or who may have had their own instance of “remembering” a physical or emotional trauma that their body was holding on to.

Safety and Prenatal Services

We’ve been getting lots of questions about the safety of spa services for pregnant women and I’m excited to share more information with you! First of all, massage therapy is a time-tested and safe way to help nurture a mom-to-be. Unfortunately, many people hear conflicting information about what is and isn’t safe and we’d like to help dispel any myths.

Myth: Prenatal massage is only safe in the second and third trimester.
Truth: Prenatal massage is safe throughout a healthy pregnancy. If your physician has any concerns or you are at particularly high risk, please consult with them so they can share with your massage therapist their recommendations for the best treatments. If you are having a healthy pregnancy, massage is great throughout! For a great article about the safety of massage in the first trimester, click here.

Myth: Pregnancy massage should be performed with the client laying face down and her abdomen poking through a hole on the table.

Truth: While many prenatal therapists do use a table or pillow positioning system that has the pregnant guest laying face-down, more and more therapists and experts are recommending the sidelying positioning for pregnant women (which we have always used) to prevent injuries to the back and uterine ligaments. Also, sidelying position allows great access to the hips, gluts, shoulders, low back, and legs, where most pregnant women complain of pain.

Myth: If you rub over a point on the ankle a woman can go into labor
Truth: Pregnant women have been getting foot massages from their untrained partners for ages, wearing tight shoes, and more without stimulating preterm labor. True, some forms of therapy (particularly Reflexology, Acupressure, and other Eastern techniques) do focus on points in the body that correspond to other areas of the body like the uterus and some practitioners feel that if intentional, firm, and sustained pressure is applied, those points could stimulate uterine contractions. However, for a normal foot or leg massage, this will not be the case. Your massage therapist and nail technician can give you a great foot massage (which is very helpful for feet with swelling and pain from the added weight) without lingering deliberately on those points. If you have any concerns, please talk to your massage therapist and if it helps you to rest easier, we can skip the foot massage, but truly, your poor feet deserve it and experts from the American Pregnancy Association feel it is safe.

Myth: All spa services are safe for pregnant women.
Truth: While most services, including modified facials, pedicures, and massage are safe and very beneficial for pregnant women, some forms of these services should be avoided including facial peels or facials that use ingredients that are not pregnancy safe (we only use the products recommended by the Derma E for pregnant women, our estheticians know which ones to avoid!) Our massage therapists will not perform heat treatments like body scrubs (lots of hot towels) or hot stone massage on pregnant women so as not to raise core temperature. The only therapists who perform our prenatal massage are those who have training and who LOVE helping our pregnant guests. We also recommend that if pregnant women want nail services, they look for nail salons who have very high safety standards and who use high quality products.

For more information on the safety of prenatal massage from a trusted source, The American Pregnancy Association, click here.

To schedule a prenatal service, including our Pampering Pregnancy Massage, our Pregnancy Glow Facial, or any of our manicures and pedicure, click here.

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Meet our Neighbors: Fleet Feet

This week, a new running store moved into the East Village right across from the spa building on East 6th. Fleet Feet specializes in running gear for athletes of all fitness levels and is a great place for beginning runners as they’ll work to outfit you in the right gear, from shoes that are best for your needs to staff trained in recommending the best sports bra type AND size (and I agree with the woman helping me out in the store when she said that for many women, a properly fitting sports bra is just as important as the right running shoes!)

The store doesn’t have a huge foot print (pun intended!) but fills their space with a good assortment of shoes, apparel (mostly Nike apparel), nutrition (including my favorite triathlon fuel, Stinger waffles, chews, and Jelly Belly Sports Beans), accessories (iphone arm bands, belts, water bottles, and such), and self care tools.

If you are new to running or walking, are looking for some cool new accessories to motivate you to go farther in your workouts, or are experiencing some pain, especially in your feet and lower body, definitely stop by their store, our employees are thrilled with the selection and we know you will be too!