April 2021 - ACTIVE BALANCE HEALING

RANGE OF MOTION AND FASCIA RESTRICTIONS

An interesting subject that I am asked about often is ‘how can fascia restrictions in one area of the body affect the range of motion of my joints’? To understand how fascia affects the range of motion of joints in the body, we first need to learn what fascia is. Fascia is connective tissue that runs in overlaying sheets whose function is to surround and support the entire body structure by enveloping organs, bones, blood vessels, joints and muscles. Healthy fascia is strong and elastic, allowing fluid movement during exercise, walking, breathing etc. Let’s look at the shirt example to better understand how fascia restrictions affect the body as a whole. You will need to be wearing a shirt that is not sleeveless for this experiment. Try to bring your straight right or left arm, away from your body in a half circle to rest near your ear (keep the arm straight); how does the shoulder joint feel as you move? Take note of it. Now, scrunch the opposite side of the bottom of the shirt (if you raised your right arm scrunch the left bottom of the shirt) and hold that ball of shirt tightly in your non moving hand. Try and raise the same hand as you did in the first part up. Do you feel the restrictive difference? It is hard if not impossible to go through the entire range of motion of the shoulder joint while having that restriction above the hip on the other side of the body holding it back? This analogy is helpful in understanding how an adhesion/restriction in one part of the fascia can create enough tension that will prevent or decrease range of motion of joints elsewhere in the body. It makes sense then that fascia adhesions/restrictions affect the range of motion of joints due to restrictive movement of the connective tissue. Adhesions in the connective tissue can be a source of pain, reduced range of motion of joints and reduce the ability of many individuals to be as active as they could be pain free. Pain is not something you need to just accept and live with; it is your body’s way of bringing your attention to a dysfunction or restriction that needs to be addressed. If you are ready to embrace change and become active, pain free and find your inner happiness then call Active Balance Healing now and book your initial consultation. We can help!

STILL-POINT THERAPY FOR STRESS AND ANXIETY

Leave a Comment / Healing / By Julia Lott

The Center for Addictions and Mental Health (CAMH) released an article saying that 1 in 5 Canadians will personally experience mental illness symptoms (anxiety/stress/depression etc.) and addiction in any given year; the statistics did not include the recent stress inducing Covid-19 lockdowns, small businesses closing, and the lack of social interaction. What can you do to relieve your stress and anxiety and lift your mood while on a budget and without additional medications? The answer is you should try ‘still point therapy’ on yourself. Robert Harris is a renowned Craniosacral therapist, teacher and owner of The Cranial Therapy Centre in downtown Toronto. During his studies with Andrew Still, Robert encountered a pressure point (called ‘slackening spots’) at the back of the skull that when compressed, induces a person into a still-point. The body has an innate system called the Craniosacral rhythm (CSR) that communicates directly with the body’s nervous system. The CRS resembles a wave of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) that flows from the cranium down the spine to the sacrum and back up again. When a still-point is activated by direct touch, whether by self manipulation or induced by a seasoned practitioner, a trancelike state of deep relaxation throughout the body, mind and soul is experienced. Not only is the nervous system fully relaxed but so are the tense and tight muscles throughout the entire body. You can use the pad of one or two fingers to locate two flattened circular spots at the back of your head and apply light pressure on them with the pads of your fingers. You can also clasp your hands on the back of your ear which applies the necessary compression to induce a still point. Have you noticed that when people get super frustrated or stressed out they clasp their hands behind their heads? It is the body’s instinctive way of relieving stress and providing an immediate release of tension. A still point is a state of calm and immense healing that is induced during a Craniosacral therapy session by an experienced practitioner. Craniosacral therapy sessions are one of the most relaxing and deeply calming modalities that cradle the nervous system and allow complete surrender and multidimensional healing! If you are interested in learning more about how we can help you relieve stress, calm anxiety without the use of medications and claim your power back, contact Active Balance Healing today!