When it comes to your body and your health, the benefits of massage are wide-reaching. Whether you’re an athlete, an expectant mother, or a post-operative patient, massage can help relieve stress, decrease muscle tension and stimulates the release of endorphins that work as your body’s natural pain killer.
Other health benefits of massage include:
Increased joint flexibility and range of motion
Decreased joint pain due to arthritis
Enhanced immune system by promoting movement of lymph fluids
Improved the health and nourishment of the skin (also reduces scar tissue and stretch marks)
Decreased blood pressure
Reduction in depression and anxiety
Reduced muscle spasms, cramping and fatigue
Better recovery from workouts and sporting events for athletes
Types of Bodywork:
Swedish Massage
Classic therapeutic manipulation that relaxes and soothes muscles as well as stimulates circulation.
Therapeutic Massage
Similar to Swedish massage, this soothing manipulation of soft tissues promotes relaxation of muscles, relief from pain, increased blood and lymph circulation and the restoration of metabolic balance.
Deep Tissue/Trigger Point Massage
A vigorous massage in which the therapist uses techniques on muscles at a deeper level than classic Swedish massage. A great choice for athletes or anyone suffering from muscle tension and soreness.
Sports Massage
The focus of this type of bodywork is to release tight, contracted, overworked muscles used in sport activities. All athletes, including the weekend warrior, can benefit from this.
Injury/Rehab Massage
In cases where injury has occurred massage can help to restore mobility and flexibility to injured muscle and tissue. This can reduce recovery time, promote healing, increase nutrients, and improve circulation of blood flow to muscles.
Pregnancy Massage
After the first trimester, a massage may be beneficial in promoting relaxation, soothing nerves, and relieving strained muscles. Massage also tends to instill a sense of well-being in both mother and unborn child.
Lung cancer, followed by prostate cancer and colorectal cancer, is the leading cancer killer in men. Quit smoking now, and see your doctor for regular checkups and screenings. Getting to a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet can also reduce your risk of cancer, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Although the gap between the number of male and women smokers has narrowed over the years, more men still smoke than women. Smoking is directly responsible for 90 percent of all lung cancer deaths in America each year. Smoking also causes Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Smoking increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease, and also dramatically affects bone density.
Cancer-related checkup
For people aged 20 or older having periodic health exams, a cancer-related checkup should include health counseling and, depending on a person’s age and gender, exams for cancers of the thyroid, oral cavity, skin, lymph nodes, and testes, as well as for some non-malignant (non-cancerous) diseases.
Take control of your health and reduce your cancer risk.
Stay away from tobacco.
Stay at a healthy weight.
Get moving with regular physical activity.
Eat healthy with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Limit how much alcohol you drink (if you drink at all).
Protect your skin.
Know yourself, your family history, and your risks.
Have regular checkups and cancer screening tests.
Click here for more information and resources from the Bon Secours Cancer Institute.
When it comes to taking care of their health, men are less likely than women to seek medical care and stay current with annual checkups.
Not only are men 22 percent more likely than women to neglect cholesterol testing, but they are also 28 percent more likely to be hospitalized for congestive heart failure, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
Preventive medical tests – screenings – can help men stay healthy. Dr. Paa-Kofi Obeng, an internal medicine physician with Nansemond Suffolk Family Practice, explains the importance of preventive medicine and regular primary care visits.
At what age should men start having regular primary care visits?
I recommend men start around the age of 25 so we can catch any health problems early, such as high cholesterol or high blood pressure, before they become more serious.
Why does it help to detect health problems early?
If someone has high cholesterol, they face an increased risk for having a heart attack or stroke. I would be able to recommend that they make lifestyle changes, such as eating healthier and adding cardiovascular exercise, to improve their health. Cardiovascular exercise is where you get the most bang for your buck in terms of improving cardiovascular outcomes. Men like to do weight lifting, but you really want to get your heart rate up and get your blood moving. Weight lifting does give you benefits in terms of bone health, but with high cholesterol or diabetes, you really want cardiovascular exercise to help with those issues. If you exercise at least three days a week for 30 minutes a session, you can help prevent things from getting worse.
What kinds of health conditions can be caught early by having regular primary care visits? How often should men see their doctor?
High cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes are often detected early. As men get older, regular visits can detect prostate cancer and colon cancer at an early stage. Men between the ages of 25 and 65 who have good blood pressure, good cholesterol and are not diabetic can see their doctor once a year. For diabetics, I recommend a visit every three months to test their blood sugar. For someone with high cholesterol, I like to see them every six months. For my patients over 65, I want to see them twice a year, even if they’re healthy.
What keeps men from going to the doctor on a regular basis?
One reason is the fear of the unknown. They think: “If I have something wrong, I don’t want to know about it.” They just want to avoid it. People also make excuses. They say “I have to work. I don’t have time to go to the doctor.” Another reason is that people falsely assume that if they feel fine, they don’t need to see a doctor. The downside to that is you miss things that could have been caught and treated early – such as prostate and colon cancer. If you detect colon cancer early enough and get it treated, your chances for recovery are excellent.
What are typical health problems that men face?
For men, it’s usually high blood pressure, diabetes, and enlarged prostate. Erectile dysfunction is another issue that affects a lot of men. Erectile dysfunction may be caused by a psychological issue, which can be treated. If it an anatomic problem, it could mean the patient is diabetic or has an issue with their arteries. It’s important to check their thyroid, testosterone levels, and do testing for diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol in these instances.
What can men do to stay healthy besides having regular primary care visits?
Eat healthy and exercise. Try to get as much exercise as you can and eat many fruits and vegetables. Visit choosemyplate.gov. It’s a good guide for how many vegetables, fruits and carbs a person should eat. Sleep is important, too. Lack of sleep is linked with weight gain. Ideally, you should get eight hours. If you’re able to get enough sleep, you’re able to reduce your risk for chronic conditions.
What is the best exercise for men to do if they haven’t been working out regularly?
Any low impact exercises are good to start with like walking, but keep it at a brisk pace. Use a stationary bike to start slow and build up your intensity slowly. A stationary rowing machine is good, too. Stretching can help, such as yoga, to get muscles ready to begin exercising.
Should men take vitamins?
I recommend a multivitamin. It could be generic or a brand name. Men should make sure it includes iron and vitamin D. A lot of men are low in vitamin D. It can be a reason why many people feel tired. There are also multivitamins that are a combination of calcium and Vitamin D which are good as well. I recommend that it include 2,000 units of vitamin D with at least 600 units of calcium. The vitamin D helps the calcium to move into the bones.
What should men expect during their annual checkup?
It depends on their age but in general, men need to have their coordination and reflexes checked along with an exam to make sure they don’t have an inguinal hernia, which is when the small intestine protrudes through the inguinal canal. I also listen to their heart and lungs and check their skin for suspicious moles or cancer. Blood work is usually done prior to the visit or on the same day. It checks for high cholesterol, anemia and thyroid issues. For a man over 50, I recommend a rectal exam in addition to looking for an enlarged prostate or any masses in the rectum.
If a patient has a health concern, is it better to wait and see how things go or should they make an appointment?
They should make an appointment because I’d rather catch anything before it gets worse. You don’t want to wait to address any issues, even if it’s something minor. Just come in. Don’t try to take care of it yourself.
What advice do you have for male patients?
I would definitely recommend men be open about any health problems they have when going to the doctor. The doctor can’t read your mind. They can assess and look at your medical history. If they don’t see anything during the exam and you don’t tell them you have a problem, they can’t help you. It’s important for patients to be open – even if it’s embarrassing. It’s OK; the doctor’s office is a safe space to discuss things.
Paa-Kofi Obeng, DO, is a board-certified internal medicine physician who also has a Master of Public Health with a focus on health behavior and health promotion. Dr. Obeng provides a full spectrum of health care services for adults with an emphasis on preventive care.
For more information on how to take control of your health or to support the health of the men in your life, visit Bon Secours for Men.
This blog was written by Damien Howell, PT, DPT, OCS.
How hard a walker or runner impacts the ground can be described with several different bio-mechanical terms, including vertical impact loading rate, braking impulse force, or shock. Scientists have determined that it is not the magnitude of force, but rather the rate at which the force is transmitted from the ground to the foot and leg that is the critical factor related to the development of repetitive-use injuries. The magnitude of the force is a function of how much you weigh. Whether you weigh a lot or weight very little is not the issue, but rather how quickly your body weight strikes the ground.
Some walkers and runners have larger impact forces and research is developing showing that they are at increased risk for developing stress fractures and tendon injuries. The current thinking reflects the way or manner in which an individual walks or runs is thought to explain why some individuals have larger vertical impact forces.
Until recently, the research correlating large impact forces with development of injuries was retrospective. Runners who were already injured were examined. A 2016 publication by Irene Davis, a Physical Therapist at Spaulding National Running Center, reported a prospective study of 249 runners. They measured runners who had never been injured, as well as runners who had previous injury and found that runners who land “hard” have higher impact forces and increased risk for injuries. Runners who have never been injured had the lowest impact loading.
Years ago, when I was running in several local marathons, there was a runner who raced the same pace that I was running. He was a noisy runner and the loud sound of his feet striking the ground was irritating. I would try to speed up to get away from the annoying stomping and he would speed up and keep pace with me. I never actually introduced myself to the stomping runner, so I don’t know if he had stress fractures, but the manner in which he ran suggested that he was someone who runs with higher vertical impact forces. At the time, I thought it was odd as this stomping runner must have been 60 pounds lighter than me. I can now recognize that it is not how heavy you are, but how sudden or quickly you strike the ground that makes the sound and impact.
Around the same time when running the New York marathon, I remember Grete Waits came running by me at mile 20 and it felt like she was a “whispering jet” quietly blowing by me. I did not hear her approach; I just felt the breeze as she blew by me. She went on to win the New York Marathon in record time. This is someone whom I would think has very low vertical impact forces when running.
How do you determine whether you walk or run with relatively high impact loading rate? The standard method of measuring shock requires a sophisticated instrumented three-dimensional motion analysis lab with force plates embedded in the ground or treadmill.
In the last few years with the advancement of wearable devices, wireless tri-axial accelerometers that indirectly measure shock when walking and running have become available. There are now applications for your smartphone which function like an accelerometer.
There is a growing body of evidence showing that an individual can alter the manner in which they walk and run with training. Chris Napier from U of British Columbia reviewed literature (27 studies) and concluded the most effective way for “gait training” involved real-time visual and/or audio feedback. If you are interested in changing the manner in which you walk or run to decrease shock, the next question is to address is how would one accomplish this?
There are multiple factors involved in the complex movement of running and walking. There are likely multiple options available to change the manner in which you run and walk. Following the concept of “keep it simple stupid”, there are two effective methods: cadence training and to run quietly.
When walking, the foot is in contact with the ground for less than a half second, and when running the foot is in contact with the ground for much less than a half second. The impact phase occurs in the first 20% of the time that foot is in contact with the ground. Therefore, there is very little time – milliseconds – available to spread the impact forces to lessen the shock transmitted to the feet and legs.
One strategy of gait training that will decrease shock is cadence training. Brian Heiderstacheit, a Physical Therapist at University of Wisconsin, has shown for a given speed, a conscious effort to take shorter steps and more steps per minute results in a reduction of impact loading. If the speed of walking or running is held constant and the individual uses the auditory feedback of the sound from a metronome to increase the preferred cadence for a particular speed to a relatively faster cadence by a factor of 5%, this effectively shortens the stride or step length. If the stride length is shortened, the vertical oscillation of the center of mass (the up and down movement of the body) is decreased, and this results in a decrease in vertical impact loading rate. Some runners look like they are bobbing up and down or hoping down the road, and this manner of running results in relatively greater vertical impact loading rate. A verbal cue of dampening your up and down motion when walking or running can decrease vertical impact loading rate. An alternative verbal cue is to take short steps, more steps per minute.
Investigators from East Carolina University (Richard Willy 2015) have taken this concept to the real world on the road. Using wearable accelerometers to provide real-time cadence feedback resulted in significant decreases in impact forces at the knee.
An alternative strategy to cadence training is listening to the sound of your foot striking ground. Research by Kevin Wernli Curtin University Australia has shown that the sound of the foot impacting the ground is directly related to the rate of impact loading. The louder the sound of the foot striking the ground, the higher the shock is. I describe this strategy as a poor man’s force plate or accelerometer. Listen to the sound that your foot makes when hitting a treadmill or the road and then try to land quieter to decrease the risk of injury. This is another argument to not run with headphones or ear phones. The cueing description I use now is to “run like you are trying to sneak up on someone”. Run soft and quietly.
As a routine now when I do a slow motion video analysis of walking or running form, I listen to the sound of feet striking the surface. When presented with a repetitive-use injury that is on one side of the body, often there is an asymmetry in the sound of the foot striking. One foot makes a louder sound. Using the work of Wernli we can assume that one side of the body is experiencing more shock than the other. Hearing asymmetry is a clue, but is not the answer as to what is wrong. The side with the louder sound can be the injured, weaker side. The sound with the louder sound can be the uninjured, stronger side. Currently, there is no easy rule to determine the treatment. It requires a clinical problem-solving approach to determine whether the cueing should be to make the quieter side louder or the louder side quieter, or both.
Take shorter steps, more steps per minute, and be quiet.
President Obama has declared May 2016 as Mental Health Awareness Month! Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps us determine how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Mental Health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Mental health issues are very common and help is available. One of the greatest barriers to treatment is the stigma that often surrounds mental health. Let’s look at some common myths about mental health:
Myth: Mental health problems don’t affect me Truth: Everyone knows someone who struggles with mental health problems.
1 in 5 Americans experience a mental health issue.
1 in 10 people experience clinical depression.
Myth: People with mental health problems are violent and unpredictable Truth: The vast majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than any-one else. Most people with mental illness are not violent and only 3–5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. In fact, people with severe mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population. You probably know someone with a mental health problem and don’t even realize it, because many people with mental health problems are highly active and productive members of our communities.
Myth: People with mental health needs, even those who are managing their mental illness, cannot tolerate the stress of holding down a job. Truth: People with mental health problems are just as productive as other employees. Employers who hire people with mental health problems report good attendance and punctuality as well as motivation, good work, and job tenure on par with or greater than other employees.
Myth: Personality weakness or character flaws cause mental health problems. People with mental health problems can snap out of it if they try hard enough. Truth: Mental health problems have nothing to do with being lazy or weak and many people need help to get better. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
Biological factors, such as genes, physical illness, injury, or brain chemistry
Life experiences, such as trauma or a history of abuse
Family history of mental health problems
People with mental health problems can get better – knowing the truth helps people get healthy. Bon Secours Behavioral Health Group is committed to raising awareness and fighting stigma about mental health. If you have questions or concerns about mental well-being for yourself or a family member, reach out to Bon Secours Behavioral Health Group.
This information was taken from the US Department of Health & Human services website. Click here to find more helpful information about mental health.