Author Archives: ivegotyourback

Links to Forms: Health History, Covid-19 screening

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Click  https://noterro.com/clinicForms/completeNow/982f5ff9-73d1-4d3a-a13b-0f3705236a22 for Covid-19 screening form that is required to be completed prior to each appointment. The screening form is now also linked to the reminder email I send. This form reflects the latest updates with Ministry of Health and College of Massage Therapist guidelines.

New Patient Health History Form Link

Click  here to  access the health history form in order to fill out ahead of your initital appointment.  This is also linked to the confirmation email you receive when booking appointments online, or sent to you directly prior to your appointment. 

What you should know about new TMJ safety protocols

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As a Massage therapist well trained with years of experience in treating TMJ disorder using intra-oral techniques, the pandemic has been a challenge.  Being able to work safely with clients who have relied on this treatment on a regular basis is of upmost importance. Recently I have become certified in a PPE course for TMJ-focused massage therapists that builds on the best practices of regulatory bodies from both the dental and massage therapy regulatory guidelines.

Face shield and mask

This has ensured that I am up to date with the most thorough and safe guidelines in this specialized technique.  These protocols include the client and therapist both wearing masks and face shields, and communicating through hand signals to lessen verbal communication while intra oral work is being performed.

What is TMJ dysfunction and how can massage therapy help?

TMJ is an acronym for ‘Temporomandibular Joint, the joint that is the ‘hinge’ of the jaw. It is supported by muscles within the mouth, outside and around the face, head and neck. Disorders can be due to problems of the disc within the joint such as degeneration, or muscular imbalance, nerve pathology, or even dental problems. Massage therapy can target the neck, shoulders and muscles of the mouth to relieve tension and imbalance quickly and effectively, often eliminating headaches and jaw pain that may have lingered for months or even years. Intra oral techniques are just one of the many ways to address these issues.

My Jaw has been sore from mask wearing, can this help me?

There has been significant stress related to the pandemic, and TMJ clicking, pain and clenching are some of the signs that this could be affecting you.  Clenching and grinding from emotional stress may be a cause of TMJ dysfunction, but there is also increased strain from poor ergonomics as people have moved to working from home.

Muscles of the Jaw

For example, sitting with one’s head tilted forward, shoulders and neck jutted at uncomfortable angles for prolonged periods at a ‘kitchen table’ set up can lead to jaw distortion and clenching.  Even mask and/or shield wearing can cause people to adjust their jaw or neck position and clench more frequently.

These emotional or physical strains can lead to symptoms including bruxism, clenching, jaw pain, jaw fatigue, neck pain, headaches, grinding, dental problems, tinnitus and sinus or ear pressure.

Massage Therapy can have a safe, effective role in dealing with TMJ pain.  It is best implemented in a program that includes eliminating dental causes, regular exercise, assessing your ergonomic setup, and having a good self care routine.

If you would like to learn more about the protocols for TMJ massage or would like to book a treatment please contact Julie at 905-341-4925 or book an appointment online.

Update: Self Care and Ergonomics-Golfer’s edition

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In my practice during the pandemic, I have observed that clients working from home have created a new set of challenges, and pain doesn’t go away just because you’re not at the office. 

This is resulting in clients coming to me with more repetitive strain injuries than I have ever seen before at one time.  They are experiencing new wrist, forearm, neck and low back pain which has developed or is aggravating previous conditions.  As we head into golf and gardening season, this type of overuse becomes even more compacted.

I would like to address this in a way that helps us all get back on the prevention side of what we call ‘repetitive strain injury’ or ‘RSI’.  Today’s post will be some simple forearm stretches that, if done daily, can make a world of difference for forearm and wrist health.  The following is a forearm flexor stretch: As with any stretch if any pain occurs then discontinue, it is not a ‘no pain, no gain’ thing with stretching. 

Now here is an example of how to stretch the opposite muscle group which are the forearm extensors. Make sure your elbow is straight for both stretches, and if comfortable, hold for 30 seconds and do both at least once daily especially if you are keyboarding all day.

 Forearm tension that has been going on for a few weeks or more can be more quickly resolved through massage therapy treatments, particularly with the aid of cupping therapy which I find to have the effect of ‘decompressing’ overused areas.  Please see my page on cupping therapy to find out more about how it works. 

For more acute pain, Julie offers ultrasound therapy- a non-invasive way to address inflammation.  For example, your elbow pain, after a long week at the desk followed by a few rounds of golf- may be tender and sore to the point that even lighter massage techniques feel uncomfortable. The ultrasound unit, which employs sound waves that bounce off the tissues beneath the skin’s surface, can barely be detected as it glides over sensitive areas but can have effective, lasting results, preparing you to be at your best whether it’s at your job or your hobby!

Reopening and new address

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Dear clients,

Having assessed the protocols set out by the Ministry of Health and the College of Massage Therapists,  I believe we can proceed safely with treatments.  The new protocols involve some big but worthwhile changes from how massage therapy has been delivered up until this year.

One of the most prominent changes is both client and therapist wearing  masks throughout the treatment. This may be a big adjustment but it is proving to be one of the most effective ways to reduce transmission. I have observed that those wearing surgical masks breathe with more ease on the massage table than  with cloth masks.

Another change which you may be used to by now is you will see a hand sanitizer station at our entrance where we ask that you hand rub upon entering and leaving the building.

I give a 'hoot'!

For certain treatments such as Hot Stone Massage or TMJ Massage we will discuss the benefit versus the risk of these treatments during this time.  If we proceed, additional personal protective equipment will be used.

Before each appointment, I will ask you to fill out a COVID-19 questionnaire linked to your reminder email, as well as screening you before you enter the building.

I am also maintaining a contact tracing log.  Behind the scenes, additional disinfecting procedures are in effect.

I have missed you all and feel confident that these protocols will keep my practice as protected as possible from COVID-19.

Also-please note the new NEW address (577 Ontario Street-see photo at top of post)- I have recently relocated due to the need for increased space and ventilation.  My website, phone number and email remain the same. Say hello to my two Osteopath associates, Tim Reay and Anne Davies!

Thank you for your patience in waiting for me to reopen, and for being willing to adapt to the ‘new normal’,

Julie

Please don’t hesitate to Text/call 905-341-4925

Update on Resumption of Service

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Dear Clients,

I have been thinking of you often and wishing you well.  Thank you for your offer of patience and support over these last few months. I know you must be wondering when and how we can resume having appointments, and I would like to address the new directive set out by the CMTO on May 27th for gradual restart of services and how it pertains to my massage therapy practice.

Our first priority as massage therapists is to the health and safety of ourselves, our families and our clients and to ensure that the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks. While our regulatory bodies are doing their best to protect the public from spread of COVID-19, with directives aimed at limiting in-person visits, ramped up disinfecting practices and use of personal protective equipment, I feel it is still too early in our understanding of the virus to be certain of the safety of the prolonged, direct contact inherent in massage therapy regardless of steps taken.

After careful consideration I have decided it is safest for me, my family, and my clients to wait until the fall before I consider returning to practice.  Please contact me if you need a referral for massage therapy in the mean time as many RMT’s are gradually opening their practices now. Please keep in mind if you are looking for an RMT in the interim that under the current CMTO directives all RMT’s who are now opening must prioritize clients who would otherwise need hospitalization without massage therapy, and must limit the number of in-patient visits for their and clients’ safety.

Thank you again for all of your support during this time, I hope everyone remains safe and healthy!

Sincerely,

Julie Allinotte RMT

905-341-4925

Jogging with Julie

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Hi Ladies! Join me for a free morning running group for 20-30 minutes followed by a few minutes of stretching. This is just for fun and not a competition, whether you’re a beginner, or returning to running after a hiatus (like me!) or even if you’re going to leave us in the dust with how fast you are, text or call to confirm details! 905-341-4925

Julie

Why You feel More Sore in the Morning

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The circadian clock regulates inflammatory arthritis-FASEB journal

New research from the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology journal has described a gene protein that is created by our biological clock that represses inflammatory pathways within the limbs during the night.

The research focused on joint tissue cells which keep a 24 hour rhythm, called ‘fibroblast-like synoviocytes’, important cells in the pathology which underlies inflammatory arthritis.  In the study, these cells were harvested from healthy joint tissue in mice and/or humans and when researchers ‘knocked out’ a gene that disrupted the 24 hour rhythm, there was an increased inflammatory response.

This suggests that gene product, called the CRYPTOCHROME  (cry) protein, has significant anti-inflammatory effects during night time sleep, making inflammation symptoms, such as stiffness, seem worse when the affect wears off as you wake up.

For more information, sources please go to:http://dx.doi.org/10.1096/fj.201600353R

 

 

 

Running with Shitzus

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3 days a week Rene and I take our two scruffy dogs for a jog-this exercise is mostly for me and Rene as we’ve been trying to work towards a 5k run for a few months now. We have a beautiful trail close to home that leads us through the woods under a canopy of shade trees, next to a creek that stretches just over 2 kilometers down to the beach.

Sometimes if it’s too hot for them or due to timing, I’ll go out on my own.  While it’s definitely a more ‘focused’ run, it’s way more interesting to enjoy the personalities of the running squad and the friends we meet along the way.  I have many more laughs and smiles at the meet-ups with other dogs and their owners, and at the end of the trail, the reward of the beach where we can take off our running shoes and cool off our feet in the lake. When we get there they love to lie

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in the water or gallop along aside us, and often need to be chased away from trying to roll their backs into dead fish carcases (why, oh why must they do that??!). One time I got a shock when one jumped in the lake when  he’s never been in water before-after a pair of ducks casually coasting along-I was in disbelief at how good a swimmer he naturally is-it really is in the genes! Now they know when we put on running gear they start ‘dancing’ around and don’t leave our sides-knowing it’s jogging time-and we feel very guilty if we’re not bringing them this time or if they are mislead by our outfits as we aren’t going at all.

In the meantime for me,  I feel in myself the benefits of being in better condition-the breathing and agility improving, stronger and greater energy. As we get closer to being able to run 5k without stopping other than for the dogs to do some ‘sniffing’, I have asked my triathlete friend Paula to coach me (and Rene if he keeps going with it) for a 5k race.  For now, the company of the shitzus and their entertainment value are my biggest motivators.

 

 

 

TMJ Basics

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Many of my patients have reported significantly less TMJ pain after even one massage treatment.  Here’s how it works:

-Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction is a disorder of the muscles of mastication (chewing),  the temporomandibular joints and associated structures….  While TMJ disorders may be thought of as a recent phenomenon, a combination of jaw, head and ear pain has been described clinically for centuries.   Patients “whose teeth were disposed irregularly, crowding one another (who experience) headaches” were noted by  Hippocrates.

 

 

 

 

The causes of temporomandibular joint dysfunction are:

-imbalances in the muscles of mastication

-muscle overuse

-malocclusion

-cranial bone misalignment

-postural dysfunction

-increased stress

-trauma (either direct or indirect)

-sinus blockage or infection

-joint pathology

 

Massage Therapy can help to reduce the direct and indirect muscle tension and trigger points that affect the temoromandibular joint while mobilizing tightened joints.  Self-massage, heat and ice can also be very effective in relieving your tension and addressing inflammation.