Echo Avox Mah RMT

Twisting your spine helps keep it flexible and moving well. It can reduce stiffness, improve posture, strengthen your core, and ease muscle tension from sitting too long.

Too often we get stuck in forward and backward motions with work, daily living, and even at the gym. Adding a twist is the perfect way to keep your spine healthy and happy and prevent that "random injury that came out of nowhere".

Why twisting helps...

- Keeps your spine and joints moving smoothly.
- Helps the discs in your spine stay healthy by encouraging the movement of fluids and nutrients.
- Works your core muscles to support your back.
- May gently massage your stomach area, which can help some people feel more comfortable after eating.
- Keeps your middle back flexible, so your neck and lower back don't have to twist more than they should.

How to twist safely:

It is important to twist with good form to prevent injury. Move at the Chest: Think about rotating your rib cage rather than your lower back.

Use Your Hips: If your hips are stiff, your lower back will twist too much.

Avoid Loading: Never bend forward and twist at the same time while lifting heavy objects. This puts too much pressure on the discs. ** This is if you are new at rotational movement while loading **

If you have osteoporosis, a recent back injury, a herniated disc, or severe back pain, consult a healthcare professional before performing twisting exercises.

~ Life is a sacred spiral and our bodies mirror this too! ~

WHY WE DON'T RECOMMEND ICE! (And what to do instead)

Stop icing your injury. (Yes, really.)

The doctor who invented "RICE" took it back. Here's what your body actually needs:

You probably grew up with this rule. Hurt yourself, ice it. We did too.

Turns out the science has moved on, and we want to share where it landed. This is one of those questions that comes up a lot in the treatment room, and our answer surprises people.

Quick story. The doctor who invented "RICE" (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) back in 1978 publicly took it back in 2014. His update: ice and complete rest don't speed healing. They likely delay it. That's not a small thing. That's the guy who wrote the rule.

So what's actually happening under that bruise or sprain?

Your body kicks off a beautifully smart sequence the moment something gets injured. Blood flow opens up. The first wave of cells arrives to clean up the damage. Then a second wave shows up to rebuild. Each step depends on the one before it. The whole thing is choreographed and your body has been doing it longer than we've been writing it down.

Inflammation IS the repair process. It's not a bug. It's the feature.

When you ice an injury, you constrict the blood vessels. You slow the arrival of the repair crew. You're telling your body, in effect, "hold on, don't fix that yet." It feels productive because the cold numbs the pain for a few minutes. The trade-off isn't worth it.

Same conversation with anti-inflammatory medication. If your doctor has you on something, that's between you and them. The research is increasingly clear, though, that aggressively shutting down inflammation slows recovery rather than speeding it.

So what do we recommend instead?

Move it, within your comfort level. Movement reassures your nervous system that the area is safe.

Compression, if it feels good.

Elevation, if it feels good.

Water and sleep, which sounds boring and is exactly how the repair gets done.

And trust your body. It is a genius.

You're not broken. Your body knows what to do. Sometimes the best thing we can do is get out of its way.

Move it, to prove it.

We're always here to help you understand this better. Let us know if you have any questions.

Your RAPID Therapist Echo~

Been on the fence about that massage? No plans on Friday?

I have an 11:30am 60 minute session spot still available. It's calling~

Book here: https://oakandmoth.janeapp.com/
(And we direct bill most insurance benefits!)

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