Sometimes it can feel like a Catch-22: the human body is meant to move around and will get stiff if it doesn't; on the other hand, every movement has the potential to cause injury, either due to repetitive strain or poor ergonomics.  It takes time and effort to find the proper balance, and then to maintain it.  This is where sports massage can help!

My work is heavily informed by the Anatomy Trains fascial lines methodology of Thomas Myers.  An initial session will include a detailed postural assessment, which will show me the angle of each of your joints (from ankle to neck), how they stack on top of each other, and also the relationship between different muscles. That, combined with your physical activities and areas of concern, will be the basis for the session.  The goal of this sort of bodywork is to encourage efficiency within your body.  The work I do will include lengthening certain fascial lines, releasing areas of tension, and assisting proper relationships between agonist and antagonist muscles.

My expertise in applied kinesiology also informs my sports massage work. This is where range-of-motion stretches and stamina-increasing resistance training comes in.  In addition to physical therapy techniques like reciprocal inhibition (RI) and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF), I utilize therapeutic athletic taping, following the work of Dr. Kenzo Kase.  There are a number of brands on the market - including KT Tape, RockTape, and StrengthTape - and each has a best use.  Some are stiff and offer protection for a joint that is at risk for injury (for example, the ankle), while others are more elastic and are best for encouraging 'snap back' of muscles to prevent injury from eccentric contraction (an action which accounts for the vast majority of muscle injury), like of the biceps brachii.  If warranted, I also use Kold-Rite Compression Wrap, which is a compression wrap that also acts like a cold pack.  This is a great tool for acute and chronic injuries alike, since the standard medical treatment for them is RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

I rowed varsity crew during my college career, where I learned firsthand how much a knowledgable bodyworker can help soft-tissue injuries. Decades later, I regularly receive therapy for a chronic shoulder injury that forced me out of ultra-competitive sports.  In addition to crew, I have participated in traditional Japanese martial arts, strenous backcountry hiking, aerial dance, rock climbing, and intense weight training.