Make Monday the day “All Health Breaks

Make Monday the day “All Health Breaks Loose” http://ow.ly/f4Yji

Corporate Wellness: Making The Case For On Site Massage

The following excerpt was taken from David Palmer’s “21st Century Workplace Seated Massage.”

The revolution

The future of workplace massage is tied to the economics of health care policy. At long last, corporate, governmental and academic policy makers have come to the conclusion that a health care system whose primary focus is sickness care is doomed to bankruptcy. They have concluded the ultimate foundation of an economically viable health care system has to be prevention and wellness.

This radical paradigm shift is stamped indelibly into the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. While the media and partisan politicians were obsessing about the constitutionality of ObamaCare and its new framework for financing health care, mostly overlooked was the fact that the 954-page ACA legislation specifically “directs the creation of a national prevention and health promotion strategy.”

The law created the National Prevention, Health Promotion, and Public Health Council(National Prevention Council), composed of the heads of 17 Federal agencies and chaired by the Surgeon General. This high-level federal action group works closely with a 25-member Advisory Group on Prevention, Health Promotion, and Integrative and Public Health, also mandated in the legislation. Both of these groups are developing plans and recommendations that will impact every strata of society, including workplace wellness.

“Most people will agree that high-quality chair massage is an instant stress reducer.”

The prevention intervention

The medical community has traditionally limited prevention to proven clinical screenings—mammograms, colonoscopies, blood pressure screenings, treadmill tests and the like. In the new health care model, prevention also includes dealing with lifestyle and pre-clinical conditions, a particular strength of chair massage.

Seated massage has always been good at preventing little problems from becoming big problems. The reason someone wakes up with a crick in her neck is never because, as she might claim, she “slept wrong.” Rather, it is because of weeks or months of accumulated psychological or physical stress finally reaching a tipping point that resulted in a muscle spasm. Regular chair massage alleviates the results of these minor stresses and prevents muscles from reaching that involuntary contraction threshold.

Laptop ergonomics animation video http:/

Laptop ergonomics animation video
http://ow.ly/fpG8n

Runners: Which Types Of Massage Are Good For You

Runners: Which types of massage are good for you? http://ow.ly/eRfDl

World’s First Portable Massage Chair

A very cool stop-action video demonstrating the set up and break of the World’s First Portable Massage Chair http://ow.ly/eQtLI

Can Chair Massage Ease Joint Pain?

Joint pain sufferers hoping to avoid medications and injections are finding chair massage to be an alternative therapy worth considering.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost a third of adults reported having some type of joint pain-more middle aged to older women than men.

Treatments typically range from lifestyle changes to over the counter medications to steroid injections to surgery.  In case you haven’t heard, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just reported that two people who received a steroid injection for pain in a joint — rather than the back — may have come down with a fungal infection.

Why chair massage?

• Recognized as a safe, effective treatment for arthritic pain.  Research suggests that massage reduces perceived pain, swelling and inflammation.
• Easily accesible, convenient, and affordable. You can find chair massage set up in the workplace, mall, and airport. Because sessions are typically 15 minutes, this makes it more affordable than a table massage
• Perfect positioning for shoulder and finger joint pain.  While seated forward in the cushioned chair, the massage therapist can easily mobilize, massage, and gently stretch these affected areas.

• 

Related articles

• Common Causes of Joint Pain (everydayhealth.com)
• Tainted Steroid Injections May Affect Those Treated for Joint Pain (nlm.nih.gov)
• Arthritis Pain Relief for Winter Weather (everydayhealth.com)
• FDA says muscle, joint pain creams can cause burns (ctvnews.ca)

Sources:http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus10.pdf, http://www.cdc.gov/hai/outbreaks/meningitis.html, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003261.htm, http://itandb.com/pdf/arthritis-massage.pdf

Corporate Massage Gaining Popularity Amongst Philly Companies

Whether companies use it to support their wellness program or as a perk to boost employee morale, massage is finding it’s way into more Philadelphia office settings.

Earlier this month, the Philadelphia Business Journal published “Best Places To Work 2012.”  In the article, you can discover what types of benefits and perks top-rated Philadelphia area companies are offering their employees.

According to editor, Sonja Sherwood, “Valet dry cleaning service. Discounted movie tickets. Chair massages. On-site car wash. Game room. Company outings to ski resorts, beaches or to drive NASCAR stock cars” were just some of the unique perks companies made available to employees.

So, what companies reported ‘regular massage’ as one of their employee-prized perks?

• Mobile device management provider, Fiberlink (Blue Bell, PA)
• Staffing company, Staffing Plus Inc. (Haverford, PA)
• Law firm, Martin Banks (Philadelphia, PA)

Want to bring chair massage to your office? ‘Like’ this post and receive 20% off your first corporate chair massage with Relax ‘N Go Massage. (Philadelphia area companies only, please.)

Related articles

• Employee Explains Why Massage Makes Her More Productive (relaxngomassage.wordpress.com)
• Employee Wellness (dhmsblog.wordpress.com)
• Get Paid to Stay Healthy (marketwatch.com)

Employee Explains Why Massage Makes Her More Productive

Enhance your wellness program with massage

Have you been considering corporate chair massage for your office?  Staff writer, Kelly Metz-Matthews of Massage Table Outlet (www.massagetableoutlet.com), spells out why massage is important to her and some persuasive facts you can share with your boss.

Beyond the research that supports the healthy benefits of massage, such as reducing blood pressure, decreasing stress hormone levels, and increasing the body’s natural anti-depressant, serotonin, Ms. Matthews makes a case employers should consider when looking to reduce costs and increase productivity.

“Why Should Employers Care”

#1 Human Capital

“Happy employees are worth their weight in gold. Happy and skilled employees are priceless.” Boosting morale and recognizing hard work (especially during busier-than-normal quarters), fosters loyalty and dedication.

#2 Return On Investment

Did you know the the average ROI in wellness programs is $3.48:1 due to reduced medical costs, and $5.82:1 due to reduced absenteeism?

Is It Affordable?

As Kelly describes, “these [massage] programs don’t necessarily require huge upfront costs…Google employees have access to a subsidized (yes, subsidized) massage program.”

At other companies, employees are expected to pick up the tab. But, as she argues, “its accessibility to employees is monumentally important. By making it convenient…companies are facilitating wellness-oriented opportunities for their employees.”

Is corporate massage right for your company? Let’s discuss it.  Call us at (215)326-9352 or go to our website www.relaxngomassage.com

Related articles

• Most wellness programs save $1 to $3 for every dollar invested (loszachreport.wordpress.com)
• What to Look Out for in a Wellness Program of a Corporate Fitness Provider in Perth? (worldfitnesstips.wordpress.com)
• The 411 on Employee Wellness: What a Modern Executive Needs to Know (bayintegratedmarketing.wordpress.com)
• The Benefits of Investing On Your Employees’ Health and Fitness (successful-blog.com)

4 Killer Massage Moves Even Weak People Can Do

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need bone-crushing strength to give a great massage.  Impress your friends and win small favors with these easy-to-follow massage techniques.

The Forearm Rest

1. Forerarm Rest

Stand behind your partner and rest the fleshy part of your forearms on top their shoulders.

Pro TIP: Begin on either side of the neck & slowly sink down. Lift your forearms, move outward 1 inch, then repeat.

Pro TIP #2: Try to be high enough above your partner so you can sink down onto the shoulders. Have them sit lower before you start standing on something higher.

Thumb On Thumb

2. Thumb On Thumb

Place one thumb on top of the other. Slowly massage the shoulder-starting on the outer edge, then working your way towards the neck.

Pro TIP: Experiment between massaging in a circular motion and a back and forth motion (ear to shoulder).  Let your massage-ee tell you which feels better.

Pro Tip #2: Still not enough pressure? Trying using your elbow. Avoid using the pointy part. Instead, use the broader surface just south of that. GO SLOW!

The Squeeeeze

3. The Squueeeeeeze

Gently squeeze the shoulders with both hands. 

Pro TIP: Try to lean into the squeeze.  By using the weight of your body to initiate the squeeze, you use less of your hand and forearm strength.

Pro TIP #2: Try these variations: slowly squeeze and hold (not too hard, Hercules!). With a light/medium grip, move the right side forward and the left side back.  Now, gently alternate-moving forward and backward.

The Neck Circles

4. The Neck Circles

Gently massage both sides of the neck in a circular motion.

Pro TIP: It may help to have your partner lean forward, rest their elbows on their knees, and support their head with their hands.  (Leaning forward on a table works, too) 

Pro TIP #2: Double your efforts by kneading with both hands-one on top of the other or side by side.

Don’t Know If You’re Stressed Out? Ask A Co-Worker

photo courtesy of http://flic.kr/p/5tffVo

Although you may think you have your stress under control, chances are, others around you see it differently.

In Tom Searcy’s “3 Signs That You Are Stressed Out (And How To Fix It),” he describes his mentor perfectly organizing her sock drawer when things begin to spin out of control. “When my sock drawer is perfectly folded, sorted and lined up, I know that I am out of control in my life.”