Massage and Menopause!

Photo by Ryan Moreno on Unsplash

I'll share something with you: like many of my clients, I am in the late stages of peri-menopause. I often share this information when the symptoms occur whilst I'm interacting with people because it helps them to understand why I sometimes can't think clearly, or am being seemingly over-anxious about things, or am repeatedly stripping off my jumper then putting it back on when it's a cold day. Before I began giving this simple explanation people would look at me with impatience or bewilderment; a few words of context and instead I get a sympathetic nod, often an empathetic one, and we move on feeling more comfortable with each other.

Does massage have a place in helping women manage their menopausal symptoms? As ever, I'd say that massage therapy always has something positive to offer even though by itself it can't 'solve' the symptoms. Massage therapy can be part of a holistic approach involving, for instance: appropriate herbs, talking therapy, exercise, and changes to lifestyle and diet.

• Anxiety, insomnia, depression, heart palpitations and stress

Women may experience all or some of the above due to the hormonal fluctuations during peri-menopause and menopause. Mood can also be affected by the emotional and physical significance of this time of life; there may be emotions around the ending of a woman's fertile cycles and also around the changes in how the body looks and feels. Somatic and talking therapies can both be invaluable to help explore these issues and to re-frame them more positively. Massage therapy, so grounding in its physical touch, can soothe and relax the body, helping the woman to move away from an anxious and stressed state to one where she can feel her sense of well-being improve as the para-sympathetic nervous system takes over from the 'flight or fight' sympathetic nervous system. Lighter massage strokes help with the release of the 'feel good' hormones, dopamine and serotonin, as does the use of essential oils. Feedback from clients often mentions how well they sleep the night after a massage - in fact, sleep is what they would often like to do right then and there! Improved sleep can in itself help with other symptoms such as anxiety and fatigue. I feel that massage helps people to reconnect with their body in a positive way as touch brings the mind back into the body and they notice how they are feeling whilst in a safe space. 

Do note that it's important if you are experiencing symptoms such as heart palpitations, to see a medical professional so that other causes can be ruled out. 

• Muscle aches and stiffness

Other common symptoms around this time are muscular aches and general stiffness, again largely due to the hormonal changes as oestrogen levels fall. Massage is well known for its positive effect in this respect - after all, when something hurts we instinctively 'rub it better'! Firm, consistent pressure attracts the attention of the neuro-muscular system which in turn begins a process that reduces the perception of pain and helps disperse the associated tension. Soft tissue therapy also involves moving the limbs which helps to lubricate the joints with synovial fluid and to reduce the feelings of stiffness. The 'feel good' hormones that can be released during massage may also help to alleviate inflammation exacerbated by stress.

• Looking after the bones

It is well known that bone density begins to decrease from our 30s, and more so after menopause. All exercise, from walking to pushing weights, load bearing and aerobic, is beneficial. Massage can be an extremely helpful complement to this: addressing aches and pains from doing exercise, preparing the body before exercise, and noticing where areas of tension are building up before they manifest more painfully. The sense of well being from receiving massage can also translate to greater enthusiasm to do exercise!

So, lots of reasons to give massage a go! If you have any questions about whether massage therapy would be appropriate for you please do feel welcome to contact me - contact details are on my website https://katesheridan.org/

October catch up and useful links

What a mixed month so far! Torrential rain, beautiful sunshine, cold days that got me digging out my woollies followed by stripping back down to a t-shirt the next day! I do love autumn; as I walk through the woods every day I let my gaze take in the rich autumn colours and the natural plant and soil aromas of the changing season.

 My clients often share with me resources that they have found useful. This month they gave me these links:

Free webinars on supporting mental health and wellbeing:

https://ajudafoundation.org.uk/free-webinars/

Support for those who have been bereaved, and advice for those wishing to support people who are experiencing bereavement:

https://www.cruse.org.uk/about/

I also really enjoyed this R4 series about the history and motivations behind running:

On the Run

....and the ever informative Sliced Bread on R4 looked at foam rollers - with an interesting explanation into how pressure affects pain perception:

Sliced Bread

I continue to work at the 919 Clinic Monday to Friday, and the Nether Edge Herbarium Tuesday afternoons and alternate Saturdays. I handle my own bookings so do contact me by text, WhatsApp or email if you would like to book an appointment.

I hope you get a chance this month to get outside to enjoy sunshine and autumn colours, the same as Daisy and me!

September already!

Out and about with Daisy...

 I love September - especially now I don't have to rise early to go back to school, or feel guilty about not spending the last week of the holiday planning lessons for the new term! Over ten years now since I left teaching altogether but I still have a little smile as others head to school on that first day back.

I love the green gold colours emerging in the local wood as the leaves begin to change colour. The blackberries are still going strong, ready to be combined with the apples off our tree, and the days are a more comfortable temperature. I don't even mind the days drawing in as the later sunrises and earlier sunsets facilitate a good night's sleep. I am still up at 5.30am most days, but now it's in time to watch the sunrise.

I am still working Monday-Friday at the 919 Clinic and Tuesday afternoons and alternate Saturdays at the Nether Edge Herbarium. You can find details on my website, https://katesheridan.org/booking-and-prices. I am taking next week off but will be back from the 16th September. No appointments are currently available until then.

 I will be spending part of my holiday crafting: using garden plants to dye my handspun yarn; spinning, weaving and knitting. If you are interested you can see my efforts on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/practicalcatcrafts/. 

An interesting listen here on foam rollers, and how pressure affects our perception of pain: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0022clv?fbclid=IwY2xjawFFUNxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHQGERG94VDhFSyxTNCmYxpSpkF7pyRSxueA-530D7kkUBjKpnh58X1suNg_aem_1QdCxzaRky6bf2h4yzvI_g

Some interesting reading on proprioception (our subconscious ability to sense where we are in space, including relative to other things) and its affect on our health here: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/article/2024/jul/18/the-power-of-proprioception-how-to-improve-your-sixth-sense-and-become-healthier-and-happier  

How about a Pilates class?

Back in 2017 I began attending a Pilates class run by the physiotherapist Sally Smith; within a month the chronic hip pain that had been keeping me awake at night disappeared as Sally helped me resolve the movement compensation patterns that had slipped in since a knee injury years before without me being aware that they were there or that they were the underlying cause of my muscular and neural pains. Together with what I learned whilst studying JEMS (Joanne Elphinston's Movement Systems) I began to move better than I had for years, and with it to feel more positive and energised. 

Sally moved on to teach Pilates elsewhere and I started having one-to-one sesson with Ruth Harrington at Choice Pilates (I can highly recommend Ruth - she also does group classes; her details are on my website). Sally has now returned to teaching classes again in Woodseats and Greenhill. For more details email or telephone Sally on sal.smith100@gmail.com 07511 000738.

In radio news, I came across this programme yesterday on protein in the diet: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001xzrx It was a very interesting listen; the overall message was that most of us will be getting plenty of protein from a good diet without needing to supplement with a protein powder or equivalent. Some people with specific needs may need to take care to have more protein (for instance athletes to recover and repair), and the elderly in particular need to ensure they are eating enough protein every day as we can't store it.

The days are long, it's racing season!

 

The way markers are up!

This weekend is the Round Sheffield Run, a delightful 24.5km route through the parks and ancient woodlands of southwest Sheffield. It has grown in popularity and now takes place over a full weekend in June as well as the winter event in January. It follows the Round Sheffield Walk route and is broken up into timed stages so you don't have to run continuously (unless you want to!) As usual quite a few of my clients have been preparing for this event; for some it's their main event of the summer whilst others are using it as part of their training for marathons and ultras. Some just take part for the sheer enjoyment of it! 

Graves Park - part of the Round Sheffield Run 

You may think that runners just need their legs massaging, but that is far from the whole picture. When running, the ability to counter-rotate the upper torso (waist to shoulders, the ribcage area) and swing the shoulders helps create energy to transmit to the legs; as well as addressing back and shoulder tension that can hinder this, I also check that the runner is able to perform this movement - we can go through appropriate exercises to help. We see how competent they are at taking their weight on one leg and then transferring to the other leg whilst keeping their weight over their feet, and that they are able to flex through their hip, knee and ankle to absorb and control forces especially as they run downhill. We also discuss their running posture and the importance of visualisation to help the body perform optimally.

Daisy by one of the new signs.

I always enjoy hearing how my clients have got on after the race, when they return for their recovery massage treatment!

No, it's the other way!!

If you are inspired to give it a go in 2025, this is the website where you can sign up for the newsletter: https://www.roundsheffieldrun.com/ If you would like to walk or run it at any time, this is a really useful guide that fits in your pocket and has OS map extracts as well as a description of the route Round Sheffield Walk

Roughly half way round!

Daisy and Kate enjoying the walk

Sometimes there's an easy solution!

Recently I was walking Daisy in the local woods when I encountered a friend out walking their own dogs. I noticed that they did not look comfortable, and it emerged that they had back pain. Their plan was to do some stretching, but I noticed how tense their posture was and we had a brief discussion about how the body naturally goes into a protective spasm when in pain, but sometimes it is too great a reaction or it carries on too long and so it helps to relax and explore how the body is actually feeling. I gave some relaxation tips to help with this, and we went on our ways.

A short while later I got a text - my tips had worked! Sometimes all that is needed is to let go of the tension and relax. Of course it isn't always this easy, but it's always worth considering.

'When should I book in again?'

Photo by Pablo Heimplatz on Unsplash

 'When should I book in again?' is a question I am often asked at the end of an appointment, especially by new clients who are unfamiliar with massage.

My usual response is that there is no set answer, it depends on you as an individual:

- on how you respond to massage. Some people need to allow more time for the body to process a massage treatment, especially if they haven't had a massage for a while.

- on your background health and the issue you have presented with. Sometimes having shorter appointments more frequently is appropriate to address an acute problem or to provide maintenance. In certain instances a shorter follow up quite soon after a long appointment is helpful to consolidate the treatment. Other times I may suggest you come back in two weeks (or longer) to assess progress and then plan from there. 

- on whether you have a training schedule or other goals/deadlines.

- it also depends on your finances. I completely understand that massage can be a big chunk of your budget and I will always be open to coming up with a treatment plan that you feel you can manage but will still offer enough benefit. 

People who are used to massage and how their body responds to challenges such as training or a stressful time at work often gain a feel for how often they need to come and I find that a short discussion comes up with a treatment plan that we both feel is most beneficial to them. 

Something else I am often asked is, 'should everyone have a regular massage?' Well, I think that would be wonderful and beneficial and I would certainly like one, but it really depends on you whether it is needed. If you are sleeping well, exercising well and relaxing well then you may find that you can maintain your physical and mental well being without needing a regular massage. Sometimes you may be doing all three of those well but also be facing extra challenges that mean you benefit from regular massage. Many people find that a regular massage - however spaced apart - means that they keep on top of their aches, pains and tension and they feel that they move better. Other people target their treatments for times when they need that extra support, for however long that is - sometimes a few months, other times just one or two treatments. There is also the question of how frequent should regular appointments be, and again the answer is that it is personal to you - maybe that is fortnightly, monthly, every three months or longer. One of my clients comes regularly for two appointments at exactly the same time of year, every year - that is when they need the extra support. 

Ultimately, it is up to you, how you feel and what you want. I will offer honest advice and guidance and where appropriate suggest a treatment plan, but the final decision is always yours and I will always respect that.

January catch up

Daisy copes fine with mud....

We've made it into 2024! I hope January is being kind to you. I seem to be spending a lot of time washing mud off Daisy....

Speaking of mud, I will just mention my usual tips to take smaller steps, keep your weight over your feet and stay relaxed to allow your body to make the quick micro adjustments that will help you balance. I have noticed quite a few clients coming in with lower back ache and tight hamstrings and adductors that are possibly linked to slippery mud! Tensing up will also compound neck and shoulder issues. Mud is hard work, as I was reminded whilst making my way over a muddy field where I had to pull my feet up out of the mud that wanted to hold on to my boots; this after balancing my way up a steep path that was an ankle deep, slippery challenge. It sounds like we may have ice arriving soon and these tips work well for those conditions too, as does wearing the most appropriate footwear you can find for mud or ice. 

Some radio recommendations:

Michael Mosley has been back with some special longer programmes that are both interesting and have excellent tips on how to stay fit and healthy including as we age. Topics include interviews with experts on inflammation, sleep, exercise, happiness and weight. His fifteen minute series has also returned, with a reminder that we should all be taking a vitamin D supplement at this time of year until April when we can make our own again from sunlight:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p09by3yy/episodes/player

One of the Michael Mosley programmes is on cold therapy, and this also cropped up on 'Sliced Bread' with a look at ice baths and cold showers:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001s5hc

You can also find the episode where they looked at sports bras, which I highly recommend listening to if you wear one:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001sdv9

You will notice that my recommendations tend to be R4; this is purely because that is what I listen to most. However there are some excellent podcasts out there, including those from the Sports Therapy Association https://www.thesta.co.uk/site/index.php/podcast-options/podcast. Most of these are aimed at therapists but there are many episodes of interest to the general public.

Some of you may have noticed Daisy's lead, handwoven by me. I sell these in various colours of natural yarn (and will also be making other items such as belts, book marks, lanyards) with 10% of the price going to the animal rescue charity that Daisy came from. I sold seven leads in the run up to Christmas and made the donation to La Cruz Protectora - if that was one of you reading this, thank you for buying a lead and I hope you are pleased with it!