Deep tissue massage, soft tissue work on muscle, tendon, ligament and fascia, biomechanics (how you use your body) and lymph drainage are my specialties.
I help people who are experiencing pain or discomfort due to tight muscles, stress, injury or lymph congestion to feel and move better.
I have many different bodywork approaches and massage techniques to draw from so please browse around my site and feel free to call or email with any specific questions you have.
Thank you.
One of the latest Functional Neurology techniques I’ve been introduced to is called Cerebellar Spins…or I call it that anyway. It involves assessing the function of the Cerebellum using a balance test (in my case, one foot in front of the other with eyes closed). I have a tendency to fall to the left, so I sit in a chair with my feet up and eyes closed as Dr. Swingen slowly spins me to the left. We usually do 2 rotations, rest, then 1 more rotation and re-test my balance, which is getting better.
The purpose is to increase the activation of my left cerebellum, which according to this procedure, is weaker than my right one.
I really enjoy the feeling I experience during the exercise and when the rotation stops it’s interesting to feel like I have started rotating the other way. This is apparently due to the cilia like hair follicles of my vestibular system compensating.
Aside from my pure enjoyment of the sitting and spinning process;-) and better physical balance, I notice my brain seems to be integrating information better. Additionally, I’ve always had a tendency to get car sick or motion sick on amusement park rides, so I am wondering if it will help that too. I’ll have to give it a try during the Rose Festival this year.
I am excited to take this Neurological Assessment class on May 7th. We will learn how to determine whether a client’s symptoms are brain based and if so what kind of action to take. This is an introductory class that leads to a 150 hour, year long certification class…..really looking forward to this one. If you read my previous blog on Functional Neurology, this is like FN lite!
Here’s the link:
This class in particular is for Naturopaths, Physical Therapists, Massage Therapists, Bodyworkers, Personal Trainers and even people of general interest.
Functional Neurology: Cutting Edge Complementary Healthcare
I have the pleasure of working at Sunset Chiropractic with Dr. Laura Swingen. She recently began learning Functional neurology and since then the office has become quite a fascinating place. I asked her to answer a few questions regarding what she has learned so far.
1) What is Functional Neurology?
Functional neurology is a specialty within the chiropractic profession that uses non-pharmaceutical, non-surgical interventions to help restore a poorly functioning nervous system. It combines the diagnostic tools of medical neurology with chiropractic techniques to re-establish neurally degenerated pathways either directly or indirectly.
Functional neurology differs from traditional chiropractic in that it primarily focuses on central nervous system issues that may be driving spinal dysfunction instead of the other way around. For example, where a traditional chiropractor may notice that a patient has an inwardly rotated shoulder and may adjust that shoulder in an attempt to balance the body, a functional chiropractic neurologist will notice the same inwardly rotated shoulder and will check to see if there is a corresponding decreased output of the same-sided pontomedullary reticular formation that may be causing a lack of inhibition of the pectoralis muscles. If there is, then adjusting the side opposite the inward shoulder may increase the firing of the pontomedullary reticular formation, increasing inhibition of the pectoralis minor muscle and the inwardly rotated shoulder will “correct” itself.
2) What made you want to learn Functional Neurology?
I was motivated to study functional neurology after hearing a lecture by Dr. Frederick Carrick. He showed many before and after video images of patients he has been able to help with his substantial expertise. I thought I was a pretty good chiropractor until I saw him fixing people with Tourette’s syndrome, movement disorders, dytonias, balance problems…even a comatose patient. He was fixing them with putting warm air in one ear, rotating them in a partiuclar direction on a spinning chair, running a white and red striped piece of cloth by their eyes having them do eye exercises…all kinds of strange therapies that I’d never heard of before. He was also adjusting them in a very specific fashion. I realized that I didn’t have the first idea of how to help someone with those kinds of problems!
Dr. Carrick stated that only about 1000 doctors in the world knew how to do what he does and he had a four year waiting list of patients. He stated that functional neurology was difficult to learn, but reiterated the very great need for this kind of treatment for humankind. I got to thinking what I would do if someone in my family developed a serious neurological issue and I had to tell them, “There’s a four year waiting list for treatment. I could have learned how to help you, but I was too lazy!” I decided that I HAD to learn how to do this!!
3) What are a couple of interesting cases you’ve had thus far?
My first really incredible case came after my very first functional neurology class. About a month before my neurology classes started, I had seen a 13 year old boy who presented with a sudden onset of a postural deformity in that his right leg appeared to be 2 inches shorter than his left and he kind of had to drag it behind him as he walked. In addition, his right shoulder had dropped much lower than his left. He was not in a lot of pain, luckily. I tried to adjust out the problem a couple of times, but quickly realized that I was in over my head and referred him to his medical doctor. Well, he saw his medical doctor, a physiatrist, a medical neurologist, a physical therapist, a massage therapist, a pediatric orthopedist, and an occupational therapist. He had CT scans, x-rays, MRIs…no one could figure out what was wrong with him.
A couple of days after my first neurology seminar, the boy’s mother called me at my office and told me that her son wanted to come back and see me because he felt the best after I had worked on him. I spent five minutes on the phone with her, telling her that I thought this was a bad idea because I had absolutely no clue what to do for him. As it turned out, I happened to have my seminar notes open on my desk as I was speaking with her and I looked down at one point in our conversation and saw his problem right there on the page! I said, “What are you doing right now? Bring him over immediately! I know what to do!”
They were in my office within 10 minutes. I adjusted an anterior rib on his left side and a couple of finger joints on the left and sent him home. His mother called the next day to say that he was 98% better!
A less dramatic, but still satisfying case was my mother, who was suffering from nose-bleeds. By figuring out what side of her brain was affected and adjusting to stimulate it’s output, her nosebleed episodes subsided after the first visit!
4) From what I gather, there is a lot to it. What part of Functional Neurology do you find the most interesting?
The area of functional neurology I find most fascinating right now is learning about eye movements and how these are windows into brain dysfunction. I used to look at someone’s picture and just think of how they looked. Now I wonder if their right eye is intorted because of a weak superior rectus muscle!
The Sunset Chiropractic website is: http://www.lauraswingen.com
I visited Seattle Wing Chun this weekend and received some personal instruction from Sifu Stephen Elaimy. Stephen is quite an accomplished Wing Chun instructor with a great passion for teaching and keeping the traditional art of Wing Chun alive.
Stephen worked with me on refining my Si lum Tao (first set), Chum kiu (second set), stance, walking drills and applications. I have practiced regularly with a group in Portland for the last 10 years and it was refreshing to visit another city and find another group practicing the same principles and same forms as we do.
It seems that no matter how much I get into the applications and practicing the three sets, it always seems to come right back down to the foundations of stance, walking, breath and root. Without these the hands are easily neutralized.
Practicing this art regularly teaches me a lot about myself. First, it keeps me centered both physically and emotionally. Second, the movements have a great translation into daily life. I move more effectively and efficiently all the time. I am increasingly aware of when I am moving out of balance and can correct it almost instantly. On more than a few occasions I have been able to feel my energy levels dropping and by practicing the sets and getting rest, I am able to nip sickness in the bud. Coincidence? Nope!
Over the last 10 years of practicing Wing Chun, what I have learned the most is how often I fight myself internally and although I’ve never been in a situation where I need to use it in self defense, I am getting most proficient at using it to fight sickness and maintain my own optimal health.
I quit eating gluten about 3 months ago. I didn’t have any health reason for doing so, but stopped in support of my wife who was quitting for health reasons. About 3-4 days after going gluten-free I began to feel pretty darn good!…..like surprisingly good! My energy levels have become noticeably smooth throughout the day. My body feels lighter and my overall outlook on life has increased dramatically. My thinking is much clearer as well. A fog has lifted. Is it possible that I am getting smarter? Finally!
Now, as a disclaimer, I cannot say for sure that what I am experiencing is all due to being gluten-free. I suppose there could be some wheat allergy/intolerance/sensitivity that I wasn’t aware of, but nevertheless, I am feeling better than I can ever recall in my entire life. It feels like I have had a paste in my body that has been slowing me down and I never even knew it was there. Now that the paste is gone, I don’t miss it at all. I am starting to wonder if this has been limiting me for the last 35 years….maybe so. In short, much of what I have been experiencing is indescribable…..(descriptions will come, count on it).
I suppose the only way to know for sure is to take a blood test, but for now I think I will continue on the cheap route, monitoring what I eat and gauging how I feel as a result. I guarantee I will be looking into more of the current research out there regarding gluten intolerance. I am thankful for all the information and products currently on the market that make going gluten-free so easy these days.
I wonder how many people often feel sluggish, but not to the point of feeling sick, and think it’s normal?
I was reviewing one of my favorite books, “Somatic Technique” by Jim Dreaver, D.C. and thought these statements were pretty insightful.
“The ability to voluntarily contract or relax a muscle is directly dependent upon the degree to which the muscle can be sensed, or felt.”
“We usually build habits in mind and body unconsciously, and although the habits are sometimes convenient, they all too often constrict us. So, as we age, the conditioning process limits movement in the body, and we become tighter. Tightness in the muscles affects glands, circulation, nerves—our energy—thus accelerating the body’s breakdown. When the body becomes less flexible and open, it has a direct effect on the mind and personality. There is no way to stay the same. Life is change, and change in a person can take only two directions. You either become more rigid and crystallized, more set in your ways, or you continue to grow, transform, and open up to yourself and the world you live in.” – Joel Kramer.
I am continuously curious of when to stretch a muscle, when to strengthen it and when to gain better sensory-motor control over it. In my observations, too often people strengthen or stretch first and rarely if ever give any thought to how well the area they are addressing actually contracts and relaxes. When you aim to increase muscular awareness first, you can change the habitual patterns that lead to tensing and then strengthening and stretching will have a much more positive result.
It’s what you do everyday that matters most….pay attention please.
Scientists are now proving physiologically what many have experienced and known for a long time….Go Science!
“Does a good massage do more than just relax your muscles? To find out, researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles recruited 53 healthy adults and randomly assigned 29 of them to a 45-minute session of deep-tissue Swedish massage and the other 24 to a session of light Massage.”
Here are a couple of links explaining the study and results.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/health/research/21regimens.html
I would love to find out the long-term biological affects of a study that incorporates light-touch massage, deep-tissue, neuromuscular re-educative bodywork, lymphatic drainage, myofascial release and therapeutic exercise. Who’s with me on this one?
I have been fascinated and possibly borderline obsessed with human movement and biomechanics since the age of 12…about 23 years. My initial interest was sparked when I first started going to the gym with my dad. I would spot him on some exercises and he would suggest movements that were “safe” for a growing boy. He would remind me to be careful of lifting too much weight because I didn’t want to interfere with my growth plate development. His warning stimulated an attention to detail that has grown over the years into what I call Sensational Movement Training.
Sensational Movement Training draws from my early observations at the gym, my education in Exercise and Sport Science at Oregon State University and a synthesis of many techniques, methods/approaches, and martial art forms that I have studied over the years.
SMT incorporates what I feel are the most important fundamentals of human movement: Balance, structural alignment, rhythm, breath and awareness. I’ve put together simple movement lessons that can be practiced while going about your regular activities or applied to your preferred exercise routine.
When applied, these efficient ways of moving can easily become second nature, allowing you to feel lighter, more balanced and energized throughout your day, ridding yourself of tensions, aches and pains and injuries. Check out my blog next week for more details about SMT, or feel free to contact me directly to discuss.
My wife Katie was rear-ended last December 2010. She was hit hard enough that our beloved Subaru was totaled, drivable but totaled. Her head whipped back pretty hard on the headrest and she began experiencing an intense headache and neck stiffness immediately. The collision occurred about 5 miles from our office, so she immediately came in for examination, figuring the earlier she got her nervous system balanced and made sure there was no major injury, the better.
She continued to have moderate-to-intense intermittent headaches for about a week following the incident along with pretty intense neck and shoulder stiffness. She stated it was difficult to hold her head up, causing increased intensity throughout the day. Receiving treatments made her feel better both temporarily, and gradually, each day.
Now, two months later she is completely back to pre-injury status. Katie strongly believes chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy and lymphatic drainage greatly increased her body’s ability to heal. This was her second major auto collision. Following the first accident she did not receive any care and subsequently it took her over 2 years to heal fully. Coincidence?
Lymph drainage – This process involves the use of gentle manual maneuvers to aid in the recirculation of body fluids. For clients this technique is very comfortable and induces deep states of relaxation while improving immune function, circulating body fluids and balancing the autonomic nervous system. It’s like cleaning out the body’s sewer system.
Tendon Resetting Technique – Resetting reflexes to decrease tenderness and pain in trigger points and associated areas. Tendons attach all muscles to bones. Resetting the golgi-tendon reflex in the tendons allows muscles to regain their natural resting length.
Ligament and myofascial work - Ligaments and fascia are the ultimate connective tissue in the body. Working on these tissues often requires a different approach than working with muscles.
Bodytalk Access Technician - I’ve recently begun my journey into Bodytalk. Access treatments consist of 5 techniques performed one after the other. They are designed to balance the brain and body, decrease habitual reactions to stress, increase efficiency of hydration, increase immune function ie, fight off viruses, bacterias, microbes, intolerances, etc., and how to treat emergencies once traditional first aid had been applied. This is amazing work….very beneficial.
Somatic Education - Somatic Education is the improvement of bodily awareness to gain greater voluntary control of your bodily processes.
Bodymap refinement - The body map is your self-representation in your own brain. When your body map is accurate, movement is good. If your body map is inaccurate or inadequate, movement is inefficient and injury-producing. In Body Mapping, you’ll learn to gain access to your own body map through self-observation and self-inquiry…..
Percussion Therapy – This technique is performed with an electric tool that uses vibration to loosen very deep, tight muscles that may not be reached comfortable with human hands. It’s powerful, you just have to try it!
Reflexology – Reflexology is an ancient, dynamic touch therapy. It is based on the belief that the entire body is replicated on the ears and the extremities. Reflexology is the application of pressure to specific points on these areas to bring about a physiological change within the body. The feet are very sensitive and are usually the primary focus.
Rosen Method Intern - Rosen Method is unique in its use of sensitive, non-manipulative touch and words to encourage physical and emotional awareness……
The Roskopf Way - An integral approach to bodywork which recognizes our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual makeup. Using a synthesis of the bodywork techniques described above, refined touch and a sound understanding of biomechanics, anatomy, physiology & psychology, this is my unique way of working with people. This work is always personalized in the moment and from session to session so you can be comfortable and balanced in all that you want to do.
Sessions may take place on a table, seated, standing, walking, or even running, depending on what you would like to accomplish.
Additionally, you don’t have to disrobe for your treatment. Often this work is done more effectively with you wearing loose, comfortable clothing.
Call me today at 503-939-2524 to start feeling and moving better!