Stopping Pain from Stopping You

As most people approach 40, staying active starts to become more difficult because of issues like joint problems and back pain. Instead of giving up demanding physical activities, we can maintain our youthful capacity by listening to and caring for our bodies, according to Yvonne Fisher, LMT, of Insight Body Therapies, a soft-tissue therapy practice in Fort Washington.

“Self-care is not selfish – it helps us live our best life,” Yvonne says. Here are her recommendations for staying active without discomfort:

Bring awareness to everyday activities. Do you stand up with your weight transferring onto both feet evenly? Notice if you’re slumping or putting your weight all on one hip, and readjust.

Drink water daily to keep connective tissue flexible and less susceptible to injury. Drinking half your weight in ounces of water per day is the rule of thumb.

Mind your breathing. Deeper breathing brings more oxygen to all cells, and gives internal organs a massage.

Stretch before exercise – even walking. This helps prevent injuries and strains. Add a stretch or yoga class to your exercise regimen for better flexibility.

Make regular restorative therapy part of your routine. Most of us see bodywork, such as massage, as a once-in-a-while treat or a fix for when something goes wrong. However, gentler, more targeted forms of bodywork can pay off long-term, keeping your body from getting to that “emergency” state. Bowenwork soft tissue therapy is one such option that Yvonne uses in her practice.

Whereas massage addresses pain temporarily, Bowenwork is a gentle modality that, through regular sessions, addresses root causes of muscular pain and speeds healing, making clients more resilient and resistant to injury.

Yvonne shared the experience of a client who had hip pain and was worried about having to cancel a trip to Italy due to being unable to walk as much as the trip required. After regular Bowenwork sessions leading up to the trip, the client told her “I not only went to Italy, but walked at least five miles per day.”

Find more information about Bowenwork at www.InsightBodyTherapies.com or by calling Yvonne at (215) 206-5074.

Insight Body Therapies is located at 7237 Hollywood Rd., Suite 1, in Ft. Washington.