Unique combination of massage and bodywork Aimed at reaching both superficial and deep layers of muscle tissue Form of Asian Bodywork Therapy Reflex areas on the feet which correspond to different locations and organs of the body Combination of Swedish, Deep Tissue and other Massage and Bodywork techniques Gentle massage with lotion or oils using light and/or medium pressure Gentle application of a unique combination of oils Focuses on the subtle rhythm of the cerebrospinal fluid Gentle hands-on energy treatment
Muscles Relating to Massage and Bodywork in NJ (New Jersey)
Bicep Muscles relating to Massage and Bodywork in NJ (New Jersey)

Muscles

Muscles allow us to perform movement. Muscles are also responsible for posture and heat production (Thibodeau, Gary A. and Patton, Kevin T., Structure and Function of the Body, 11th Ed. Mosby Inc. 2000 Pg. 137). With bones acting as levers, muscles are the pulleys. The ability for muscles to contract and relax allows our bodies to breathe, produce a heart rate, and to move in many different directions. With over 600 muscles in the body, there are so many opportunities for various types of movement.

Some examples of movement (aka muscle actions) include flexion, extension, rotation, supination, pronation, inversion, eversion, plantar flexion, dorsiflexion, adduction, and abduction (to see brief definitions of all of these muscle actions, Visit my Muscle Action Descriptions page.

There are 4 main types of contractions
Contraction Description
Twitch A brief contraction of all the muscle fibers in a motor unit (motor neuron and the muscle fibers it stimulates) in response to a single motor unit action potential (the ability for motor neuron to stimulate its associated muscle fibers). It is a rapid, jerky response
Tetanus A rapid succession of separate twitches due to summation (two separate stimuli to the same motor unit causing a stronger contraction)
Isometric Muscle length remains constant and tension changes
Isotonic Tension remains constant, while muscle length changes (lifting weights) (Thibodeau, Gary A. & Patton, Kevin T., Structure and Function of the Body, 11th Ed. Mosby Inc. 2000 pg 140
There are 2 types of Isotonic Contractions
Isotonic Contraction Description
Concentric The muscle shortens during contraction (i.e. biceps when raising the arm during a bicep curl exercise)
Eccentric The muscle lengthens during contraction (i.e. triceps when lowering the arms during a bicep curl exercise)