Remembering Dr. David Simons, Co-Author of The Trigger Point Manual

It is with great sadness that the massage community received the news that Dr. David Simons recently passed away at the age of 87. Dr. Simons co-authored Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual with Dr. Janet Travell, the physician who helped President John F. Kennedy with his back pain.

The contribution that Travell and Simons made to the world of pain management cannot be underestimated. At first met with skepticism, the concept of trigger points and their importance in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain eventually came to be accepted and embraced by practitioners in every area of pain relief and pain management. Massage therapists, physical therapists, medical doctors, and chiropractic physicians all look to The Trigger Point Manual as an important resource for understanding and treating many common pain problems. Until Travell and Simons, muscular pain was not taken seriously by doctors and very little research was done about how to relieve it. Travell and Simons began investigations into the causes and treatment of muscle pain and, in particular, the phenomenon that they came to name "trigger points." They mapped the most common locations of trigger points and their most common referral patterns which eventually led to the practice now commonly known as "trigger point therapy."

I've known a number of massage therapists, chiropractors, and medical doctors who have had contact with Travell and Simons over the years and they all remark at their incredible generosity. They had a genuine interest in relieving pain and were enthusiastic that so many practitioners used their work to great effect.

It is with a deep sense of gratitude for the work of Dr. Simons that I take a few moments to remember the important contribution he made towards relieving pain and suffering. Thank you, Dr. Simons. You will be missed.

Check Out My New Web Site: Massage-StLouis.com!

Yes, this semi-Luddite has finally been dragged into the 21st century. Check out my new Web site at www.massage-stlouis.com. Make sure you include the dash and skip the period in stlouis or you'll get directed somewhere else.

More and more people are turning to the internet to find goods and services and my clients are no exception. Many new people find me through the internet and it's important to have at least a minimum of Web presence. I finally turned to Jean Probert, illustrator-designer, to help create a Web site for my business.

Jean has been the creative force behind those beautiful business cards, magnets, and postcards that many of you have admired during the last ten years. She is highly skilled, creative, and knows me well enough that the end results are a good reflection of who I am and what I want to convey. She patiently walked me through the steps of creating a Web site, kept me on task, and contributed helpful suggestions along the way. She was not only Web designer but editor and proof reader, too.

I am very pleased with the results. She did a beautiful job and the site functions well. You'll find an introduction on the home page with additional information on inside pages. There are brief descriptions of the types of massage in which I specialize, details about my training and experience, and articles from my blog, as well as contact information, rates, etc.

New blog articles will still show up on my FaceBook page, Massage St. Louis. And in case you are wondering, Massage St. Louis is my Web site and FaceBook page name but I still conduct business under my own name.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to check out the new Web site and let me know what you think. If you run into problems, let me know and we'll do what we can to fix them. If you aren't already a fan of my FaceBook page, I invite you to become one. I promise I won't inundate you with posts and you will be notified of classes, promotions, and anything else that comes up that you might want to know about. In the future, I may post links to helpful sites and products that people often ask about.

Thanks to Jean for her work and her patience guiding me through the process. If you'd like to see more of her work, check it out at jeanprobert.com.

"That Was Awesome!"

"That was awesome!" This was the comment most frequently heard during the two hours I was doing minimassages on a constant stream of girls ranging in age from 5 years to around 12 years old. A couple of adults and teens snuck unto the line, too.

The event was called Girls In The Know and, in its first year, had 500 little girls and their moms sign up in advance.

I've worked many events over the years: the Working Women's Survival Show, Earth Day, the Muscular Dystrophy Telethon, and numerous health fairs, to name a few. When I walked into this event, though, and saw a sea of little girls, I thought, "Oh my goodness, this is going to be different!" To be honest, I was a little intimidated at first. I'm accustomed to working with adults at these events; what was it going to be like having scores of very young girls line up at my table? Well, I'm always up for an adventure.

What was it like? It was a blast! The first little girl, a young gymnast, was so ticklish I could hardly touch her. However, I have some techniques to overcome ticklishness and she responded well to them. She said her neck was always tight and no one could touch it, but I was able to massage her neck. She really liked it a lot and when she got up off the table, she exclaimed, "That was awesome!" Her best friend, also a gymnast, was next in line. I told them both how I worked with the gymnasts of Cirque du Soleil. They liked that. The second girl told me her mom massages her. I invited her mom to come to the office and I could teach her some specific techniques that would help her work effectively with her daughter.

The rest of the day became an endless series of little girls hopping onto and off of my table. Each one of them was adorable. They all dressed so colorfully and many had had their hair fixed with fancy braids. I loved their glittery little shoes and their smiling, bouncy energy. They were all so darn cute!

One mom took a photo of her daughter getting a massage. I hope she'll send it to me. If she does, I'll post it on my FaceBook page: Massage St. Louis.

By the end of the day, I was exhausted but very happy. The girls all looked like they were having a good time and they all loved the massage. From the first to the last, they all agreed, "That was awesome!"

Musicians: Small Muscle Athletes

I once read an article about musculoskeletal pain among professional musicians. A survey of several thousand symphony musicians revealed that approximately 80% of them suffered from either chronic or intermittent pain directly related to their profession. The highest incidence was reported among the violinists. This was not surprising since they not only hold their instrument in a position that is challenging to the muscles, but they spend more time playing than any other instrument in an orchestra. Other instruments often get breaks or play only intermittently but in most orchestral pieces, the violins play most of the time.

Musicians are small muscle athletes. Their profession requires endurance, strength, and precision. The right kind of massage can help them play with less pain and more agility.

When muscles are tight, movement is inhibited. When muscles are in pain, they become tense, there is less control, and they fatigue more quickly. Maintaining maximum range of motion and eliminating pain allows a musician to play in comfort and can improve performance.

I've worked with a number of musicians over the years and they fascinate me. Those of us sitting in the audience marvel at their skill, but we seldom think of the endurance required to play for hours without a break. I once worked with a couple of conductors and, until that experience, never thought about what it must be like to stand with your arms raised in the air for a couple of hours. Try it, especially while making short, quick, precise movements. It's not easy.

Each instrument has their own challenges. Horn players can get spasms in the muscles of their cheeks and lips. Violinists suffer from neck and shoulder ache. Guitarists, banjoists, and mandolin players will get pain in their forearms or elbows.

A good massage therapist who understands these problems can go quickly to the source of the pain and begin to dissipate the tension and discomfort. They not only can help to relieve the acute pain, they can help a musician continue to play pain free in the future.

Regular massage therapy should be a part of every professional musician's life. It will improve their performance, help them to play with comfort and ease, and extend the length of their career.

Cirque du Soleil

No doubt about it, the best job I've ever had has been working with Cirque du Soleil. Four times.

People are often impressed that I have worked with Cirque du Soleil. I tell them don't be impressed that they hired me the first time. After all, the first time they didn't know what they were getting. Be impressed that they hired me the second. And the third. And the fourth time.

What is it like working with Cirque du Soleil? It's definitely different. First of all, the sessions are usually for 20 minutes, not the usual hour in the office. This means that you need to get right to the point quickly. Secondly, these are world class performers who put incredible demands on their bodies and need to stay in top shape to perform. They need massage that is effective and efficient.

The combination of Russian Massage and Neuromuscular Therapy, my primary modalities, coupled with years of experience, works well for them. I love the challenge of trying to meet their needs in such a short time and they really appreciate my expertise.

I'd had considerable experience with elite athletes and performing artists before Cirque du Soleil, but my first day with them was an adjustment. Most of the performers are gymnasts of one sort or another. They are muscular but small and lean, very different from the generally larger athletes I was accustomed to. In addition, many did not speak English! My first client spoke only a few words of English. Fortunately, I've traveled in a number of foreign countries and have had experience in communicating with people whose language I do not speak. I learned about eight words of Chinese and relied on hand gestures, pantomime, drawings, etc., to determine exactly what each person wanted and needed.

I loved being able to work the way I've been trained to work. Working quickly and working in a very results-oriented manner is something I excel at. It was very satisfying to be able to meet their needs.

Performers for Cirque come from all over the world. They are a fun and interesting population to work with. It's a joy to be able to work so creatively and to be part of such a creative endeavor.

If you've ever seen them, you know that they perform amazing feats and do it with a grace and artistry that's like nothing else you've ever seen. After working so closely with their bodies, I had even more of an appreciation for their strength and skills when I would watch them perform.

I had the privilege of working twice with one show so I was familiar with about half the performers when they returned a year after their first visit to St. Louis. It made me feel good when two African brothers walked in and greeted me in their beautiful West African French accents, "Ah, Alice, we are so glad to see you again! You are the best of them all!" I feel the same way about them, too.