Industrial Massage

There is not quite a chill in the air, but fall is knocking at my door here in our Northern Colorado location. I can almost hear the cheering from the High School football stands as I return to my blog postings. July was a hectic month with sports physicals, dental appointments, car shopping for one of the teens and the ever dreaded back to school shopping.

During my Son’s sports physical he had explained to our Doctor of Chiropractic that he has been having trouble with his feet. Pain while running, stopping, turning and sometimes at rest, in particular his right foot. As you may recall from an earlier post this year, he had a knee injury that sidelined him for a bit. Oftentimes you will see injuries run through the kinetic chain, which simply means that “everything is connected” and this is how movement is produced or impeded.

In my Son’s case, his knee problem caused him to favor his right side and through the rest of the year from football to basketball to track, he had some remnants of the knee injury, which eventually showed up in his feet (mainly the right). Also, the different types of movements from full speed running in football to sprinting during basketball and track may also have contributed to his pain and dysfunction. Switching from running on the balls of the feet to a heel -to- toe foot strike is another contributing factor. Bottom line, “it hurts and it is affecting my performance”, said my Son.

Lucky for my Son, he has me for a Mom! I know how to work on these types of compensatory problems in a very efficient manner. It may not be comfortable and relaxing, but Deep Tissue Intervention® (DTI)is effective. We worked the lower leg with these very specific techniques and results were achieved quickly and his pain was reduced and his performance was enhanced. In addition, he used stabilizing exercises to help strengthen the weakened muscles and stretching of the too tight muscles in his gluteals and hamstrings.

Since Industrial Massage and DTI techniques are rooted in Sports and Physical Medicine, it would stand to reason that the same techniques we use with our factory workers, industrial workers and also our office workers would prove effective for the competitive athlete. The only downside—I have created a monster, now my Son requests DTI daily, and he is showing and telling me about ALL his aches and pains!

Shannon Berg

Director of Education and Recruitment

Industrial Massage, Inc.

The Problem

Many workers in various industries are suffering everyday with wrist, hand pain and discomfort, everything from a dull ache, pins and needles to sharp shooting pains in the hand, wrist, arm and/or shoulder. While many workers simply live with the pain or seek relief with splints, medications, physical therapy or in extreme situations; time away from work. These symptoms can result from repetitive motions such as typing, sewing, and assembly work. Healthcare professionals may label these dysfunctions as: tendonitis, cumulative trauma disorder, repetitive motion injury, repetitive stress injury, repetitive stress syndrome, RSI, or in extreme cases the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

Medical Jargon

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition where the median nerve at the wrist is being compressed, causing pain and numbness in the hand. The median nerve is a major nerve that supplies sensation to the hand. It runs within a tunnel called the carpal tunnel at the wrist. The carpal tunnel is made up of the carpal bones forming its base and sides, and a thick band of fibrous tissue called the flexor retinaculum forming its roof. Structures that run within the carpal tunnel include the median nerve and the flexor tendons to the hand and fingers.

Plain English

No matter what label is attached to the collection of symptoms, the fact remains that it all begins with the muscles and nerves and the occupational/recreational demands that are placed on the upper extremity. For the sake of this blog we will use the term “upper extremity pain/dysfunction” to describe the musculoskeletal dysfunctions of the hand, wrist, arm and shoulder that we address at Industrial Massage, Inc., utilizing our unique approach to pain and dysfunction called Deep Tissue Intervention®.

Solutions

There are many approaches to dealing with the ongoing issues of repetitive strains on and off the job. Medical interventions, such as medications, steroid injections and physical and occupational therapy are among the most popular options for workers. However, these medical interventions are OSHA recordable and result in a worker’s compensation claim.

Industrial Massage, Inc offers a first aid intervention known as Deep Tissue Intervention®  (DTI) utilized at the onset of mild pain, discomfort and task difficulties. Workers may utilize the services while at the worksite. The precise nature of DTI is used to address the musculoskeletal dysfunctions through a unique problem solving protocol. Workers report a 60% improvement in symptoms in just one 15 minute session with a Certified Industrial Massage Therapist. If a team member is experiencing pain due to demanding or repetitive motion, onsite pain intervention is far more cost-effective than the alternative: absenteeism. The new standard is presenteeism, which means your team is not only present, but productive.

Shannon Berg

Director of Education and Recruitment

Industrial Massage, Inc.

contact us for more specific information, as it relates to your workforce environment, and a demonstration of how Industrial Massage Inc and Deep Tissue Intervention® can increase your productivity and profit.

I ran across an article in Yahoo Finance this week that talked about how the recession and financial stress affects America’s health. Many workers have had there pay cut, health benefits cut and their workload increased. According to the article, Thirty-five percent of middle class Americans said they or someone in their household has experienced a physical symptom of stress related to the economy, according to a recent report by First Command Financial Services, a financial service provider.

As the economic recovery struggles, many Americans are left with feelings of despair, worry about their jobs and the future of our nation. Further, many have put off doctor’s visits and opting out of proactive healthcare as a result of the recession according to the survey by First Command. Twenty-six percent of those surveyed said that they have put off doctor visits due to economic conditions — up from 15% in 2010

In my opinion this public health crisis reaches deep into the American workforce, resulting in low productivity, absenteeism and low employee morale. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), stress can manifest in such physical symptoms as headaches, neck and back pain, anxiety, sleep disturbances and many other symptoms. The CDC recommends various ways to combat stress, such as getting support from your family, staying active, avoiding alcohol/drugs and taking time for yourself.

What happens when the stress is manifested in physical symptoms? Headaches, neck pain, back pain, general aches and pains are all musculoskeletal issues that can be addressed with Deep Tissue Intervention (DTI) from Industrial Massage, Inc. Our Therapists are specially trained to read body language, interpret verbal cues and apply advanced deep tissue techniques proven to reduce pain and task difficulties while improving function and employee morale. We are available on site and the sessions are considered first aid by OSHA, therefore saving vital funds and helping employees get back to their work stations and perform productively without the pain disturbance.

“Employers suffer a huge cost in lost productivity every day from workers who are on the job but unable to perform at their best because of a health issue — such as musculoskeletal pain. The cost of this impaired functionality now has a name — “presenteeism” — and it exceeds the combined cost of medical treatment and absenteeism by at least two-to-one.”

~ Sean Sullivan, CEO, Institute for Health and Productivity Management

Contact us for more specific information, as it relates to your workforce environment, and a demonstration of how Deep Tissue Intervention and Industrial Massage can increase your productivity and profit.

Shannon S. Berg

Director of Education and Recruitment

Industrial Massage, Inc

References

Centers for Disease Control, www.cdc.gov

Dickler, J., June 7, 2011, Yahoo Finance, Financial Stress Affects the Health of Many Americans.

Industrial Massage, Inc., www.industrialmassage.com

Everyday people miss work for one reason or another, at the top of the list is “contact with objects”, according the the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This refers to incidents in which employees accidentally come into contact with harmful objects or devices in the workplace, causing injuries such as burns from a stove in a restaurant, or from other equipment used by various industries from construction and mining. According to BLS, this reason accounted for missed workdays among 28 percent of the private and public workforce across the country. While these reasons may or may not have been avoided, I was much more interested in the next 2 categories for employees to miss work.

Overexertion causes between 8 and 21 missed work days annually, depending on the industry, which counted for a full quarter of missed workdays across a range of fields. Among some of the highest percentages are workers in the healthcare industry, retail, hospitality and mining employees. A full quarter of missed workdays across a range of industries were due to overexertion while at on the job.

Sprains, strains and tears contributed to a significant portion of these injuries.  “Bending, reaching, twisting or slipping” contributed to a significant portion of these injuries, according the Bureau of Labor statistics. With shoulder injuries result in the greatest number of missed workdays (22 on average). Carpal tunnel syndrome is another significant factor.

Industrial Massage Inc. and our unique approach to pain reduction has significantly impacted many industries in a positive manner. Reducing workplace complaints due to musculoskeletal complaints related to overexertion, sprains and strains. Oftentimes, preventing injuries from these issues.

Since 2005, nearly 60,000 Deep Tissue Interventions have been performed by Industrial Massage Therapists. Eighty Five percent (85%) of employees experience a reduction in pain between 2 and 6 on a pain scale of 1 to 10. Workers get back to work and are more productive because they feel better. The average pain reduction after a 15-minute industrial massage session is sixty percent (60%).

Contact us for more specific information, as it relates to your workforce environment, and a demonstration of how Industrial Massage can increase your productivity and profit.

References

Industrial Massage Inc.

US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

http://www.ehow.com/info_8302575_top-missing-work-according-government.html

Employee Health and Wellness Programs continue to be top priority for organizations large and small. These programs can range from group health insurance, worker’s compensation and everything in between. Such programs can be very powerful for attracting and retaining top notch talent that can make or break an organization. A well designed and implemented Employee Health and Wellness program can boost morale, keep the staff healthy and improve performance. However, in the current economic atmosphere, organizations not only want to cut costs, they need to cut costs to stay competitive. The reasoning goes much deeper, organizations are increasing their focus on not only improving the health of the workforce, but improving their overall quality of life. Although defining and implementing the best possible initiatives can be a long drawn out process that often can be confusing and shortsighted.

I was looking for tools that organizations could utilize in this process and I found: Change Management Work Group’s, Employer Health Asset Management, A Roadmap for Improving the Health of Your Employees and Your Organization. Perhaps one of the most useful components of the “Roadmap” are the case studies of “successful organizations’ evolution from a basic understanding of the need for a healthier work force to a fully integrated, comprehensive strategy for improving employee health and productivity”.

According to Sean Sullivan, CEO, Institute of Health and Productivity Management (IHPM), “Corporations go through cycles of buying into big new ideas to move to a higher level-knowledge management, change management, technology management. Today, the big new idea is health management. This idea needs to become like its predecessors: a vital strategic function that businesses must perform while continually assessing and improving it. That’s the only way to succeed in a competitive marketplace where the performance of human capital is a differentiator.”

Organizations need ways to improve organizational performance, many have discovered that improving the health of their workforce affects the “bottom line”–quite simply–healthier employees have better performance. As the costs of an unhealthy workforce continue to rise, organizations must improve their approach to employee health to include “investing” to improve the “value of the asset” , such as the health of the employees, which will improve the productivity of the worker and improve organizational performance.

Excerpt From Employer Health Asset Management:

The most innovative organizations took a leap of faith with early investments in employee health, but many other employers have followed as evidence of the link between health and productivity has grown. More organizations now offer smoke-free worksites, walking trails, low-cost health-food options, and exercise facilities. The rise in disease management and other employee health programs reflects growing awareness of the value of well-executed population health management programs. Some employers have redesigned benefits so beneficiaries receive certain services at no cost, because encouraging use of those services now can improve quality of care and reduce health costs later.

Industrial Massage, Inc. and Deep Tissue Intervention® has become a vital part of the investment that many organizations have utilized as a part of their Employer Health Asset Management programs. Our unique approach to pain intervention has contributed to improving morale and performance, through addressing mild to moderate pain, discomfort and task difficulties before it becomes a major health concern. The interventions are performed on-site, eliminating the need for the employee to leave the work area. Our services are often provided at no cost to the to the employees, a positive investment in the health of the workforce. These organizations have taken on the investment into the health of their workforce, thus improving productivity and organizational performance. For information on how Industrial Massage, Inc can be part of your Employer Health Asset Management Program, call 425.717.1017 to discuss a customized program for your workforce.

References

Edington,PhD, D.W. & Liveris, A., Change Management Work Group’s, Employer Health Asset Management, A Roadmap for Improving the Health of Your Employees and Your Organization, retrieved 26 April 2011, from http://www.ihpm.org/pdf/EmployerHealthAssetManagementRoadmap.pdf

http://www.ihpm.org/e-news/issues/136.html

This morning I typed a search: “upper back pain” as this is a major complaint for many workers that we see at our various locations. Upper back pain doesn’t discriminate, I personally have treated individuals that work in office settings, construction, manufacturing or who are full time students. The complaints can range from a dull ache to a sharp stabbing pain, while some individuals report a decrease in range of motion or task difficulty associated with their pain.

I found an interesting article in my search results: “How to Fix your Neck, Shoulder and Upper Back Pain, by Dr. Jolie Bookspan”, while it was not the first result in the search it was in the top five. It was not just the title that caught my eye,it was also the description, “Fix neck and shoulder pain, upper back pain without surgery with Dr. Jolie Bookspan, The Fitness Fixer™ sports medicine researcher. “ was what really got my attention. Dr. Bookspan is a trained research scientist, dating back to the 70’s, I find it interesting that her clinical findings are still relevant now. She started her studies to find out why standard rehab treatments were not working on neck, shoulder and upper back pain, her results were much like our findings for addressing common pain, discomfort and task difficulties of the users of Industrial Massage and Deep Tissue Intervention. She found that rehab info was not being applied to how people move, sit, and live in their ordinary daily activities. She applied it and people got better. At Industrial Massage, we developed our techniques similarly, based on the latest and tested research methods for occupational situations.

Many of Dr. Bookspan’s philosophies are aligned with ours at Industrial Massage, such as pain is not a disease, or a condition that you must live with forever. According to Bookspan, neck pain can be healed and you can even be better than you were before and you do not need to give up your recreational and occupational activities. Dr. Bookspan’s methods are pretty clear, you have to change the way you move, sit on a daily basis, our methods take that philosophy and add the occupational tasks along with Deep Tissue Intervention when the individual is having mild to moderate pain, discomfort or task difficulties.

Dr. Bookspan talks about “massage” in her article, I have to agree that massage will not fix the problem, you must correct your posture and movement patterns also. However, if you have active trigger points in the key muscles of the upper back, it won’t matter how much you work on your posture and movement patterns. Trigger points are discrete, focal, hyperirritable spots located in a taut band of skeletal muscle. They produce pain locally and in a referred pattern and often accompany chronic musculoskeletal disorders. Acute trauma or repetitive microtrauma may lead to the development of stress on muscle fibers and the formation of trigger points. Individuals may have regional, persistent pain resulting in a decreased range of motion in the affected muscles. The pain, discomfort and task difficulties due to decreased range of motion will continue until the trigger points are addressed. The muscles of the upper back become overstreatched and weakened due to prolonged poor posture (rounding/slouching), repetitive motion (reaching/lifting) or overloading (heavy/prolonged lifting).

Deep Tissue Intervention applied by a Certified Industrial Massage Therapist can address the trigger points and other dysfunctions in muscles specific to the worker’s pain, discomfort and task difficulties. Contact us today to learn more about how Industrial Massage and Deep Tissue Intervention can help your workers improve their productivity on and off the job.

Shannon Berg

Director of Recruitment and Education

References

Academy of Functional Exercise Medicine, Dr. Bookspan/Academy (2011) How to Fix Your Neck, Shoulder and upper Back Pain, and Tightness (without drugs or surgery) Retrieved 5 April 2011, from http://www.drbookspan.com/NeckPainArticle.html

American Family Physician (2002) Trigger Points. Retrieved 5 April 2011, from http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0215/p653.html

During a recent “visit” to my local hospital, I was asked about my career.  I told the nurse my company name and title, she looked at me with an inquisitive look and said “Sounds interesting- Industrial Massage, what does that mean?” I gave her more details and she replied with “I wish we had something like that here”.

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It can be difficult to come up with new and interesting topics for a blog, as many of you may know. This morning when I typed in a search, “blog ideas”, I found something really cool. A website called “I help you blog”, and an article entitled 101 Great Posting Ideas That Will Make Your Blog Sizzle,by PHILIP on MARCH 16, 2007. As I scanned the ideas, many of them stimulated my interest, in particular number 30. Make a post that solves a problem.

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The other day I was sitting in my recliner with my feet propped up and the laptop resting across my thighs, I commenced  researching for this next installment. I came across a couple of articles that caught my eye and warranted further investigation, they were both talking about something that many of us do on a daily basis: SITTING. Read the rest of this entry »

My teenaged Son was home over the Christmas break, I noticed that he was favoring his right knee and walking with a slight limp. This got me to thinking about the long term effects of competitive sports, and how Deep Tissue Intervention (DTI) could help the student athlete not only be more effective in their chosen sport, but how it will effect them later in life as part of our nation’s workforce. Read the rest of this entry »