Sitting ‘dis - ease’ at work

It’s not uncommon for clients to ask how I keep up as a massage therapist. 

The commentary is understandable.  All day I push, knead, rub, mobilize, glide & traction the joints and muscles of the human body, and I usually do this 4-7 hours a day.  So I can see how, as someone feeling the depth of this work, it might feel hard to do. 

However, as a career massage therapist, you learn & evolve your practice to work for your body, and while occupational strain does exist, I’m here to tell you as a massage therapist, I have it good.  I get to move around all day.  I lunge, I squat, I lean, I stand tall, and sometimes I simply instruct for movement and breath. I’ve cultivated hand positioning and techniques using my feet so that I can offset the work the small joints of my hands do.  I move around a lot at work, and I love it.

What I don’t love are days that require me to stay locked into a seated position at work and as a business owner, unfortunately, they occur more than I would like. Anything that requires me to sit for long periods requires more strategy around my workstation. However, I digress….this really isn’t about me; it’s about you and specifically you at work.  So if you sit at work, then I’m thinking we need to have a little ‘sit down’ & review. 

Here’s what the research says….

One study from Australia referenced a pool of office workers who worked on average 9 hours, and when they calculated out of the typical work day, they were seated for approximately 70% of the time.  Another European-based study indicated that 1/3 of workers and 80% of managers in Europe are experiencing work-related stress due to intensity and time pressures.  A Canadian study published by the International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics concluded that employees who use sit-standing work postures should rotate between sitting and standing at will to prevent discomfort development in any particular body region, but extending standing work beyond 30 consecutive minutes may produce unwanted physiological effects and related symptoms/discomfort.

Research now seems to conclude that sitting for too long but also standing for too long will produce unwanted pain sensations and therefore contribute to negative health outcomes.  With all this research, it’s helpful to look at the history of human movement and put it all in context.  After all, many seated occupations really came about at the start of the industrial revolution.  Our bodies have evolved to hunt & gather, chop wood, garden, and these processes required movement from our bodies. But these days, we don’t move. Want to feel warmer? Turn a dial.  Hungry? Press a few buttons on the microwave, and voila….your favourite TV dinner is ready in minutes.  In history, for heat and food, we may have chopped wood, stacked wood, fed a fire in the wood stove to heat the home and cooked a soup.  This process was much more involved and naturally required more movement from us in our day-to-day life.

Now the modern era provides us with many at-home efficiencies.  As well our working environment has just as many.  For the average desk worker, we just need to tap around on a keyboard & mouse around on a screen & sit for longer hours. Most likely more hours of stillness than nature intended.  For thousands of years, humans have evolved to use our bodies, and in the modern era of everyday life, we are de-evolving the use of our bodies.

So let’s re-evolve, or rather re-involve, our bodies more into the tasks we require of our work day.  Your mood will shift, your cognitive experience will change & more importantly, you will have energy left at the end of the day for what is most important - family, friends, & hopefully a few moments catered to your self-care.

Have you heard this expression? Sitting is the new smoking?  I’ve actually come across the term ‘sitting disease.’  Seems no matter what your work entails, for much of the week, many of our clients sit for long hours, be it at a desk or driving.  Let’s look to evolve this ‘sitting’ habit into something a little more sustainable. 

First off, let us re-iterate: sitting can really define our posture in our everyday life.  When we assume inefficient postural habits be they standing or seated, we slowly remodel soft and hard tissues.  So what’s happening at our desks?  How does posture affect our mood, energy & even our productivity? Or rather, how does posture affect our mind, spirit & sore spots too!?

Your sitting posture can be part of your personality.

The Slumper

Are you a Slumper? Here we cut off energy to so many areas of the body…tight hip flexors, tight chest muscles and loading strain into the muscles of the neck.  Slumped postures are also fatiguing, so try and avoid dumping your upper body into a forward-leaning position.  They strain the muscles of the posterior chain (aka upper back, lower back, neck).

The Neck Craner

Are you a Neck Craner? Shortening the muscles at the very top of the neck, often a computer screen needs to come closer, eyes could be straining (so be sure to keep up with regular eye exams). Your eyes always want to correct to the horizon, so be sure to lengthen the back of the neck.  This type of posture can also contribute significantly to tension headaches or headaches that present as migraines. 

The Leaner

Are you a Leaner? Crossing your legs can offset the alignment of your hips and lower back and create painful lower back tension patterns.  This can contribute to a global ‘zig zag’ alignment in your body where you might constantly feel ‘off center’ or often feel pain patterns on one side and then the other.

How do we begin to set our spine & posture straight?

Besides ‘sitting up straight,’ here are some helpful cues to remind yourself to straighten and soften your posture at work:

• Keep your core slightly engaged but not so tight that you feel breath or body restriction

• Roll your shoulders back and forth, end with softening the shoulders away from the ears

• Tuck your chin in slightly; feel long and lengthened in the back of your neck

Little things we can do at work:

• Use a keyboard tray

• If you notice yourself craning your neck forward, then perhaps bring your screen slightly closer to you or adjust the level of your screen to ensure that your working documents are at eye level.

• Move a little bit, often.  They say your best position is your next position….which means just move a little bit.  Standing up to sip some water, setting a timer to remind yourself to move about, perhaps using a stability ball as a seat for some intermittent, gentle core activation.

• Stand or walk a little for work tasks when possible.

• Goal post arms activation.  Bring your arms over your head, give yourself a big stretch and then, as if you're doing a lat pull, hold your arms at 90 degrees to activate your back muscles for 5 seconds.  While relaxing your arms back to work, stay mindful of integrating this new feeling of your back feeling stronger and longer.

Sitting is a stationary situation for your body, and your body loves movement.  Reframing your day in movement versus a fixed working position is better for your posture and has a direct effect on your nervous system.  Look for ways to take a ‘nutritious movement break’ the way you would perhaps take a snack or coffee break.  These little habits in our everyday life add up & accumulate into the sum of our experience as a whole.  Do not subscribe to any one working position for too long if possible. 

Remember, the best position at work (or really in life at all) is your next position, so keep moving.

P.S. we have a few occupational organizations that we refer to for either local HRM support in the office or more information so feel free to refer to the links below for more information….otherwise, consult with your RMT here at Sore Spots at your next appointment for more advice related to your working or everyday ergonomics.

Association of Canadian Ergonomists

Dempster Wellness

Ergonomic Works

keeping our therapists and clients safe

For the duration of 2022, the Sore Spots team spent many hours deciding what policies we wanted to adopt permanently following the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we all know, COVID-19 is not the only illness we are facing in our community. We are seeing an influx in influenza, common colds, and RSV.

To keep our community safe, we have decided to permanently implement a masking policy in all our common clinic spaces. This will include our reception area and hallways. This decision has been given an immense amount of thought and was not made lightly. Protecting ourselves and our clients is our number one priority.

What if I cannot or chose not to mask?

Clients who cannot wear a mask or chose not to wear a mask will be asked to wait for their therapist to get them in the lobby of the building, our homecare room, or will be immediately directed to the treatment room they will be in that day.

What if I do not have a mask?

We ask that you please bring your own mask to your appointment to help us avoid unnecessary environmental waste. If you do forget your mask, we do have a small supply of disposable masks hanging directly to your right upon entering the clinic.

Do I need to keep my mask on during my massage?

No. Once you enter your treatment room with your therapist, they will let you know that you can remove your mask for the duration of your treatment if you are comfortable doing so.

What about Therapists?

Our therapists will continue to wear their masks at all times while in the clinic and in the treatment space. Because we are adopting this policy permanently, you may see therapists wearing surgical masks, silk masks, or cloth masks as we attempt to reduce waste.

so long so we can stay close by

Sore Spots is always in my mind, the ‘little clinic that can’.  Just as in the children’s book, ‘The Little Engine That Could’ it is always with this company that I’ve tried my hardest, kept my mindset to ‘I think I can’ and searched for inspiration to stay ‘on track’ when times got tough.  So while this pandemic has brought us challenges we could have never anticipated, like many businesses we are continuously assessing how best to pivot and ready ourselves for the adventure of growth that lay ahead.  It’s with this spirit and certainly some mixed emotions that I announce the closure of our Halifax clinic at the end of June 2021.

I was 24 when I first took over as the lead RMT and owner of Sore Spots.  I had just spent a Summer working on a dairy farm in New Jersey and previous to that working and living in Northern, rural Quebec practicing French and working at a health store.  Homesick, I knew I had to come back to Nova Scotia to properly launch my massage therapy career.

I lucked out.  The place where I had received my first-ever massage, before I had even started massage therapy school was looking for a new, spirited, entrepreneurial massage therapist.  Sore Spots started with a repurposed 164 sq foot linen closet turned cozy massage cocoon in a downtown Halifax hotel within the heart of the business district. A space where clients could retreat for 60 minutes or so from their hectic work day. On the other side of that 60 minute treatment is where clients find relief from pain, stress and greater ease in movements for all their daily activities.

I was grateful.  Our little starter clinic in that hotel gave me a bird’s eye view of the world.  I knew at the time what a gift it was to meet people from all over the world.  While most sessions are a space of therapeutic quiet, as a massage therapist I am honored to be a medical service that holds quality time and space with each person that seeks care.  It is inevitable that I learn a little and in a sense, get to travel to discover the landscape of tension patterns unique to each person on the table. 

This hotel based healing space delivered so many interesting stories.  Meeting indigenous persons from around the world and learning about their stories, similarities and parallels to that of our own Canadian climate.  Working with musicians and the marvels of how humble, talented & kind people can be in the midst of the chaotic charm that can come with being a ‘celebrity’.   Treating people from across Nova Scotia and indeed developing a cherished Atlantic Canada client base.

I am grateful.  Sore Spots has been nourished not just by me, but by the therapists with whom we’ve partnered and the clients we’ve shared space with.  I’ve been blessed to be mentored and welcomed into a space of growth from our hotel partners and on-site management team.  They’ve listened to my ideas, given me space to make mistakes, flounder a bit and of course I am also eternally indebted to them for the sum of our success over the years. 

I am blessed.  Sore Spots will continue to service HRM & beyond in the years to come.  For now, it is at our Dartmouth clinic that we will continue to act as a quality massage therapy provider and cultivate unique therapeutic experiences that broaden the horizons of healing & healthcare.  While we close the doors of our Halifax clinic, we plan to stay ‘on track’ and focused to continue the best version of ourselves and ‘our little clinic that can’ here in our beloved city of Dartmouth. There’s more growth ideas & development brewing, but for now we know that sometimes you just gotta ‘contract to relax’.

As we wind up our Halifax services, it’s clear that we are leaving behind a downtown district in the beginnings of what we hope will prove as a sort of resurrection. The downtown centers of our cities need the vibrant flow of office workers, city goers & travelling spirits to keep the urban web of community woven. Let’s all keep a keen eye on the businesses who live there, so that they can, in turn thrive in our city centers.

From Jamie Lynn, Cashew & the entire Sore Spots Crew, a very grateful thank you to all of our clients & colleagues who have allowed us to offer a helping hand in their health and wellness & of course, supported our own journey along the way. See you all at our Dartmouth clinic very soon.

Cancellations, Bookings & Credit Cards

We want you to know that at Sore Spots we understand that last minute things can get in the way and become unavoidable roadblocks to getting you to your appointment on time or perhaps not at all.

If you’re cancelling within the 24 hour period before your appointment start time, we simply need a phone call so you can let us know what’s happened and of course that your ok! When we don’t get any communication from our clients not only do we worry, but we’ve missed the chance to do something a bit more productive for that providing therapist. A late cancellation or missed visit leaves a hole in the therapists' day that could have been filled by another patient, or the therapist attending to professional or personal development tasks.

Your appointment time is a sacred spot in our schedule that we’ve set up to help you on you path to some self care and it’s always reserved just for you. In light of all things related to COVID 19, we’re taking a very liberal approach to our cancellation policy.  We remain generous and forgiving if you can not honor the 24 hour cancellation agreement.  If we don’t hear from you and you don’t show up to your scheduled treatment we will apply the service fee in full to your credit card on file. So everyone’s on the same page, you should also know that ‘No Show’ appointments can not be billed to insurance policies.

This is why we’ve also added credit card’s as a new requirement to all future bookings. Putting your credit card on file doesn’t mean it will be charged, but acts as a sort of place holder for your appointments. Our credit card storage is also PCI-Compliant. Once we input your information into our system, it actually sends that data to our payment processor, Stripe. Sore Spots only keeps a ‘token’ of information that can be used to reference or send a message to our payment partner when you do want to use your card on file for payment or should we need to process a fee based on a ‘No Show’ appointment.

We know this isn’t the most exciting information to review when it comes to planning your next massage therapy treatment, but we believe in keeping you informed, staying transparent and setting every session up for success. 

Pain in the butt!

We often have patients coming in who will without knowing blanket label themselves with either piriformis or sciatica syndrome. There are a few things we consider as massage therapists when deciding how best to treat these types of pain issues.

Why is it happening?

Is this type of pain something you wake up with, gets worse throughout the day? Are you seated for long periods of time? Is there referral pain into the knee, foot or perhaps your also feeling stiff in the lower back?

Piriformis approach in a nutshell

Classically, the Piriformis muscle (Piriformis Syndrome) can cramp or suffocate the sciatic nerve where it’s passing intimate to this muscle specifically. Often our massage therapist can help by way of direct muscle release techniques that can be done through the clothing or on our treatment table using an isolated hip drape with direct contact to the hip tissue.

Sciatica approach in a nutshell

Sciatica is often associated with a referral pattern, into the butt and down the leg that could stem from irritation originating at the lower back. While we wouldn’t necessarily isolate treatment approach exclusively to the lower back, your massage therapist may find it useful to apply a technical and yet, gentle depth to the muscles of the lower back as well as the hip.

Hip imbalances in a nutshell

Muscle imbalances are often culprit especially when pain is unique to one butt cheek or the other. All of our massage therapists are trained to scan for alignment issues whether they are boney or more muscle in nature. We’ll suggest homecare strategies that may be helpful in reducing your chance of this pain coming back as well as making the pain relieving benefits of massage last long after your gotten off the treatment table.

For those who love to 'run' this town.

The thing I love about running is how accessible it is on any given day to incorporate into your life. 

I’ve taken up running at various points in my life and I’m here to tell you that the catharsis is real.  Grab yourself some solid sneakers (preferably you have access to a great fitting specialist like the folks at Aerobics First), dress for the elements and then let the gentle pitter patter of your feet on the pavement set pace to move your body and mind through a rhythmic flow of an easy-going run. 

Some of the best conditioning I’ve ever been in has included a very simple, 2 sets of 15 minute run/walk sessions a day.  I broke it up into a morning and an evening or midday frolic.  At this point, I was going through a tough time and breaking up my activity into small amounts throughout the day worked well.  Essentially the same amount of time as a coffee break, it was helpful in giving myself an energy & brain boost. 

Over the years, I’ve done lots of different types of run training for simply the pleasure of a good run, small races to long distance.  Distance run training for a few ½ marathons provided me with a good education on my muscle imbalances and healthy running form.  While the beginner runner can deal with a myriad of ‘sore spots’, often the main culprit lay in recovery issues. 

Here are some general factors that will influence your running experience:

-     Running surfaces.  Sidewalks are the worst.  Typically the hardest, most dense concrete so if it’s safe do find time on asphalt pavement where traffic is not abundant and if in doubt run in the opposite direction of traffic so you can always keep your eye on what’s ahead.  Give yourself access to trail.  Not only is it typically easier on your joints, you’ll experience the therapeutic benefits of forest bathing – albeit at a runner’s pace.

-     Mind your shoebox!  That is…get a good running shoe.  If it’s a new shoe for you, spend some time breaking your sneaker in on a treadmill or around the house.  When your not running, it’s equally important to select smart footwear that’s not going to squeeze your joints.  Your feet are the architectural foundation to the rest of your body so it’s important that they ‘breath’ & feel good before you start loading them with a running activity.

-     Dress for the elements.  If it’s cold, work with thermal layers and if it’s hot than shorts and a t-shirt should be fine but likely a good, breathable ball cap to protect your head from the sun.  If it’s too hot than perhaps keeping your runs to the early morning or late evening will work better.  Always, keep yourself visible in low light/dark times of day. 

-     Get with the program!  Or a running group or buddy.  Especially if you plan on training for a long distance.  The wonderful thing about running is that it can be a lovely solo sport and space in your day to clear your head, but it can also be joyously motivating to share your runs with others.  I always prefer to keep at least one of my runs as part of my social calendar during the week. 

-     Keep it conversational.  Most of your runs should get your heart rate up and that’s a great way to massage your cardiovascular system.  However, just as massages can be too deep, runs could also strain your cardio system.  As a general rule, you should be able to hold a playful conversation with your running buddy during a run.  This means your heart is circulating the oxygen effectively throughout your body and your heart muscle is pumping at a good rate.  There are specific forms of training that test your lung capacity but those should not be a priority for beginner runners but can be a calculated part of a well established training program.

-     Fuel your body wisely.  Food is a such a huge component of how we recover from exercise.  Making sure your getting all your macro and micro nutrients, staying hydrated and avoiding hyper processed foods is generally just health wise for everybody regardless of their activity level.  However, if you’ve increased your activity load and are becoming demotivated, sometimes addressing recovery deficiencies may be more fruitful when analyzing your body inputs, not just your body outputs. 

-     Listen.  I want to approach this from two perspectives.  One, if music get’s you going than by all means suit yourself up with your favorite playlist and hit the road.  HOWEVER, big disclaimer.  Find a little extra zen, allow yourself to just enjoy the sound of the cityscape or landscape.  A reason is to simply listen to the sound of your feet.  Are you hitting the ground heavy? Are you a loud runner? Can you soften your knees or the strike of your feet to land softer and then maybe, more quietly?  Listening to the sound of our steps and the rhythm of our run can be just as effective and helpful at intuitively managing our form.

Technical running training became more of a focus for me when barefoot (minimalist) running became a big trend in the early 2010’s.  I was seeing lots of runners in clinic who swore by this form of training but also were coming to me with significant injuries.  I had also read Christopher MacDougall’s ‘Born to Run’ and while I was inspired by his story, I was also worried about the repercussions of taking a North American athlete who has not spent too much time in barefeet in general and loading a high demand activity into the soles of their feet and then going back to their office in high heels.  You see the dichotomy?  We could literally ‘run around in circles’ with opinions on minimalist running so let me just end by saying that minimalist running was good for my massage therapy business!  While I’m cautious to suggest this form of training for the general public, I do believe we can still sneak some biomechanical wisdom from this style of running. 

Here’s some tidbits of technical running to treasure as you ‘make a run for it’:

-Keep your feet in mind.  Do my feet feel heavy? Where am I landing?  Your strike should land somewhere between your mid to forefoot and avoid strike first with your heel at all costs.  Striking with your heel brakes your momentum and needlessly loads more joints, more intensely. 

-Keep your knees soft.  After your feet, your knees are your first point of shock absorption.  There is something known as ‘runner’s knee’ which more often has more to do with muscles in the hips than what is actually happening at the knee, but I digress. 

-Keep your pelvic and core engaged.  Good running form will have you in a state of ‘almost falling forward’.  This keeps you on your mid to forefoot and most importantly forces some core engagement so you do not in fact actually fall forward.  If you have any hip pain or lower back discomfort you may want to pay particular attention to this area.  It may also be helpful to see a pelvic floor physiotherapist or train with a pilates teacher for better kinetic understanding.

-What to do with your arms? Keep your shoulders relaxed and avoid twisting your arms across your body.  This wastes energy and loads the wrong kind of tension in your body.  Generally, rest your arms at 90-110 degrees of flexion and keep your hands relaxed.  If you notice your upper back or neck is building up tension than you may want to observe your arm swing or slow down your pace.  If your pace is too much, you will breathe harder from your apical muscles of respiration (chest and neck muscles) and lose value from the work of your diaphragm. 

Running has always been this safe space to return to for my need to find adventure, mix in physical diversity to my exercise routine and clear out my cluttered headspace.  I hope you find a joyous and gentle bounce to your run that brings a little bliss every time you set out in movement.  In the long run, ‘motion is only lotion’ if we find a healthy stride that helps us enjoy life’s pace on trail & off.

Paddles up, people!

The pursuit of sport can provide us with stress release, improved heart health and overall physical vitality.  So we are dedicating our next few blog posts to individual sports that many of our clients make mention of as we explore what activities make up the tension pattern (both good & bad) that rests within their body.  As much as sport is great for stress reduction, it can also come with it’s own sore spots!  Many sports require some type of cross training in order to execute your sport of choice with greater comfort and skill.  Solo sports also appeal to my own introvert nature but also allow me to sync up with others to enjoy a team-inspired, community atmosphere.  It’s really the best of both worlds in any measure that suits my mood or the season. 

At one point in Sore Spots history, I was curious about the work of massage therapy within a multi-disciplinary clinic model so I went to work for one.  Working alongside physiotherapist and chiropractors I affirmed my role as a massage therapist could both provide rehabilitative and restorative care.  I am forever grateful for that opportunity.  It provided me with a direct window into the world of sports injuries and athletically minded clients. 

I remember providing massage treatments for a kayaker client who was training with the Banook Canoe Club. We were focusing on active release and myofascial techniques to help with mobility and heal up a chronically strained shoulder injury.  At her follow up treatment, she remarked on her relief and mentioned she had shaved a few minutes off her training time. I recall the marked excitement as she expressed her gratitude for my care and the effective nature of massage therapy for helping her restore joint movement and improve her athletic ability. 

Fast forward to present day Sore Spots practice.  We see all sorts of athletes, weekend warriors and simply clients just keen on keeping their physical health and wellbeing a priority.  So paddles up, people!  If you’re a kayak or canoe enthusiast this one’s for you!  Here’s the thing.  Even if your sport is not ‘in season’ you can still practice some caring conditioning to strengthen the movements required to propel you into a healthy season of paddle paradise. 

To explore this world of water sport, I spoke to my friend Eleanor Kure who is a Halifax based Paddle Canada certified sea kayak instructor and teaches loads of group and individual workshops.  Eleanor is no stranger to injury and has an experienced perspective on the importance of healthy skill development when it comes to paddling smart.  Eleanor brings up 3 key skillbuilding challengings when it comes to beginner paddlers:

1.     The thing about kayaking is that a good paddler uses their core and torso rotation to move the paddle, not their arms.  Arms do get used of course but ideally they are not the main source of strength.  So working on core stabilization in your cross training and learning how to properly engage your back muscles will really benefit your kayaking experience overall.  Working with a kayak instructor is a great way to ensure your paddling with healthy shoulder and arm positioning as well as fine tuning your overall technique. 

2.    Flexibility is really important for rolling and being able to sit with your legs splayed.  Too much paddling and not enough stretching will wear on the body.

3.    If your regular job or daily living requires that you sit down for long hours or perhaps you have to drive for long hours?  Make sure you cross train with hiking, yoga stretches or pilates.  Kayaking is fun but you also want to make sure that if your work life requires a lot of sitting that you also combine activity to offset prolonged seated work – whether that’s related to your job or your sport of choice (or both).  Phasing in a standing desk a little bit every day might also help.   

Whether you paddle in a canoe or prefer water time in a kayak, I think we can all agree that time on the water is a quiet blessing.  A little bit of strength and stretch work with the goal of getting back in the boat this season will go a long way in helping you find your flow and row, row, row.  Keep calm dear friends & paddle on. 

Tips for adventure in Halifax!

Whether your having a ‘staycation’ or travelling to Halifax for business or pleasure, we feel your excursion into the city should carve out time for adventure, curiosity and simple, joy filled leisure activities. 

Here’s a mix of things to put on your list!

Take in the Halifax city line and sunset with a walk on Citadel Hill or maybe a skate or roller blade on the Emera Oval.  I love walking barefoot in the Summer on the upper perimeter of the Citadel and it’s a local favorite to take a free skate at the oval in the winter. 

While your here do check out our cozy Halifax Keith’s Brewery Farmers Market.  A long standing market with a boutique but traditional market ambiance that helps support many of our local, small-scale farmers & artisans.  Be sure to explore every nook and cranny….just when you think you’ve covered all the rooms you’ll find a courtyard with a local musician to serenade you into the sunshine. 

Not too far from here, you can also check out the Seaport Farmers’ Market located in a restored warehouse that was converted and incorporates energy and water saving measures as well as a green roof that is open as a publicly accessible rooftop garden. 

Do explore life in the city along the Halifax waterfront boardwalk.  It seems that every local has a childhood memory that includes our iconic waterfront wave sculpture (seen above).  A beautiful icon to represent our east coast lifestyle.

Towards the end of the Halifax waterfront you will find the ferry terminal to Dartmouth!  For $2.50 you can take the Alderney Ferry to explore the romantic city scape that is Dartmouth.  Dartmouth is the City of Lakes and a favorite for down to earth, family friendly, outdoor loving folk.  Littered with boutique shops and services, you can also take an art walk and find yourself at Two if by Sea for a indulgent treat and maybe an anchored roasted coffee too.  Across the street you’ll find the Quaker House and if you still have energy be sure to pass by Sullivan’s Pond (a 1 km loop) ~ a historic part of the Shubenacadie Canal Waterway system. From here, pop over to Lake Banook for a quick swim or skate on the lake depending on what season you find yourself in. 

If your still gathering ideas on how to make the best of your ‘staycation’ remember that nothing says rest and relief for your travelling tension like a proper therapeutic massage to relieve your mind, spirit & sore spots too!  You may also get some help from some of our favorite on-line travel assistants @myrth or @kayak.

Below is just a simple shoutout to one of favorite downtown Dartmouth dogs! You know….because, why not! We love @tully_girl.

Massage for Children

Children are nurtured through touch. Massage therapy is a great way to start introducing kids to relaxation concepts as well as helping with tension and anxiety.

What is it?

Children’s massage offers soothing hands-on care by way of gliding massage strokes, gentle compressions & stretches, low grade joint mobilizations and breathwork. Here at Sore Spots, we always say that massage therapy treatments are a great space to practice advocating for your body & that’s certainly no different for children. RMT's working with children here at Sore Spots also teach basic concepts of breathwork, self care movements, self massage as well as on-going healthy touch dialogue and consent with our pediatric patients.

What are the age requirements for Massage for Children?

They are never too young to receive massage therapy care, but here at Sore Spots we will work with ages 3 & up. Earlier than age 3 and our platform for treatment falls under baby massage. As a team of RMT’s we love teaching some basic baby massage techniques to our parents for colic or sinus troubles but if you feel your baby would benefit from massage therapy we advise seeking the advice and treatment of an Osteopath.

How long should I book a treatment for?

For ages 3-6 we advise a 30 minute session to start. Your RMT may suggest trying our an initial session on one of our cushy Sore Spots Stretch Mats & keeping your little person fully clothed during the first session. This first session could include playful breathwork, playful self care movements, guided self massage and soothing massage movements and techniques from the providing Massage Therapist.

For ages 6-9 we also recommend an initial 30 minute treatment. In this age range we want to ensure your child’s interest and comfort during treatment is maintained. Future sessions may be longer.

For ages 10-13 you may book an initial treatment upwards of 40 minutes.

Massage therapy treatments are adapted based on the age category of your child so we ask for 48 hours notice for all bookings so that we may also screen over the phone to fine tune your child's session goals for care.

Set your child up for massage therapy success!

• Make sure you talk about your massages and how they helped you

• Tell them if they are interested that they can have their massage through their clothing, & on a cushy floor mat or on a soft table

• Specifically ask your child if they would like to receive a massage ~ it’s important that they say yes and ok if they say no

• Ask them if they want to come watch you receive a massage (make sure to tell your therapist first and only do this if you also feel comfortable and can receive quality care while they are around)

• We also would like to stress that if your child shows up for treatment and does not want to receive treatment at the time, we will waive any last minute cancellation fee. At Sore Spots, we believe, it's very important that we teach healthy touch consent concepts to kids and understand that once in clinic, some children may change their mind around receiving massage therapy care & that's ok.

• Administrative Tip! If your booking on-line, please create a family account in our booking system & add your child as a ‘relationship’. This makes it easier long term as you’ll only need to login under one account to manage appointments for the whole family.

Once you have booked your child’s massage, please email hello@sorespots.com to indicate your bringing your child into session, the age of your child and any particular reasons that have prompted your booking. We require that a guardian attend and stay in treatment for the first appointment.

Relieving the mind, spirit & the littlest sore spots too!