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According to a recent study by Pew Research Center, the average person spends over five hours a day on their mobile device. But for many of us, the amount of time spent responding to emails, posting tweets and crafting the perfect new meme can greatly surpass this figure. So, what’s the impact of all of this repetitive behavior? We sat down with our Chief Wellness Officer, Eric Stephenson to find out.

It’s the day after your massage, and when you roll out of bed you wonder to yourself, “Did I work out yesterday? Did I lift weights in my sleep?” Your muscles feel a little sore, and some seem a bit swollen, almost like they’re bruised. You think that surely something must be wrong. This soreness couldn’t possibly be a result from your massage . . . could it? Didn’t you schedule your massage with the hope that your tight and tender spots would feel some relief afterwards?

The saying goes that the worst day of golf beats the best day of work.  This is a presumably popular sentiment, as golf continues to capture the hearts, minds, and free time of people of all ages, with all skill levels, from hundreds of countries around the world.  For many, there is no better way to enjoy a sunny morning than on the manicured greens club in hand, traversing the 18 holes of a golf course.  Coming off an incredible Master’s win from Tiger Woods, we thought we thought we’d take this opportunity to discuss why golf really is good for you, and how to make sure your body allows you to have the best golf game you can.  

• The Good

If your sore muscles the day after a round are any inclination, golf can be a pretty good form of exercise. Throughout the round you’re giving your core muscles (abdominals, glutes, back, and hips) a workout, as well as strengthening your upper body by swinging your clubs and in some cases carrying them yourself.  Your chest and forearms get taxed, as well.  And, if you’re the hard-core type and decide to walk the 18 holes?  You’re logging about 5 miles per round.  Nice work.

• What to Watch

If you’re going into your round with rigid muscles, or if you’re not properly conditioned, you can fall victim to some common golf-related injuries.  From straining the lower back, to shoulder injuries, to neck strain, golf can either exacerbate existing sore areas, or create new ones.  If your stance is off, you could develop strained tendons in your ankle or foot.  The dreaded “golfer’s elbow” is a painful swelling or irritation of the outer or inner tendons of the elbow.  

• What to Do

Because much of golf involves a lot of repetitive motion, metabolic waste can build up around those muscles that are repeatedly taxed.  This can cause pain and poor flexibility in those muscles, which are two things you definitely do not want as part of your golf game.  Also, many injuries occur during a round of golf because of already-tight muscles that are flexed and strained during the swing.  To keep muscles loose, healthy and fluid, regular massage therapy is a great way to practice preventative care during golf season.  Your massage therapist can concentrate on the muscles in your neck, back, arms, hips, and glutes to help ensure that your muscles are loosened, more flexible, and lengthened.  He or she can also pay special attention to the muscles that help support good posture, which is an important part of your golf stance.

Massage therapy is great for helping to facilitate mental focus and decreasing stress and anxiety as well.  Because going into a round of golf already stressed can lead to a very long and unpleasant 18 holes, especially after a couple of your favorite golf balls end up in the lake.

As the weather warms up and the days get longer, don’t let your body be an excuse not to hit the greens a few times. And if you pay some visits to your local Elements Massage before and after your games, it may end up being your best month of golf ever. 

Whether stressed, sore or setting aside some “me” time, getting an Aromatherapy massage can leave you feeling rejuvenated and relaxed. Doesn’t that sound nice?!

We introduced our AromaRitual massage services a while back, offering many wonderful essential oil options to soothe and heal during your massage. And now, we’re adding another wonderful option:  The Rose Petal AromaRitual™

Our newest addition, the Rose Petal AromaRitual™, is designed to bring your mind and body into the present for a beautifully effective massage session. Combined with grapeseed oil, vitamin E, Jojaba, rose absolute and palmarosa, the Rose Petal AromaRitual can help ease inflammation and anxiety while hydrating the skin and increasing energy—plus so much more.

It is very good for your skin and lightens scars as well as the signs of aging. It can help combat depression and stress. It is very good for your digestive system and also helps maintain the health of your liver.

In addition to the Rose Petal benefits, adding aromatherapy into your massage session can lead to better after effects; being more present and more mindful to your physical body. Add Rose Petal AromaRitual™ to your massage session and reap all the benefits.

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