The term "movement disorder" describes a variety of neurological conditions that affect coordination, speed, balance and fluidity of movement. Disease or damage to the basal ganglia, located at the base of the brain, usually causes these...
Pilates training focuses on core strengthening, which involves the use of the abdominals, particularly the transversus abdominus, as well as the back extensors. To emphasize these core muscles of the trunk, Pilates exercises minimize unnecessary...
The Alexander Tecnhique is a somatic modality, typically used in, but not limited to, the world of the performing arts, that helps to align the body for optimal function and vitality. Created by Frederick Matthias Alexander, an Australian actor in...
Clicking and scraping happens when bones come in contact with each other and are misaligned while going through a range of motion. The clicking is the joint forcing itself into the desired position. There might not be any pain associated with...
Massage therapy is a practice that involves manual manipulation of skin, muscle and connective tissues for the purposes of promoting relaxation and comfort. Research is beginning to focus not only on the benefits of massage therapy for healthy...
Walk into any health and fitness club around the country and you'll see a personal trainer working with a client on the gym floor. Exercise instruction, motivation and the efficient achievement of fitness goals are some of the major reasons...
A burn scar is a constant reminder of the trauma associated with the original injury. It can also have a lasting psychological impact, which doesn't always diminish with time. Years after the initial burn trauma, patients are susceptible to...
RSD is an acronym for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy, a progressive neurological disorder characterized by widespread pain, swelling and a burning sensation in the skin, muscles and connective tissue. RSD typically occurs after a broken bone or...
Some massage therapists take massage chairs to corporate parks and individual business offices to provide chair massages for the employees. Employers may provide this as an employee benefit or part of their health and wellness programs. Because...
Both yoga and aerobic exercise provide physiological benefits, but in different ways. Yoga helps to build strength, increases flexibility and improves balance. However, it does not provide a cardiovascular workout. Aerobic exercise such as...
Tea Tree oil is derived from the leaves of the Melaleuca alternifolia, a plant native to New South Wales, Australia. Tea Tree oil is known for a number of health benefits such as antiseptic, antibacterial, anti fungal and antiviral. It is...
Winsor Pilates, the brainchild of Pilates guru Mari Winsor, is often seen on late-night infomercials claiming to change your body. Unfortunately, some of the results may be exaggerated, so you become frustrated when you don't gain a dancer-sleek...
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typically treated with prescription-level psychostimulants. While such drugs do improve ADHD symptoms, many ADHD sufferers, or parents of children with ADHD, are interested in alternative...
Regular exercise is important to manage chronic joint pain. Many people living with chronic pain think that exercise is the last thing they should do in order to avoid more pain, but the less you move the more deconditioned your body becomes....
If your sciatic nerve is compressed or irritated you can develop symptoms that include pain that is in the low back or buttocks, pain that radiates down the legs and into the feet, and numbness and tingling sensations in the legs. Sciatic nerve...
Chiropractors are most well-known for their ability to manipulate and mobilize your spinal and extremity joints, but many chiropractors also perform soft-tissue work, including massage, to help relax your tight muscles and restore balance to your...
The website for Mari Winsor's Pilates program claims that you can lose 10 inches in two weeks. Client testimonies on the website claim 10 to 30 lbs. of weight lost using the Winsor Pilates method. The question remains whether these are marketing...
Parkinson's disease is a disorder that affects the central nervous system and motor skills. People who have PD do not produce enough dopamine, a substance that makes people move smoothly and in a fluid motion. Many of the symptoms of PD affect...
Astanga yoga, also known as raja yoga, contains eight steps, or "limbs," and incorporates exercise with breathing techniques, meditation and study. According to a comparison study completed at a nursing school at the University of Maryland, there...
You've probably heard about the benefits of tai chi for older adults. Seniors who practice tai chi improve their overall well-being, and ease symptoms of aging like hypertension and osteoarthritis, according to the National Center for...
To maximize the therapeutic benefits, a stretching routine can be incorporated as a part of a massage therapy session. This is often done in the course of sports massage, rehabilitative massage and other types that focus primarily on restoring...
Chronic fatigue causes an extreme tiredness that can make performing daily activities seem impossible. Chronic fatigue can occur after an illness or after a period of high stress, but can also come on slowly with no obvious cause. Treatment...
Your spine has a natural S-shaped curve that allows your body to balance, lift and stand with ease. Scoliosis occurs when your spine curves unnaturally. Depending on the severity of scoliosis, the condition can result in pain, arthritis, fatigue...
As you age, you may find yourself and your peers slowing down, but this does not necessarily need to happen. Many of your peers, each possessing different ability levels, regularly participate in physical activities ranging from tennis to golf to...
Millions of people live with chronic back pain. Muscular imbalances, arthritis, disk problems, soft tissue injuries and accidents can all cause changes to the muscles, vertebra and structures of the spine. Understanding the exact cause of your...
Although your knees and hips are separate joints, the health of one can affect the other. Muscle weakness in your thighs or hips can lead to pain in the front of your knees as well as in your hips. Strengthening muscles in both areas may be...
A pelvic fracture means that one or both hipbones are broken, often the result of an automobile accident or other high-impact injury. Progressive bone loss puts many seniors at greater risk of breaking a hip from a minor fall. Surprisingly, it's...
Yoga has been practiced for thousands of years as a way to strengthen the body and the mind. People with health conditions or chronic pain can benefit from practicing yoga. The exercise helps control weight, improves respiratory efficiency,...
At least 85 percent of people experience low back pain at some point in their lives, according to Susan Hall, author of "Basic Biomechanics." In the early 1980s, Robin McKenzie, a physical therapist from New Zealand, proposed a method for...
Fibromyalgia, FM, is a disorder of tactile allodynia and come-and-go pains, with symptoms varying greatly from day to day. Learn about fibromyalgia, including treatments and symptoms, in this health video.
