Photo By: Jacob Postuma, originally posted to Unsplash
Many people use massage as a form of treatment when caring for a soft tissue injury, such as a pulled muscle or a hamstring strain. Injuries less likely to be treated with massage are skeletal system injuries, like a fractured or broken bone. Even skeletal injuries do actually benefit from massage, but proper precaution and protocol must be applied if you are to improve (and not worsen) the injury.
For any type of injury, it’s recommended that you wait at least 48 hours before engaging in any type of massage. Some physicians even recommend waiting up to 72 hours before massage therapy. Particularly for acute injuries, like a strain or sprain, it’s important to follow what is known as the R.I.C.E. program. This includes:
Rest – to protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament, or other tissue from further damage.
Ice – to reduce pain and spasm, and to control swelling.
Compression – This additionally limits swelling in order to enable the healing process.
Elevation – To limit edema formation and slow hemorrhage.
If swelling and pain persist after two full days, it is recommended that you continue to hold off on massage, and seek out medical attention if you haven’t already.
If you have a skeletal system injury, you will want to consult with a masseuse or physical therapist about personal, indirect massage around the injured area, in order to encourage blood flow and to further reduce swelling. Since these types of injuries vary greatly from person to person, it is recommended that you avoid using a massage chair on these areas and instead consult with a professional who will be able to address and respond to specific requirements that you may have. You may continue to safely use your massage chair to relax and encourage overall circulation improvement, as long as you avoid direct massage contact to the injured area. One helpful remote control feature to try is the BodyMap PRO, which allows you to select just one area in which you’d like a massage so that you can avoid the injured area.
For soft tissue injuries, it is also highly recommended that you consult with your physician before engaging in any type of massage. Once you have their approval, you may receive massage but must listen to your body and ease yourself into a massage routine that works for you. Many Human Touch massage chairs feature Cloud Touch Technology air compression, which uses targeted air cells to squeeze and release particular areas of the body. This is often an ideal introduction level for these massage chairs since they do not apply pinpoint pressure to any given area. Once you have established that the Cloud Touch feature is comfortable for you, you may “graduate” to other massage programs and techniques with increased levels of pressure. Swedish massage uses relaxing, long strokes to achieve an overall sense of calm. It also encourages increased circulation so that your body can heal from your injury. Slowly increasing the intensity of the Targeted Benefits like Stretch, Flex, Tone, and Ease are also a good way to test out which massage will work best for you. If you feel any pain while using the massage chair on or around your injured area, discontinue the massage and either try another massage method that avoids your injury, or take a break from the massage chair entirely.
With all of these tips in mind, there are some types of injuries that require you to avoid massage altogether. These include the presence of blood clots, extremely high blood pressure (it’s worth mentioning that this is low risk, but is generally advised against), Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), nerve damage, cancer, burns, lesions, and certain forms arthritis or osteoporosis. If you have any of these conditions or injuries, you will need to consult with your physician to confirm whether any type of massage is recommended.
Join Dr. James Rouse, Naturopathic Physician and Human Touch Wellness Council member, as he explains the ways in which massage can help to not only heal our bodies, but to help bring our best selves out into the world each day.
“What are we waiting for?”
You may have heard yourself shouting or whispering this heartfelt call to action to the world around you. You may wonder, in relationship to our country’s challenged attempt to choose to “be well,” versus being a part of a healthcare decline. You may be thinking, as I do, whether we need to have things go completely off the rails before we lean into creating a life we love with courage and conviction?
Where do you stand with your “self-care?” If you are part of the micro-movement of proactive, performance and life-enhancing wellness, than I applaud your passion and purpose driven lifestyle. You are part of the inspiring and ever expanding community of “change agents” who are re-shaping the much maligned and often times dysfunctional healthcare system in our country today. THANK YOU.
In my 20+ years of clinical care I have been a humble and inspired witness of “You.” The one who doesn’t wait for something to go wrong before you choose to react and do something on behalf of your well-being. Your willingness to show up each and every day, most often when no one is watching: the pre-dawn work out, choosing to meditate rather than sedate to manage your stress, making time to look into the eyes of the ones you love instead of looking into the phone screen for the ten thousandth time. THANK YOU.
I am with you, and I am for you, and so is Human Touch. I began working with this world class movement and brand over a decade ago because of their mission and vision to support the movement that we wildly embrace every day. I found myself channeling my zeal into each and every patient and urging them to choose massage… to place it next to their clean diet and their daily workouts as an integral part of their plan for optimum wellness. The ones who embraced this opportunity have thrived. The ones who were on decline and/or struggling with their self-care have found massage to be one of the most powerful catalysts to get them back into their own wellness game, and they are now (like you) the change agents- changing the game of healthcare into self-care and winning at their life.
Take a moment right now and ask yourself if you have more room to grow in your life; if the desire to feel you are living up to your life’s mission and vision. I asked that same question of myself and thousands of my patients. And that is why I am honored and blessed to share the journey of optimum wellness with Human Touch and with you.
No matter where you are: proactive or reactive, a seasoned wellness embracer or one who is just beginning the journey- we have your back. For your body, mind and spirit - onward with love!
Human Touch®, the U.S. market leader of innovative massage chairs, Perfect Chair® Recliners, and other wellness solutions, has announced an exclusive partnership with Gold’s Gym International, in which they have been named an Official Global Vendor and will be placing Human Touch Novo XT massage chairs and other wellness products in select Gold’s Gym nationwide locations. This partnership has already begun to roll out to franchise locations throughout North America, and will continue to expand in 2018. As per this Global Vendor partnership, Gold’s Gym members will have access to Human Touch massage chairs as an exclusive benefit of their membership, and may use them to prepare for and recover from strenuous workouts, or to simply relax with a soothing massage.
“Our Franchise owners count on us to build a network of innovative and strong vendors for all their business needs,” said Craig Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Franchise & Licensing for Gold’s Gym International. “It’s important for Gold’s Gym to create partnerships with companies like Human Touch, who not only provide a high-quality product but outstanding service as well. We’re looking forward to introducing the product line to our franchise club owners and operators who are seeking an in-gym wellness solution for their members.”
“Adding Human Touch Novo XT massage chairs has increased revenue for my gym by allowing the sales team to offer enhanced memberships,” says Steve Roten, Franchisee Owner of Gold’s Gym in Jackson, Tennessee. “In the first two weeks alone we were able to upsell 12 gym memberships, and I expect those sales opportunities to increase as we enter the new year.”
The Human Touch Novo XT massage chair offers best-in-class massage performance using 3-dimensional robotics to deliver relief to sore, tired muscles. Its distinctive unibody design features an L-Track to massage the entire back, from the top of the shoulders all the way down to the glutes; covering up to 60% more of the back than traditional massage chairs. Routine massage with the Novo XT helps athletes of any level by increasing oxygen-rich blood to tired and sore muscles, and also helps to improve overall health by correcting daily strains from modern life, including tension headaches and back pain. Even just 15 minutes of daily massage can contribute to better sleep, improved mental focus, and a greater sense of well-being.
The Novo XT is recognized and endorsed by the World Federation of Chiropractic as a valid supplement to back care therapy, and offers 34 expertly designed massage programs (including 3 Deep Tissue Massage programs) to help the body recover from a variety of physical conditions including sciatica, arthritis, and more. Additional features of the Novo XT include full-body stretch, Bluetooth speakers, lumbar heat, cloud touch acupressure, zero-gravity massage and an extending foot-and-calf massager with under foot reflexology.
“Our partnership with Gold’s Gym allows franchise club owners to enhance their gym members’ fitness experience with therapeutic massage,” says Michelle Guerin, Director of Business Development for Human Touch. “Gold’s Gym is committed to providing their members with the highest quality equipment and wellness resources in order to help them reach their peak physical performance. Adding our Novo XT massage chairs is a perfect way to meet those standards by providing their members with the best tools possible to reach their full potential.”
About Human Touch
Human Touch is the leading provider of high-quality, innovative lifestyle products, massage chairs, and experiences that have delivered indispensable, life-changing benefits to an ever-growing number of consumers for nearly 40 years. Human Touch has been making people feel better by developing state-of-the-art massage products containing patented massage systems that replicate the hands and techniques used by massage professionals, thereby helping to reduce pain and stress caused by today’s hectic lifestyle. Products are available at fine furniture stores, back care specialty stores, and mass-market retailers across the U.S., through international retailers and distributors in more than 40 countries, and online at www.humantouch.com.
Follow Human Touch on Facebook and Twitter @HTFeelBetter.
For more information on Corporate Wellness opportunities using Human Touch products, please contact Michelle Guerin, Director of Business Development, via email at mguerin@humantouch.com.
About Gold’s Gym
Gold’s Gym has been the world’s trusted fitness authority since 1965. From its humble beginnings as a small gym in Venice, California, Gold’s Gym has grown into a global icon with more than 700 locations serving 3 million people across six continents each day. Featuring personalized transformation plans, state-of-the-art equipment, certified personal trainers, diverse group exercise programs and a supportive, motivating environment, Gold’s Gym delivers the most dynamic fitness experience in the industry. The Gold’s Gym experience recently expanded to include GOLD’S STUDIO™ – which gives members access to boutique style classes like GOLD’SFIT™, GOLD’SBURN™ and GOLD’SCYCLE™ all under the same roof. More than a gym, Gold’s Gym combines coaching, community and more than 50 years of fitness expertise to help people around the world achieve their potential through fitness.
For more information, please visit
www.goldsgym.com www.goldsstudio.com
www.facebook.com/goldsgym
www.twitter.com/goldsgym
Media Contact:
Megan Harvey
Direct Ph: 562-733-7317
Direct Fax: 562-424-7846
Corp. Ph: 562-426-8700
mharvey@humantouch.com
www.humantouch.com
Eastern medicine teaches, “You are made out of nature, therefore a part of nature--as nature circles around the season--spring, summer, fall and winter and also morning and night, you will grow old and run to the winter. So if you follow the energy of the nature, you will be healthy and content.”
Since the Neolithic time, Jade has been one of the most beloved gemstones in both Eastern and Western civilization’s human history. Many people, especially in Asia, love to wear it or carry with them for the sake of the beauty and health.
In Ancient China, Chinese people considered Jade divine and sacred, and believed that it would keep evil spirits away and protect them. The letter ‘yu’ (玉) is also composed of emperor (王) and one dot (probably symbols of Jade stone), so Jade was the gemstone for the royals and noble men. It was also believed that Jade would keep the dead body from decomposing.
Fritjof Capra says that the Daoists used the word "li (理)" to refer to perfection, which would lead one to think that the great Daoist sages regarded Jade as the perfect stone, being the stone "li (理)." Moreover, according to the Daoists, ingestion of Jade powder allowed them to have access to the immortality of the Wises.
The Chinese philosopher Confucius (Kǒng zǐ 551-479 BC) wrote about the reverence the Chinese had for these magnificent stones, to which many positive virtues were attributed. Among the precious stones perhaps only Jade has such an abundance of legend and magical tradition.
In Chinese culture, Jade shows all the characteristics of the five moral virtues Confucius talked of:
* Kindness or charity (its shine and its splendor, warm and bright at the same time)
* Wisdom (the harmonious purity of its sound)
* Rectitude-uprightness or openness (its translucency)
* Courage (the hard Jade breaks but does never bend)
* Equity (it has uneven and sharp corners, but don’t cut). This is along with kindness, intelligence, purity, education, loyalty.
The Chinese also believe that Jade is an absorbent stone, meaning that it takes up a bit of the personality and spirit of the wearer. Maybe that is why still so many Chinese people love to carry or wear them.
It is also a symbol of long life, and bringer of peace and wisdom. It also carries many health benefits:
* Stops cough/wheezing
* Improves heart and lung function
* Good for the throat
* Good for hair
* Helpful for a healthy gastrointestinal tract
* Helpful for anxiety
* Cures Asthma or mild fever
* Clear the impurities in the body if you drink jade powder water
* Calms the mind
* Strengthens the bones
* Helps muscle spasms, and more
The Chinese also believed that Jade made flesh incorruptible, especially if used in combination with gold. In fact, archaeologists have found some royal tombs containing bodies wrapped in an armor of Jade tesserae, and tied together with threads of pure gold.
Stay tuned for more fascinating facts about Jade stones, just like those used in the Human Touch PC-LiVE Perfect Chair recliners, coming soon!
Join Dr. James Rouse, Naturopathic Physician and Human Touch Wellness Council member, as he shares how he uses the iJoy Massage Anywhere to make sure that he brings his best self to his loved ones each and every day.
By Judith Taylor, Houzz
Image by: Lucy McLintic, original photo on Houzz
When we think of family rooms and living rooms, different images are conjured up for each of us. But what's true across the board is that we've come a long way from well-worn furniture camouflaged in ill-fitting slipcovers. Today a relaxing vibe doesn't need to leave style behind.
But while some styles easily transition into a dressed-down look, other styles are more difficult to reinterpret for the casual zones. Here's how to preserve your refined style while still kicking back.
Photo By Su Casa Designs, original photo on Houzz
If Your Style Is Classic
Often confused with traditional, classic feels a bit more updated than the formality of strictly traditional. It draws less on ornate carved details and complex patterns, favoring simplified versions. This look fits you if you enjoy a sofa with soft edges and a dark wooden frame and legs. If you also like distinctive molding and trim, coffered ceilings, dark wood tables and rugs with tight, soothing patterns, it's a sure fit.
Relax it: Use soft watercolor hues, like this blue. Choose large, deep, comfortable upholstered pieces. If you have multiple sofas, the message is clear: "Have a seat. We've made a place for you."
Toss in casually mismatched pillows to invite family and guests to curl up with a cup of tea and get cozy. Select relaxed fabrics. On the toss pillows shown here, ticking (stripes reminiscent of vintage mattress covers) reinforces the casual mood.
Photo By Su Casa Designs, original photo on Houzz
If Your Style Is Formal Traditional
Some people are comforted best by minimal items and a tidy aesthetic. For them visual simplicity — the opposite of visual clutter — is soothing. If you prefer rolled arms and carved legs on tightly upholstered pieces, and artwork depicting landscapes or woodland scenes, your style is more formal and decidedly traditional.
Relax it: This room is a bit formal, but again notice the use of calming blue, which relaxes it. If you like a bit of formality, create an orderly display of styling elements like those used on this coffee table. They remind the guest that everything is in its place. Use an informal wood piece like this coffee table to keep the look from feeling too stuffy. Then toss in lighthearted textiles like the ones used on these pillows.
Photo By: Lucy McLintic, original photo on Houzz
If Your Style Is Eclectic
If you enjoy a mix of elements and feel confined by a strict category, this is your look. With a bit of modern personality and some references to tradition, it's a tricky look to get right. The artistry is in the mix. The success in the room shown here lies in the use of related wood tones that harmonize well.
Relax it: If your job is stressful and you crave modern simplicity, but you are still anchored in the past, start with very simple forms for your seating pieces. Choose soft, tactile fabrics for upholstery in a solid color (too many patterns can up the energy level). This will set the stage for an eclectic room. Add a graphic rug and some midcentury pieces to inject style, and you've got a great uncomplicated look.
Related: Learn the Basics of Midcentury Modern Style
Photo By: Judith Taylor Designs, original photo on Houzz
If Your Style Is Transitional and You Have Competing Needs
Transitional rooms are neither too traditional nor too modern. If you prefer clean lines in furniture but still enjoy traditional molding, this is a good fit for you.
When you have competing needs, create a room that is multipurpose. Sometimes what`s needed is an all-purpose room that can be used as much for watching television as for entertaining friends and family on special occasions. Take some cues from this terrific example of transitional style.
Relax it: Accessorize to suit your needs. Select hard-wearing leather and neutrals for your main upholstered pieces, with clean lines. Keep a comfy throw tucked away for curling up in front of the fire to read a book. Choose dressier accessories that step it up for entertaining. Toss in a punch of color to give your room some personality. Your versatile room will be ready for a quick change from casual to dressed for the occasion.
Photo By: Scheinholtz Associates, original photo on Houzz
If Your Style Is Rich, Masculine and Traditional
If more color equals more stimulation, then a room like this should bring your pulse down. Midtone wood built-ins anchor this room, which draws its success from the monochromatic palette.
Relax it: Select a deep, warm hue and soft, tactile fabrics to create soothing appeal. To add interest to your monochromatic room, the key is to use soft tone-on-tone patterns and lots of texture. Don't stray too far from your chosen color. Your room will soothe while still being interesting.
Photo By: Lucy Interior Design, original photo on Houzz
If Your Style Is Soft, Feminine and Traditional
This is a good style for you if you love rolled arms, gracious curving furniture and soft pastel hues.
Relax it: There is something about this sunroom that suggests the sunny South. Maybe it's the use of peach, which makes me think of Georgia. Decidedly feminine and traditional, this room takes its inspiration from small-scale prints in soft colors and gains momentum through their layering.
Related: Lighten Up the Room With Breezy Roman Shades
Look for traditional furniture pieces with deep seats, soft rolled arms and ball feet to capture this laid-back style. Peach and pink and creamy yellow add warmth, but remember to add some cool hues, like the gray here, to keep the temperature just right.
No matter your home decor style, adding a Human Touch massage chair or Perfect Chair recliner is a great way to add even more comfort to your living room. Learn more about these wellness solutions by visiting www.humantouch.com.
Really?! This is our new word. When a red light stops our forward momentum…we say Really?! When the Wi-Fi is slower than the speed of our life…Really?!
I am well versed in the humbling art of pretending I can keep up with what my higher self knows is downright impossible to keep up with. And I’m getting a bit better at recognizing “it” before it takes me down the “Really?!” road and before it’s too late.
How am I getting better? My self-imposed intervention strategy…namely my iJoy Massage Anywhere.
You know when you are less than your best self…that “self” often makes the appearance at the end of a long day of most things not coming together: meaningless meetings, spirit crushing news headlines, eating way less healthy and more than you wanted to, only to be topped by a commute that tested your faith in just about everything. And then the moment of truth…you getting ready to enter your home and that sinking feeling in your heart begins to rise up just in time to remind you to stop and ask yourself: “are you sure you want to go in like this?” You know that you are not your best, you know that you will wish you had taken a moment to gather and integrate and connect your head to your heart…your less than best to your best self.
My self-care love affair sometimes happens in my treehouse or on my front porch, and it always includes my “Massage Anywhere” from HumanTouch.
Research shows that we can move from stressed to blessed by simply exiting the cortisol express with massage. Massage increases our “happy, balanced and centering” chemical serotonin. As serotonin rises, so does our ability to show up as our best self. You get to be the person you truly came here to be - the one who shows up heart first…the person everyone loves to see at the door…mostly you.
As more and more people prioritize living a balanced life – combining their passions at work and at play – it has become crucial that they perform at their full potential in both areas. And with advances in science and technology, the field of physical rehabilitation is growing at an incredibly rapid rate, allowing us to truly BE our best at all times.
THE LAB is described as “best-in-class physical performance and wellness professionals [with] an emphasis on building, restoring and regenerating the human body.” Their services include personal training, Cryotherapy, physical therapy, NormaTec recovery, anti-gravity AlterG treadmills, blood lactate testing, biomechanical assessments and more. With clients including NBA, NFL and MLB athletes, THE LAB’s reputation speaks for itself.
Of the services offered, one of the more popular forms of therapy is a Cryotherapy session followed by the use of a NormaTec compression system. Cryotherapy exposes the body to extremely cold temperatures (below -100°C) for a very short period of time, which decreases whole body inflammation, relieves muscle pain and speeds up the recovery process. Cryotherapy has been shown to help with recovery and performance in athletics and pain management of arthritis, as demonstrated by this powerful testimonial on THE LAB’s website. Other areas of research include treatment of depression, anxiety, insomnia, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, fibromyalgia and many other conditions.
Once clients have concluded their Cryotherapy session, they move on to the NormaTec recovery system. Their legs are enveloped in NormaTec compression equipment, which uses compression technology to enhance blood circulation and accelerate recovery. These NormaTec sessions are complemented by the use of Human Touch Perfect Chair recliners. The zero-gravity position of the Perfect Chair encourages increased blood flow and is the No. 1 physician-recommended way to sit for optimal spinal health.
The complementary use of NormaTec recovery equipment with Human Touch Perfect Chair recliners was noted by the owner of THE LAB, who has his own set of Perfect Chair recliners. Upon discovering that these recliners optimize the use of his NormaTec equipment, he quickly placed four Perfect Chair recliners in THE LAB. In the three years since, the recliners have helped numerous college athletes, competitive endurance athletes and NBA all-stars as part of their post-workout routines.
Learn more about THE LAB, located in Santa Barbara, by clicking here.
Long Beach, CA – Human Touch®, the U.S. market leader of innovative massage chairs, Perfect Chair® Recliners, and other wellness solutions, is pleased to announce that they have reached an authorized distribution agreement with Erikson Consumer, who will serve as their primary Canadian distributor effective September 1st, 2017. Erikson Consumer (a division of Jam Industries) is one of Canada’s largest independent distributors, with more than 40 years in the consumer electronics category. This agreement will expand the presence of Human Touch wellness solutions in the Canadian marketplace.
“We’re extremely pleased with this new distribution agreement,” said Peter Theran, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Human Touch. “Erikson Consumer has an established and commanding presence in the Canadian market, and this partnership will provide excellent service for our dealers and owners of our products across Canada.”
Through Erikson Consumer, Human Touch will offer a variety of new and innovative products, including high-performance Novo XT massage chairs and therapeutic Perfect Chair recliners. Both of these products have exclusive endorsements by the World Federation of Chiropractic (WFC) as a valid supplement to back care therapies. They have also each been recognized by the Design Journal Award for Design Excellence (ADEX) with multiple awards which celebrate their design form and function.
“Human Touch has a proven history of innovative design and commitment to high quality wellness products,” says Bruno Gomes, Product Manager, Erikson Consumer. “We are excited to represent Human Touch products in Canada and to have the opportunity to grow their foot print across Canada.”
About Human Touch
Human Touch is the leading provider of high-quality, innovative lifestyle products, massage chairs, and experiences that have been delivering indispensable, life-changing benefits to an ever-growing number of consumers for more than 38 years. Human Touch has been making people feel better by developing state-of-the-art massage products containing patented massage systems that replicate the hands and techniques used by massage professionals, thereby helping to reduce pain and stress caused by today’s hectic lifestyle. Products are available at fine furniture stores, back care specialty stores, and mass-market retailers across the U.S., through international retailers and distributors in more than 40 countries, and online at www.humantouch.com.
About Erikson Consumer
Erikson Consumer, the consumer electronics division of Jam Industries located in Baie D’Urfe, Quebec, is the distributor for Human Touch products in Canada. Erikson Consumer also distributes other home consumer electronic brands including Harman Kardon, JBL, Mark Levinson, Revel, Audio-Technica, and many more. For all inquiries regarding Human Touch products in Canada, contact Bruno Gomes at 1-514-457-2555 x 2520 or bruno.gomes@eriksonconsumer.com.
Media Contact:
Megan Harvey
Direct Ph: 562-733-7317
Direct Fax: 562-424-7846
Corp. Ph: 562-426-8700
mharvey@humantouch.com
www.humantouch.com