Our legs are an important part of our body as they help in supporting the overall body weight. So it is very important to take proper care of our legs. This article will discuss how to massage lower legs, upper legs and knees. Massage helps the skin to glow naturally and make bones strong and healthy.

Steps to massage lower legs and knees -

Warm a little oil in your hands.

1. With one hand behind the other, smooth the oil on to the front of the leg, starting at the top of the foot and working up to the knee. This movement distributes the oil and soothes and relaxes the whole area.

2. Rub across the front of the leg using both hands to create frictions. This increases the blood circulation to the area and reduces aches and pains.

3. Lift the leg up so the knee is bent. Squeeze and relax rhythmically down the muscles of the calf from knee to ankle. Repeat several times. Put the leg down.

4. Work around the kneecap in little circular motions with both hands. Be careful not to use too much pressure.

5. Now using your thumbs gently slide them around each side of the kneecap.

6. Stretch out your thumbs from your fingers to create an arch. Sweep over the whole knee using alternate hands several times. Now wrap up the lower leg and proceed to the thigh.

Steps to massage upper legs -

1. Apply oil as for the lower leg.

2. Glide up the leg from knee to groin, using one hand behind the other. This movement should be fairly slow and rhythmical. Make sure your movements cover the whole of the thigh area. Repeat four to five times.

3. Strokes the upper inner thigh diagonally from knee to groin hand over hand. Repeat four or five times.

4. Squeeze and release rhythmically first along the inner thigh from knee to groin, then along the outer thigh.

5. Using your knuckles rake quickly up from the knee to the groin, taking in the whole thigh area. This is a friction movement and increases the surface blood circulation. You will notice the skin colors quite quickly and feels warmer to the touch.

6. Uncover the lower leg, then effleurage the whole leg from foot to groin.

7. Finish off by enclosing the foot in your hands a couple of times. Cover the leg then repeat all the movements on the other one.

Massaging the legs will not only make them more beautiful and strong but also give relief to restless and painful legs.

Disclaimer: This article is not meant to provide health advice and is for general information only. Always seek the insights of a qualified health professional before embarking on any health program.

The rotator cuff is made up of a group of muscle fibers that while very strong, are, by nature, also very weak. Because they work to permit free rotation and overhead reaching, these muscles are vulnerable to rotator cuff shoulder injuries which are the injuries most associated with sports and physical labor jobs.

If the fibers, tissues, bursa, and muscles in the shoulder become enflamed and damaged or torn, then severe rotator cuff injuries can occur. Rotator cuff shoulder injuries have certain terms that are regularly associated with them:

1. Irritation and inflammation in the bursa is called bursitis. The bursa is a sac filled with fluid surrounding the muscles and tendons in the rotator cuff.

2. Irritation and inflammation of the tendons in the shoulder is called tendonitis.

3. When the tendon gets squeezed and begins to rub on the shoulder blade bone, irritation and possible tearing of the tendon occurs and is called impingement.

4. As we age, calcium has a tendency to build up in the joints. This calcification in the shoulder joint is called calcific tendonitis. This condition is also called a bone spur and can irritate the tendons surrounding the spur and possibly cause tears in the tendons.

Rotator cuff shoulder injuries can be caused by many things:

1. Many times a sudden stress or injury to the shoulder can cause one of the tendons to tear. A torn rotator cuff can be very minor or it can be a very major injury.

2. Age can be a major factor in shoulder injuries. Rotator cuff symptoms will be noticed more and more as we age because the tendons and muscles in the shoulder become weaker with age, increasing the chances that they will become injured or torn.

3. Activities that involve repetitive motion such as overhead reaching can strain the rotator cuff very easily.

Repetitive motion and aging are the two biggest factors in impingement. If impingement is not dealt with, it will eventually cause scar tissue to build up. It will also begin the fray the tendons, making them weak, leading to a great chance for injury.

There are several reasons why you may get leg pain - lower leg pain in particular may be caused by shin splints. If you are active and doing high-impact sports involving lots of running and sudden turns, the pain and inconvenience of a shin splint can be a nightmare and can become a chronic injury.

But you don’t have to be a regular athlete to suffer. Doing too much exercise too soon if you have been sedentary is also a common cause - joining a running club after being inactive for many years and trying to keep up with the regular runners from day 1 is also a recipe for sore shins!

There are two types of shin splints; Anterior and Posterior. If you feel down the front of your lower leg, you will feel the edges of a bone close to the surface - it’s like you have a school ruler in your leg.

This is the edge of your tibia. A shin splint is caused by inflammation of muscles close to the tibia. When they become inflamed, they pull on the connecting tissue that attaches them to the bone, and that’s where the nagging ache comes from.

Anterior shin splints can be caused by activities requiring sudden stops, starts and turns at speed - football and basketball are good examples. Given that some of these footballers are big, hefty lads weighing in at around 200 lbs, the strain on those small shin muscles is immense. These guys are quite fit, however - if you are unfit and suddenly take up running 10k races without a gradual build-up, your chances of getting an anterior splint are high.

Posterior shin splints occur on the other side of the shinbone and are more likely to be caused by poor posture when running. Main culprits here are flat feet and tight calf muscles, which cause muscular imbalances. One of the first things I do when someone comes to me with this kind of shin splint is put them on a treadmill and watch their running action. I look for feet rolling out, landing flat, or knees moving in. The latter often happens with ladies, as we have a wider pelvis than men, so the angle of the thigh bone (femur) is more acute. This can also cause knee pain.

For anterior shin splints, I advise a rehabilitation program involving non-impact cardio training such as rowing or cycling to rebuild or maintain fitness, then introducing sport-specific activities gradually.

Posterior shin splints require a strengthening of core and postural muscles - I advise leg strengthening exercises and Pilates, often on a one-to-one basis, so that the imbalances that caused the splint in the first place can be addressed.

Both types of shin splint should in the acute stage be treated with rest and ice, and you should always warm up before exercise and stretch afterwards. As with most injuries, prevention is much easier than cure!

What is TMJ?

The Temporomandibular Joint connects the lower jaw to the skull and is responsible for the opening and closing of the mouth. The way your teeth fit together can affect the health of the TMJ (jaw joint). If the TMJ is dislocated, this can lead to many unpleasant symptoms as listed below.

Symptoms

Patients visit many health care providers in search of answers to their problems since the following symptoms of TM dysfunction (TMD) masquerade as many other conditions..The pain is often described as dull aching pain in the jaw joint and nearby areas.

Do You Have:

* Headaches, neck or back pain

* Earaches, congestion or ringing in the ears

* Clicking, popping or grating sounds when opening and closing the mouth

* Tired jaw or pain when chewing

* Locking of the jaw when opening

* Limited jaw opening

* Dizziness and fainting

* Facial pain or pain behind the eyes

* Numbness in the hands

* Swelling on the side of the face

If you have any of these symptoms, you could have a problem with your jaw (TMJ). When left untreated, these symptoms may lead to increasing muscle pain, and trigger points (knotted muscles) that can send pain to different areas including your neck, eyes, ears, shoulders and lower back. Early treatment is essential as conditions that are left untreated can worsen over time.

Causes of TMD

TMD frequently occurs when the lower jaw is not in the proper relationship to the upper jaw. This often results in dislocation of the protective disc (anteriorly displaced) as the lower jaw assumes a position further back in the socket and compresses the nerves and blood vessels. Some of the most common causes are:

* Clenching or grinding habits

* Lower jaw too far back causing anterior displacement of the disc

* Deep dental overbite

* Missing teeth

* Automobile accident causing whiplash injury

* Trauma to the head or neck

* Bad posture

* Intubation procedures in the hospital

* Extraction of wisdom teeth

Treatment

To help evaluate the health of the TMJ (jaw joint), a complete medical and dental history must be taken, including the recording of any trauma such as car accidents, whiplash injuries or general anesthetics. The Joint Vibration Analysis (JVA) is a simple, three-minute test to determine the degree of jaw joint dysfunction. Further diagnostic testing includes complete head, neck and posture evaluation with state-of-the art tomographic x-ray equipment to assist with the visualization of the jaw joints and other related structures. Measurement of the dysfunctional muscle activity and abnormal jaw movements will be achieved using the latest in computerized diagnostic modalites including EMG.

Phase One Treatment Objectives

The objective of phase one treatment is to stabilize the lower jaw in its correct position to reduce the patient’s symptoms, improve the jaw movements and reduce the muscle spasms which cause headaches. Sometimes a second phase of treatment will be necessary following the successful completion of Phase I jaw stabilization. Phase two options may include orthodontics, crown and bridge dental work, or fabrication of a permanent dental device.

Conservative Treatment

Patients benefit from conservative, non-surgical treatment provided. Dr. Slabach analyzes the TMJ records, including the x-rays, and then presents recommendations at a final consultation appointment to which spouses are encouraged to attend. If the jaw is out of alignment, the patient will be asked to wear a comfortable dental orthotic (splint) which covers the lower back teeth and makes it easier for the patient to speak.

Patients who clench or grind their teeth will be asked to wear a different, night time splint to reduce painful muscle spasms, headaches and other symptoms.

Both of these splints are made to a specific jaw position unlike a standard bite plane or nightguard.

The Team Approach

Frequently the team approach involving medical doctors, neurologists, ear, nose and throat specialists, chiropractors, massage therapists and physical therapists is necessary to diagnose and treat patients with jaw joint, head and neck problems.

Basic Anatomy of Shoulder

The shoulder is a ball and socket joint. It is made up of three bones: the upper arm bone (humerus), wing bone (scapula) and collarbone (clavicle).

The shoulder ball fits into the small socket (glenoid) The glenoid is surrounded by a soft cartilage lip (labrum), which deepens the socket.

The upper part of the wing bone (acromion) projects over the shoulder joint. One end of the collarbone is joined to the acromion by ligaments to form the acromioclavicular (AC) joint. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that attach your humerus to your scapula and allow you to lift your arm overhead.

A fluid filled sac (bursa) lies between the rotator cuff and the acromion. Its function is to provide smooth motion of the rotator cuff as the arm is elevated.

Various Shoulder Conditions

Impingement Syndrome causes bursitis (inflammation of the bursa sac) and/or tendonitis (inflammation of the rotator cuff tendons). Impingement occurs when the tendons and bursa are squeezed under the acromion. This typically happens as a result of bone spurs, injury, repetitive overhead lifting or muscle weakness. Most patients with impingement syndrome will have pain with use of the arm, particularly overhead, as well as pain when sleeping on the shoulder at night. Initially, these problems can be treated with rest, anti-inflammatory medicines, cortisone injection, and an exercise program to strengthen the rotator cuff muscles. If pain continues after this treatment, arthroscopic surgery may be required to remove the swollen bursa sac and/or to remove bone spurs that are pushing on the rotator cuff.

Partial rotator cuff tears can occur if the rotator cuff rubs against bone spurs for a period of time or as a result of an injury. In many cases arthroscopic surgery is needed to remove the spurs that are pushing against the rotator cuff and to repair the rotator cuff. If left untreated a partial tear could progress to a complete rupture of the rotator cuff.

Complete Rotator Cuff Tears may occur from years of repetitive rubbing of bone spurs against the rotator cuff, repetitive heavy lifting or from a sudden injury. When this occurs the rotator cuff “pulls” away from the humerus bone. This causes pain and weakness. Surgery is usually required to repair the tears. Dr. Goradia performs almost all rotator cuff repairs arthroscopically with a small camera instead of making a large cut on the shoulder.

Dislocations & Instability occurs when the ball (humeral head) slips out of the socket (glenoid). This can happen as a result of sudden injury or from overuse of the shoulder ligaments. In general young, active patients after a first time sudden dislocation have up to a 75- 90% chance that their shoulder will dislocate again. For this reason, there has been a trend towards arthroscopic repair after a 1st time dislocation in patients under 25 years of age. Older or less active individuals usually do very well with rest and an exercise program. Surgery may be needed for those that continue to have problems. Many surgeons repair the torn ligaments by making large incisions on the shoulder. As instruments have improved, most patients can be successfully treated by arthroscopic surgical repair on an outpatient basis as Dr Goradia performs regularly.

Labral Tears can occur when falling on the arm/shoulder, having the arm suddenly pulled, a lifting injury or repetitive overhead activity with the arm. The labrum is the cartilage “lip” that lines the shoulder socket or glenoid. This lip helps to deepen the socket so the shoulder ball will stay in the socket better. When this labrum tears away from the socket bone, patients experience pain, catching, clicking and/or locking. This condition is best treated with arthroscopic surgery. You may hear or read about a SLAP Tear. This is a specific type of Labral Tear that occurs on the top part of the socket. Biceps tendon tears often result in a “Popeye” muscle appearance of the arm. The biceps muscle in the arm has a tendon that attaches to the glenoid or socket within the shoulder. If the tendon tears loose the muscle sometimes “falls” down into the arm. Although this looks strange, most patients do not have pain or significant weakness and therefore do not need to have surgery. Partial tears however may be painful and often need surgery.

Shoulder Separations are common injuries that are often confused with shoulder dislocations. A separation occurs when the ligaments between the acromion and the clavicle (acromioclavicular ‘AC’ joint) are injured. Most of these injuries are treated with a sling. Only severe separations require surgical repair.

A Frozen Shoulder can occur when an injury causes pain and the patient stops using the arm. Within a short period of a few weeks the shoulder can become very stiff and painful with scar tissue. In a small number of patients a frozen shoulder can occur for no reason at all without any injury. Patients with diabetes and thyroid problems are more likely to develop a frozen shoulder. In most cases patients can be treated with a cortisone shot and stretching exercises with a physical therapist. If the shoulder continues to stay frozen some patients will need a manipulation of the shoulder or arthroscopic removal of scar tissue.

Osteoarthritis can cause destruction of the shoulder (glenohumeral joint) and surrounding tissue, as well as tearing of the rotator cuff. For patients who do not respond to an exercise program, medications and/or cortisone injections, shoulder replacement surgery may be necessary.

Seeing a Shoulder Specialist

Although any general orthopedic surgeon can treat shoulder problems, many of these conditions may be better treated by someone with expertise and advanced training in their diagnosis and treatment. There are a limited number of such specialists in Richmond.

Dr. Goradia is fellowship trained in Sports Medicine, Arthroscopic Surgery and Knee & Shoulder Reconstructive Surgery. He has taught arthroscopic surgery to other orthopedic surgeons at national conferences and has produced educational videos of his surgeries for teaching surgeons on the website of the Arthroscopy Association of North America.