Angie Blakemore, LMT
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Leading a Healthy Life: Massage is One Piece

4/9/2018

 
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Massage is only part of the equation to living your best life. While a massage can be beneficial for reducing stress, reducing pain, relaxing muscles and overall helping you lead your best life, it alone cannot solve all of your problems. It is very important that you supplement a therapy session with other stress-reducing activities that you enjoy.

We tend to become so consumed in our everyday lives that we forget how important it is to take a minute and enjoy some of the amazing things this life has to offer.

Nature has always been my escape from life’s stressors, and the place I can turn to for true relaxation. I love anything that can be done outdoors, especially hiking, kayaking and camping. There is something about walking through trees, breathing in the fresh air and embracing the sound of crashing waves, rustling leaves or chirping birds that I find so refreshing.  

If outdoor activities are not for you, there is an almost infinite amount of other possibilities that you may enjoy. Reading, going to the gym, watching your favorite Netflix series or simply taking an hour out of your day to talk to someone who is special to you can make you feel better than you imagine.

​No matter what you enjoy, remember to take the time for yourself because even the highest priorities will not be done efficiently if we are pushing our brains and bodies to the max and feeling overwhelmed much of the time. So, I highly encourage you to stop what you’re doing and take that much-needed time for yourself to de-stress and do what you love the most. 

Ditch the Generic Massage

3/8/2018

 
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​Popular therapies such as a Deep-tissue massage and a Swedish massage feel amazing, but how well do they actually work to relieve your pain if they are not targeted toward your specific needs?
 
The purpose of massage therapy is to help reduce any troubles that your body may be facing, whether it is mental stress or physical pain.
 
A massage is unable to serve its purpose if the muscles attended to are unspecific to the patient’s personal needs.
 
When you place your pain in my hands, you are guaranteed a customized session with the goal of treating your tense, sore muscles so you will leave feeling much better!
 
It is a scientifically proven fact that no two bodies are exactly the same. So then what good would a massage that is not tailored to fit your body and its specific needs do?
 
An effective massage experience is one that fully diminishes your pain, which is why the sole mission of any professional in this field should be to evaluate contributing factors, muscles involved in their discomfort and provide a skilled, therapeutic session designed to put them on the path to healing. My goal is to alleviate your pain; if not on that day then in the near future. 
 

Reduce Your Morning Stiffness

2/12/2018

 
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​If you wake up in the morning, and the first thing you feel is stiffness in your muscles and your joints, then you probably suffer from a predicament commonly known as morning stiffness.
 
Generally, people suffering from this ailment have difficulty moving around when they first get out of bed, and it can cause them to experience pain all over their body. And morning stiffness – despite what its name implies – can actually last for the whole day.
 
Many factors can cause this, including aging. As you age, the cartilage in your body tends to stiffen. But morning stiffness is not limited to the elderly.  Anyone of any age can experience it because the tendons and the muscles of your body can stiffen while you sleep, especially if those tendons and muscles are weak.
 
If you deal with morning stiffness, massage can help. A massage helps to work out the tightness in your muscles and reduce the soreness.
 
I would love to help you live with less stiffness. Book an appointment with me today, and I can help reduce your morning stiffness.

How Massage Can Help Allergies

10/25/2017

 
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​Anyone who suffers from allergies knows the symptoms: the sneezing, the itchy and watery eyes and the congested nose. These symptoms can be a major annoyance, and most people try to ward them off with a host of over-the-counter allergy medications.
 
But, did you know that massage can help with your allergies? Though massage cannot get rid of your allergies entirely, it can help get rid of the symptoms.
 
Stress has been linked to worsening allergy symptoms, and massage has long been known to help decrease stress levels in the body. With a massage, you are getting rid of stress, which in turn, will help to ease your allergy symptoms.
 
In addition, massage can help with your allergies as it improves circulation in your body and boosts your immune system. And facial massage can help to drain your sinuses.
 
If you have allergies and you just feel as though nothing helps to relieve them, book an appointment with me! I can help you finally find the solution to your allergy issues. 

Get Rid of those Painful Hamstrings!

10/17/2017

 
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​Hamstrings are the large muscles located in the back of your thighs. These muscles help you bend your knees and move your hips backwards. They help you walk, jump and run.
 
When you experience pain in your hamstrings, it becomes a huge obstacle in your life because the pain can affect your ability to move.
 
If you are experiencing pain in your hamstrings, the pain might actually be the result of sitting. When you sit in a chair that is too high, your legs dangle, and this creates excessive pressure on the back of your thighs.
 
Massage with the use of pressure, movement and warm stones can help to relieve the pain and pressure in the hamstrings, and restore your life to normal.
 
If you know someone who is on the shorter side and is complaining about pain in the back of their legs, refer them to me! I can get rid of those painful hamstrings! 

Experiencing Lower Back Pain?

10/11/2017

 
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​Your lower back is a crucial part of your body. It helps you bend and twist and move your hips while you walk. The lower back also supports your spine, and it contains the nerves that work the muscles in your pelvis, legs and feet.  
 
Pain in your lower back can be caused by a variety of factors, such as a strained muscle from exercise, carrying a heavy bag, bad posture, heavy lifting, lack of exercise or ruptured disks. The pain can vary from a dull ache to a stabbing or burning feeling.
 
Lower back pain can hinder your daily motion by preventing you from standing up straight, walking, or moving from the standing to the sitting position.
 
Massage can help to relieve the pain you feel in your lower back. Massage promotes blood circulation, which helps the sore muscles in your lower back to recover, and it can relax your muscles, so your range of motion returns to normal. Combining massages with daily exercise and stretching will help you heal your lower back faster.
 
I can help ease the lower back pain you experience. Don’t put it off any longer; book an appointment with me today! 

Feeling Stiff and Sore after Traveling?

9/5/2017

 
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​Traveling can be stressful and painful for your body. Whether you are traveling by car, train or airplane, sitting in the same position for a long period of time can have negative effects on your body.
 
Dr. Scott Bautch, a chiropractor from Wausau, WI, says prolonged sitting can result in limited blood flow in your body as well as pressure in your lower legs. This, in turn, can cause soreness and stiffness.
 
Massage can help to alleviate the soreness and stiffness you feel after traveling. Massage helps to boost the blood flow in your body that was limited from travel. And it also helps to improve your sore muscles.
 
If you feel pretty stiff or sore after a long trip, see me today! I can help your body feel refreshed and normal again. 

I Can Help You Reach Farther!

8/28/2017

 
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We know that we use our arms every day – for reaching, grabbing, writing, etc. Most of us rely on our arms to help us get through the day, but we tend to take it for granted. It becomes obvious how much we use our arms if we find that we have trouble or pain while straightening our arms.
 
Some people experience problems fully extending their arms when they try to complete simple, everyday tasks such as reaching for an item in a cabinet or pushing their arm through a shirt sleeve. Not being able to complete these daily tasks can become a major frustration.
 
Arm extension issues can be caused by knots in the side of the latissimus muscles, which are the two flat muscles located on either side of the back. Knots in the subscapularis muscles, which are found on the underside of the shoulder blade, also can limit the extension in your arms.
 
Luckily, massage is an easy and efficient way to get rid of those knots and restore the range of motion in the arm. If you know someone who is having trouble fully extending their arm, tell them you know somebody who can help! I would love to help them reach farther.
 
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Avoid Water Skiing Injuries with Massage

8/18/2017

 
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With the weather warm and sunny, water skiing is a great way to cool down and have fun. Water skiing is a popular summer sport that – despite how fun it looks – requires a lot of strength and stamina in order to remain standing while speeding over the water.
 
When muscles are used heavily during physical activities, they can become tighter and less flexible. And when muscles lose their flexibility, they are susceptible to pulling and tearing, according to the Dublin Physiotherapy Clinic.
 
Water skiers can suffer these types of injuries because they rely heavily on their muscles. Mature skiers in particular are susceptible because they tend to have less flexibility in their muscles already.
 
A great way to prevent water skiing injuries is through massage. Massage can improve flexibility, expand range of motion and help the connective tissue heal in your muscles – all of which help to prevent injuries.
 
Nobody wants to pull a muscle and be out of commission. If you love to water ski, book an appointment with me today! I can help you ensure that you remain injury-free. 

Healing Scar Tissue with Massage

7/25/2017

 
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​If you have had surgery, you may be experiencing pain or stiffness from scar tissue. Scar tissue can develop deep under the skin after surgery as a natural way of the body trying to heal the injury. Small pieces of scar tissue, known as adhesions, can bind to the nearby tissue, and this can cause stiffness and pain, according to Dr. Aaron Martin of Patch.com.
 
Massage can help to decrease this stiffness and pain. I was able to help a client reduce the tightness he felt from scar tissue through massage.
 
This client had cut his hand down to the tendon but did not seek medical attention. He vigorously protected his hand during the healing process, and as a result, did not move it through the usual range of motion. Unfortunately, this caused him to experience extreme tightness, and he was not able to bend his wrist properly.
 
I worked with this client to massage the scar tissue that had developed within his hand. Through massage, we were able to reduce the tightness, and he gained much of his range of motion back. This client actually got very emotional when he realized his hand had nearly returned to normal!
 
Stories like this are why I love what I do. I was able to return this client’s life to normal, and I can help other people who have similar situations. If you know someone who had surgery in the past four to six months, or who had an injury that required stitches but did not get them, then please talk to them about how massage can help. I would love to help them recover. 

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Angie Blakemore, LMT
807 NW 57th St
​Gainesville, FL 32605
​(352) 448-9145
  • Home
  • Book Massage Now!
  • Services & Pricing
  • Angie's Articles
  • About
  • Contact Me (352) 448-9145