Little Bird Reflexology
Do you accept insurance?
No. I am not a provider for any insurance company. I'm happy to provide a receipt if you would like to try to seek reimbursement, but I do not include any medical coding on the receipt.
Is deep tissue massage painful?
No, deep tissue massage does not have to be painful. It means working specifically with the muscle anatomy in a focused way to reach deeper structures. My philosophy is to work slowly and move deeper when the tissue allows. Most people experience my touch as gentle.
Can I book a longer session?
No. At this time I am only offering one hour sessions.
Do you offer whole body massage?
No. My primary focus is work on the feet. If you would like to design a unique session (combining massage, reiki and/or reflexology) please contact me and we can talk about it.
What should I wear?
Ideally, you should wear shorts or loose pants that can easily roll above the knee without cutting off circulation. Alternatively, you may undress and a sheet will be provided for modesty draping.
Lower Leg &
Foot Massage
60 minutes Massage $70
I use a combination of Swedish and deep tissue massage techniques as well as myofascial stretching to release tension in the lower leg. Then I address the feet using a variety of massage or reflexology techniques based on your specific needs.
The two largest muscles that make up the calf (gastrocnemius and soleus) are considered the "second heart" of the body. While the heart pumps blood away from the center of the body, a massive system of veins return blood back to the heart. Veins work with a series of one-way valves, so that blood is always moving towards the heart, and the valves keep it from flowing backwards. Veins are buried deep under muscles so when the muscles contract the blood is pushed further along the path. The blood from the feet has a long, uphill track back to the heart, so it needs to get a strong push from the calf muscles.
If you imagine a flexible, strong muscle, the squeeze it gets from going from relaxed state to contracted could be very strong. Now imagine that that muscle is chronically tight. Its range of movement is much smaller as it goes from contracted to slightly more contracted. More relaxed lower leg muscles have a great influence on circulation.
In addition, these two calf muscles connect to the back of the heel (calcaneus) via the strong Achilles tendon. When the calf is chronically tight, this can pull the back of the heel up, which puts extra strain on the arches of the feet. Tight or aching feet might actually be due to tight calves.
Also, you may not realize it, but every step you take, the first toe is doing a strong flex to propel your body forward. 80% of your body weight is pressed on that one little joint with each step. The muscle that is primarily responsible for that push (Flexor Hallucius Longus) is actually located deep in the back of the lower leg, and runs as a tendon down to the toe, like a pulley system.