Troopie Yoga

I wrote the item below in anticipation of the usual Christmas season stress, but it’s relevant any time of the year…. It’s a fact that stress kills people. You have one life to live and it’s going to be a challenge- sometimes really difficult – without adding artificial stress to the mix. Some types of stress can be totally eliminated by adopting a better attitude or lifestyle. Developing good mature approaches to life help you when things are genuinely tough. Be kind to yourself and those around you. Being rich in love is more satisfying than being rich in possessions. Seasonal Stress – 43 days to new year Written on 22 November, 2010 Talking with other massage therapists, I must say that the increase in stress hits suddenly...

Continuing the ‘Troopie Yoga’ series, let’s look at the pressures on the body of the Remote Nurse or Health Worker.  I’ve never been out bush with a Remote Nurse, and I base this post on what I am presented with when someone enters my massage clinic.  Here we look at the residual effect and what is commonly highlighted by the client. Driving Firstly there is the effect of long distance driving.  Rotator Cuff injury and locked up subscapularis muscles are common. This comes from sitting in a position with your hands in front of you whilst having to negotiate endless small corrections with the steering wheel. In order to do this you need to constantly squeeze the muscles under your arms and around your lower rib cage – these are...

Introducing Troopie-Yoga - Lifestyle and coping skills for people who work ‘out bush’. Alice Springs is a service centre for people who work in the caring professions. Over the last 10 years as a massage therapist, I have had many discussions with my clients about how to cope and thrive given the intensity of remote work in NT. Subscribe to this blog for insight and supportive suggestions. Body Types The Station Hand –...

Continuation of the Troopie Yoga series – firstly looking at the types of Remote Workers who visit my practice. Remote work can take many guises and affect the body in many different ways.  Let me start by presenting some examples of what I have seen in the massage clinic. One of my clients works with cattle and has done so all his life.  When he first came in for a massage, he told me that he did a lot of running so needed extra work on his legs.  I asked more about the running - assuming he ran around a track, or along the road or he played a sport.  But, no, he runs after cattle.  Or he runs away from cattle.  He catches bulls by the tail and brings them down.  I laughed when he started to describe how he uses his body for work.  How many of us...