you're not just one big hip flexor

...As Amy Reinick recently discovered. She's an avid runner and recent massage customer at a spa in Takoma Park. Her observations are similar to ones many of Lunar's clients discover as well. Insert the body part you want your therapist to focus on and be ready for the surprise that work on other areas alleviate pain or release tightness. It's all connected, and a great massage therapist walks you through the process of addressing your need but also teaching you about your body.

One Lunar client recently asked her therapist to focus on her hands because her thumb was hurting, then was surprised to note how good it felt to have her whole arm massaged and how it released the pain in her thumb as well.

Another recent blog post on the Gal's Guide has a great description of experiencing massage for the first time. No surprise here - she highly recommends it.

Both posts mention the steep prices of massage - remember here at Lunar we start at $26 for 20 minutes and even our $75 hour-long massage is more affordable than most places in DC.

Hands On: Desk Job

[Every month I highlight an activity or health issue that massage addresses.]

The vast majority of clients that come to Lunar work long hours at desk jobs and suffer the resulting tension and pain in their shoulders, neck, and back. Because massage seems like a luxury bundled in the spa experience, we often don't think of experiencing it until we're in pain or someone gives us a gift card for a massage. But massage is no longer locked behind a wall of luxury.

Lunar provides a unique service for busy professionals in DC – an affordable way to experience massage to increase your quality of life and to help make those long hours at the office more bearable. We even offer the one-of-a-kind “crackberry massage” to focus just on the hands and arms to relieve carpal tunnel or so-called “crackberry thumb” symptoms that can also accompany a typical DC job.

And since that job probably has something to do with saving the world or shaping policy in the midst of this economic crisis, you deserve the personal attention! A 20 minute massage here is about the price of the dinner and drinks you grab at the end of another 12 hour day ($26). So come by and see us – your body will thank you.

massage is counter-cyclical

..."Counter-cyclical" being a fancy way of saying that the business goes up in tough times because people buy more massages when life is really stressful.

This article talks about a booming massage business in Arlington, Texas.

"Hey, who wouldn't rather have a massage than go to the doctor?"

She says many of the new clients at her Arlington massage studio are all opting for a holistic approach to health -- one that doesn't require insurance.

I hadn't thought about the lack of insurance coverage being a positive thing for massage right now but they may have a point. Getting a regular massage is certainly better than popping a pill, or worse, doing nothing and suffering the long-term negative health consequences of stress.

Tension headaches

I had a client last night who's doctor recommended that he get regular massages to reduce his tension headaches. Wow! So glad there are some doctors making that recommendation. He got a 30 minute massage focused on his back, shoulders, and neck and it helped open him up. I also know of people who get regular massages to prevent migraines. Migraines will definitely be a "Hands On" focus of the month soon.

Speaking of "hands on"...

Consumer Reports finds "hands on" therapies more popular than traditional medicine for dealing with back pain. I was surprised to find chiropractic care more popular than massage! But I'll assume this supports my thesis that massage would be utilized more if it wasn't so expensive, intimidating, and inaccessible - exactly what Lunar Massage is here to change!

via Kivivi

Blogging the biz

Even though it feels like blogging is giving way to microblogging and status updates are the new blog posts, there's still a need for long-format writing, and blogging is still an awesome way to publish.

I am seven weeks into being a brick-and-mortar store owner and entrepreneur, and having a blog go along with the business is a natural choice for me. This will be my third blog, the most recent being ChaChing - a life skills and frugality site for urban folks feeling the pinch of the recession or just wanting tips on how to be less wasteful and enjoy city life without spending boatloads of money.

Now I'm focused on making this business successful in the midst of world economies crashing, because I believe entrepreneurship is more important than ever.

This blog will be about the business and the insanely volatile path of an entrepreneur, but I also want to explore why massage is an important preventative health investment for many people. It enables me to have a conversation with you, my customers and potential customers, and to continue to work toward my goals of demystifying massage, making it more accessible, cooler, and creating a space that is restful, rejuvenating, and quality-of-life-improving in the middle of this crazy city.

So welcome to Hands On and I hope to see you at Lunar Massage soon!