Jessica Ryan Massage Therapy
4 Cataraqui Street Unit W22 K7K 1Z7 Kingston, ON, Canada

I have some exciting news for the Fall! I’ve enrolled in a Clinical Hypnotherapy course for Healthcare Professionals taught by the knowledgeable @queeniephysio. I’ll be learning evidence-based stress management tools that will help my clients manage their symptoms through effective and lasting behaviour change. Though the focus will be on hypnosis, the course also covers other relaxation strategies and guided meditation. I look forward to adding this skill to my practice to h...elp you all with a variety of your complaints. Especially for those of you with TMJ dysfunction, as I know how effective hypnosis can be for this condition from personal experience. Comment below or DM for any questions you may have! I can’t wait to share this with you all #ygkmassage #continuingeducation #stressmanagement #tmjdisorder #clinicalhypnotherapy #selfcaresunday #jessicaryanmassagetherapy

Hey people! I wanted to share more of my ankle recovery. There is still some swelling, as well as pain in my end-ranges and when bearing weight in a few positions. This tells me that my tissues are not ready for exercises designed to increase my range of motion, which would place too much stress on them and possibly lead to another injury. Our Progressive & Regressive Angular Isometric Loading will have to wait a little longer. So what am I ready for? I have been doing active... controlled range of motion. This is to maintain my current range and allows me to check in with where my ankle is at in the healing process. I also want to create some stability in the ranges I do possess with some isometric strengthening. One exercise I have been utilizing is an isometric single leg deadlift, which allows me to focus on activating muscles of the posterior leg as well as some intrinsic foot muscles. To figure out the sweet spot for my ankle in terms of hold time, I referenced a chart borrowed from the text Overcoming Gravity. I first assessed how long I could hold the position without pain, and then choose the appropriate hold time and number of sets that would allow me to increase my strength. Today my maximum hold time was 30 seconds, meaning 3 sets of 20 seconds will allow me to gain stability without over-taxing the area. I’m looking forward to sharing the next stages with you, and as always please send a DM with any questions you might have. I’ll share some more information in the comments! #anklerehab #stabilitytraining #ygkmassage #jessicaryanmassagetherapy

In my career I’ve been very fortunate to work with many goal-oriented clients who were both respectful of professional boundaries and educated themselves as to what services I offer. I am always open to hearing questions and clearing up any confusion I can, as we all have a certain level of ignorance and are limited by our perceptions until we choose to adjust them. A few weeks back, I had a couple of seemingly strange phone calls, and while the experience was odd I thought t...hat it was resolved. Until last night at one am when I received this message from one of those numbers. This type of situation is something experienced by many people across different professions. It is both a benefit and a hazard that we have such easy access to each other, and it can be tough to navigate boundaries especially for those newer to their industry. When I was teaching in the massage therapy program, I’m not sure I addressed this topic thoroughly enough. How do you maintain professionalism in these moments? How do you respond to inappropriate requests, and should you even need to? The answer is so dependent on you and the specifics surrounding each circumstance. There is no absolute answer. I do my best to be clear about who I am in these moments, and then I put the exchange to rest. You are the only person you can control, and you don’t need that type of burnout. I’ve only been in this situation a few times, and while this was hardly the most explicit message I’ve had, it still causes some pause. Being able to talk about the awkward and uncomfortable subjects is important. And if you need any help finding your way, my inbox is always open. #ygkmassage #ygkcommunity #growthmindset #jessicaryanmassagetherapy

So, who out there is over dealing with the same injuries time and time again? Spraining my ankle this weekend has definitely reminded me to practice what you preach. I want to take this chance to guide you all through my rehab and recovery process because when life gives you lemons, right? (last proverb, I swear!). There is a lot of information out there, and I’ll post a few times in the coming weeks as I move through the different stages of healing. Right now things are a...cute, and the approach I like to take is a combination of RICE and METH. Meaning of course: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate & Mobilize, Elevate, Traction, Heat. I use the more traditional RICE methods mainly as pain management during this time. I place a lot more emphasis on the METH alternative. Moving my ankle through it’s ranges of motion effectively improves recovery by increasing blood flow and reducing the formation of misaligned collagen fibres. Heat is a great tool used to SUPPORT (not suppress) the inflammation phase of healing. Both massage techniques and elevating the injury are useful ways to decrease swelling. This occurs by assisting the lymphatic system in removing the waste by-products created during healing. When you injure yourself, it is always a good idea to connect with a healthcare professional who can guide your specific recovery. For those who’d like to learn more, I’ll post a link in the comments. #massage101 #anklesprain #rehab #injuryrecovery #ygkmassage #jessicaryanmassagetherapy

Wishing all the Dads, Dads-to-be and Father Figures a fantastic day! We appreciate all that you are and hope you get a chance to take some time for you. #fathersday #appreciation #insertdadjokehere