Meet Olena Fosforova, Massage and Bodywork Therapist

Olena Fosforova is a licensed massage and bodywork therapist based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is the owner of Olea Inc, where therapists use muscle testing within massage therapy, which is effective in treating various musculoskeletal problems like back pain, carpal tunnel, and headaches. She has a special interest in providing NeuroKinetic Therapy.

1. What drew you to the field of massage therapy?

I was fortunate to be introduced to massage therapy very early in my life. My grandmother, who was both a nurse and a massage therapist (holistic medicine works hand in hand with modern medicine in Eastern Europe), spoiled me with massages even before I could walk. Later in life, I saw how my grandmother's touch carried a great healing power for other people in need.

These experiences instilled in me both the belief that massage is one of life's greatest pleasures, and a desire to help others. I knew I wanted to receive a professional massage therapy education.

2. Are there some common sources of pain experienced by people who seek out massage therapy?

Lower back pain and neck pain are the main ones we see, often in people who are desk workers. But it varies a lot. People who are active have knee and hip problems. People who work in the service industry have a lot of shoulder and wrist issues. That's what makes my job interesting: solving different pain-related difficulties every day.

3. What is NeuroKinetic Therapy?

It is a corrective movement system which addresses the cause of pain: dysfunctional movement patterns stored in the brain. Simply put, this system is based on relationships within your body. Muscle testing is performed to find which functions of the muscular system have been compromised and to help us treat the compensating areas.

4. What benefits have you been seeing in your clients who have experienced NeuroKinetic Therapy?

A lot of times, palpating and the symptoms that clients complain about will give you a wrong picture of where to massage. NeuroKinetic therapy will bring you right to the root of the pain and the number of treatments is significantly minimized. For example, people who had X-rays, MRIs, and doctors' evaluations that didn't help them have come to me to with hope, and we are able to significally relieve pain after one session. People just don't realize that most of the pain they experience outside of the gut area is caused by muscular imbalances.

5. For people who haven't tried massage therapy before and aren't sure if it's right for them, what's your advice?

I always feel sorry for people who spend a lot of the hard-earned money on tests and therapies that don't help. I always recommend that clients see a massage therapist first, to rule out muscular issues. Conditions that a knowledgeable massage therapist can actually help with include but are not limited to: headaches/migraines, neck and back pain, shooting pain down the arm/down the leg, sciatica, tennis elbow/golfer's elbow, tendonitis, pain from bulging disk, carpal tunnel, plantar fasciitis, IT-Band issues, TMJD, spasming/cramping, arthritis pain, breathing problems, range of motion increase, frozen shoulder, and and and! It will be cheaper and less invasive to see a massage therapist for one thing, and if it helps, you saved yourself a lot of pain, time, and money.

Thanks, Olena!