FARMERS' Massage package | Morris Herald-News - Morris Daily Herald

[massage]

Seneca farmer Jeff Maierhofer, center, learns about the special farmers massage package, “Fields to Feel Good,” offered by local business, Ultimate Performance Massage and Wellness. Left and right, owners of the business, Jonelle and Terry Carter.

Jeff Maierhofer, a farmer and Seneca High School agriculture teacher, knows farmers’ bodies take a lot of abuse. The five generations of farmers on his family’s farm have gone through a lot.

“I understand all the aches and pains,” he said. “There’s a lot of lifting and throwing.”

Farmers ride tractors that can cause some hurt, too, especially on the older tractors.

“You’re always turning to see the implement behind you,” he said. “You’re bouncing and twisting at the same time.”

They climb over gates and manipulate heavy livestock, as well, and may have to lift 50-pound bags of seed.

“And you’re talking hundreds of bags,” he said.

Drivers of such delivery trucks as UPS are trained how to lift heavy boxes, Maierhofer said, but the farmers just do the work. They’re out there by themselves a lot of the time, he said, and don’t ask for help.

“Sometimes their strong work ethic works against them,” he said.

But a local massage therapy business has come up with an idea that they say will help all those aches and pains so common among farmers.

Ultimate Performance Massage and Wellness, at 407 Liberty St., Morris, is offering farmers a discount on a one-hour therapeutic massage package called, “Fields to Feel Good,” good through the rest of 2017.

Owners of the business are Terry Carter, a licensed massage therapist, and his wife, Jonelle, who owns a hair salon in town. Farmers don’t think a lot about relieving their pains through massage, Terry said, but they should.

“Farmers have a lot of low back and shoulders and neck pain,” Terry said, “from being bounced around in a machine. These guys are also lifting things that are 80 to 100 pounds. This is our way of showing our appreciation to them and giving back. They’re some of the hardest working people out there.”

He explained that farmers should consider therapeutic massages, even though it’s a new idea for that profession. He’s hoping the discount will bring some of them in to see what it can accomplish.

“It’s okay to get a massage,” he said. “Think of it as maintenance. We maintain our own vehicles, and farmers maintain their equipment. They should pay as much attention to their bodies.”

Terry said every massage he gives is a little different, depending on what’s needed for the individual. He starts most of his clients face-down on his table for the treatment. The new business has two private rooms with low lighting, massage tables and equipment. The space is not designed to be feminine, but welcoming to both genders. There are three licensed massage therapists who work there. One thing they do is trigger-point therapy, which releases muscle knots.

“I go in and attack that area,” he said, “to bring fresh blood and oxygen in to that area.”

He will also work on range of motion, among other treatments, and give advice how to avoid common problems. Most people need a few visits to get back to feeling up to par again, he said.

“They are going to notice a difference the first time,” he said, “ but it takes a while for us to undo everything.”

Terry has been a massage therapist for 12 years, mostly in the suburbs.

“We brought it here to Morris,” his wife Jonelle said, “because he recognized the need for the type of therapy he does.”

The pros there also use a G-5 machine, which Jonelle said is a vibration/percussion machine used when people are really hurting.

“We saw the need for everybody to feel better,” she said, “including farmers, who usually don’t think about themselves. ... We’re not a girly spa, so the comfort level is there for guys.”

Jonelle said growing up in the area and having friends and family who are farmers made her realize that after a time, they get tight muscles, and their mobility can even be reduced. The center currently has several farmers as clients.

“A lot of them don’t even realize how good they can feel,” she said. “They get used to the pain. ... We are hoping to educate this demographic of people who would never think of getting a massage.”

The clinic has other package deals for law enforcement officers, firefighters and EMS workers. There are also sports packages.

For appointments or questions, call Ultimate Performance Massage and Wellness at 815-513-3364 or visit www.massagebook.com/biz/ultimateperformance. Walk-ins also are welcome.


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