Social media is a great medium to connect with others.  In fact, social media allows people with similar interests interact quickly and efficiently.  I have joined a few social networks to see what people are most interested in and to see where the trends are.  To my surprise, tools such as Facebook and Twitter are excellent for staying in touch with people and interacting.

I love the fact that I know what people are up to and what they are interested in.  Facebook has helped me find new and old friends.  The pages section has allowed me to get up to date information on the topics I am most interested in.  As a result, I have created a “Fan” page for The Stick.  I post information all the time that I think people will find informative and help them live a healthy, active life.  You can become a fan of the stick here:

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stick/106546661423

Twitter is an excellent way to follow people who have the same interests as you.  Once you start following people, you stay on top of the latest information.  Here is my Twitter profile:

http://twitter.com/ZealousVitality

Oh ya, don’t forget about YouTube!!! 

   http://www.youtube.com/user/ZealousVitality

I have to share this fantastic information with you.  I have been following Patrick Ward on Twitter and have found some awesome information he has posted on his website.  If you wan to learn more about Trigger Points, you should check out his to videos and the information in print.

It Hurts Right Here: The Mystery of Pain
By
Keats Snideman BS, CSCS, RKC, LMT
&
Patrick Ward MS, CSCS, LMT

Patrick and Keats write and talk about:

• Development of Pain in the Myofascial Tissues
• Are All Painful Spots Trigger Points?
• How Do You Know if You’re Dealing with TrP’s?
• Soft Tissue Techniques
• Applying Trigger Point referrals to myofascial lines
• Linking science to practice
• Practical Applications
• Conclusions

Credit goes to:

Keats Snideman is the owner of Reality Based Fitness.  Patrick Ward is the owner of Optimum Sports Performance.  Together they own the Reality Based Fitness/Optimum Sports Performance Training facility in Tempe, AZ, where they offer sport conditioning and soft tissue therapy to athletes and clients of all levels and abilities.  In addition, they both host the Reality Based Fitness Podcast.

Here are the videos:

Here is the direct link to the article : It Hurts Right Here: The Mystery of Pain

Remember, The Stick can help to take care of your soft tissue, the same way a therapists hands roll over your muscles.  As always, I do not claim that The Stick should replace human touch.  The massage device provides excellent support for your muscular heath.

In my last series of learning about Trigger Points, I would like you to watch the video below.  Dr. Kuttner, does an excellent job explainging what causes Trigger points and how to treat them.

The Stick is an excellent tool for managing trigger points.  

The compressing, stretching and fluid exchange provided by The Stick helps restore and maintain normal muscle tone, function and memory.  Also, it is not necessary to hurt the muscle in order to help the muscle.  Treat with “good” pain not “ouch” pain.  Typically a full body rollout before and after sleep, plus before and after bouts of physical activity, will provide utmost management in the individual’s search for enhanced muscle hygiene. – Dr. Belcher

Finding Trigger Points is a skill that can be learned.  This video shows you how!

The Stick can also help to identify Trigger Points by rolling The Stick over your muscles.  You do not need to go to the ground or push hard and go through pain to find Trigger Points. Typically, myofascial release techniques require help from a healthcare provider.  The Stick was developed for self-use.  Often, The Stick, is prescribed as an adjunct for home-use between clinical applications.  Some Trigger Points come back, meaning there is muscle memory involved.  Due to the the physiology of muscle memory, trigger points can be chronic in nature and tend to hang around like an unwelcomed party guest.  Typically, trigger points can be identified when they become active or painful.  “The small center-balance segments of The Stick, however, allows for the diagnosis of latent or inactive trigger points, as well” (Belcher).  Therefore, prevention of muscle lesions is a major and most appreciated asset.  By the way, inactive trigger points cause stiffness and/or limited range of motion – no pain.

Trigger points can really inhibit the daily performance of your muscles.  Watch this excellent video to understand more about Trigger Points, muscles and tendons.

The Stick is excellent for identifying and working on Trigger Points!!

Here is an awesome and funny article written by Cathy on her blog fourwhite feet.  She uses very creative words for massage devices!!

Cathy and her dogs!

Massage Gizmos

Of all the massage gizmos in my possession, more than I wish to enumerate here, there are two (maybe three) I would buy again.

First is the Theracane. I got one just before Tejas 500 and I think it contributed to my finishing in good shape. I usually get neck and shoulder pain after a few hours of riding. At other races Jen has leaned an elbow into my trapezius (trapezii ?) periodically. At Tejas I left the Theracane hanging near my food table. Between laps I’d grab it, inflict a few seconds of torture to my neck, traps, and rhomboids, and return to riding with significant relief.

(Another note on this subject: I noticed after about 30 hours of riding that I got a lot of neck/shoulder relief by moving my arms way back on my aero bars, so my wrists were practically resting on the pads. In other words, I was too stretched out on my bike. Not saying this is always the case, but you might try moving closer or farther away if you’re having neck/shoulder pain.)

So why did I wait so long to get a Theracane? I’ve known about them for years. Well, I have a stick; like go in the forest and pick up a stick, that approximates the same functionality so I didn’t think I needed one. I can say now, that besides being more portable, the Theracane is capable of more precision and generally works better than a stick.

Speaking of sticks, the other thigamajig I’d buy again is the Original Body Stick. Unfortunately you can’t find these laying around in the forest. The Body Stick offers a kinder, gentler neck massage than the Theracane. Not to say it can’t hurt like H-E-2*L if you’re sore. The Body Stick is simple, and portable, and you can use it standing up, or sitting down to massage neck, back, arms and legs.

Which brings me to all those other whatchamadoozies. It’s not that I don’t use them. Well, the ones that require another person really don’t get used, but I do use the other self-massage doohitchies. The problem is, 85% of the time it’s either not convenient, or I just don’t feel like rolling around on the floor. While body weight inflicted torture is unique and works well for some areas; i.e. piriformis, the strength and contortion required usually make the floor models less relaxing.

So what’s number (maybe) three you ask? Don’t get too excited. It’s the Travel Stick. Nice if you need a shorter version to fit in a smaller suitcase, but generally the length is not as good as the Original, and mine has had a funny plastic smell for years that makes it less pleasant to use.

I love Cath’s comments of not having to roll around on the floor and not having to use your body weight to get results.   The Stick is 100% controlled by the user!  You apply as much pressure as you like in any position.  If you are out my way in Alberta, Canada, you should look me up @ The Stick.ca.

I often look at my stats of my blog and my website.  To date, the most popular posts here on my blog is IT Band Syndrome and Choosing The Right massage Stick.  The most popular FREE DOWNLOAD on my website is Specific Techniques for the IT Band. 

This tells me that people are looking for information about IT Band Syndrome.  Please click on the links above to get more information and watch this great video below for more information about how to take care of your IT Band.  There are stretches for your IT Band as well as strengthening exercises for the IT Band.

By the way, when I speak with people about their IT Band issues, almost all of them end up grabbing a Sprinter Stick.  It is because the Sprinter Stick is stiff and can really roll out the IT Band.

The Sprinter Stick

I will be creating more resources such as videos and blog entries about this subject so check back often!!

I found the below article written by Joe Pietaro for Muscle Sport Magazine: (Click Here to go to the original article)

We have all hit that proverbial wall or sticking point in our training. No pun intended on the latter, but get past that with The Stick, which is a device “used to segmentally compress and stretch muscle.” Treat your muscle pains and trigger points comfortably and safely with this product made of space-age plastic.

By using The Stick, you can self-administer therapeutic procedures such as unassisted rolling, stretching, twisting and compressing of the muscle. After just a few strokes, you will begin to feel the release of the build up from your strenuous training routine.

The Stick provides the following benefits:

*Prevent and predict muscle injuries

*Dramatically improve strength, flexibility and endurance

*Rapidly prepare muscles for physical activity

*Disperse the effects of lactic acid following activity

*Accelerate muscle recovery

You know you’re doing something right when the United States Olympic Training Centers in four states (Colorado, New York, Michigan and California) are using The Stick as a training tool.

The Stick comes in a variety of sizes (long, medium, short) and prices range from $53.95 (30-inch Big Stick) to $27.50 (17-inch Travel Stick). For more information and to order your own, please visit www.thestick.com.

Of course, if you are in Alberta,Canada, you can find ordering information through me @ www.thestick.ca.

First of all, what is “Sleep Hygiene”.  To me, sleep hygiene is everything you do to make your night’s sleep a healthy one.  It can be as easy as eliminating all distractions such as sounds and light or the pre-bedtime routine that you do before you go to bed.  I have friends who swear by ear plugs and sleep masks. 

For people with restless leg syndrome or body jerks, you should really try rolling out your body before you go to bed.  It will relax you, increase blood flow(circulation) and stretch out your muscles, allowing them to get to a resting state faster.   When you are more relaxed, you can sleep better and longer. 

 Here is a quick routine: 

• Rollout your feet
• Rollout your calves
• Rollout the muscle on the front of your shin (Tibialis Anterior)
• Rollout your hamstrings
• Rollout your quads and IT Band
• Rollout your lower back
• Rollout your upper back and shoulders
• Rollout you Neck
• Rollout your arms

For specific techniques of rolling out each body part, visit my website that has FREE DOWNLOADS of real pictures and real people rolling out their bodies.

 Have a Good Night!

If you have time to take a break at work,(and you should) then you have time to roll out and use The Stick. 

Original Body Stick

You can use The Stick @ your desk to loosen tight muscles in your back, shoulders and neck. You can also use The Stick to roll out your forearms to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome.

You can use The Stick to warm-up your muscles before you go for your lunch-time run.  Then when you are done, you can use The Stick for cool-down.

You can also keep a TriggerWheel in your desk to roll out the muscles in your neck and forearms.  Ease neck tension by rolling the TriggerWheel over the back of your neck from the base of your spine to the bottom of your neck.

TriggerWheel

Try keeping a FootWheel under your desk to roll out your feet while you work!

FootWheel

The Stick, TriggerWheel or FootWheel do not need any extra equipment like mats or plug ins.  You can get the benefits of massage therapy at any time of the day at your desk.  If you are worried about distracting your co-workers, don’t be.  The Stick virtually makes very little noise and you do not need to go to the ground to use it.