THE NEW HYBRID STICK!

The "Newest Stick"

Yes my friends….. a NEW STICK!!!

One of the most common questions I get from Stick users is “What is new with The Stick?”  My immediate answer is “Nothing….The Stick has been basically the same for 19 years.  The manufacturers of The Stick just don’t change what is not broken.  The Stick has lasted the test of time”.

Now don’t get me wrong, The TriggerWheel, FootWheel and PostureCurve are relatively new.  New models of  Sticks have come out and handles have been changed and improved but this time RPI of Atlanta has really outdone themselves.  The HYBRID STICK is awesome!

The wheel in the middle of the Stick allows for pinpoint accuracy that zeros in on trouble spots and trigger points.  Here is a video I created today!

 

 

Stay tuned for more on the HYBRID STICK!

CrossFit Athletes Prefer a Stiffer Stick

On May 30th, 2010 in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada (my home town) I attended the National CrossFit Championships.  For those of you who don’t know what CrossFit is – “The editors of PureHealthMD writing for Discovery Health Channel found CrossFit “equals better fitness and stronger muscles in a more reasonable amount of time” compared to trying to “build muscle and get in shape by spending 60 minutes or more in the gym several days a week…” Their conclusion was that the program “is a different type of exercise routine …a well-rounded and very efficient way to achieve a higher level of fitness …that does not need a whole lot of fancy equipment, but does offer a nice variety to keep the interest level up and provide the challenge needed to keep the exercise fun.”  For more information on what CrossFit is you can go here.  I was super impressed with the competition as a whole.  The weekend long event culminated with a tire flipping, power lifts and lapping a hockey arena display of power, speed and endurance.  This picture shows just a glimpse of the ladies finals.

I had a small booth spreading the good word about The Stick.  I spoke with athletes about their training, recovery, nutrition and soft – tissue manipulation.  Most of the athletes I spoke with knew how important it was to perform at the highest level they could.  Of course, they were…..they were competing at the National Finals!!

What most people don’t know about these competitions or CrossFit in general is that these athletes work their bodies to exhaustion all the time.  The top athletes  actually training like Olympic Athletes and Professional Athletes.  The training routines are extremely rigorous and often very hard to even finish.  Athletes were actually waiting for me to get there as I arrived a little late from supporting my wife running her 9th half marathon in Calgary, Alberta.  Many of the athletes came over and said how much they loved “The Stick”.  The loved how The Stick helped them with their sore muscles, trigger points and recovery.

These CrossFit athletes were unique in that they were after a Stick that would penetrate deep into their muscles.  Most of the athletes had very thick and well-developed muscles.  As a result, I distributed more Stiff Sticks and Sprinter Sticks than I have at any other event.  I can safely say that Crossfit athletes love The Stick!  In fact, I sold out of all the Stiff Sticks that I had on hand.

The difference between a Stiff Stick and a Sprinter Stick is that the Stiff Stick is longer and more Stiff than the Sprinter Stick.  The Stiff Stick would suite people who are taller who want to get at their back and shoulders as well as their legs and arms.  It is for thick, heavy muscles.  The Sprinter Stick is the stiffest Stick in the short models of Sticks.

For more information about the types of Sticks, you can visit our website. We have a video and a table that explains which Stick is correct for a given body type.

Understanding Trigger Points – Hands on!!

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.

Causes and Treatment of Trigger Points

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

How to Find Trigger Points

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.

Explaining Trigger Points and How They Work

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!!

Muscle Sport Magazine Likes The Stick

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.

What is “The Stick”? A Video From Tim Borland

Here is a fantastic video from Tim Borland speaking about what The Stick is and how it works.

Tim does a great job speaking about his top 3 reasons for using The Stick:

1. Injury Prevention
2. Recovery
3. Performance

 

The Stick As a Recovery Tool Part 2

To fully understand muscle recovery whether it is work related, induced by training and/or exercise or even from a medical condition, we first need to discuss muscles as compliant and non-compliant.

We will first start with a discussion of compliant muscle. Muscles that are compliant can be shortened, stretched, compressed and twisted without symptoms of soreness or pain. They will exhibit flexibility, strength, good circulation, and the qualities of endurance.

Let’s switch our focus to the qualities of a non-compliant muscle.  Non-compliant tissue is tight, stiff and tender.  People often refer to this type of sensation as having painful “knots” in their muscles. Their muscles actually feels fibrous instead of long, lean and smooth.  Non-compliant muscles exhibit reduced flexibility, weakness, poor blood circulation and they easily fatigue.  A non-compliant muscle or group of muscles create barriers which restrict peak performance and blood flow.  These, non-compliant muscles are susceptible to injury because they are not functioning properly. In order for the body to perform at optimum levels, muscles must me allowed to expand and contract freely.

The human body contains approximately 690 muscle bellies and tendons. Each muscle has an origin and an insertion.  The rule of thumb is the origin is where the muscle attaches to bone and the least amount of movement takes place.  Whereas the insertion of a muscle is the opposite end of the muscle that attaches to bone where the most movement takes place.  Here is a great website for muscle origins and insertions. 

Now that we have some basic understanding of compliant and non-compliant muscles, there are some tough questions to answer:

• Why are some muscles compliant and others are not?
• Why do specific muscle get stiff during weather changes, yet others appear to be  unaffected?
• Why do we continually wake up with the same sore, stiff muscle pain in the same place every morning?
• Why does our back hurt in some positions and not others?
• Why do our episodes of muscular pain plague us in the same spot?
• Why does the pain return . . . even after treatment?

The above hypothetical questions all have one common answer. That is… myofascial lesions in the form of barrier trigger points.  Myofascia is the tissue that surrounds all muscles.  I like to describe it like the substance that holds sausages together.  Barrier trigger points are inflexible bands of muscle, usually containing knots. These trigger points (knots) set an artificial ceiling on optimal muscle performance by restricting blood flow to the muscle(s). Muscles need unrestricted blood flow for both high performance and full recovery from muscle activity regardless of the type (athletic, work related or a muscular condition). Simply put, barrier trigger points are usually the primary cause of non-compliant muscles.

Here is where The Stick comes in…

The STICK allows a person to self-administer general as well as segmental therapeutic practices with a great deal of accuracy. By rolling over the muscles with The Stick, muscles become compliant and ready for activity. Due to the bio-mechanical rolling, stretching and compressing of muscle tissue, barrier trigger points become diffused and rehabilitation of non-compliant muscles takes place. Remember that a compliant muscle will perform much better than a non-compliant muscle.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of The Stick as a Recovery Tool.

Treating Neck Pain

More and more people I come across speak to me about sore necks and headaches from tension.  Although this is not a new phenomenon, I can’t help to think that in many cases it is related to posture and bio-mechanics.  Upon further investigation and questioning, it turns out that computer usage, cell phones, smart phones and MP3 players are largely to blame.

So many of us rely on “screens” to give us information on a daily basis.  We search on the Internet for the best prices and solutions to our questions and problems.  Some of us “text” like crazy with our heads bent forward putting strain on our necks.  Even searching for a song on our MP3′s is putting strain on our necks.  Blackberries, IPhones, Palms and other popular smart phones, have us checking Facebook, Twitter, email and surfing the web at any time in any place.  My point is, if you are not careful with the way you are looking at your screens, it can become a real “pain in the neck”!

Basic ergonomics say that you should sit with the natural curves in your neck and back.  Your computer screen should be at eye height and you should sit upright with your feet comfortably on the ground in front of you.  Your arms and hands should be comfortably bent at close to 90 degrees.  (More to come on another blog post.)

Now let’s talk hand held devices!  It has been very rare for me where I have seen someone on their cell phone texting at eye height.  Take a look around the next time you are out in public.  I also really like the the phone resting on the ear and shoulder routine while driving or taking notes.  I have even seen people out there performing the ear-shoulder routine while copying directions, putting on make-up, smoking and steering with their knees.  OK…. enough ranting!

Again, my point is, be aware of the position you are working/talking/texting/socializing in.

I have come across a great article posted by guardian.co.uk.  It speaks about the various treatments for neck pain.  I have to say that it is quite an extensive list.  They authors go through topics such as:

• Painkillers, heat or ice  for when you first get a sore neck.
• Hands-on treatment by professionals.
• Keeping active and exercising
• Improving your posture

They also go into detail about:

• Treatments that are likely to work - Mobilisation (often done by a physiotherapist), Manipulation (often done by a chiropractor), Exercise, Manipulation plus exercise, and Acupuncture.
• Treatments that need further study - Biofeedback, Drug treatments (Painkillers, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Stronger painkillers, Antidepressants, Muscle relaxants), Hot and cold packs, Being treated by a specialist team, Education programmes, Soft collars and special pillows, Traction, TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), Injections for neck pain caused by an injured nerve, and Surgery for neck pain caused by an injured nerve.

Needless to say, the article is quite good and has references.  You can find it – HERE -

If I can add my two cents, neck pain is nothing to take lightly when it lasts and lasts.  You should definitely seek professional advice.  For basic neck stiffness and soreness that comes and goes from stress and repetitive movements, I would recommend using a massage tool such as the TriggerWheel.  Just roll it up and down your neck and you can instantly identify trigger points and start releasing tension and stiffness.

 Click Here To See The TriggerWheel In action!