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Sunday, September 27, 2009

Relieve Trigger Points to Overcome Soft-Tissue Pain

Disclaimer: This post is not intended as medical advice. This post is for educational purposes only. There are many factors that can produce myofascial pain, including stress. If you have numbness, tingling, headaches, dizziness or other symptoms please see your primary care provider first to determine or eliminate possible other causes.

Have you ever wondered what those sore spots are when you push your finger into a muscle or wonder why your upper-back and neck are achy after working on the computer for longer periods of time? You probably have trigger points. Whether they are latent or active, we all have them.

What are Trigger Points?

Not many people know that Trigger Points exist. Janet G. Travell and David G. Simons were the first to really discover and describe referral patterns of trigger points. They also wrote the "bible of trigger point therapy" that therapists use as a reference Trigger points are areas of the muscle's contractile unit, the sarcomeres that are not letting go. They are "knotted" and pulling on either end of the muscles. TrPs can be the size small grains of sand, big tennis ball or ropes.

Latent are ones that you can only feel when pressure is applied to them. Muscles with trigger points in them do not gain strength nor do they get bigger.

Active TrPs first tell you they are there by whispering, when ignored they shout and when ignored even more they yell so loud that it becomes disabling. When TrPs are not dealt with when they are whispering it takes longer to find relief and the muscle takes longer to heal.

Trigger points produce more than just pain.

You can use hands, tennis balls, Trigger Point Therapists and other tools to deactivate them. The trick here is more is not better. If they are particularly senstive, chronic or you are new to self-treatment be gentle, use short pulsing strokes. Intensity about 2-6/10. Start gently and gradually by working your way into them. When deactivated muscles won't produce pain when pressed on. Start to strengthen again when you no longer have trigger points in that area.

Be very gently with any stretching that you do. Most people tend to overstretch, which causes the fasica and muscles to contract.

Explore Vancouver Registered Massage Therapist Paul Ingraham's website for more details on trigger points and how to save yourself.

Resources:

Your Self-Treatment Guide

Trigger Point Tools

Trigger Point Therapy Educator - William Hunh

Live in the North Vancouver area? Book a consultation with Lifemoves' Kinesiologists to help you identify your trigger points, faulty posture and movements that could be making them worse. Learn to relieve soft-tissue pain and increase freedom of movement.

Labels: muscle, myofascial pain, soft-tissue, trigger points

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Technorati Claim - Get Moving For Life

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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Quantifying Carbohydrates Used During Grouse Grind Fueling for the BMO Grouse Grind Mountain Run - Part II

Every session I use my Polar Heart Rate monitor to keep track of my intensity and to quantify the calories burned during the ascent. Montoring my heart rate ensures that I push myself, but also so that I don't over do it. After all, I start each climb with a average target heart rate. The caloric estimation gives me an idea of what I need to eat re-fuel after and how much I need to consume prior.

The heart rate monitor estimates Fat %, so at an average HR of 177 bmp I burn about 500 kcals at 25% Fat. Time do the math:

CHO% = 100% - 25% = 75% CHO kcals = 375 kcals

There are 4kcals per gram of carbohydrate. Thefore grams of CHO:

CHOg = 375 kcals / 4kcals/g CHO ~ 94g in approximately 40 minutes.

Alfred Ball - Kinesiologist | Certified Strenght & Conditioning Specialist

Achieve a New Personal Record by Fueling Properly (following information is for non-diabetics and for general information. It is not a nutritional pre

For the past 18 years Grouse Mountain has hosted the BMO Grouse Grind Mountain Run(R) in September. 2009 is no exception it is the culmination of the summer's hard-work and repetitive, yet addictive climbs up the Grind.

Since July 12th, 2009 I have been training for it deligently and differently. I tried various intervals, plyometrics , running with Parachutes and climbing strategies all with the goal of challenging myself, but also being able to give guidance to fellow Grouse Grind enthusiasts. In this time my personal record has come down by almost 15 minutes.

I reached my mini peak goal of 39:56min on my 33rd birthday last week. This was achieved by implementing nutritional strategies a couple of days prior to September 10th. Today after encouraging a friend to push himself to a level of discomfort he rarely goes to on his own, it is time to taper and fuel for Sunday's race.

"Training is 90% physical and 10 % mental; and competing is 10% physical and 90% mental”.-Edmund Burke

Yes, there is nothing quite like a race, except a race, however by making your training harder than the competition, the competition becomes easier. Edmund Burke summarizes it quite well, but neglects the nutritional component of a 30min- 1:30Hr event which primarily uses carbohydrates (CHO) as fuel.

Alfred Ball - Kinesiologist, Strength & Conditioning Specialist

Friday, July 24, 2009

Stretching Tempo: Discard the 30 Second Rule

It is time to discard the old 30 second rule for holding each stretch and embrace what Ann and Chris Frederick at Stretch to Win call the "Stretch Wave." Basically, as I stated in a previous post is that your are trying to achieve the feeling of being "loose" and freedom to move.

The length of time you hold each stretch depends on the goals you have for that stretching session. First, ask yourself is this session before an activity, after an activity, for recovery or to gain lasting improvements in your flexibility?

Before a run, or golfing session it is appropriate to warm up the fascia, muscles, mind and nervous system. In this case your focus is the elastic range. However, at night or after a light cardio session when your goal is to improve your flexibility you want get into the plastic range. Think of the each fascial line like an elastic, when you go through the entire golf swing you want to be able move from your stance to follow-through easily and with control. Then you are going to set-up for you next swing. In essence when you pull the elastic and let it go, it returns to its resting length.

The plastic range is when the fascia is actually going to change its shape in a more permanent way. Similar to if you were to heat a piece of plastic, bend or reshape it, then let it cool. It will stay in this new shape. If you have an scarring due to a previous injury or surgery the plastic range will take longer to get into, so be patient.

There are several Stretch Waves: Very Slow- three slow breathes per stretch per position; Slow - two slow breathes per position; Fast - one regular breath per position; Very Fast - one fast breath per position (Stretch To Win, 2007).

Warming Up - go from a Very Slow to Very Fast and if you are cooling down and recovery progress from very fast to very slow.

The length of time you need to hold each stretch to gain flexibility depends on your age, current level of flexibility training and any previous injury or surgery in the fasical line. As you age the ratio of elastin to collagen changes. With increasing collegen our fascia has less stretch. Scar tissue forms after injury and surgery; it is primarily made of collagen that has laid down in a random matrix, which is tougher to stretch.

Take your time when you are stretching to gain flexibility. Remember to breath, if you are not breathing the stretch is too intense. Listen to your body it will tell you when it is "loose". Don't get hung up on the amount of time. Finish the stretch when you are no longer gaining length length for that session.

If you are in Metro Vancouver and want a flexibility program designed specifically for you to get moving more freely for life contact me at: alfred@lifemoves.ca

Find out more about Fascial Stretch Therapy

Alfred Ball

President | Founder | Fascial Stretch Therapist

Kinesiologists

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Rebalance Your Body to Improve Posture and Performance

With our stretch tips we want to change the way you stretch, so you achieve lasting changes in your posture, flexibility and performance (at work or at play).

Our bodies become unbalanced and stuck due to chronic work habits, repetitive movements, single directional sports and/or injuries. Do you play tennis, golf or sit at a desk for 8 hours a day 5 days per week? We end up tighter on one side or in one direction. I see people in the gym stretching usually in a single direction, e.g hamstring stretching with the leg straight and they hold the stretch for 20- 30s on each side. Each side gets the same amount of time and the level of attention.

Will that increase your flexibility? Sure, but you will still be unbalanced. Try stretching the "loose" side once and the "tight" side twice. Remember to breath and relax as you stretch; if you are holding your breath it is too intense. Keep stretching until you find that you are not making any further gains and feel "loose."

For example my right leg is shorter, I broke the right tibia in a cross-country ski race (long story ask me about it) nearly 20 years ago and had abdominal surgery almost 30 years ago therefore I need to focus on stretching my right hip flexors and quadriceps twice. I first stretch the right, then stretch my left and finally finish with the right side.

Keep the 2 to 1 ratio in mind to achieve a more balanced body. Next stretching post I will discuss how much time each stretch should be held.

Stay "Loose"

Alfred Ball Certified Fascial Stretch Therapist - STW Level I, STW Level II (Lower Body)
Learn more about Fascial Stretch Therapy