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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 to Trigger Points

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

Perserverence Leads Lifemoves' Client to 100th Grouse Grind

The 19th Annual BMO Grouse Grind Mountain Run turned into a milestone for Barbara, who more than 20 years ago was learning how to tie her shoes again after a brain aneurysm, completed her 100th Grouse Grind.

She is always demonstrating her determination to lead an active and independent life, even with her disability.

We are proud of her. Alfred enjoys her humour and positive outlook during each session. She was also kind enough to show off her agility ladder and balance skills for the camera as part of the short film Capilano University Students put together for Lifemoves.

Thank you and Congratulations!

Labels: Brain Injury, Perseverance

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