Stay Tuned Therapeutics

Tuning the Athlete

2009-11-26T13:56:00.000-01:00

What is Myoskeletal Alignment?

2009-06-28T19:38:00.001-01:00

From Erik Dalton, PhD, founder of Freedom From Pain Institute, creator of Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques.

What makes MAT Special?

Well-documented theories explain how joints become fixated from myofascial stressors; yet relatively unknown in the massage therapy community is how joint dysfunction creates protective muscle spasm and dysfunctional strain patterns, such as forward head postures, slumped shoulders and scoliosis. This reflexogenic relationship between muscles and joints is the foundation of the Myoskeletal Alignment Technique and is considered not only uniquely different from traditional thinking, but possibly an important next step in addressing abnormal strain patterns caused by muscle/joint imbalances.

Massage therapists can now safely address all soft tissues, including ligaments, nerve dura, fasciae, discs and joint capsules, responsible for much of the pain previously blamed on muscles alone. Osteopathic methods, such as muscle energy, strain-counter strain and mechanical link, are also designed to relieve muscle/joint dysfunctions, but the MAT method complements today’s bodywork practices as it was specifically designed to fit a massage-therapy format.

One distinguishing goal that establishes the MAT method apart from other techniques is its dependence on identification and correction of joint fixations. This is accomplished by systematically releasing deep spinal muscles, ligaments and fibrotic joint capsules that torsion and compress spinal joints. In some cases, a bodyworker may apply direct pressure to bones to release fibrotic muscles that create joint blockages, but the intent is always soft-tissue work.

Posture’s Roll

Most manual therapists today agree that no therapeutic approach to neck/back pain is complete unless body posture is generally improved. Whatever the root of the client’s condition, special attention must be dedicated to posture-especially the correct positioning of the pelvis. Many therapists complain that postural assessments are often too complex, too time-consuming, too clumsy-in a typical massage setting with the client draped.

The MAT method lessens assessment anxiety with an efficient five-minute hands-on evaluation that quickly identifies gross body asymmetries, such as pelvic tilts, short legs, sacroiliac dysfunctions, scoliosis, facet restrictions and hip-capsule adhesions. MAT also incorporates Vladimir Janda, M.D.’s upper-and-lower crossed visual assessment method for easy recognition of muscle-imbalance patterns that cause neck and low-back pain. Combining these hands-on and visual assessment techniques allows the therapist to immediately tell which muscles are tight and pulling unevenly on the body’s bony framework, and which weak muscles are permitting the asymmetry. Janda’s muscle-imbalance research has gifted bodywork practitioners with a remarkably useful model for explaining how predictable muscle imbalances cause predictable faulty postural patterns, such as slumped shoulders, forward heads, swaybacks and dowager’s hump. (Hands on procedures using Janda’s formula are detailed in Part II of this series.)

Ultimately, for long-lasting relief of chronic neck/back pain, the MAT system works to achieve these goals:

balancing the head on the neck

balancing the neck on the shoulders

balancing the shoulder girdle on the rib cage

balancing the pelvis on the femurs

restoring pain-free movement

Recent studies have confirmed a noticeable reduction in noxious neural input entering the spinal cord and brain when the postural goals listed above are met. In 1979, biomechanical researcher J. Gordon Zink, D.O., coined the term “common compensatory patterns” to describe routinely found postural patterns in the neuromyofascial-skeletal system. His studies were the first to validate how structure and function play a dual role in posturally initiated pain syndromes. Eventually, he concluded that postural muscle stress leads to chronic, recurrent central nervous system irritation initiated by sensory receptors, such as mechanoreceptors, nociceptors and chemoreceptors.

Postural muscles are structurally designed to resist fatigue and function in the presence of prolonged gravitational exposure. If their capacity to resist stress is lost, the postural muscles become irritable, tight and shortened. Fortunately, as balance and function are re-established in distorted myofascial structures, hyperactivity in agitated joint and muscle receptors rapidly dissipates. Zink’s conclusion leads to the underpinnings of the client’s outcome: less sympathetic muscle spasm, less limbic system activation, less stress-and less pain.

High Altitude Sports Massage

2009-04-09T16:01:00.003-01:00

I have been developing a body of work over the past ten year here in Flagstaff designed for people living, training & visiting at high altitude.

This type of massage and bodywork includes techniques I have studied with Jon Hart from the East West College of Healing Arts in Portland, OR, as well as Leon Chaitow from the UK, and modified techniques from Erik Dalton's Myoskeletal Alignment.

The work often looks very similar to deep tissue massage, the difference is the intent has shifted. We may do the same work to bring back the head over the shoulders, to defeat some of the painful effects of gravity, at the same time releasing the upper chest breathing pattern, allowing for more abdominal breathing.

Specific techniques are then recommended for the client to take home. Breathing pattern re-education, get into some breathing classes, get some tapes, etc. Just pay attention to how breathing makes you feel?

Athletes training at altitude often call on the low back muscle to expel the breath in labored breathing. If there happens to be an overload on this muscle due to a contralateral (opposite side) inhibition of glute medius/minimus, this will add extra strain in to said low back. Catch my drift, so we look at the system of breathing, where I live, as a potential pain generator as well.

Until next time...Stay Tuned.

Massage: It's real medicine

2009-03-10T16:14:00.002-01:00

Massage: It's real medicine
POSTED: 9:48 a.m. EST, March 8, 2007
By Kristyn Kusek Lewis

Having your honey rub your back is sweet, but it's tough to compete with the hands of a pro. A good massage therapist can make you feel like a new person. And now research suggests massage can ease insomnia, boost immunity, prevent PMS, and more. Maybe that's why hospitals are making it a standard therapy.

"All of our surgery patients are offered the treatment -- I call it 'service with a smile' -- and it's a mandatory weekly prescription I give myself," says Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., director of the Cardiovascular Institute at New York Presbyterian Hospital--Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and a member of the board at LLuminari, a health-education company.

Our advice: Enjoy your hands-on time with your sweetie, but set aside some time for a real massage, too. Here are some feel-good reasons:

Goodbye, pain

It sounds like a no-brainer, but rubdowns are especially effective for aches like low-back pain. Researchers at the Group Health Center for Health Studies in Seattle, Washington, found that massage works better than common treatments including chiropractic therapy and acupuncture. It's not clear why, but several studies show massage reduces levels of the stress hormone cortisol while boosting the feel-good hormones serotonin and dopamine. Those changes slow your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, and block your nervous system's pain receptors. Massage also increases blood flow to the muscles, which may help them heal. (Health.com: Frequently asked questions about massageexternal link )

A bonus: Massage also seems to ease distress from migraine, labor pain, and even cancer, as well as the body tenderness seen with fibromyalgia, says Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. Plus, the benefits may last as long as a year after just a few treatments, says Partap Khalsa, Ph.D., a chiropractor and a program officer at the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the agency funding many major studies on massage.

Hello, dreams

Fluctuations in several types of brain waves either relax you or wake you up. Massage increases delta waves -- those linked with deep sleep -- according to a study at the Touch Research Institute. That's why it's easy to drift off on the massage table, Field says.

Nice to have you back, brain power

The Touch Research Institute study that connected massage to sleep also found that a 15-minute chair massage boosted alertness. "Subjects reported that it felt like a runner's high," Field says. Tests also show that brain-wave activity stimulated by massage is linked to improved attention.

Take that, colds

Massage helps ward off bugs by boosting your "natural killer cells," the immune system's first line of defense against invading illness. "We know that cortisol destroys natural killer cells," Field says. "Therefore, since massage decreases cortisol, your immune cells get a boost." Massage even seems to boost immunity in those people with severely compromised immune systems, such as breast-cancer patients. (Health.com: Which massage is best for you?external link)

Blues, be gone

Less cortisol and more serotonin and dopamine in your system may also mean less stress, anxiety, and depression. "We know that the right side of the frontal lobe of the brain is more active when we're sad, and the left side's activated when we're happy," Field says. "Our studies have observed that massage decreases activity in the right lobe and increases functioning in the left." The well-being people feel after a massage is a big reason why some hospitals offer it to anxious patients preparing for surgery and cancer patients going through chemo.

Shove off, PMS

A small study of 24 women with severe PMS found that massage reduced symptoms such as pain, water retention, and mood swings. Try it with proven remedies such as exercise (and who-cares-if-they-work solutions like a little dark chocolate).

Visit Stay Tuned Therapeutics in Flagstaff, Arizona at 403 West Birch Ave. We offer deep tissue massage, sports massage, myoskeletal alignment techniques and therapeutic skin and nail care! Call 699-1999 or 699-1801 for more information!!

azdailysun.com Local

2009-02-23T18:23:00.000-01:00

azdailysun.com Local

Myoskeletal Alignment...Sedona, Arizona

2009-01-29T01:32:00.000-01:00

http://namti.com/t-myoskeletalCert.aspx

Snowboard Exercises

2009-01-25T04:38:00.001-01:00

Get ready to hit the slopes, or if you are feeling weak after the slope hitting, try these simple bits to improve your stamina!

NAU Job Loss

2009-01-23T12:38:00.004-01:00

Did ever tell you about the time I was FIRED from the prestigious Northern Arizona University’s Altitude Training Center after 6 years of dedicated service?

On March 29, 2007, A Flagstaff masseur, Robert P. “Bobby” Thiem Jr., who admitted to fondling female clients was sentenced on three felony counts involving sexual misconduct, netting him 6 years in prison.

(see story)

So, I, Geoffrey Bishop, was not the rapist, but somehow the state’s “risk management” team, the insurance company for the university, NAU human resources, and the directors of the center found that I was unfit to work one on one with the worlds “greatest” athletes. (Just in case I was a rapist?)

I was told by a representative of the center that all of the massage programs, campus-wide, would be cut due to liability on the part of the state.

Since that time, there are still two places on campus where one may obtain massage. The Recreation Center and Fronske Health Center.

There are a few points that insult me the most…

1. I was lied to.

2. The therapists that kept their positions were both female, and unlicensed.

3. I was told to keep it quiet, or I would not receive the “unofficial” referrals from the directors to visiting athletes. (which I did, against my better judgment)

I still have a big handful of international athletes who utilize my services when they visit, but it’s really not about that. It’s more to due with the anger I have had with the institution since this time. They were able to pimp me out, and I stood by and let it happen. I feel bad for the two people who lost their jobs in this recent abolishment of the Center for Altitude Training. I feel bad for the folks who have to make these decisions. However, athletes will still come to Flagstaff to train. We will still make our money in the community, and the people who made these decisions will have that weight on their mind.

NAU closes Olympic training facility

2009-01-22T15:32:00.001-01:00

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Northern Arizona University is closing its Center for High Altitude Training as a result of the university’s budget reduction, according to an afternoon press release from the NAU Public Affairs Office.

Two regular NAU staff members and two temporary employees will lose their positions as a result. Since its opening in 1994, the center has hosted elite athletes from around the world—about 80 percent being foreign swim teams.

Closing the Center for High Altitude Training will save the university up to $230,000 a year.

“This is not an easy decision for the university leadership,” said Mason Gerety, vice president for University Advancement. “But in this time of crisis we have to make difficult choices that will be in the best interest of all of Northern Arizona University.”

Last week, the state Legislature proposed spending reductions for the Arizona University System of $243 million for the remaining few months of the current fiscal year and $388 million for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1. NAU’s share of the cut would be about $31.2 million for FY09 and almost $50 million for FY10.

Since June 2008, Northern Arizona University has trimmed about $10.5 million in budget reductions. At the same time, NAU experienced the highest percentage enrollment growth—6.9 percent—in the Arizona University System. It has had 15 percent enrollment growth since 2005.

The university has policies and practices in place for classified staff employees facing layoffs, which includes a 60-day notice. Service professional employees are subject to the conditions of professional service, which requires a 90-day notice for non-renewal. Additionally, Human Resources offers assistance in finding employment for employees facing layoff or non-renewal.

NAU will begin closing the center immediately but will honor commitments to a few teams that have scheduled visits through the end of the fiscal year.

“The staff has done good work, and this is a tremendous loss,” said Gerety. “However, this is a time of unprecedented budget cuts and we have to look for savings throughout all areas of the university.”

The center has never been self sufficient, Gerety said, and its duties are far removed from NAU’s core mission of providing exceptional undergraduate and graduate education as well as distance learning and research.

In 2004 the Center for High Altitude Training was designated a U.S. Olympic Training Site. “Losing the designation will be a loss to NAU and the community,” Gerety said.

Representatives of the U.S. Olympic Committee and community leaders have been notified of the university’s decision.

Snowbowl Pass Holders Discount!

2009-01-18T12:27:00.002-01:00

http://staytunedaz.wordpress.com/2009/01/14/snowbowl-season-pass-holders/

New web site...

2008-11-05T17:29:00.002-01:00

http://staytunedaz.wordpress.com/

Massage in Flagstaff
Therapeutic Massage Flagstaff
Flagstaff Myoskeletal Alignment
Sports Massage Flagstaff......and all that!!

Inner Spiral

2008-11-03T14:58:00.007-01:00

1. Bicep Femoris causes external rotation, and locks the fibular head posterior.

2. Sweeping the adductor fascia posterior, encouraging internal rotation.

3. Vastus lateralis has a tendency to "hang" off the outside of the body causing external rotation.

Over the past few months I have been experimenting with Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques that many clients have given the name Inner Spiral. Traditionally a yoga concept, the inner spiral is focused in the lower extremity, spiraling the fascia, muscle, and bone to a more medial position, ultimately assisting in "tightening the "core"".

Yogis advise students to point the femur inward, pull in the abs, and release the deep gluteal muscles, some suggest the student grasp the tissue in the legs and work medially, toward the inner thigh.

From the stand point of a hands on therapist I work with the client to achieve the same results. Using classic techniques such as the "log roll" in a supine position, or the "windshield wiper" in supine we encourage the fascia, muscle, joint capsule to wind back medially. Additionally I work the tissue in a side lying position, and prone position. Using active client involvement, change occurs that much faster, resetting the bodies understanding of where the tissue's "home" is. I simply ask the client to counter rotate while I hold pressure into the tissue. After the contraction, the tissue softened as the client relaxes, and I move it more medial.

If you are a therapist, try incorporating this in you next massage if you suspect excessive lateral femoral rotation. If you are a client who is suspect, ask your therapist to give it a try, it feels wonderful!

Reduction of Lateral Epicondylitis

2008-10-04T03:29:00.007-01:00

A common misconception in the self treatment of pain is that we always need to stretch where it is that we feel the pain. A classic example is in the case of lateral epicondylitis, or "tennis elbow".

When I look at the mechanics of what is commonly the cause of this condition I see a few factors coming into play.

First off, this is not a condition that is solely seen at the racket club and on the courts. Lateral epicondylitis is often seen with wrench turners, bakers, massage therapists, sign language interpreters, and so on. Any body whose lifestyle requires them to repetitively flex the forearm is at risk for this pesky pain generator. To be fair, racket sports beat the hell out of these tissues, on the back hand, if they are weak!

Here's the deal...I have found this to be true in 90% of my clients. Weak.

The fix...balance. Oh balance, what a concept. Aside from work and sport, we were gifted with all sorts of other interest and ability. Bike riding for lesier or transport, car driving, dishes washed, weeding the garden, holding young ones, typing a blog, we use our forearm flexors to do nearly all we do. Enough of that.....

The fix...strengthen the opposing muscle group. Stretch the tight line, strengthen the weak line. The following images demonstrate a few simple daily techniques to stop this potentially lifestyle altering, and oftentimes painful epidemic.

Stretch the tight line...

So whats the problem? Is that a tight muscle, a joint problem, or a weakness?

Stretching the flexor muscles of the forearm, in some schools of thought, will reciprocally strengthen the extensors of the forearm. Be sure you are stretching all the way out from the fingertips as is shown in the above image.

Back to Work

2008-10-03T12:30:00.005-01:00

Well, I know I have been a slacker on the blog postings as of late. I have been busy in the clinic, at home, teaching, running around the country with the Freedom From Pain Institute and working on many side projects.

I have a new article coming out in Massage & Bodywork Magazine, "Tuning the Athlete- Breathing and Lumbar Alignment". This will appear in the upcoming issue, Nov/Dec Sports Massage issue. This was a tough concept in the beginning. Writing an article like this is a a great self teaching tool, it requires much research, and made me really look deep into what I was thinking about! Much fun! I will post it when the article has hit the stands later this month.

Our massage business in Flagstaff has remained busy through this troubled time in the market. It seems when times are tough people seek out what makes them feel good. A movie, some good comfort food, and good old pain management are on the top of the list, nothing like an hour on the table, to get away, forget the newsman and stock market for a bit. I am honored to play a role, it makes me feel good, in bringing some peace into peoples lives.....thanks folks.

Today begins another 40 hour intensive in Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques(R), at NAMTI in Sedona. This is a great time of year to be able to drive through Oak Creek Canyon, view the wonders of nature every day before class begins...should be a great time once again! The apples are coming out of the orchards and every market seems to have fresh roasted green chilies! YUM!!

I will be joining Erik and the crew from Freedom From Pain at the next workshop in Atlanta, Oct. 17-19.

Myoskeletal Alignment for Neck, Sciatic and Shoulder Pain

Three day seminar provides innovative approaches for the massage therapist to utilize advanced neck, shoulder, and pelvic stabilization routines. Therapists learn immediately applicable deep tissue techniques for clients suffering neck, shoulder, and low back pain.

70% Hands on Seminar: Human dissection videos and "lively" massage demos teach innovative ways to "Find and Fix" tendon, ligament, joint capsule, and nerve impingements. Erik will demo on class participants for the following

symptoms:

Neck "Cricks"
Facet- Rib Pain
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Scoliosis

SI Joint Pain
Piriformis Syndrome
Rotator Cuff Injuries
Low Back Dysfunction

Dalton's popular workshop series compliments all forms of manual therapy and offers practical strategies for correcting reflex muscle spasm caused by joint blockage.

Well, off to see the wizard!

Lessons Learned

2008-09-08T12:32:00.007-01:00

At a closing summer BBQ last weekend I had the chance to reconnect with an old friend for a bit. He is a martial arts instructor here in Flagstaff.

Our conversation eventually turned toward principals of teaching and the life lessons we learn from our teachers. Not just in the discipline of a specific study, but life. If you listen closely, everyone you interact with can become a teacher of sort. One lesson or another, profound or not, learning is a life long process. And we must not forget our teachers.

Early in life we are introduced our most important teachers, our Mother and Father, brothers and sisters, and this continues on until we no longer know these people; through death or separation. The lessons we are to learn are fundamental; about relationships, love, kindness, gratitude...

In my high school days I met a great man by the name of Dennis Deike. He was a bit like the gas station attendant from the Way of the Peaceful Warrior. He was a hard ass peace maker, retired Viet Nam vet, gone Buddhist, Christian, scientist, linguist. The lessons I was taught by Deike about humanity will never be replaced. He used a lot of reverse psychology in his teachings, and would piss me off, then close his house to visitors and take a nap, while the lessons brewed, what a jerk!

In my junior year of high school, I told him I was thinking about getting into massage therapy. He said I would never make it, and it was a very stupid idea. Now, every time I make a stride in my career, I thank him for his blessing, and throw him the bird, just as he'd like it!

As we grow into adults the lessons of old remain, so long as we remember and pay tribute to our teachers.

More recently I have been gifted the opportunity to sit with a few folks who again have had great influence in my life. Erik Dalton and Kim Miller. Thanks for every life lesson as well as the bodywork lessons...

Til next time...

In the Presence of Greatness

2008-09-07T13:04:00.003-01:00

At a recent Myoskeletal Alignment workshop in Tucson, AZ, I had the opportunity to work with and get to know Mr. Jim Asher. Jim and Erik Dalton have been friends since the early days at the Rolf Institute. What a pleasure it was to be in the company of these two great minds.

Jim started with Ida Rolf in 1971, and was with her until her death. He was one of the original instructors at the Rolf Institute and assisted Ida in advanced trainings as Rolfing (R) was born.

While in Tucson, Jim helped in assisting the Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques (R) course on Neck, Low Back, and Shoulder Pain. We were able to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Jim....what an interesting fellow.

My understanding is that Jim offers one of the most dynamic cranio-sacral classes in the world, love to study with him some day as well...until then, thanks Jim!

Flagstaff Massage

2008-09-02T16:01:00.002-01:00

So in the video posted here, notice the general improvement that occurs after applying Myoskeletal Muscle Spindle techniques.

First test, this runner has limited range of motion, second test better, and third all the way!

I feel that the limited ROM is initiated by a tight line, psoas and rectus femoris, potentially hip capsule adhesions as well. So we stretch it to defeat Davis's Law. Then a quick few minutes of manual muscle spindle stim work.....Enjoy!

updated viddy

2008-09-02T15:59:00.000-01:00

Back Pain in the Shower

2008-09-02T15:52:00.002-01:00

When experiencing acute low back pain be cautious in the shower! Try this simple technique while rinsing your hair.

Stand facing the shower head rather than hyper extending your low back to let the water run down the back side. This may lead to a bit more work if you have long hair, but it will save you back!

Stats

2008-08-22T04:15:00.002-01:00

Well gee whiz......been a lot of watching to keep up, and missing half of it.

Here is what I have come up with......

Eamon Sullivan... AUSTRALIA.... 2 silver, 1 bronze

Simon Whitfield... CANADA... 1 silver triathlon (kick ass by the way)

Kosuke Kitajima...JAPAN...2 gold, 1 bronze

Reiko Nakamura...JAPAN...1 bronze

Micah Kipkemboi...KENYA...1 bronze...10.000m track&field

Lotte Friis...Denmark...bronze...800 freestyle swim

Alaxander Dale Oen...silver...mens 100m breast stroke

Go World!!

2008-07-29T12:21:00.005-01:00

Here is a sample list of 2008 Beijing Olympic athletes, from around the world, we have worked with over the past four years. Gonna be busy watching TV soon!!

Australia-Swimming
Eamon Sullivan

Australia - Track & Field
Luke Adams

Canada - Triathlon
Simon Whitfield
Paul Tichelaar
Colin Jenkins
Lauren Groves

Eric Gillis 5,000m

Denmark - Swimming
Mads Glæsner
Chris Christensen
Jon Rud
Emil Dall Nielsen
Louise Jansen
Lotte Friis
Julie Hjorth Hansen
Jeanette Ottesen
Micha Østergaard

Great Britain - Track & Field
Mo Farah

Japan - Swimming
Kosuke Kitajima
Takuro Fujii
Yuko Nakanishi

United States - Track & Field
Abdi Abdirahman
Anthony Famiglietti

Beijing Baby!!

2008-07-07T18:34:00.003-01:00

With his dark beard and long hair, Anthony Famiglietti looked as if he'd stumbled into the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the Olympic trials from the great north woods.

Really, he's just a 29-year-old guy from Medford, L.I., with indefatigable legs, a spiritual bent and some ethical uncertainty about the Olympic Games.

"The Olympics is not what it used to be," Famiglietti said Saturday, minutes after he won the trials with a wire-to-wire victory in 8 minutes, 20.24 seconds, a feat he celebrated by traipsing bare-footed through the Hayward Field stands, seemingly hugging half of Eugene. "It doesn't have that power anymore. A lot of people get caught up in the winning of the gold medal, the silver medal, the bronze medal, the money behind it, the fame behind it, and they lose sight of the competition. There's too much commercialism behind the whole thing."
Full story

Yes Sir!

2008-07-04T13:04:00.002-01:00

Fam came out strong, looked great, hips, feet, legs and back.......the Myoskeletal Engine at work. Anthony Famiglietti, who has the fastest time in the U.S. this year, also posted the best time in the semifinals (8:25.27).

GO GET EM FAM!!!

2008-07-03T11:42:00.009-01:00

Anthony Famiglietti races the 3000m steeple chase
tonight at 9:10 pm pacific. I have to say, Fam is one of
the most genuine professional athletes I work with while he is
here in Flagstaff, AZ doing Altitude Training.
Race well Bro...

High Road

2008-06-17T11:47:00.003-01:00

Appearing in July /August issue of Massage & Bodywork magazine....

High Road to the Olympics.......Geoffrey Bishop

Flagstaff, Arizona, sits atop the world, especially this year as we work our way nearer the 2008 Olympics in China. Many of the world’s fastest athletes utilize the hypoxic conditions of this high altitude city to produce more red blood cells in which to carry oxygen to their muscles. They train long and hard, get sore, get up, and do it all over again the next morning. Erik Dalton’s Myoskeletal Alignment is the therapy of choice for many training Olympians this year, and I’m honored to play a small part in their success.

Full Text.....

Summertime

2008-06-17T11:32:00.004-01:00

Summer is off to a great start! Congrats to the Canada crew on making the Canadian Olympic Triathlon Team!

Vancouver (TC) – Two-time Olympian and 2000 gold medallist Simon Whitfield of Victoria will be joined in Beijing by first-time Olympians and fellow National Team Teck Cominco members Paul Tichelaar of Edmonton, and Colin Jenkins of Hamilton, Ont., for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Whitfield qualified for the team based on 2007 results of a top-8 finish at both a World Cup event and the World Championships, while Tichelaar and Jenkins were nominated to the team for submission to the Canadian Olympic Committee late Sunday night by Triathlon Canada’s selection committee.

“Our men’s team in Beijing will be among the strongest of any country,” said Triathlon Canada’s Executive Director Alan Trivett. “The addition of Jenkins and Tichelaar adds the opportunity to race as a team with Whitfield; however Tichelaar has been very consistent on the World Cup Circuit over the past year and is equally capable of producing a top result for Canada on his own.”

Full Story

Run Fast

2008-06-07T09:56:00.002-01:00

Notice the difference between first, second and third effort of hip extension......the first is limited, the second is not bad after some hip flexor stretches and the third is pretty darn good and clear after having done muscle spindle work for G.MAX. THIS IS MYOSKELETAL......

Run Fast

2008-05-27T12:28:00.000-01:00

Myoskeletal Engine & Foot Mobilization

2008-05-15T05:57:00.002-01:00

What a great workshop this really did come out to be.

Erik and Aaron came together after several years of beating their own brains out on how all of this works. And they gave it to us.

Thanks.

Pain Managment in Paradise 2008

2008-05-08T11:26:00.009-01:00

What a wonderful trip the 6th Annual Pain Management in Paradise turned out to be. Erik Dalton brought along the originator of Active Isolated Stretching, Aaron Mattes, for a fun filled and informative week of 26 hours of continuing education.

Many of the workshop participants experienced a life alteration. This 26 hours of education coupled with the tranquil setting of Pura Vida Resort and Spa provided an opportunity for therapists to study theory of new concepts, practice techniques and reflect on why we do what we do.

Many new relationships were built over the seven days in Costa Rica. For those of us who had met before it was an opportunity to expand our personal and professional relationships. For me, getting to know Aaron and Judy Mattes a bit better was one highlight. What great, honest and caring people the two of them are.

Over the past 45 years, Aaron Mattes has spent well over 250,000 hours developing AIS in sports participation, sports and health instruction, rehabilitation, athletic training, adapted physical education, sports medicine, training and prevention programs. This man is the real deal, and his wife Judy, god bless her, has to reign him in at the end of the day, he is fully committed to helping people understand and use the techniques.

He is a registered Kinesiotherapist (#449) and a certified member of the American Kinesiotherapy Association. He is a licensed Massage Therapist (#3864) and a member of the Florida State Massage Therapy Association and the American Massage Therapy Association (#3864). Mattes is a member of the Association of Medical Rehabilitation Administrators, and the National Rehabilitation Association (#039204).

Mattes lectures internationally at sports medicine clinics, medical seminars, and massage therapy conventions. He provides continuing education to personal trainers, nurses, strength trainers, athletic trainers, physical therapists, massage therapists, coaches and athletes. Mattes serves as a consultant to sports clubs, high school, college and professional athletes and teams. He has rehabilitated thousands of subjects including famous politicians, entertainers, and hundreds of Olympic and professional athletes.

Mattes is co-author of two books: Pre-Condition, Re-Condition, Re-Habilitation: Shelton, Greninger and Mattes and Nutrition Therapy For Massage and Physical Therapy Patients: E. Leslie Knight and Mattes. He is the sole author of a number of books on stretching including his 2000 text "Active Isolated Stretching: The Mattes Method”. Mattes is internationally recognized for his techniques in treating pain, scoliosis and major spinal distortions, post polio, parkinsonism, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, spinal cord problems, and joint replacements.

Some therapist's may try to emulate his life, his commitment, and even his teachings, but there is only one Aaron Mattes, and what an honor it was to work along side him and assist him in his work over this unforgettable week. Thanks Aaron.

hope to see you soon.......

And We're off!

2008-04-24T10:23:00.003-01:00

Headed to Costa Rica today after class in Sedona.......it's been a long few weeks, teaching, clients, family, photo shoots, this and that.

We get into San Jose at 5:30am on Friday, enough time to sleep a bit before getting back to work. While at these workshops, it is definitely not all about rest for me. I sort of end up running around a lot. Making sure this cord is plugged into that hole, copies are made and delivered, students are happy, temperature is good, Erik, Kim and Paul have enough liquid, coffee, etc. Then the Power Points and anatomy images are good to go, how is the sound? We review the class outline about five times, make changes, prep and teach.

It really is quite nice. I continue to learn each time I go to work. I see and hear the concepts again and again. We scan the room, and check each student's finger, arm and hand positioning, making sure the receiving participant is feeling good with the applied technique. With a variety of learning styles represented in the room, we often need to re-teach the technique per individual. It is a great chance for me to encounter people on a one on one basis, and dial in effective teaching strategies....

Plus three fresh, organic meals a day prepared just for us!!! Mmmmm.........can't wait!

Until next time......Pura Vida Amigos....

Upcoming Workshops

2008-04-21T13:07:00.011-01:00

Costa Rica

Erik Dalton & Aaron Mattes
San Jose, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Resort
April 26- May 3, 2008
26 CE Hours>>>Cutting-Edge Therapy>>>Tropical Vacation

Pura Vida Spa......Set in a tropical paradise hidden in the hills of Costa Rica, renowned manual therapy specialists Aaron Mattes and Erik Dalton conduct lively, entertaining and informative certification workshops. Special video animation, anatomy dissection and hands-on demos stimulate the visual learner, while relaxed practice sessions delight kinesthetically-attuned therapists.

NAMTI
Sedona Arizona.....

Sedona Arizona- NAMTI

Presented by Geoffrey Bishop, Dalton's 1st certified teacher in Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques

Pain Management for Neck, Low Back, and Shoulder Dysfunction
25 CE hours

To Register Contact: NAMTI (928) 282-7737 or visit NAMTI online

Day 1….Neck Pain: Dalton’s very popular “Dirty Dozen” pain-bustin’ techniques help massage therapists assess and correct neck "cricks", dowager's humps, TOS, pinched nerves, scoliosis, rib pain and more.

Day 2…Back Pain: Simplified "back spasm" recipe for torsioned spines, locked SI joints and adhesive hip capsules. Includes innovative side-lying techniques & assisted stretching routines…perfect for treating large or pregnant clients.

Day 3…Upper Extremity: Shoulder, arm, and hand pain plagues the American workforce and sporting industry. Here you will learn innovative techniques to assess and treat; frozen shoulder, acromioclavicular pain, rotator cuff injuries, bicipital tendonitis, “golfer’s” and “tennis” elbow, carpal tunnel, De Quervain syndrome and trigger fingers. A must take for all corporate and sports massage therapists.

Work Hands

2008-04-21T11:33:00.004-01:00

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

A common complaint we see at Stay Tuned Therapeutics, when working with office and production workers, is forearm discomfort. We see many people coming in with pain at the outside, top of the elbow, when the palm is facing down. It may be that the tendons at the lateral condyle are week, and in need of strength rather than the stretch. Stretch is commonly prescribed when anything hurts. What if it is to long and weak already?

Theraband products are a big help, easy to use and affordable. This simple elastic resistance band has many uses, today we will explore finger/wrist extension so those little tendons don't get so beat up.

Fig.1) Start. Begin by making a gentle fist and covering it with the resistance band as shown in the image.

Fig. 2) Slowly extend the fingers and wrist, as shown in Fig. 2. Hold for 4 seconds, then allow the fingers to curl back under, slowly. Slow is a key factor, have control of this movement. This is known as concentric and eccentric exercise.

Do a set of 10 on each wrist/hand, with 4 second holds in extension. Repeat this strength movement 3 times a day. Often times I have seen a much quicker recovery from hand and wrist pain using these strength exercises than I have with stretching the heck out of it......

Inspiration

2008-04-10T23:01:00.001-01:00

Pelvic Floor

2008-04-07T12:54:00.003-01:00

There are only a few times I can think of when people mention Pelvic Floor. One being after child birth and the other being incontinence (bladder control). The typical prescription is to strengthen the pelvic floor.

There is research to show that the breath is directly related to function the pelvic floor as well. In yoga class we learn to breath deep into the abdomen, we hear the teacher refer to diaphragmatic breathing. It is necessary at this point to be able to allow the pelvic floor to drop and relax. Often times people present with tight adductors, hamstrings, gluteals, and rotators of the hips (piriformis, obturator internus) all of which share fascial connections with the pelvic floor, specifically, levator ani.

Learning to feel

On the in breath, the spine begins to flatten and we lose some degree of our lumbar curve. As we breath deep into the diaphragm, it is necessary to drop the abdominal content toward our knees. This achieved by relaxing the pelvic floor (pelvic diaphragm) and allowing it to expand. Feel your sacrum drop, lengthening the spine.

These exercises have been know to help in some cases of incontinence, systitis and irritable bowl syndrome as well, when the key factor at play is facilitation of the pelvic floor (too tight). Cases such as abuse and assault may create such holding patterns, lending to a life long insult to a persons psyche. Many cases are simply a result of mechanically-produced, excessive tone with a background of dance, athletics and bad Pilates.

Try this simple exercise in breathing, consult your health care provider and manual therapist and see if you begin to feel better.

Thanks

2008-04-06T12:36:00.000-01:00

A note from the teaching clinic.....

Geoffrey,

Thank you for your time this afternoon. I really enjoyed the learning opportunity with such a perfect client to work on. How can I say this best - I'm so impressed with your professionalism and your talent. I've been working diligently and consistently in school to learn my basic anatomy and its obvious that there is a lifetime of learning yet to be done.

Also, I really like the new location and what you have done to it to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

My pleasure Dana, I have passion for my work and love to pass the information along. You are going to be a wonderful therapist as is evident by your passion for the work. I wish you all the best......

Sedona, Phoenix, Sedona, Home...Costa Rica

2008-04-06T09:36:00.006-01:00

Up coming schedule.....

Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques, NAMTI, Sedona
Sunday, April 6, 10am-6 pm
Monday, April 7, 6pm-9:30pm
Wednesday, April 9, 6pm-9:30pm
Friday, April 11, 6pm-9:30pm (Phoenix, Ironman Arizona, 8am-2pm)
Sunday, April 13, 10am-6pm
Monday, April 14, 6pm-9:30pm
Wednesday, April 16, 1:30 -5pm, 6pm-9:30pm
Thursday, April 17, 9am-5pm
Friday, April 18, 6pm-9:30pm
Monday, April 21, 9am-5pm
Tuesday, April 22, 9am-5pm
Wednesday, April 23, 9am-5pm
Thursday, April 24, 9am-12:30pm

1st group
2nd group

Thursday, April 24th, Fly out for Myoskeletal Alignment 6th annual retreat with Erik Dalton and Aaron Mattes at Pura Vida Resort in Costa Rica.

Click the purple links to find out more......

Flagstaff Invasion

2008-04-04T11:32:00.006-01:00

Keeping Peter Gilmore's spinal engine running.

Flagstaff, Arizona has recently experienced a great influx of population from the North, South, East and West. For me it has been a welcomed experience. At 7,000 ft, the city of Flagstaff is prime real estate for the athletes, from all over the world, to train their way to the 2008 Beijing Games. Many of the spots are still open for the world's best.

Athletes come to Flagstaff to train their systems while adapting to altitude. In acclimatizing to the altitude, the human body produces more red blood cells (hemoglobin) in which to carry oxygen to the working slow twitch muscles fibers of endurance sports. These muscles burn oxygen as one source of fuel. The training may produce only a small improvement in times for the athlete. There is only a small gap between first place and last place when the entire field is moving like these guys. Look at the recent ITU Mooloolaba triathlon. Between first place of 1:49:50 and tenth place 1:50:58 there is just over one second.

Please note 7th place belongs to Paul Tichelaar 1:50:38 and tenth place to Kyle Jones 1:50:58. Both of whom hail from Canada and trained in Flagstaff from late Feb. to late March. I am interested in speaking with the guys now that they have left, to see how they feel the training has paid off.

The UASTF Olympic trials are to be held in Eugene, Oregon this year from June 27 thru July 6. I may be in attendance providing Myoskeletal Alignment with some of my long time athletes, and hoping to meet some new people. Flagstaff has an abundant population of athletes move here, part time and full time,to prepare for these events. Time will tell. I am optimistic that the long hours will pay off.

Recovery and prevention are key components for all of the folks who come here to train. Along with proper nutrition and smart training, many of the athletes are utilizing Myoskeletal Techniques as preventative medicine. With the efforts put in by these athletes, staying ahead of the aches and pains associated with movement and breathing is the name of the game. The athletes cannot allow themselves to focus on the lack of efficient oxygen/nitrogen transfer during their initial training. They learn to ignore and conquer the discomfort that comes with each breath until the pain slowly recedes. When the headaches, diarrhea, and stomach cramps finally subside…they begin to excel.

In the absence of proper manual therapy, the months that athletes spend at altitude can seem much longer. Some camps can last for as long as three months, creating a dramatic energy drain. These folks need to be able to concentrate on their sport, not their body telling them there is something wrong with the biomechanics of their movement and activities. This year could be the realization of a life long dream, the podium in China.

I wish all of the athletes I have worked with the best on their journey.

Who is Ida Rolf?

2008-03-21T12:52:00.001-01:00

I was recently asked by a client, "Who is this Rolf lady?" So I thought I would share this interesting video with you.

Sign Language Interpreters

2008-03-16T12:50:00.002-01:00

Yesterday I hosted a CEU class for local sign language interpreters at my clinic. What an experience. It was an information exchange bridging the gap between "work and wellness".

Teresa Sedano from Healthy CEU's was the sponsor of the event. Teresa did a wonderful presentation on aromatherapy for stress reduction, awareness, and self recognition. It was fun, informative, and much needed for a stress out massage therapist as well as sign language interpreters to pay themselves back a little.

My part of the presentation was focused on body mechanics, breath awareness and preventative maintenance. I had missed the component of what it takes to convey emotion in sign, separating ones self from the emotion portrayed. What a job, and what strength of character it takes to not get sucked into the emotion. Transference and counter-transference issues come to mind.

It seems as though these topics of conversation are missing in a large part of the community of interpreters. The idea of what to do with this information one it is identified. Holding patterns in the physical as well as the emotional body. It seems as if isolation with in the community may be a factor as well. Yesterday was a great meeting of the minds, a chance to for interpreters to share feelings about life and work.

We then focused back on taking care. We ended our time together with a group breathing exercise and some movement identification and re-education.

Thank you all who attended.

Flagstaff on Olympians' radar screen

2008-03-14T15:08:00.003-01:00

It is an exciting date (08/08/'08) for spectators across the United States and the world. For the athletes it is the benchmark of years of hard work and determination. Some of the finest athletes in the world are training in Flagstaff for the chance to be in Beijing on that date. They are using the facilities at the Center for High Altitude Training at NAU.

Assistant director Sean Anthony said the excitement to work with these world-class athletes should extend beyond the center to Flagstaff itself. "I think it's exciting for the community too, because once we get closer to the Beijing Games we're going to publish a list of all the athletes that trained through the training center in preparation for the Olympic games," he said. "So that way members of the community can look at the names and say, 'Wow that guy trained in Flagstaff,' or, 'I remember seeing that guy at the pool,' or, whatever the case may be."

"I helped that athlete recover in their training to get to Beijing!"

Some of the athletes training at the center now or in the next few weeks include Fasil Bizuneh, Peter Gilmore and Chris Lundy in the marathon, Aaron Aguayo in the 3,000 meters and steeplechase, Renee Metivier Baillie in the 5,000, Abdi Abdirahman in the 10,000, Anthony Famiglietti in the 5k, 10k and steeplechase, and ex-NAU standout Lopez Lomong in the 800 and 1,500.

"So right now we have a 32-person delegation from the German Athletic Federation, a 10-person delegation from Triathlon Canada, five Japanese swim clubs and roughly 20 U.S. distance runners trying to secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic team," he said. "So that's a lot of activity to have at once."

Triathlon Canada Simon Whitfield- Former Olympic champion (Gold Metal in 2000 Games), Whitfield continues his streak of at least 1 Gold medal in every race season dating back to his Gold medal in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He has dual Canadian and Australian citizenship Kyle Jones- Jones had 3 top-15 World Cup results in 2006 with some of the strongest fields on the World Cup Circuit (14th in Mazatlan, 13th in Edmonton & 7th in Corner Brook). Jones finished the year ranked #49 - the second best among the Canadian men in 2007.

Read the entire story.....

High Altitude Sports Massage

2008-03-13T11:43:00.008-01:00

RappStar

The fine line. The interesting thing for a sport therapist working with elite training camps is just that. The fine line, the dance between "pre and post" event type work. We are taught in schools of bodywork that pre event is fast paced muscle spindle work, get them ready to preform. Post event is to be of a recovery and slower regenerative work speed and focus. So, what do we do when an athlete is recovering from a big run Sunday, and getting ready for a big push on Tuesday? Walk the line. Individualize treatment for the athlete, and within that athlete, individualize the treatment for the muscle belly at hand, or the kinetic chain of a specific movement. With enough thought it can seem tricky to know what to do, where and how to work.

With the Canadian National Triathlon Team my focus has been two fold. Keep the bodies of the athletes as close to alignment as possible, hip rotation, head on neck, neck on shoulders, clean running spinal engine, springing knees, ankle, and feet. Then to keeping the bigger long lever muscles, prime movers and synergistic stabilizers as fresh as can be expected. With the efforts put in by these guys/gal, staying ahead of those niggles is the name of the game. I really feel like they are all doing well.

This is a sample of the early training I stole from Colin Jenkin's blog......
The last couple days have been rough up here at altitude. I have been getting some altitude headaches on and off and trying to drink as much as I can as it is very easy to get dehydrated up here.

Joel's idea when we got here was to go easy the first couple days, just to flush out the system from the race and get used to the altitude. Then we will gradually increase the intensity from there so we do not overload the body. Well the first day was flush, the second was rough, and the last two have been pretty damned hard. I guess that is Coach Joel's idea of building into it.

Yesterday we started the day out with a set of 3x100 fast, then 3x300 sub threshold all on 1:30 per hundred pace. We had to do that 3 times. The first two rounds were pull paddle on the 300's and the last round was swim. Thats where the altitude hits you like a ton of bricks. I had to pull the 2nd 300 to rest my legs or my heart would have probably exploded.

From there we had a quick lunch and went for a 2.5 bike with the last 60min steady. The group of us did that working pretty good together in a pace line, we were smoking! Then we hopped off the bikes, did a quick change and ran 40min (10 steady, 10 easy X 2) on our Mooloolaba course. Lets just say I hope I run quicker in the actual race. Day done.

Today was a bit more manageable. I started the day out with a 60min spin on the trainer (pic above) and then off to the pool for a recovery swim. Later on in the afternoon we did a 70min run on a muddy, red dirt road. Oh, and it was filled with potholes everywhere. Perfect place for a 30min tempo run. So we did 30min WU, 30min tempo, 10min cooldown. Running tempo at altitude is tough but it went by quick and the day is finally done.

You can see what I mean about the fine line between recovery and preparation.

Upper Cervical Complex Pain?

2008-03-11T17:24:00.003-01:00

Strengthen the cervical and capital flexors. Slide head back, tuck chin, keep eyes flat on horizon. 10 reps.
Tuck chin and roll through seven cervical segments. At the end of movement assist with your hands gently. 10 times, hold 2 seconds. Or what ever feels good.
Rotate head 45 degrees, nose over chest, take nose to chest, then assist with your hand, gentle. 10 times 2 sec hold.

Rotate head away 45 degrees. Then bring ear to same side chest. 2 sec hold, 10 times.

Be sure to use good breathing, never hold breath. Breath out on execution of movement, breath in during the relax phase. Following these simple movements a few times a day can really open things up and be refreshing for the muscles and the brain! This helps the little muscles at the back of the head top of the neck release. This is a great practice for people on the computer, driving a lot, or ride a bike 200 miles a week! Do this at home, in the car (at stop lights, not while driving) or in the shower. Simple maintenance can go a long way.

Idaho

2008-02-14T19:40:00.003-01:00

Great trip! The Snow Gods were happy and the stars were in line. There was nearly 15 feet of snow at the top of Brundage, where we spend the most of our time. Fresh powder lines each morning, and most of the day on Superbowl Sunday. That's all I got to say.

Muscle Preparation

2008-01-27T10:50:00.000-01:00

As I prepare for a long weekend snowboarding in Idaho, I feel like it is important to give my muscles a bit more attention. I have put together a short routine for the muscles where I feel the ripping and shredding the most. These are a few of the rolling techniques I have been using. You may find them useful as well. You carving, you carve, you carve, you carve, no slide.....even if it's icy.

(fig. 1.) Gluteal muscles. These guys get fatigued a bit in the squatting position used frequently in snowboarding. While in the squat, we are using our back foot to maneuver the tail of the board for steering. This position on the foam roller puts glute max on a bit of a stretch , as we roll the tissue all around the sacrum we also touch on the long dorsal sacroiliac ligament. This is crucial in having freedom of movement in the SI joint. In my opinion, it is a wise idea to do some type of straight leg extensions after "opening up" and "turning on" this tissue. This can be done by lying face down and doing straight leg raises.

(fig.2.) Heinemann, or DH danceman, says he's been getting it in his quadriceps muscles. I agree. Here we roll from above the knee to the hip and back. Easy enough. If you have not used a foam roller in the past, you may be surprised at the depth of pressure you can achieve. Tilt your body left and right a bit to get the lateral and medial tissues of the thigh. An attempt should be made to push the lateral tissues back up to the middle of the bone. Separate the bellies of the 4 quads.

(fig. 3) Knee pain may be resolved to some degree by paying special attention to the connective tissue around the knee. Just below the knee, on the outside, is the attachment of bicep femoris. This hamstring muscle has been known to cram the tib fib joint closed, reducing the available slide, shock absorbing element of this part of the "knee" joint.

Use your upper body to provide movement from the knee to the hip. At the top of this movement do get into the tissue of the TFL, tilt slightly forward, All around that IT band tissue.

(fig. 4) Lats. Latissimus dorsi that is. Very interesting muscle. This dude is attatched to the arm, the low back, and the hip. So it helps in feeding, walking, rotation of the spine, side bending, so we see how this is important in snowboarding. have to eat ya know!

With the arm over head and externally rotated, we roll from around the arm pit, down to the ribs. Watch those floaters at the bottom of the rib basket. The intent is to pull the tissue back to the back to the beat. Get on the back of the "rotator cuff" high at the arm pit. I like to add an enhancer here, internal and external rotation of the humerus.

I hope you find these foam roller techniques useful. If you do not have a roller, you may find one at your local PT department, many massage therapist, running stores, and yoga studios may have them as well. This is a great device to have between massage appointments for at home care. They are cheap, fun, feel good and help create bodily awareness. Have fun with this stuff. Try some balance work. Squats while standing, arms out front. Stand erect doing overhead extensions. Lay on your back, foam roller length wise under spine. try to lift one foot then the other. What do you find. Core.

Team Avocado

2008-01-26T04:02:00.000-01:00

Team Avocado was founded in around 1992, give or take six or eight months. (maybe someone can let me know)...... I do not feel as though I was one of the "Original Gangsters" or "OG" as they now call it in the central mid-west. The two who started the posse are long gone from the old turf and I will not give out their names.

I joined up with Team Avocado about two weeks after the historic joining of forces. It was a trip for sure!! MH. and his posters. TB with the macaroni with ketchup. Other DH. with mattress lined rooms for battles of kick. DD best bite mark and flop. GB. the rock and roll bedroom equipped with new drums!! MH.with DRAGNET! TH with the best Mom.* JR best phone number. Fire! Fire! GB best getting his ass kicked around DH's porch by his girlfriend. And the list goes on. We all had our place then and we all have places now. But the houses are not as close.

Here's the plan, have a good trip. Mellow. Get ready for the projects called life. Or just forget about it for a few days.

*all Moms are the best..

Next entry......stretch it first.

Second Heart System- Part One

2008-01-24T02:00:00.000-01:00

The walking cycle is complex to say the very least. It takes a harmonious balance between the head and neck, spine, ribs, arms, hips, knee and ankle movement. And that is just with-in the bones. Imagine the process form the viewpoint of muscle, ligament, nerves, and fascia. There needs to be an effective firing order of trunk rotation, latisimus dorsi, thoracolumbar fascia, glute max, and lateral hamstring (bicep femoris). All of this is very complex and is something that I am attempting to understand.

I do know the simple act of walking may decrease the likely hood of deep vein thrombosis in the lower extremity, and increased flexibility and tone may help the return of blood flow from the lower leg to the heart.

Many anatomists refer to the soleus muscle as the second heart. The soleus is located somewhat deep in the calf; it is the second muscle deep to the skin, just deep to gastrocnemius. It may be an active muscle in the “toe off” phase in the walking and running cycle, but it's main job is stabilization in the stance phase. Electromyography shows that this muscle is made up of nearly 100% slow twitch, high endurance muscle fibers. This means it does not fatigue easy, and may just become neurologically facilitated to the point where it needs intervention to turn off.

Just deep to the soleus muscle is the venous return system from the lower leg. The veins have a few branches and some of the smaller venuals entwine through the muscles belly and run deep. The veins need effective pumping and the muscle needs freedom of movement to provide this pumping action. Strength and flexibility are two key factors for healthy lower legs.

There are a few things we can do to ensure freedom of movement in this tissue. Using a foam roller is one great technique for applying just the right amount of pressure to this deep calf muscle. Roll from the head of gastroc down to the heel for lengthening the muscle fibers. Try flexing and extending the ankle to get deeper into the fascial layers and to provide a distraction technique if needed. The key is to get the bellies of the muscles separated, allowing space for the blood to flow when the pumping action of the lower legs is active.

Always check with your doctor if you are in pain. Deep leg thrombosis is very dangerous and may indicate the care of a physician. Do not attempt these movements if you suspect any clotting in the tissue. Please check with your doctor first.

Lifting and Twisting

2008-01-21T06:22:00.000-01:00

So.... We have had some snow in Flag. We put old Babs to the test. The snow plow moved this bank up onto the side walk, I cleared the whole thing, then had my Dad stand here for a photo opportunity. He made it out alive!! The lifting and twisting motion of removing this snow fall from our driveways and sidewalks brought many people in with acute back pain.

He moved a lot of snow. Before that he raised three kids, worked in the produce industry, beef industry, and back to produce. Dad is 64 years of age. He retired 2 years ago from a major grocery store in the mid-west, with no back pain!

When we go to the grocery store we pick up items in the produce department. I want you to think about this:

Stacks of potatoes- 10 lbs a bag.
Celery- boxes weigh around 40 lbs.
Carrots- boxes weigh around 40 lbs.
Apples- boxes weigh around 40 lbs. And are stacked high and long. 8-10 varieties.
Banana- boxes weigh around 60 lbs. Organic and non-organic.
Lettuce- boxes weigh around 40 lbs. Washed in freezing water. 4 varieties.
Oranges- boxes weigh around 40 lbs. And are stacked high and long.
Peanuts, Chard, Endive, Green Beans, Pineapple, Tomatoes, Onions, Garlic, Grapefruit, Avocado, Peppers of all variety, Asparagus, Watermelon, Squash.....and on and on and on......

No back pain. That's quite a work out everyday. Go back up and look at this guy's posture. No Hunch, strong core, strong back, all as a result of many years of similar work to the snow lifting.

From Dalton's Blog.......

Much controversy exists in the biomedical and rehabilitation community as to the preferred strategy for lifting. This may actually come as some surprise to many of you who believe that lifting with a flat or arched back (lordotic posture) is unequivocally the safer and more efficient way to lift objects from the ground.

Serge is a proponent of what is called the rounded back (kyphotic posture) lifting theory. At a Rolf Institute annual meeting presentation in the early 80’s, Serge argued that the back muscles are not strong enough to properly support the spine and that when lifting naturally (without being coached how to lift) people will round their backs relying on the posterior ligaments and lateral thoracolumbar fascia to support their spines. He insists that lifting with an arched back is dangerous, since contraction of the erector spinae muscles increases the compressive load on the spine.

In fact, a fundamental problem in spinal biomechanics is explaining why vertebrae and discs are not crushed during the lifting of even relatively small loads. This problem has been wrestled with by spinal experts for years.

Gracovetsky attempts to solve the problem by proposing a model of the spine where lifting occurs without great involvement of the back muscles. They argue that lifting with a rounded back (kyphotic lifting posture) is safer since this results in less contraction of the erector spinae (lower back) muscles.

He believes that to lift properly, we must rely on passive bracing of the posterior ligamentous system and the thoracolumbar fascia of the spine for support. They claim that this lifting posture/strategy is to be preferred, since it results in less spinal compression and less tendency for shear forces in the spine.

Gracovetsky argues that the lower back muscles are not located posterior enough to the spine to be able to exert very much extensor torque and that since the erectors are located very close and lateral to the spine, they were never intended to generate much power.

While I may not agree one hundred percent with this model, many people do seem to lift this way, and many never have acute low back pain......

Hope it helps........and I hope we receive more snow!!

Welcome......

2008-01-21T01:50:00.001-01:00

Thoracolumbar Junction Dysfunction Fix. Pain from this junction may be felt in the top of hip, glutes, IT Band, and into the groin. Rarely is pain felt at the site of dysfunction.

Stroke Awareness

2008-01-20T22:09:00.000-01:00

STROKE: Remember The 1st Three Letters.... S.T.R.
If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously..

Please read:

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .....she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening.

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die.... they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this...

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke... totally . He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is t ough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE
Thank God for the sense to remember the "3" steps, STR . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke .

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:
S * Ask the individual to SMILE.
T * Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today)
R * Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 999/911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other , that is also an indication of a stroke.

A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved.

Low Back Pain

2008-01-19T14:24:00.000-01:00

This is one of my favorite Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques for assisting clients with low back pain. When the psoas muscle (and others) tugs anteriorly on the spine, it can cram the facet joints closed in the lumbar spine. Here we take a client into a side lying position and ask them to do pelvic tilts. When pelvic tilts are performed it asks the joints to open and close, in this case we want the joints to open more, so concentration is placed on posterior tilt, or thrusting the pubic bone forward. Sustained pressure is applied, creating more resistance to clients effort, thus creating more movement in spinal segment upon effort.

Myoskeletal Calander 2008

2008-01-15T13:44:00.000-01:00

Here we are, on the front end of another great year. 2008. Again this year I will be assisting Erik Dalton, PhD. and Kim Miller, with the Freedom From Pain Institute, in providing outstanding education to soft tissue practitioners, massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers, and sports therapists. The Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques platforms have proven to be the most accurate in assessment and correction that I have studied and used in my practice. I used to find it difficult to reproduce results from session to session. That was until I learned more of the accurate assessments, what to really look for when clients came in with specific dysfunctions and specific pain. Knowing what to look for has made all the difference. The second step is knowing what to do with said dysfunction.

Thinking "out side the box " of typical massage therapy and using all of the soft tissue in the body to achieve results is the corner stone of the Myoskeletal Techniques. We, as massage therapists, are becoming increasingly aware of other inert tissues. Mechanoreceptors in the body give our brain information about the health of joints and healthy, or unhealthy, joint movement. This in turn can activate a response of many other receptors, nociceptors tell us about pain, chemoreceptors tell us about the bombardment of chemicals due to protective muscle guarding and so on....these are all conditions that the soft tissue community should begin to consider when treating people who are in pain. Food for thought.

And so here is our schedule. Hope to see you therapists there!

Feb. 29 - March 2, 2008
Tucson, Arizona Vacation/ Education Destination
Massage Therapy Advanced Neck, Sciatic and Rotator Cuff
24 CE hours

Day 1… Advanced Neck Routines: Dalton’s new head & neck workshop helps therapists determine if pain emanates from pinched nerves or irritated joint receptors. Enhance your palpation skills with this innovative approach for correcting complex conditions such as “chronic cricks”, whiplash, migraines, and facet/rib pain. Pain management therapists will love this skill enhancing presentation.

Day 2…Sciatic: Simplified "back spasm" recipe for torsioned spines, locked SI joints and adhesive hip capsules. Includes innovative side-lying deep tissue massage therapists techniques & assisted stretching routines…perfect for treating large or pregnant clients.

Day 3…Rotator Cuff Corrections: New approaches for fixing impingement syndromes and frozen shoulders are introduced in this combined soft tissue and joint mobilization presentation. Dalton's unique joint capsule, ligament, bursa, and myofascial mobilization techniques will enhance your assessment, palpation and treatment skills. A must take seminar for all sports therapists! This three-day Myoskeletal Alignment Certification workshop compliments all forms of manual therapy.

To register call Michael at 800-766-1942 or register at www.takemyregistration.com

March28-30, 2008

New Orleans, LA. Education- Party on the Bayou

Myoskeletal Alignment for Neck, Back and Hip Pain
24 CE hours

Day 1… Neck Pain: Dalton’s very popular “Dirty Dozen” pain-bustin’ techniques help massage therapists assess and correct neck "cricks", dowager's humps, TOS, pinched nerves, scoliosis, rib pain and more.

Day 2…Back Pain: Simplified "back spasm" recipe for torsioned spines, locked SI joints and adhesive hip capsules. Includes innovative side-lying techniques & assisted stretching routines…perfect for treating large or pregnant clients.

Day 3…Hip Pain: Learn simple myoskeletal pelvic balancing techniques that focus on eliminating joint/ ligament pain originating at the lumbo-sacral junction. Since the SI joint can become stuck “crooked” in ten positions between the innominates, pain management therapists must be armed with effective tools to fix this common complaint….Incorporate these on Monday morning and watch your practice grow.
This three-day Myoskeletal Alignment workshop compliments all forms of manual therapy.

To register call Michael at 800-766-1942 or register at www.takemyregistration.com

Don't Miss This!

Dalton's 6th Annual Costa Rica Retreat

2008 Pain Management in Paradise

Dual Workshops with Erik Dalton and Aaron Mattes-Creator of Active Isolated Stretching

Click the Link to see Brochure!!

June 6-8, 2008

Dallas, Texas Vacation while you learn...

at the world famous Cooper Clinic- Guest Lodge Hotel & Spa

Advanced Neck, Sciatic, and Rotator Cuff Pain
24 CE hours

Day 1… Advanced Neck Routines Workshop: Dalton’s new head & neck techniques help therapists determine if pain emanates from pinched nerves or irritated joint receptors. Enhance your palpation skills with this innovative approach for correcting complex conditions such as ‘chronic cricks’, whiplash, migraines, and facet/rib pain.

Day 2…Sciatic Pain: Simplified "back spasm" recipe for torsioned spines, locked SI joints and adhesive hip capsules. Includes innovative side-lying deep tissue massage therapy techniques & assisted stretching routines…perfect for treating large or pregnant clients.

Day 3…Rotator Cuff Corrections: New approaches for fixing impingement syndromes and frozen shoulders are introduced in this combined soft tissue and joint mobilization presentation. Dalton's unique joint capsule, ligament, bursa, and myofascial mobilization techniques will enhance your assessment, palpation and treatment skills. This Advanced Myoskeletal Alignment Certification workshop was designed for structural integrators, pain-management, and sports therapists.

A must take workshop event for all sports therapists!

To register call Michael at 800-766-1942 or register at www.takemyregistration.com

July18-20

Salt Lake City, Utah

Education-Relaxation Destination

Holiday Inn- Airport West
24 CE hours

Dirty-Dozen Neck, Low Back and Shoulder Routines

Day 1… Neck Pain: Dalton’s very popular Dirty-Dozen techniques help therapists assess and correct neck ‘cricks’, dowager's humps, TOS, pinched nerves, scoliosis, rib pain and more.

Day 2…Low Back Fix: Simplified "back spasm" recipes for torsioned spines, locked SI joints and adhesive hip capsules. Includes innovative side-lying deep tissue technique & assisted stretching routines…perfect for treating large or pregnant clients.

Day 3…Shoulder Pain: New approaches for fixing impingement syndromes and frozen shoulders are introduced in this soft tissue joint mobilization presentation. Dalton's unique joint capsule, ligament, bursa, and myofascial mobilization techniques enhance assessment, palpation and treatment skills for all forms of manual therapy.

To register call Michael at 800-766-1942 or register at www.takemyregistration.com

Aug. 22-24

Kansas City, Missouri

Barbecue and Blues with Erik Dalton

Holiday Inn KCI & Expo Center
24 CE hours

Advanced Myoskeletal Alignment for Sciatic, Pelvic, and Cervical Pain

This newly-added advanced class explores hidden causes of back, butt and leg pain including SI joint dysfunction. New assessment routines based on research presented at the First Fascial Conference at Harvard will look at Ascending Syndromes...pain originating in the feet and legs that affect pelvic balance and Descending Syndromes...pain originating in the head and neck creating scoliotic strain patterns that refer into the arms and thorax.

Participants will learn exciting new Myoskeletal approaches for treating soft-tissue conditions such as ligament failure, joint capsule adhesions and myofibroblast pain. A must--take class for all structural integrators, pain management and sports therapists!

To register call Michael at 800-766-1942 or register at www.takemyregistration.com

October 17-19

Atlanta, Georgia
Myoskeletal Alignment: Neck, Sciatic and Leg Pain
24 CE hours

To register call Michael at 800-766-1942 or register at www.takemyregistration.com

November 14-16

Baltimore, MD
Myoskeletal Alignment: Neck, Sciatic and Leg Pain
24 CE hours

To register call Michael at 800-766-1942 or register at www.takemyregistration.com

Massage Boosts Mood and Benefits Immune Function in Children with Leukemia

2008-01-09T11:01:00.000-01:00

Following a month of daily massage therapy, administered by parents, the white blood cell and neutrophil counts of children with leukemia increased significantly, according to a recent study. The research also revealed decreased anxiety and lower levels of depression in both the children and their parents.

"Leukemia immune changes following massage therapy" was conducted by researchers at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, in conjunction with staff at Hollywood Memorial Regional Hospital. It was originally published in October 2001 in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.

Twenty children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were randomly assigned to either receive massage therapy or remain in a standard-treatment control group. Throughout the one-month study, each child continued to receive standard care for leukemia.

On the first day of the research, parents in the massage-therapy group were trained to massage their children under the guidance of massage therapists. Beginning with the child in the supine position, parents were instructed to start by stroking the face, followed by the stomach, legs and arms. With the child in the prone position, parents were taught to massage the back; rub and knead the shoulders; and stroke along the back, as well as from the crown to the feet.

The parents were told to massage their children at bedtime for 15 minutes every day for one month. They were also told that the massage was expected to aid in relaxation and the reduction of anxiety and depression.

Parents in the control group completed questionnaires on the first and last days of the research, and they were given the option of learning the massage at the end of the one-month study.

Pre- and post-session assessments were made before and after the massage therapy and control sessions on the first day of research, to evaluate immediate effects. The State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to measure the mood of the parents, who rated items such as "I feel nervous" and "I feel calm" on a scale that ranged from "not at all" to "very much so."

The Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to evaluate both the parents and children. It consists of 20 adjectives, such as "blue," "sad" and "miserable," which are rated on a five-point scale, from "not at all" to "extremely." The State Anxiety Inventory for Children was also administered.

Long-term effects were measured on the first and last days of the study. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a 20-item scale that rates symptoms of depression throughout the past week on a four-point scale, from "rarely or none of the time" to "most or all of the time," was used to rate the parents' depression.

A complete blood count, which measures white blood cell and neutrophil counts, along with hemoglobin, was recorded from each child's medical chart on the first and last days of the study.

On the first day of the study, following the massage session, parents in the massage-therapy group had lower anxiety and depressed mood levels than parents in the control group. Children in the massage-therapy group had lower anxiety and depression levels after the first massage, as well.

From the first to the last day of the study, the depression level of the massage-therapy group parents decreased, and their children's white blood cell and neutrophil counts increased significantly.

According to the authors of this study, "The increased white blood count and neutrophil count following massage therapy suggests the usefulness of this therapy for maintaining optimal immune function over the course of cancer treatment."

- Source: The Touch Research Institute. Authors: Tiffany Field, Christy Cullen, Miguel Diego, Maria Hernandez-Reif, Phillippa Sprinz, Kristen Beebe, Bonnie Kissell, Vivian Bango-Sanchez. Originally published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2001, Vol. 5, pp. 271-274.

This article was written for Massage Magazine.

Re-birth

2008-01-08T12:52:00.000-01:00

I am going to make another run at this blog.....Well, I had many posts up that I deleted. I know you all have been checking daily, and welcome to the new visitors.............

Way To Go Kirsten!!!

2007-05-17T12:39:00.000-01:00

Kirsten Sweetland of Victoria celebrates after winning Triathlon World Cup at Richards Bay, South Africa. It's her first career world cup win, and she's the youngest Canadian to ever win a world cup triathlon race.

Great job Kirsten! This woman is 18 and watch out all you triathletes in 08. I think we have a contender.

From January to March 2007 I had the honor to get to know Kirsten, along with the rest of the Canadian national Triathlon Team, while they were here in Flagstaff training for this........kicking butt! While the team was here they trained in water, on bike and foot. A lot!

I had the pleasure of helping Kirsten achieve some recovery and clean up some issues we will not discuss....no secrets disclosed from me. Any way she is fast...faster than you!

Victoria's Sweetland makes history with triathlon win

CanWest News Service

Published: Sunday, May 13, 2007

Victoria's Kirsten Sweetland made Canadian triathlon history Sunday.

Sweetland won the women's title at the BG Triathlon World Cup event. At 18 years eight months, Sweetland, the world junior champion, became the youngest Canadian ever to win a triathlon World Cup race and the sixth Canadian woman to stand atop the podium.

It was also her first World Cup win in just her fifth World Cup event. The victory moved Sweetland into third in the world rankings.

Sweetland of Victoria celebrates after winning Triathlon World Cup at Richards Bay, South Africa. It's her first career world cup win, and she's the youngest Canadian to ever win a world cup triathlon race.

"I feel great, I really wasn't expecting this," Sweetland said in a statement. "It's a lot of adrenaline up at the front and I think that really helped me. I'm just on cloud nine right now, I can't believe it."

Sweetland won the race in two hours three minutes 32 seconds. She finished 15 seconds ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Magali Di marco Messmer of Switzerland.

South African Hendrik De Villiers won the men's race in 1:52:53.

The World Cup circuit now moves to Spain for the June 3 stop in Madrid. Then it's across to Canada for the Vancouver stop on June 10.

Ukraine's Volodymyr Polikarpenko was second in 1:52:56 while Russian Alexander Brukhankov was third in 1:53:01 .

Hamilton's Colin Jenkins was the top Canadian, finishing 41st while Kyle Jones of Oakville, Ont., was 55th.

"And Geoffrey Bishop is the best massage therapist and bodyworker in the whole world!"

Okay, I wrote this last part, good job again Kirstin! Keep up the great work, train smart. You continue to be an inspiration to all who know you! I look forward to working with you again soon and seeing you in Bejing in 2008!

Ooops.....client fear.

2007-05-12T12:03:00.000-01:00

I got a phone call the other day from a massage therapist in Denver. She stated that her Mother was to be in Flagstaff soon and was in need of a massage. Her mother had a hiking trip planned in the canyon, to the river and back and was having some hip flexor issues. "Great" I thought, "anterior hip capsule". I asked to have her Mother call and we could set up a time to check into this.

So I talk to Mom, who had decided to cancel the appointment due to the idea that "massage" might make it worse.....I did not change her mind for her, but she re-thought the situation and decided to give massage a try for her condition. The doctor who diagnosed the situation and diagnosed hip flexor issues had her on 800mg. ibuprofen three times a day for a week and a half, a go ahead for the canyon after complete rest for the week prior to the trip........ well the day before she walked 4 miles and felt much better, go figure. I say "move it or lose it" paying close attention to your body of course.

Okay, Mom comes into the clinic and we talk and move and she describes this hip flexor, when it hurts, why it hurts, etc....... it did not add up. I finally just asked her to point to where it hurts, and she placed her hand on the lateral (outside) portion of her ilia (hip) bone, not even glutes, more on the top of the crest. "Hmm.... I don't recall a hip flexor there", I thought.

I asked her to trace where the "pain" comes from...and she followed a line to the bottom rib sort of posterior and superior. Abdomen and quadratus lumborum was the area she indicated the discomfort. At this point I gave a bit of a sigh of relief and said no problem, do the canyon, let's do this soft tissue work and go on with our lives and lay off the ibuprofen. 20 minutes into the appointment we reached the table.

Mother client was afraid. She was afraid because the medical community told her to be. Take these pills, rest and pray...we don't know what it is. But go ahead and hike this big, deep hole. There was no recommendation to seek soft tissue help....I digress.

On the table she added all this up too, her sister in law is a PT who gave stretches for hip flexor on the phone. Mother client said to herself, well those stretches don't help; sister-in-law was going off the mis-diagnosis of the doc.... but good job for recommending movement. We did some post isometric relaxation techniques and reciprocal inhibition, breathing patterns, hamstrings, quads, firing order of walking, all the soft tissue for the canyon work...

I have a very long hall way to exit in my office that I often walk with clients. I did the walk with her and at the end she wiggled her hips a bit and did a big circular movement with her pelvis. She could only feel it way out there on one side when she went into extreme range of motion. She was sporting a nice smile at this point. That is why I work, for the smile.

I am not taking credit for the work we did together, the best tool I can use is encouragement. Help the body change it self. Not working on the body, but in the body, getting into all the neural pathways, re-education with a supportive hand. She asked me how long I want to do this kind of work......I said "forever". I think of Ida Rolf's old hands, and wow, what was in her head. I think of Dalton on a tangent and Kim keeping him in line, his excitement for the body, Meyers sitting back and observing and seeing, Ralph's passion for the medical and education institutions...yeah, I want work for a long, long, long time!

She goes in the canyon tomorrow, after a day of rest. My best to you new friend........

Views

2007-05-08T18:44:00.001-01:00

On the way home

2007-05-08T14:03:00.000-01:00

On my way home today….es muy bueno para me. No me gusta long trips away from the wife and kids. However the fact remains that I had a wonderful time.

Something aside from the surfboard has made a mark on me here in Costa Rica. I broke down a wall of fear that I have had for way to long. My friend and brother Darin, showed me how to relax a bit, not something I have been very good at. I have had in the past a few run-ins with “locals” or shall we say street drunks, that have not always been pleasant…..somewhere along the line that turned in to fear. A few nights ago we sat on the beach for a bon-fire with the local artists and surfers. Drumming, lightning a few k. off the beach….I relaxed finally.

All day yesterday, down-shift to further relaxation…and back to work soon.

I'm Here

2007-04-28T15:41:00.000-01:00

Yes I made it to Costa Rica....
Wonderful B Fast this AM and now to the rain..

Gotta get to work.

Bumper Sticker of the Day

2007-04-25T10:28:00.000-01:00

"Those who abandon their dreams will discourage yours"

I saw this sticker downtown in Flagstaff yesterday. I am a firm believer in the power of attraction, so this meant something to me. I have not seen the movie "The Secret" but I believe it has something to do with this. Throughout my years of life I have ran across many opportunities to join these people in abandoning my dreams. These sentiments come in many forms. "Good luck" in a cynical tone of voice is one of my least favorites. However, it often works as a motivation for me. I'm sure I share this trait with many people, I know my children are in the same boat...when told I can not do something or are incapable of achieving a task, this only makes me want it more.

There are so many ways to remind ones self of what it is you want. My mom bought me this little piece for manifestation one year for my birthday. It is a small praying, or thinking figure with a bowl in it's lap. The directions on this little figure said to think of what you want, write it down on paper, or come up with something that reminds you of this desire... next, you are to put that in the lap of this figure. Pray on it, think about it, look at it, whatever you believe...upon waking and at bed time. I put a business card of a particular job I really wanted in the lap, thought of it a bunch and "poof" I got that job.

But it is not magic, you can use what works for you, church, nature, incense, books on achieving, journal, hitting the streets, whatever you call it...to quote the great waffle makers "Just Do It"..(sorry I had to) That's it. Find what you want and make it so.

Now days I don't use the little figure as much, I do use the concept. I write it, I draw it, however crude it may be.... I 'put it out there', I think and talk about it. No, I do not have all I want, I don't even know what that is yet, but when I think of it, I will work on it.

I was just reminded of my grandma or mom saying "God helps those who help themselves" (and in that tone) a great life lesson in a few words. Picard on Star Trek says "Make it so"... some one said "ask and you shall receive"... to sum this up I'd like to remind you again of that sticker. "Those who abandon their dreams will discourage yours" don't let this happen to you, work hard for it.... be it sport, career, travel, children, addiction recovery, blah, blah, blah...okay enough Tony Robbins for one morning! There is a small group of people from Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa who can prove this theory to be true...

I realize I need to take a writing class, it's on the list. Until next time...my best to you, and I mean it. Best wishes to you....

Did you hear that chicken?

2007-04-20T10:43:00.000-01:00

In one week I will be headed south to the wonderful land of Costa Rica. When I was there last year there were a few chickens that had their clocks all screwed up. At around 2:30 am these two roosters would start calling each other like some kind of lost kittens of the jungle! And these are not the storybook roosters that you read about in "Mr. Brown can moo, can you?", no, no, no, these chickens are deep in the wild, they are untamed by humans, and I can only imagine what they must look like. Their call is somewhat like the overlaid sounds of fingernails on a chalkboard, and the guy with tuberculosis coughing behind the Fred Meyer's in Portland who I used to take salads to after closing the deli I worked at.

None the less, I can not wait for our trip. This year is to be less of a party, and more of a ...shall we say...educational experience. Erik Dalton and Tom Meyers. Two of the best Rolfers/bodyworkers in the industry. If you are a bodyworker yourself, you need to check out their work. They are both great authors, reading their thoughts on paper is enough to get me going like a 13 year old girl at a New Kids On The Block concert. No, it's more like an old slow and progressive song from a band like DM Fits, or HOLS where you kinda work the outside then gradually get down there in the middle and get it all going, and it is all working very nice together. Alright, I digress. (been doing that a lot this morning) oops..

Anyway, check it out, and I'll stay away from the chickens this year!

Good Job All!

2007-04-19T12:47:00.000-01:00

Congratulations to all the athletes who have done so well lately. You guys are my inspiration, "you are wind beneath my wings", to quote the great Bette Midler!

Fam
Eric
Chris
Reid
Jill
Kirsten
Kyle
Colin
Jordan
Natasha
Andy
Cal
Simon
Bill
Lisa
Mike
Marten
AP
Pieter
Lauren

And anyone else I missed. You are all great and thank you for everything, I'll try to stay on top of the results. You are all just too great!

Healing

2007-04-19T11:51:00.000-01:00

Well it is now Thursday. It has been around 80 hours since I hiked out of the canyon. Big deal?, well it has been a great re-learning experience for me. In the first days, Monday and Tuesday, I could hardly walk. This felt like soft tissue damage/inflammation. The main soreness was coming from my calves with some residual soreness in my quads.

The calf pain was primarily from the eccentric contractions of going downhill. The secondary cause of pain was getting back out, which was no small feat for me.
Eccentric calf pain from going downhill works like this.

You extend your toes to get proper foot placement. When this is done the soleus muscle(1) and the gastrocnemius muscle(2) contract-shorten.
You put said toes/foot right where you want it, so as not to fall. It just so happens there are a lot of mules that go up and down this same trail, they dig big holes in the trail.
Now with foot all good, you put all your weight on this foot, calf contracted, and lengthen that muscle while it tries to stabilize.
Repeat around 1,500 times.
Calf soreness.

The only area I had any concern over was my right sacrotuberous ligament. With pelvic misalignment there was a unilateral joint pain. I favor my right side, I am strongest on my right side, and it may be that when stepping required a stronger hold, I overused my right foot/leg/hip. I had a massage on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Tuesdays massage was a great flush (all I could handle) and some much needed stretching. Rosa did a bit of gentle movement of the sacrum across it's oblique axis and really freed things up. On Wednesday I asked Shawn to check that ligament, he did a bit of cross fiber on it and today the "joint pain" is gone. 100% Tuesday night and Wednesday night I had the best foot therapist in town stay the night at my house and work my feet over until I fell asleep. She's the best, thanks Missy!!!

Keeping moving, hydration, and getting good food into my system has played a key role in this recovery I feel. For a day I thought I made a real mistake. But today it was all worth it and more.

First Time in The Hole

2007-04-17T09:56:00.000-01:00

What A trip! Not advisable off the couch. At approximately 32 hours after completing this trip and having eaten a big shredded beef burrito, I do not walk well. No major injury I know of yet, a lot of soleus pain and muscle soreness in quads and minimal hamstring damage. But the calves, oh my lordy lordy. OK, some sacraltuberous ligament pain, but what can I expect. I hope I can walk through the airport in ten days! No sweat, they have those fancy golf carts zipping around.

Why'd ya do it like that?

Well yes, good point. As a therapist working with many of today's top athletes, I wanted to experience again this pain and discomfort that so many of my clients present with. I do a few light jogs around the block every year or two, but nothing of this magnitude.

My man Chris, that drugged me and took me in the canyon, does this trip many times over in a year. This was his fourth time in the canyon in April, Today is the 17th. The day previous to this trip he did a 4.5 hr run in "the hole". Chris started at the South Rim, ran to Phantom Ranch and back to the South Rim. 4.5 hours. That's around 5,000 ft downhill over 12 miles or so, then back up 5,000 ft and the same mileage. When I did the deal, I ran 57 minutes down to Indian Gardens, that's 3,000 ft down hill and however many miles. Duh- next I will walk more.

Chris did the 7 hours with me because he did not want me to die in the canyon. Thanks Chris. This is, however, not advisable. I say this to protect my readers. Not off the couch. I know many people who are of the fitness level to allow this, most of the running clients I work with. Not me, I am alive, but the muscles would be happier had I taken a few extra jogabouts. All and all it was a great trip. I am learning about the body, pain, and saw many wondrous things. Until next time.....

A day at the park

2007-04-15T12:20:00.000-01:00

4-14-07

A Runner's High in Flagstaff hosted a great clinic for athletes in training on Saturday. The group was composed of local athletes training for 5k, 10k, half marathon, and full marathon. Stay Tuned Therapeutics was there, along with Phil Wharton, to provide guidance in flexibility training, and give encouragement to these runners as they embark on this journey.

First thing we did was get these folks on the ground, unload the gravity, and teach some flexibility. We went to Wheeler Park and had 70 people spread out and lay down. We taught a simple 10 minute routine in opening up the hip flexors and hip extensors. We turned on the glutes and opened the lateral hip, and addressed the springing system with-in the feet. Threw in a little spinal rotation and side bending for the Thorax and Lumbar spine and off they went.

After their run, and back at the store we stretched the runners and provided a bit of various recovery techniques on an individual basis. I taught some simple foam roller techniques for balance and maintenance, pointed out some postural dysfunctions, and met some great people.

Mike Friedberg was helping people get the right shoes on their feet, Phil turned people into Gumby and sold some books, and together we got em geared up for their success in running. Way to go team!

Nationals for Missy

2007-04-13T12:59:00.000-01:00

Today Missy is sitting for her NCETMB. When she takes the test and passes she will be nationally certified in therapeutic massage and bodywork. She has been studying for weeks, raising our chitlins and working full time. She never stops, sometimes I say I wish I had the mammory glands so I could sit around at night and just feed a baby. I take it all back, not that it has been granted or anything. Missy is one of the hardest working women I know! No we are not fighting, nor am I trying to cover my butt. Just stating facts.

The workings of a small business and raising a family is hard, many of you know this. It comes back to us however, I do believe we get out of life what we put into it. We have highs and lows in life, good times and bad times. If we can look at the bad times as learning experiences, we are two steps ahead of the game.

We all know this.

UPDATE....
Missy Passed with flying colors!! I had no doubt.

Foam Roller Work

2007-04-13T11:53:00.000-01:00

Drag cursor over image to pause the slide show. These are a few exercises you can do at home to keep your myofascia lengthened, and your body in balance. Start slow and keep with it. Eventually you will be able to use more body weight. Play around and find what works for you! Have fun...Stay Tuned!

By the way, you can not find these sweet shoes any more! Don't even try!

Monkies and Food

2007-04-11T13:01:00.000-01:00

Gearing up for my second trip to Costa Rica. Pack light, take the i pod, book, running gear, brain, shorts, hat, sun screen, flip flops. Change message on mobile phone to let callers know you will be in Costa Rica for eleven (11) days!!! Good, I'm set!

This is the good stuff here. Three organic meals a day, really good coffee, fruits of all kinds to keep hydrated and clean. We do this retreat with the Freedom From Pain Institute at a joint called Pura Vida (www.puravidaspa.com)Pure Life to us gringos. On my first trip to CR, it was a bit of an interview with FFPI. I studied with Erik Dalton and James Waslaski, had a grand time, and got a job.

Now I will return as a Teachers Aide, and help the students learn these fabulous techniques in soft tissue manipulation. This year is with Tom Meyers, Mr. Anatomy Trains, and Erik Dalton, PhD. These two are both Rolfers and I have a feeling their work will play very nicely off one anther! Can't wait.

While there I will be going dancing with the DH danceman if you know what I mean! Yes Darin is there, hangin with the natives. He is landscaping and shooting pics of the stuff. We will be meeting up in Manuel Antonio and have just a few days to spend.

I'll post more from the Jungle!!

Hasta.

No Pain, No Gain?

2007-04-07T06:59:00.000-01:00

I copied this article to my blog because it raises some interesting points about pain. Not all are entirely agreeable to me, but it is thought provoking.

‘Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional.’ So goes a well-known but anonymous quote. For many athletes, pain is a normal everyday experience and success is often achieved in spite of pain. But what’s the best strategy for coping with and overcoming pain and how can athletes distinguish between benign and potentially damaging pain? Matt Lancaster looks at the latest evidence

Pain is synonymous with sport. Endurance athletes relish the challenge of ‘pushing through pain’ while boxers expect to fight on regardless of a jarring blow to the chin. Adulation is reserved not just for the star rugby player, but anyone who can play through pain and contribute to the team. Winners and heroes overcome pain. Losers don’t.

But the price of pain can be high. Pain both demands attention and creates fear(1). It can restrict the ability to concentrate on performance and take away the opportunity to compete. Pain can even end sporting careers. The relationship between pain and sport is filled with challenges for sportsmen and women as well as those who support them. However, although pain of some description is no stranger to most athletes, it’s still a curious phenomenon in many ways. For example, consider the following questions:

* How are some people able to shrug off a painful injury?
* How can two athletes with the same injury experience different pain?
* Why do some pains seem to last ‘forever’?
* Why can some people compete, seemingly regardless of pain, while others struggle to overcome even a minor niggle?

This article will explore these questions, offering practical advice about when it is appropriate to perform in the presence of pain, when you should consult a professional, and how to best approach pain in a sporting environment.

The diagnostic dilemma

If you tear your hamstring muscle or sprain an ankle it hurts – obviously. Since the 17th century, the medical and scientific world has sought to diagnose pain by identifying the particular tissue that has been injured. For example, the philosopher René Descartes proposed that a pure pain sensation is transmitted from the damaged body to an entirely separate organ, the mind, just as… pulling on one end of a rope…makes to strike at the same instant a bell which hangs at the end(2,3). Descartes separated the body from the brain, and even today it is usual for people to make a distinction between physical pain and mental pain(3,4).This is especially the case in sport.

However, there are some problems with this classical view of diagnosis. For instance, an extensive network of nerves supplies the various tissues in your back, making them potential sources of pain when injured(5). It follows that if you can identify the damaged spinal tissue, for instance using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), it should be possible to explain the pain.

The problem is that while MRI findings of severe damage to the discs or nerves is associated with the experience of pain, studies have failed to demonstrate a clear relationship between the majority of tissue damage observed on MRI and the patient’s pain(6). What’s more, almost 40% of people who have no history of back pain have abnormal, damaged spines at more than one spinal level when scanned using MRI(7)! Likewise, the damage shown by ultrasound investigations of athletes with painful patella tendons (jumper’s knee) does not necessarily correspond directly to the degree of pain experienced by the athlete(8).

This doesn’t mean that identifying the injured structure is not important or that it isn’t crucially involved in your pain. But looking to tissue damage alone (which is both frequent and often quite subtle in sporting injuries) to explain the relationship between pain and sporting performance is probably not sufficient.

A painful process

Another theory, first proposed in 1965, suggested that far from acting like an old-fashioned telephone exchange, your brain and spinal cord can actually increase or inhibit the transmission of pain signals(9). Gate control theory was revolutionary because it proposed a mechanism for the brain to have a modulating influence on the generation of all pains, and not just mental pain(10). While the original theory has been modified and expanded, it has essentially stood the test of time and been supported by 40 years of scientific research(11).

If you listen to the language people use to describe their pain, it soon becomes apparent that pain is quite simply pain, and is not separated into physical or mental compartments. All pain invokes not just a pure sensory response, but a range of thoughts and emotions also(3,12) and pain emerges from the integrated, combined action of the pain system(2,3). Simplistically, this system can be viewed as three separate parts of the nervous system, all of which modulate pain.

How do some people shrug off a painful injury?

Remember that following an acute injury, such as an ankle sprain, pain receptors are first stimulated by the mechanical stress and strain placed upon the tissue. ‘Inflammatory soup’ soon floods the tissue leading to peripheral sensitisation. Several hours later, similar chemicals will also lead to spinal modulation(19). Pain and sensitivity to movement and pressure increase over a period of a few hours; the time between the transition from the original mechanical pain (which may pass) to the maximum sensitised state may provide athletes with a ‘window of opportunity’ to shrug off their pain and continue competing.

However, this mechanism is probably only the tip of the iceberg. When you are totally focused on your opponent, or consumed by the contest, supraspinal and spinal modulation may act to inhibit the transmission or limit the awareness of the pain signal(18). We’ve all heard stories of sportsmen and women who have continued despite an injury which (theoretically) should have caused them to stop: a boxer with a broken hand, rugby players with torn ligaments, a long jumper with a strained hamstring etc. In the cut and thrust of competition, the pain system can ‘shut the gate’, and athletes are able to continue in spite of injured tissue(18). However, once your attention is drawn back to the acute pain (particularly following competition), awareness of the pain becomes strong again, especially if this also coincides with an increase in peripheral and spinal modulation.

So, should you ignore pain and try to shrug off an injury? Acute sensitisation is a normal, helpful process to encourage you to stop using the injured tissue and avoid further damage(20). It might be helpful to ask yourself the three questions in the box below.

There are a few other questions, which are perhaps even more important. We’ll get to these later. But remember, acute pain usually occurs for a good reason. It makes sense to seek professional advice as soon as you can. Sometimes people can overcome acute pain and continue to compete, but that doesn’t necessarily make it a wise decision!

How can two athletes with the same injury experience different pain?

Studies have confirmed that people respond differently to similar levels of painful stimulation(19). Differences exist not just in our individual sensitivity to a painful stimulus, but also in our perception of pain and how we display it. Pain is individual, even when the stimulus is not, but while we cannot know exactly what someone else is experiencing, our brains undergo quite similar activity when confronted with someone else’s pain(21). This is the basis for empathy and acknowledging someone’s pain is normal and important.

Our individual sensitivity to pain is in part explained by our genetic makeup (22-24), while studies involving twins have shown that learned behaviours are also important (25). Again, the division of pain into real and mental is unhelpful and the variation in pain between two athletes with the same injury lies at all levels of the pain system. Even for the same athlete, pain sensitivity varies under different circumstances, and perhaps not surprisingly, can become significantly less during competition(26).

It’s also worth noting that different groups in society may have significantly different pain responses, and this applies within sport. A study performed 40 years ago demonstrated that contact sport athletes could tolerate experimental acute pain for longer than non-contact athletes, while both groups could tolerate more acute pain than non-athletes(26).

Pain sensitivity may also be different in different people at different times; the way athletes display that they are in pain can vary, both between individuals and also between groups of athletes from different sports. It might be an extreme example, but imagine a footballer who could potentially be rewarded with a penalty responding to the pain from a kick in the shin. Now, assuming the tissue damage is equivalent, think about the same incident involving a Thai kick boxer who is in the middle of a title fight. Get the idea?!

Why do some pains seem to last forever?

During ongoing or chronic pain, adaptive changes at all levels of the pain system often outlast their usefulness in helping us protect injured tissues. Movements and pressures that would otherwise be normal continue to cause pain long after the risk of further injury has passed and often even once the tissue has essentially healed.

Examining possible tissue damage remains important when considering ongoing or recurrent pains, but a broader approach is required to address an athlete’s fear and anxiety about their ongoing pain and help them return to their sport. Focusing too much attention on pain can actually increase pain(18). It is probably more helpful to concentrate on working hard to strengthen the tissues at a sensible rate, regain normal fitness and aim to return to training.

Providing an appropriate environment for people to overcome ongoing pain is important and not always easy in sport. Coaches or team-mates who are angry at or ignore athletes with ongoing pain may contribute further to those athletes avoiding the very things that will help them return to full activity (such as a rehabilitation programme), and generate further anxiety that doesn’t help either(27). Getting this balance right and remaining positive is therefore important. People who develop an exaggerated, negative mindset towards their ongoing pain have been shown to experience both increased pain and emotional distress(28). Pain is a normal part of sport but the right mental approach can prevent it from becoming a catastrophe.

Does this mean it is OK to ignore ongoing pain? Well, it’s not quite that simple. Once again consider the three Cs. Any pain that has been present for more than a week or so, or keeps returning periodically is worth getting checked out by a professional who can not only assess for tissue damage but can also understand your pain and hopefully point you in the right direction before the maladaptive changes to your nervous system become entrenched.

Why are some people able to compete, seemingly regardless of pain, while others struggle to overcome even a minor niggle?

Although pain (especially acute pain) is related to tissue damage, this damage alone is not sufficient to explain pain fully. Pain is not just a sensation but results from the interaction between sensory inputs and brain processes, such as emotion and conscious thought. And pain is individual, not just to you as an athlete, but also to the time, circumstance and environment you find yourself in. Within the mechanics of the pain system, individual variation and modulation occur subconsciously, which helps to answer this question.

To ultimately address the relationship between pain and sport however, it is necessary to consider one further aspect of pain: your own ‘personal values’. We’ve already considered the three Cs as a guide to considering how to act in the presence of pain; however, as anyone involved with sport knows, making decisions about athletes in pain is often a judgement call. The three C questions only have meaning if we add a further, more personal line of questioning:

* Am I prepared to cope?
* How important is contributing a worthwhile performance to me?
* Am I prepared to suffer the consequences?

Having a pain killing injection two days before an Olympic final, regardless of the risks, would seem quite a reasonable thing to do for most elite athletes if it was the only way they were able to compete. Under similar circumstances, few casual joggers would agree to the same injection just days before a fun run. Entering a boxing ring, running 100 miles a week or crashing into a rugby scrum is not for everyone. Some people can continually and repeatedly overcome pain for the sake of their sport because they are prepared to. Sometimes they are rewarded with success, and sometimes, despite their desire to cope and contribute, their body succumbs to the consequences. Winners and heroes overcome pain sometimes. Losers often try and fail. Perhaps the most successful sports people are those who best understand the relationship between pain and performance: they are prepared to overcome pain, but make wise, informed decisions about when it is worthwhile trying to do so.

This post was copied from www.pponline.co.uk

References
1. Pain 2005; 113:235-240
2. J Bone Joint Surgery 2006; 88-A:58-62
3. Pain: The Science of Suffering (Columbia University) 2000; 17-31
4. Pain 2005; 113:238
5. Clinical Anatomy of the Lumbar Spine (Churchill Livingstone) 2002; 187-214
6. Phys Ther 1998; 78(7):738-753
7. N Eng J Med 1994; 331(2):69-73
8. J Ultrasound in Medicine 2000; 19(7):473-479
9. Science 1965; 150:0071-9
10. J Electromyography and Kinesilogy 2004; 14:109-120
11. B J Anaesthesia 2002; 88(6):755-757
12. Anesthesiology 2005; 103(1):199-202
13. Swiss Med Weekly 2002; 132:273-278
14. Acta Orthopaedica Belgica 1998; 64(4)
15. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2001; 45:1121-1127
16. Can J Anesth 2002; 49(6):R1-R5
17. Annu Rev Neurosci 2003; 26:1-30
18. Brain 2003; 126:1079-1091
19. Trends in Pharmacological Sciences 2005; 26(3):125-130
20. Topical Issues in Pain 1 (CNS Press) 1998; 45-57
21. Pain 2006; 125:5-9
22. Human Molecular Genetics 2005; 14(1):135-143
23. Proc Natl Acad Sci 1999; 96:7744-7751
24. Pain Practice 2005; 5(4):341-348
25. Arthritis & Rheumatism 2004; 51(2):160-167
26. Sport Jrnl 2003; 6(2)
27. Pain 2005; 113:155-159
28. Clinical Jrnl Pain 2001; 17:52-64

Canada

2007-04-02T15:27:00.000-01:00

What a great bunch of folks, those Canadians. Simon, Kyle, Jill, Natasha, Kirstin, Colin, Lauren, and even Adam and Jordan. Jordan is an honorary Canadian I believe, well, he trains with them any way. This group makes up the Canadian National Triathlon team that recently concluded an altitude training camp here in Flagstaff.

While in Flagstaff, the team of eight athletes received an average of one hour of sports massage therapy/bodywork a week. Some used this one hour divided into two half hours a week, and some received two-hours a week on average. In the early days of such a camp, the athlete’s main focus is on acclimatizing. Specific techniques targeting the breathing apparatus may be of benefit during this time. If the athlete is having any problems with rib function or breathing pattern disorders this may inhibit the effects, to some degree, of the altitude training.

The term ‘sports massage’ encompasses a wide variety of techniques. I believe the most important techniques are communication and physiological understanding. Depending upon where the athlete is in their training, I may use techniques ranging from general effleurage strokes and compressions to flush the metabolic waste from the muscles, to pelvic balancing routines to ensure balance left to right between the ilia and sacrum.

During the off-season it of crucial importance to assist the athlete in maintaining proper joint range of motion and muscle firing order. I have found Erik Dalton’s Myoskeletal Alignment Techniques to be a great tool for the delivery of such outcomes. Another aspect of massage for athletes is to help reduce the anxiety surrounding competition. Encouraging words and positive feedback are sometimes all it takes to achieve this. James Waslaski is always telling his students, “Choose your words wisely, what you say to a person will either build them up, or break them down.” I find this to be very true; we can either put our clients mind at ease or really freak them out!

Another responsibility of the sports massage therapist is to know when to refer for further evaluation and treatment from another health care providers. Build relationships with chiropractors, osteopaths, nutritionists, and trainers.

I will not go into any specific conditions treated during the camp. These folks are here training their butts off, and it suffice to say they did need the recovery work, all in all it was a great camp for all of us. I say "us" because for the three months I am part of that team.

Working With Athletes

2007-02-12T20:06:00.000-01:00

I have had the honor and privilege over the past ten years to work with many amateur, colligate, and professional athletes. The thing I enjoy most about working with athletes is their respect of their body. Athletes of any level want to excel, they want to perform at a higher level than they do. This makes the athletic client so appealing due to the fact that they will work hard for these results. In general athletes are accustom to moving around on the table, performing contractions, and having their bodies moved into positions that challenge dysfunctional ranges of motion.

I have recently had many great results using protocols to balance pelvic position. Many of our clients present with imbalances within these three bones. We seem to see many athletes with these conditions due to muscle imbalance during repetitive motions of sport, pulling bones out of alignment.

The pelvis is made up of two hips and one sacrum. Here we have three joints that can develop problematic movement patterns: the two sacroiliac joints and one symphysis pubis. Here we also have numerous ligaments that can be very important pain generators. The ligaments I am most concerned with are Iliolumbar, dorsal sacroiliac, sacrotuberous, and the sacrococcygeal ligaments. When the three bones listed above are out of balance they will undoubtedly tug on these soft tissues and cause discomfort, and some times great pain. Low back pain, gluteal pain, and leg pain are just the beginning. These pains can translate into the mid and upper back, shoulder, neck, and to the knee, ankle and foot.

Through the use of specific body positions and gentle stretching and limited contractions we can, as soft tissue therapists, begin to realign some of the osseous tissues in the pelvis, thus helping the client to regain balance and release muscle strain.

In up coming entries I will look at these mechanisms more closely, and we can discuss correction. And if no one reads this, I still have the chance to practice my writing.

Oh Boys

2007-02-08T11:43:00.000-01:00

A friend sent me this some time ago...

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family.
Talk about price shock, that doesn't even touch college tuition.
But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

* $8,896.66 a year,
* $741.38 a month, or
* $171.08 a week.
* That's a mere $24.24 a day!
* Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140.00?

* Naming rights. First, middle, and last!
* Glimpses of God every day.
* Giggles under the covers every night.
* More love than your heart can hold.
* Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.
* Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.
* A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.
* A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.
* Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up. You get to:

* finger-paint,
* carve pumpkins,
* play hide-and-seek,
* catch lightning bugs, and
* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:

* keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,
* watch Saturday morning cartoons,
* go to Disney movies, and
* wish on stars.
* You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay for Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for:

* retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,
* taking the training wheels off a bike,
* removing a splinter,
* filling a wading pool,
* coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:
* first step,
* first word,
* first bra,
* first date, and
* first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren
and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.
In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken
heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite
a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children & grandchildren & great-grandchildren, there the best investment you'll ever make!!!!!!!

Our youngest child is 13 weeks old and is suffering a cold/bronchialitis. They tested for RSV a few days ago, a few days late in my opinion, and we find the results today. It's a hard thing to watch a little guy go through, but we do our best.

Another day and good times

2007-02-06T05:10:00.000-01:00

They say " another day another dollar", well today started at 9am and ended at 7:30pm. T'was not an easy day,
9:00 am 1/2 ranch run rot cuff repair
10:00 ultra , H/A
12:00 USMC C/C Champs (Feb. 10)
1:00 BC, Duathlon, Hard worker
3:00-7:00 Triathlon Canada
Home- 3 great kids and my wife!!

Post Massage Headache

2007-02-02T13:34:00.000-01:00

So here's the question. Do you believe a headache after a massage is caused by "toxins", or possibly by compression on the nerves and blood supply tho the brain? Which sounds more likely?

Bodyworld 3

2007-01-28T15:04:00.000-01:00

On Feb.13th, I will be one of four guides from NAMTI to take students and clients on a tour of this wonderful display. Bodyworlds is an exhibit that has been touring the world for ten years. Please view the link "Bodyworlds" for more information. If you would like to attend please contact NAMTI through the links as well.

This display seems to stir up interesting conversation wherever it goes. Some people have been misinformed, some turning to religion for guidance on whether this is moral or not. Some folks are truly stunned by the ability to see a side of humans few of us could otherwise see.

I am a member of the latter, having not taken any dissection classes yet, this is an affordable way to view the human anatomy. I work with the body everyday, and feel this is a value to my clients as well.

This was a bust, the organizer let it fall through and never even thought to inform the assistants who we helping with the tour!

Costa Rica

2007-01-26T12:44:00.000-01:00

A great view from our class room at Pura Vida Retreat in Cost Rica. This is a week long workshop, this year Erik Dalton, PhD, and Tom Meyers will be presenting a detailed look at the body from a structural integration standpoint. I can't wait to help these guys out, we have a lot of fun and learn more than we can handle! And the food is AWESOME!

Fun at the Park

2007-01-26T12:10:00.000-01:00

We try to have as much fun as we can. Here is the booth I had at one local cycling event. More of a beer and music fest if you know the "Fat Tire Festival", it was a great day to be outside!

Front Office

2007-01-26T11:56:00.000-01:00