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Our
bodies are miraculous and amazing!
As
a care giver I know that if I don’t take care of my
body, I won’t be able to take care of my Partners in
Health either. In
my practice I share much of the following information to
equip, encourage and enhance my Partners in Health’s
knowledge and understanding of their own body.
This section is especially for You. Thank You for
Partnering with me in your Health Care Plan.
Acute
pain is a warning to us and something I will not be
addressing on this site because most of the time there
is some type of pathology attached to it. There will be
an end to the acute pain, it doesn’t last forever,
it’s acute. Acute pain is beyond the scope of this web site and usually
requires a diagnosis and the attention of a Physician.
This web site is more for the after care part of
this type of pain.
Chronic
pain is what this section of my web site is devoted to.
For Partners in Health with chronic pain, adhesions,
scar tissue, freezing joints, tender points, and etc.
usually more than one therapeutic treatment per week is
called for. I have found that using my body weight as
pressure is one of my favorite self care options and I
choose to share this information with you, my Partners
in Health.
Tender
Points in muscles come from a number of things in our
lives. Opportunities present themselves constantly
(birth, sports, occupations, disease, accidents,
injuries, surgeries,
etc.) when sprains, strains, knocks, blows, falls
and life happens. I saw this sign the other day and it
said ‘Feces Occurs’ – I thought that was a funny
‘techno’ way of saying stuff happens =)
To
get relief there are many different tools and techniques
out there especially if you know something about what
you are attempting to do.
Below I have listed some of the benefits you will
experience if you take the time for yourself to do self
care.
Expectations:
When
you lay on 5-10 inch soft pliable balls and/or tennis
balls with your body weight for the pressure,
you can
actually use the 7 second release technique daily and
get:
Increased
mobility
Increased
flexibility
Increased
circulation
Scare
tissue softening
Postural
Improvement
Decreased
stiffness and pain
Instant
trigger point therapy relief
Gentle
structural and functional changes
An
increased sense of whole body awareness
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There
are no rules for what time is best to do this type of
self care.
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Caution:
Never use a basketball, volleyball, golf ball or
weighted (medicine) ball to do the ball techniques
listed below. These
would be extremely dangerous with this type of body work
and could cause serious injury.
If you find a ball that is painful for you to
roll on, then it is too hard - do not use it.
Miraculous Techniques:
Hand Pressure Techniques
and Various Tools Explained:
Hand techniques for the
face, neck and head: Fingers, Knuckles (used two ways
– to press or to roll across larger areas), and
Thumbs. Pressure
is held for 5 seconds on the face and head muscles, 7
seconds on most other muscles.
The Wrap Around Technique
uses the index finger on the face, the entire hand on
the ribs, or both hands on the pelvis to press the
muscle against the bone by wrapping it over the bones
edge.
Using the
base of your hand, your elbow and/or forearms with body
pressure for larger areas like the back, gluteus and
upper leg areas is very effective when massaging a partner.
You may use t-bar tools
with pliable rubber ends or pressure tools you find at
alternative health care locations for pressure on
certain locations of your body like your hands in
between your finger bones, the bottoms of your feet etc.
if you choose. There is a neat tool you can
purchase online called
the shiatsu hoop and it’s great for self care on your
neck and back especially when a partner is not available
to work on you.
Tennis balls in a sock
make great tools when you use your body weight to
achieve the pressure for the 7 second techniques of your
treatment. Tennis balls are especially great on the
feet, in stocking feet roll the ball slowly and let the
weight of your leg create pressure to increase
circulation while you are at your desk working.
5”- 10” inflatable
rubber balls are great tools when you use your body
weight to achieve the pressure for the 7 second
techniques of your treatment. These are especially
wonderful when doing movements to stretch and strengthen
your core and larger muscle areas.
The Hard
Piano Technique: This technique feels good and is for
circulation. Circulation promotes healing by bringing
extra blood flow and oxygen into the area being worked
on. Lots of the knots we get in our muscles are
created by unbalanced overused tight muscles that cut
off the supply of blood to the area in question. For an
example of this technique, place your left fingers and
thumb around your right wrist as if you are grasping
your right wrist with your left hand. Now, with your
left thumb firmly stationed on the underside of your
right wrist, bend the fingers of your left hand at the
second knuckle and pretend like you are typing or
playing the piano in a firm sort of way rhythmically
like you are typing rather quickly or playing
arpeggio's.
The ‘7 Second Release’ Technique: The 7 second release works
just like it says.
You find a tender spot allowing your body weight
to sink down into a 5”soft pliable movement ball until
you feel a slight pressure.
Continue to relax and allow pressure to deepen.
Breathe in then exhale for 7 seconds as you allow the
movement ball to sink into your muscles, then you move
the movement ball ½ to 1 inch segments. When you find a
new tender spot repeat the same sequence.
With one sitting per day you can do up to three 7
second releases on each tender spot. I recommend no more
than this so you can use your movement ball every day
(see below ‘no more than every other day technique).
You can do these pressure techniques laying, sitting or
standing. I prefer to use my movement ball in bed in the
morning before I get up. There are exceptions for the
face and hand areas – they require only 5 seconds to
give the same excellent results.
Perform these movements slowly, deliberately and
gently. Do gentle stretches at the end of your releases.
I like to do the releases for myself in sequences or
routines, but these suggestions can be done in a
specific area of pain for release without doing
sequences. Where
there is one tender point, usually a couple more reside
very close.
The’
No More Than Every Other Day’ Release Technique: This
technique is very similar to the above technique where
you allow your body weight to rest down until you feel a
slight pressure. Then when you find a very tender spot
you continue to relax and allow pressure to deepen for 1
to 3 minutes or until there is no more pain … then
proceed gently to move the ball or your body to the next
area, ½ to 1 inch away …
Searching
for tender areas:
*A trigger point is an
irritable tender spot in the muscle, most are usually
located near the origin or insertion. TP’s can be
active or silent, referring or local, and intense or
aggravating. Here are a few ways we get Trigger Points:
Birth, Accidents, Sports, Occupations and Disease. Below
I have listed some self care tips to help you to manage
them.
Eyes and Face:
Press upward against the edge of the bony socket
for the eye with about 6 pounds of pressure for 5
seconds. Use finger width intervals starting at the bony
edge of the eye socket near the bridge of the nose and
circle both eyes, one at a time.
Place thumb directly between the eyes and press
firmly and hold for 5 seconds.
Stretches
and Movements:
Do
Movements - Stretches during and after trigger
point therapy to re-educate the area and increase the
circulation for optimal healing benefits. I have had
success and feel it is good to do stretches and
circulation techniques (such as the hard piano
technique) 3 - 5 times a day or as often as it takes per
day to keep the pain at bay for up to 4 weeks after
trigger point work.
Eye and Face Stretches:
Close the eyelids, keep eyes closed and raise the
eyebrows as high as possible, then scrunch up the entire
face. Relax and repeat 3 more times. Then, with the eyes
still closed look to the left, right, up and down –
rest and repeat.
Nose and Cheekbone
Stretches: Stretch – two fingers on each side and pull
laterally. Move cheeks in several directions.
Neck
Stretches:
Shoulder
Stretches:
Rhomboid
Stretches:
Abdominal Stretches:
Psoas
Stretches:
Low back
Stretches:
Back Limbering
Stretches
1. Supine Stretch
Lie supine with knees
bent and arms resting at your sides. Raise your head and
bring the left knee as close to your nose as you can.
You may (should) help the stretch with your hands. Lie
back and stretch the left leg out straight about ten
inches above the bed or floor. Return to the beginning
position and relax for three seconds. Alternate legs,
doing the exercise four times on each side.
2. Side-Lying Stretch
Roll over onto your right
side and take a comfortable, relaxed position. Draw the
left knee up as close to your chest as you can. Stretch
the leg down, parallel with the resting leg and about
eight inches above it. Lower the leg and rest for three
seconds. repeat four times, on this side only. Doing it
on the other side comes later in the routine.
3. Prone Gluteal and
Abdominal Set
Roll over until you are
prone, with your head resting on bent arms. Tighten your
seat muscles (gluteals) and your abdominals. Hold for
five seconds, then relax for three seconds. Repeat three
more times.
At this point, continue
to roll in the direction you started stop when you are
on your left side, and repeat the side-lying exercise on
this side.
4. Supine Pelvic Tilt
Finish the roll onto your
back with knees bent and feet about eighteen inches
apart. Arch the back slightly keeping both seat and
shoulders touching the floor. Then press the spine down
hard while tilting the pelvis under as far as possible.
Hold the tilt for five seconds and relax. Repeat four
times.
For
Christine’s Partners in Health
Body weight pressure is a good
thing in self maintenance techniques.
I speak often about using our body weight as
pressure on tennis balls.
I view tennis ball techniques and and 5-10 inch inflatable
movement ball sequences as a relatively safe way for us
to keep ourselves toned and pain free. Many of the
troubled spots we experience are only just a 7 second
release away. There are many trigger point release
theories and below I will address what I feel are some
of the safest ones.
Let up on the pressure if the pain causes tensing
of the other muscles. This defeats the purpose of
releasing the trigger points.
This
technique will be helpful for my Partners in Health and
Friends who suffer from forearm pain, tennis elbow and
carpel tunnel symptoms.
One day my forearms were sore and
tight and I was waiting for my car to warm up - I
happened to discover the hidden benefits of my steering
wheel. The
beauty of this technique is there is no forearm or upper
body muscle strength used to get this very firm pressure
and release
Steering Wheel Technique: Sitting in the drivers seat of your car, extend your legs in
front of you relaxing them as if you were going to be
driving. Move your shoulders slowly forward with your
back straight bending from the waist then gently rest
your left forearm palm down on top of your left
quadriceps. Slowly slide the heel of your foot toward
the seat (which elevates your quadriceps and forearm)
until your forearm is firmly against the steering wheel.
Move the heel of your foot so the pressure pain rating
on your forearm (which has now against the steering
wheel) is about a 3 ½ based on a pain ratio of 1 to 5.
The 3 ratio being an very firm and somewhat
uncomfortable pressure, 4 being bad and 5 being
intolerable. You
are now looking for tender spots with this pressure on
your forearm. When you find a tender spot, very slowly
and gently flex and extend your left wrist/hand up and
down 3-5 times while maintaining the 3 ½ pressure.
Practice your breathing* on exertion. When you
feel the tension release for that area, move
up in ½ to 1 inch increments and repeat this sequence
as far up as you can go.
Now turn your wrist so your palm is up and repeat
the whole process for the under side of your forearm.
When you are finished, move to the left side of
your body and repeat the sequence mentioned above. Important:
Do not attempt this technique while you are driving
your car. Remember too this is not to be practiced
with the no pain no gain theory.
Tip*: Breathing or blowing air out
of your mouth for 7 seconds while exerting pressure on
the tender points is helpful and somewhat distracts you
from feeling the full amount of pain from the pressure.
This
technique will be helpful for Tricep tension release
It was a beautiful day and I
rolled the window down while driving and rested the
bottom part of my upper left arm on the ledge of the car
door window base. I
was stopped at a traffic light and happened to lean my
head and body more toward the sun.
I noticed how nice the stretch, door ledge and
body weight pressure felt on my under arm area. When the
light turned green I leaned back into the car and let my
upper under arm remain on the window ledge.
It’s a beautiful thing!
Car Window for the Triceps:
I moved my arm slowly to the front and the back letting
the wind like a wave work as controlled pressure
massaging my tricep.
I slowly moved in and out one inch at a time and
stopped at various tender points, inhaling I then
proceeded to lean, hold and exhale for 7 seconds . Very
nice release indeed. While
sitting in the passengers seat you can repeat the above
procedure for your other arm.
Tennis
Ball Technique:
Place the tennis ball on the target muscle you
are attempting to release.
The balls you use for all of these sequences and
techniques need to be soft and have some give except for
balls for the feet, which can be solid.
Medicine Balls (solid) will injure you so do not
attempt these with those types of balls. They definitely
have uses, but not for these techniques and sequences.
Breathing is very important to get the full benefit, so
wait until the area releases before moving to the next
area.
Target Muscle Groups and
Sequence Routines:
Back
Sequence
Unless you have a *very
painful back, the back is the sequence I like to
start out with. It’s done on the floor with a mat or
in your bed and gives wonderfully powerful results.
These routines can be done daily if you choose. You will
be moving the tennis ball from the sacrum up to the
cranium. In
the body places that have curves, so you can’t feel
the tennis ball, I suggest placing a towel for more
elevation.
1. Place the tennis ball under the
right sitbone with the right leg extended straight out.
Use your hands or fingertips on the floor to help
support you and for balance. Bend the left knee up,
keeping the left foot flat on the floor to help you to
balance on the tennis ball and to move. Roll the tennis
ball forward and backward, then side to side on the
sitbone. Roll clockwise, then counterclockwise. Your
right leg will bend a bit as you move the tennis ball
around the sitbone.
2. Using your fingertips and left
foot, pull your body behind you and roll the tennis ball
a couple of inches down the back of your leg. Take a
full breath in and let the tennis ball sink into the
back of your leg as you exhale, elongating the
hamstrings. Roll the tennis ball a couple of inches down
the leg two or three more times, breathing and sinking
each time. Stop when you're about two-thirds of the way
to the knee. Then roll the tennis ball back up to the
sit-bone in one smooth movement.
Tip for step 2
• Your fingertips move either in
front of you or behind you to help you move the tennis
ball down your leg. The tighter your hamstrings are, the
farther behind your torso your fingertips will be. If
your hamstrings are more flexible, your fingertips might
be beside your hips or even in front of them.
3. Now you're ready to begin
rolling up the back. With the fingers of your left
hand, feel for the tailbone—the last bony piece of the
spine that you can feel. Roll the ball from the right
sit-bone up to the right side of the tailbone.
Caution: Roll to the right side of
your tailbone, then up that side. Never put your weight
on the bottom tip of the tailbone.
4. With your knees bent, both feet
flat on the floor, and your hands on the floor behind
you, move your body slightly forward and roll the
tennis ball a quarter inch up the right side of the
sacrum, the flat, pear-shaped bone at the bottom of the
spinal column. The tennis ball should be pressing into
bone, not muscle. Now, really concentrate on your
breathing: inhale, and as you exhale sink your weight
into the bone.
5. Continue to roll in very small
movements up the right side of the sacrum. You are
trying to stimulate the bone itself.
Tip for step 5
• To get the most out of the back
routine as a whole, take as much time as you can at your
sacrum, sinking as deeply as you can into the tennis
ball. The sacrum is where the small muscles of your back
begin, and stimulating these tiny muscles at this
point sets off a release up the entire back. This
stimulation will also improve bone quality and wake up
the nerve roots.
6. When the tennis ball reaches the
top of your sacrum, slowly roll it up off the sacrum and
onto the right side of the bottom vertebra of your lower
back. Inhale deeply, then exhale slowly, sinking your
weight into the bone. Now, in very small movements,
start to roll the tennis ball slowly up the right side
of your spine, taking a full breath at each movement.
Your feet push against the floor to help you move, while
your hands help you balance. Your intention is to lift
each vertebra away from the one below it and to
stimulate and elongate the small muscles.
Remember: The tennis ball should be
pressing into the right side of the vertebrae all the
way up the spine in order to release the tiny spinal
muscles. Don't roll across the spine.
Tips for step 6
• You know you're at the top of
the sacrum when you feel that you're at the top of your
pelvic bone.
• Each deep inhalation lifts you
slightly off the tennis ball. Each exhalation deflates
you so your body sinks heavily into the tennis ball.
You'll know when your muscles let go because on the
exhalation, the body will sink deeper into the tennis
ball. At tight spots, you might want to stay for several
breaths.
7. As you roll slowly up the lower
part of the right side of your spine, start to curve
your buttocks down and around the tennis ball.
Meanwhile, as you inhale, feel your back expand out to
where the tennis ball is; as you exhale, sink down into
the tennis ball. Your buttocks are gradually dropping
toward the floor.
8. When your buttocks reach the
floor, the tennis ball will be fully supporting the
entire lower spine. Now raise your hands to gently
support your head so it doesn't drop backward. If you
feel you're losing balance, use one hand to push the
tennis ball into your lower back as the other hand
supports your head and neck.
Tip for step 8
• At no time should your head
drop back unsupported. Use one hand to support your
head, leaving the other hand free to keep you balanced.
9. Sliding forward, continue to
roll up your back, one inch at a time. At each point,
exaggerate your inhale so you feel your back pressing
out into the tennis ball. At each exhale sink, sink,
sink into the tennis ball. At the end of each
exhalation, slide the tennis ball up the next inch.
Continue until the tennis ball is at shoulder level,
pressing against the right side of the spine, between
the spine and the shoulder blade.
Tip for step 9
• As you roll, your abdominal
muscles may begin to quiver, indicating that they need
strengthening. As you continue doing this routine, they
will indeed grow stronger
10. Now pull your head all the way
forward with your left hand. Bring your chin to your
chest and roll the tennis ball up into the right side of
your neck. Let your neck and head come to rest against
the tennis ball. Your chin should remain pointed down
toward your chest. Try to lower your right shoulder to
the floor and pull it toward your feet. Your tight palm
faces the ceiling.
Tip for step 10
• Pulling your chin toward your
chest keeps the back of the neck elongated and
straight on the tennis ball. Don't turn your
neck—turning prevents you from fully elongating your
neck muscles.
11. Continue inhaling and exhaling.
As you inhale, feel the right side of your neck pressing
out into the tennis ball; as you exhale, feel it sinking
into the tennis ball. Now return to very small
movements, trying to move the tennis ball in tiny
increments up the back of your neck. Be sure to keep
your head straight; don't turn it off to one side.
Tip for step 11
• If you can't keep your head
straight, it's because your neck muscles are tight. As
you continue doing this routine, those muscles will
release.
12. When the tennis ball is just
below your skull, feel it pushing up against the bony
ridge at the bottom of your skull. Imagine that you're
separating your skull from your neck. Keep scooting
forward; as you do the tennis ball will roll up onto the
right side of the back of the skull. Roll up to the very
top of the back of your head, continuing to pull your
right shoulder away from your head. Use your left hand
to hold the tennis ball so it doesn't pop out from under
you.
13. To finish, support your neck
with your right hand, roll the tennis ball out from
under you with your left hand, and use your right hand
to slowly lower your head. Extend your legs out on the
floor, arms alongside your body. Take a couple of deep
breaths and notice any difference you feel between this
side of your body and the left side.
14. If you have time, stand up and
walk around, noticing the difference between the sides
as you move.
15. Repeat the routine on the left
side.
*very
painful back: start out with the abdominal muscle
routine until your back pain goes away. If you have
chronic back pain or back problems resulting from an
injury, consult a health-care professional before doing
tennis ball back routines.
Abdominal Routine for the Lower
Back
1. Lie facedown with the tennis
ball pressing into your pubic bone (the bone between
your legs at the bottom of the front of your pelvis).
Your weight should be equally distributed on your knees,
feet, and forearms so not all your weight is pressing
into the tennis ball.
2. Stay here for a minute or two,
breathing and relaxing. Then slowly slide your body
backward so the tennis ball rolls partly up into your
abdomen while still touching the top of the pubic bone.
Each time the ball sinks deeper into the abdomen curve
your pubic bone down around it toward the floor to take
the ball in deeper toward the spine. You aren't moving
the ball any farther toward the ribs—you want it to
stay low in the abdomen. This routine isn't about moving
the ball up to the ribs but about sinking deeper into
the lower belly. Imagine you are pushing the ball toward
your lower back.
Tip for step 2
• The key to doing this routine
successfully is the breathing. On the inhalation, your
abdomen expands and pushes the tennis ball out. The challenge
comes with the exhale: letting yourself sink into the
tennis ball as much as possible. The moment you feel
uncomfortable, you
inhale, which
releases the pressure. In this way you can use your
breath to keep any discomfort at a level you can
tolerate. (See the instructions for the abdominal
routine on page 91 for more on this.)
3. Now move your body to the left,
so the tennis ball rolls into your right hip and pushes
against that hip bone. Extend your right leg and arm out
from your body as far as possible, inhale, and let the
tennis ball sink into your abdomen as you exhale.
Tip for step 3
• This is an active stretch.
You're working to achieve as much length as you can on
your right side. As you stretch out your right arm and
leg, you can feel how the abdominal muscles connect to
both arm and leg. The more elongated the abdominals, the
freer your arm and leg become.
4. Roll the tennis ball to the left
hip and repeat step 3.
For
fun, you can make a map of your tender areas. Use 4
different colors, one during each of the 4 separate
sessions and mark each sessions tender spots with a
different color on your body map. You’ll have a
rainbow on the areas that will be key places to press
when working as pain shows up.
Body Maps: Sometimes it’s really helpful to make
yourself paper body maps of the trigger points you work
on each time. If
you use different color pens (like red, yellow, blue,
green) for say 4 different days/times in a row, the
points that have 3 - 4 colors on them will be the ones
you want to press if/when the pain you release happens
again. You can use an x for the bad ones and a circled x
for the really very bad ones.
The ones that refer pain can be arrowed to where
the pain is referred. I’ve included different generic
blank body pictures for your convenience to print out
and fill in. Happy
mapping!
More To Come …
TRIVIA
*Did you know that when a
healthy muscle is at rest it is soft not hard?
More
to come at future site updates …
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