Hello All,
I'm sure you're wondering about the odd title. Please let me explain (in a very long winded way).
At a recent course for Athletics, as part of a warm up for shot put, a group of about 25 of us were playing a short game of tag. As you know, this involves lots of running, bending, twisting, reaching and finally, grabbing.As I reached for one players 'tag', he changed direction and I grabbed at whatever I could get a grip on - unfortunately for him, this happened to be the waistband of his jocks. This was also an unfortunate error on my part, as I ended up snapping a bone in my finger and causing a little bit of damage to the tendon. Thankfully, I hadn't ruptured the tendon - an injury referred to as a 'Jersey finger'.
Why, I hear you ask, is this relevant to a blog on fascial stretch therapy? Well, as I have been unable to treat any clients in the last 2 weeks, I have started devising ways to treat my own stuck joints and fascia. Having had a 'baby cast' change in the last few days, I realise that my hand has become very stiff and I can't straighten some of my fingers. I also noticed that my left arm is not extending fully as I have been guarding my injured hand and keeping my elbow bent. So, this morning, I went through a full body stretching sequence starting from the ground and focusing on trying to feel a stretch from the soles of my feet to the tips of my fingers. I worked at staying as relaxed as possible and I carried out all my slow stretches in time to my breath - I no longer 'count down' my stretches. I am amazed at what the results are. I have full range of motion back into my creaky elbow and my shoulder, which had started to ache has really loosened out and relaxed. My physio is due to start next week - at which point, I hope I will be told that there isn't much work to be done. Remember to allow a period of recovery before stretching after injury - this period will be determined by your caregiver. But once you do start to stretch, you will be amazed at how it will aid recovery. Work with the whole limb as opposed to focusing on individual muscle groups and stay relaxed. And most of all - to stay injury free, Don't go putting your hands into strange men's underpants!
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Friday, 16 March 2012
PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME IN A MARATHON RUNNER
Hi folks,
With marathon season fast approaching, and the Connemara Marathon being the first big one on the Irish calendar, many runners are literally taking to the hills more than twice a week to condition themselves for the climbs they will face in Galway on April 1st. So why is this relevant for runners ? Many runners who want to simply make it through a marathon will get out on the road as many times during the week as they can, and run. They don't investigate the terrain ahead of them (flat & fast, hilly & strategic, mix etc.) and while this may mean that they don't run the fastest times, that may not be the focus for these people. However, for those die hards that find themselves searching out the most challenging runs, every time they put their runners on, it is with a plan in mind.......and so this brings us back to hill training. I have seen more people in the last two weeks for pain in their gluts (cheek of the bum) than I have since I started practicing FST last year. A number of people have come to me complaining of low back pain, tight hamstrings, "ass pain" (as one client described it) and all have said that if they could just find the exact spot where it was hurting, they could relieve it. The series of gluteal stretches that are applied during a fascial stretch session may seem a little scary initially. The hip is flexed and externally rotated until the foot crosses to the opposite side of the body. This is usually the point where I ask people to close their eyes as they begin to get worried about how big a knot I'm about to tie them in. Most individuals report that the 'scoop' at the end of each stretch is both scary and hugely satisfying and I am often asked to repeat it, despite it's 'scariness'. But to get to the end point folks - despite training for a marathon on some of the hilliest roads in the South of Ireland, clients visiting me are getting over 3 weeks relief from their symptoms, sometimes more, depending on how much maintenance they do themselves. It is important to mention at this point that Fascial Stretch Therapy is designed to improve mobility and range of motion and with this often comes relief from the pain of tightened or adhesed soft tissue. Maintenance by each individual is essential for prolongation of the effects of a fascial stretch. Looking forward to a revisit to one of this weeks clients who had all the symptoms listed above. However, this individual has been through back surgery and in each session we take very small steps to improve mobility in the hips. Comments and feedback welcome folks. ;))
http://youtu.be/Jmsf_N1PeTE
With marathon season fast approaching, and the Connemara Marathon being the first big one on the Irish calendar, many runners are literally taking to the hills more than twice a week to condition themselves for the climbs they will face in Galway on April 1st. So why is this relevant for runners ? Many runners who want to simply make it through a marathon will get out on the road as many times during the week as they can, and run. They don't investigate the terrain ahead of them (flat & fast, hilly & strategic, mix etc.) and while this may mean that they don't run the fastest times, that may not be the focus for these people. However, for those die hards that find themselves searching out the most challenging runs, every time they put their runners on, it is with a plan in mind.......and so this brings us back to hill training. I have seen more people in the last two weeks for pain in their gluts (cheek of the bum) than I have since I started practicing FST last year. A number of people have come to me complaining of low back pain, tight hamstrings, "ass pain" (as one client described it) and all have said that if they could just find the exact spot where it was hurting, they could relieve it. The series of gluteal stretches that are applied during a fascial stretch session may seem a little scary initially. The hip is flexed and externally rotated until the foot crosses to the opposite side of the body. This is usually the point where I ask people to close their eyes as they begin to get worried about how big a knot I'm about to tie them in. Most individuals report that the 'scoop' at the end of each stretch is both scary and hugely satisfying and I am often asked to repeat it, despite it's 'scariness'. But to get to the end point folks - despite training for a marathon on some of the hilliest roads in the South of Ireland, clients visiting me are getting over 3 weeks relief from their symptoms, sometimes more, depending on how much maintenance they do themselves. It is important to mention at this point that Fascial Stretch Therapy is designed to improve mobility and range of motion and with this often comes relief from the pain of tightened or adhesed soft tissue. Maintenance by each individual is essential for prolongation of the effects of a fascial stretch. Looking forward to a revisit to one of this weeks clients who had all the symptoms listed above. However, this individual has been through back surgery and in each session we take very small steps to improve mobility in the hips. Comments and feedback welcome folks. ;))
http://youtu.be/Jmsf_N1PeTE
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
SHOULDER AND NECK TENSION
I have had the most amazing week working with both fitness and stretch clients. I'm not sure if it is because spring is in the air, but the positivity and enthusiasm that I'm coming across is infectious. Instead of coming to me and saying "I need you to fix me", which is what most people really want when they come to see a body work therapist, I am hearing "Can you show me what I need to do to make this issue improve....". I think that spring does that to people, its the "spring cleaning of your body" coming into play.
Well anyway, one of the most interesting cases I saw this week was a lady who has been suffering from pain between her shoulder blades when she tries to do any kind of exercise. Now, my first concern when I heard this was that cardiac pain can sometimes present as back pain, but Marie* assured me that this had been ruled out by a Doctor who told her that she needed physiotherapy for a muscle strain.
Marie also told me that she suffers frequently with tension headaches and always carries paracetamol in her bag. When I assessed her mobility, a number of things struck me -
1. Marie could only turn her head about halfway towards her shoulder on the right and even less on the left.
2. When I asked Marie to drop her chin towards her chest, she was only able to tilt her head forward slightly.
3. Marie's right shoulder was considerable higher than her left - and her left shoulder was sitting much higher than it should have been. She looked like she was carrying more stress in her shoulders than I have seen in a lifetime.
With some warm towels and a cozy blanket, Marie got comfortable and we started with some gentle mobilisation of the shoulder joints. We worked all the way down the spine, ringing out the muscles and soft tissue that travel the length of the back. We finished up the hour session with some gentle mobilisation of the neck coupled with some PNF stretching of the shoulders and despite pushing against pressure when I asked her to, Marie had to be woken up at the end of the session.
Marie found it quite difficult to relax for the first 20 mins of the session as she wasn't quite sure what to expect from the therapy. However, once we finished working on the first side, she was able to wind down and hand her limbs over to me. Marie* said that one of the best parts of the session was having the gentle traction applied all the way from the middle of her shoulder blades all the way up to the base of her skull - she described it as..."... having an unreachable itch scratched".
Marie will need more sessions to improve her range of movement further, but through gentle mobilisation of her shoulders, back and neck, she now has more movement than she did before she came for FST - and that was with mobilisation only along with some PNF for the upper traps.
We will get an update from Marie in the coming weeks as we continue therapy and see if this helps with her tension headaches. Any comments welcome ;)
Well anyway, one of the most interesting cases I saw this week was a lady who has been suffering from pain between her shoulder blades when she tries to do any kind of exercise. Now, my first concern when I heard this was that cardiac pain can sometimes present as back pain, but Marie* assured me that this had been ruled out by a Doctor who told her that she needed physiotherapy for a muscle strain.
Marie also told me that she suffers frequently with tension headaches and always carries paracetamol in her bag. When I assessed her mobility, a number of things struck me -
1. Marie could only turn her head about halfway towards her shoulder on the right and even less on the left.
2. When I asked Marie to drop her chin towards her chest, she was only able to tilt her head forward slightly.
3. Marie's right shoulder was considerable higher than her left - and her left shoulder was sitting much higher than it should have been. She looked like she was carrying more stress in her shoulders than I have seen in a lifetime.
With some warm towels and a cozy blanket, Marie got comfortable and we started with some gentle mobilisation of the shoulder joints. We worked all the way down the spine, ringing out the muscles and soft tissue that travel the length of the back. We finished up the hour session with some gentle mobilisation of the neck coupled with some PNF stretching of the shoulders and despite pushing against pressure when I asked her to, Marie had to be woken up at the end of the session.
Marie found it quite difficult to relax for the first 20 mins of the session as she wasn't quite sure what to expect from the therapy. However, once we finished working on the first side, she was able to wind down and hand her limbs over to me. Marie* said that one of the best parts of the session was having the gentle traction applied all the way from the middle of her shoulder blades all the way up to the base of her skull - she described it as..."... having an unreachable itch scratched".
Marie will need more sessions to improve her range of movement further, but through gentle mobilisation of her shoulders, back and neck, she now has more movement than she did before she came for FST - and that was with mobilisation only along with some PNF for the upper traps.
We will get an update from Marie in the coming weeks as we continue therapy and see if this helps with her tension headaches. Any comments welcome ;)
Thursday, 23 February 2012
STRETCH TO SLEEP
I can't believe that we have hit the end of February already. February has been my busiest month yet for FST and I have had a very satisfying few weeks of therapy delivery. A number of factors have influenced my satisfaction levels.....
1) Word of mouth has provided me with a boost in client numbers - it's always great to hear "John told me about how you helped him with his hip issue....I wonder if you could help me...."
People only spend time talking about a therapy if it has really worked for them - and it has been plain to see over the last few weeks, that Fascial Stretch Therapy has been a welcome addition to the therapies offered in West Cork.
2) I have seen a really wide range of issues over the last month from old injuries, to niggling pains, to individuals who didn't know they had anything up until they got up off the table and felt so much better - one comment was "Oh my God, I havn't been able to do that since I was a teenager....". But you will have to come for a session to find out what 'that' was!
3) I have had a huge amount of positive feedback regarding the therapy. One client, who we will name Marie, told me that she thought that the rounding of her shoulders and her bad 'shape' (referring to the position of her shoulders and upper body posture) was hereditary. After 3 sessions (2 upper body, one lower body) , Marie is standing straighter and taller than she has in her whole life. She is no longer getting pains along her shoulders and she can sleep through the night now as she no longer gets the pains in her arms and shoulders from lying on her side. Marie has been seeing me for six weeks and while I have given her a selection of exercises to do at home, she does find it difficult to find the time to do them.
This is a very common problem, and working in fitness, I hear this every day. This is why group exercise can be so productive. Find a gym that will let you block book your week of classes for a set price - that way, your schedule is planned out for the week and you are more likely to get the work done! Remember that any therapy that you receive - be it FST, deep tissue massage, osteopathy or Active Release Technique, must be followed up with an effort on your behalf to maintain the effects. You must contribute to your own wellness!
One client has returned to me 3 weeks after his first session saying that the tightness in his calves had returned and that once again, he was having to cut down on his marathon training. Bearing in mind that this very fit gent is running in excess of 40 miles per week, I asked him if he had integrated the stretch programme I had given him, into his training week. When he sheepishly said that he hadn't, I did mention that I would be delighted to stretch him twice a week for a nominal fee..... I think he got my point after this. Of course, it would be fantastic for me if nobody took control in the management of their own mobility - but it wouldn't be so fantastic for their finances!
Finally, now that I have started therapy every Monday in the GAA complex in Ahamilla, Clonakilty, I am able to take early morning sessions and late evening sessions and everything in between, so many more will be able to benefit from a fulfilling nights sleep after a relaxing session of FST from me ;)
1) Word of mouth has provided me with a boost in client numbers - it's always great to hear "John told me about how you helped him with his hip issue....I wonder if you could help me...."
People only spend time talking about a therapy if it has really worked for them - and it has been plain to see over the last few weeks, that Fascial Stretch Therapy has been a welcome addition to the therapies offered in West Cork.
2) I have seen a really wide range of issues over the last month from old injuries, to niggling pains, to individuals who didn't know they had anything up until they got up off the table and felt so much better - one comment was "Oh my God, I havn't been able to do that since I was a teenager....". But you will have to come for a session to find out what 'that' was!
3) I have had a huge amount of positive feedback regarding the therapy. One client, who we will name Marie, told me that she thought that the rounding of her shoulders and her bad 'shape' (referring to the position of her shoulders and upper body posture) was hereditary. After 3 sessions (2 upper body, one lower body) , Marie is standing straighter and taller than she has in her whole life. She is no longer getting pains along her shoulders and she can sleep through the night now as she no longer gets the pains in her arms and shoulders from lying on her side. Marie has been seeing me for six weeks and while I have given her a selection of exercises to do at home, she does find it difficult to find the time to do them.
This is a very common problem, and working in fitness, I hear this every day. This is why group exercise can be so productive. Find a gym that will let you block book your week of classes for a set price - that way, your schedule is planned out for the week and you are more likely to get the work done! Remember that any therapy that you receive - be it FST, deep tissue massage, osteopathy or Active Release Technique, must be followed up with an effort on your behalf to maintain the effects. You must contribute to your own wellness!
One client has returned to me 3 weeks after his first session saying that the tightness in his calves had returned and that once again, he was having to cut down on his marathon training. Bearing in mind that this very fit gent is running in excess of 40 miles per week, I asked him if he had integrated the stretch programme I had given him, into his training week. When he sheepishly said that he hadn't, I did mention that I would be delighted to stretch him twice a week for a nominal fee..... I think he got my point after this. Of course, it would be fantastic for me if nobody took control in the management of their own mobility - but it wouldn't be so fantastic for their finances!
Finally, now that I have started therapy every Monday in the GAA complex in Ahamilla, Clonakilty, I am able to take early morning sessions and late evening sessions and everything in between, so many more will be able to benefit from a fulfilling nights sleep after a relaxing session of FST from me ;)
Tuesday, 17 January 2012
WHAT IS FASCIAL STRETCH THERAPY?
Fascial Stretch Therapy is a unique system of therapy and training that dramatically improves your flexibility by lengthening your fascia. This therapy was created by former professional ballet dancer Ann & her husband, Physiotherapist, Chris Frederick of the Stretch To Win Institute in Arizona.
Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds & all structures of the body. As you age, fascia will thicken & shorten. Add to this the stress that your body is under from poor posture, lack of exercise, injury, surgery, disease or over-training - and you get a body that is stiff, sore and injury prone.
While many therapies can help these conditions, only FST™ can completely treat inflexible fascia at the deepest level - your joint capsule. Tension in the tissue and around the joint is released to restore & improve range of movement and take away pain caused by past injuries. This system focuses on realigning, elongating and balancing the body.
People ask- "Can I not achieve similar results on my own by doing a stretch class?". But when people try to stretch themselves, while they can make some gains, it can be difficult to relax enough or target specific areas as efficiently.
Before beginning a stretch session, you will be asked to perform some basic stretches- touching your toes, squatting, holding your arms over your head/ behind your back. After the session, you will be asked to complete the same stretch so that you can see where gains have been made.
The benefits of this therapy do not stop here. Many clients find a session so relaxing that they fall asleep, and many people report that they get a fantastic night sleep after a session. For a FST session, the client is required to lie on a bed and have one leg strapped down above and below the knee to prevent movement. Clients can book for 40, 60 & 90 minute sessions and a session costs the same as a deep tissue massage @ €35, 50 & €70.
"You don't realise how tight and stuck you were until you float out of a treatment feeling like you have been given a new body - and you literally feel the improved circulation through all areas that have been treated" says Fiona, who received a number of treatments in July of last year. Fiona has treated dancers, musicians, rugby players, boxers, Runners and even a roller derby player....and while this therapy is beneficial to athletes, it is not limited to those who play sports. " I have also treated individuals who spend a lot of time sitting at desks or on computers and the results that I have seen in these areas are just as amazing".
Fiona operates out of her home in Clonakilty and the Ballincollig Osteopathic Clinic, Unit 2, Old Town House, Ballincollig. Contact Fiona on 087 3841233 or email westcorkfit@gmail.com for information or to book a session.
Fascia is the connective tissue that surrounds & all structures of the body. As you age, fascia will thicken & shorten. Add to this the stress that your body is under from poor posture, lack of exercise, injury, surgery, disease or over-training - and you get a body that is stiff, sore and injury prone.
While many therapies can help these conditions, only FST™ can completely treat inflexible fascia at the deepest level - your joint capsule. Tension in the tissue and around the joint is released to restore & improve range of movement and take away pain caused by past injuries. This system focuses on realigning, elongating and balancing the body.
People ask- "Can I not achieve similar results on my own by doing a stretch class?". But when people try to stretch themselves, while they can make some gains, it can be difficult to relax enough or target specific areas as efficiently.
Before beginning a stretch session, you will be asked to perform some basic stretches- touching your toes, squatting, holding your arms over your head/ behind your back. After the session, you will be asked to complete the same stretch so that you can see where gains have been made.
The benefits of this therapy do not stop here. Many clients find a session so relaxing that they fall asleep, and many people report that they get a fantastic night sleep after a session. For a FST session, the client is required to lie on a bed and have one leg strapped down above and below the knee to prevent movement. Clients can book for 40, 60 & 90 minute sessions and a session costs the same as a deep tissue massage @ €35, 50 & €70.
"You don't realise how tight and stuck you were until you float out of a treatment feeling like you have been given a new body - and you literally feel the improved circulation through all areas that have been treated" says Fiona, who received a number of treatments in July of last year. Fiona has treated dancers, musicians, rugby players, boxers, Runners and even a roller derby player....and while this therapy is beneficial to athletes, it is not limited to those who play sports. " I have also treated individuals who spend a lot of time sitting at desks or on computers and the results that I have seen in these areas are just as amazing".
Fiona operates out of her home in Clonakilty and the Ballincollig Osteopathic Clinic, Unit 2, Old Town House, Ballincollig. Contact Fiona on 087 3841233 or email westcorkfit@gmail.com for information or to book a session.
Saturday, 7 January 2012
BALLINCOLLIG & CLONAKILTY CLINICS
Another reminder folks:
Clinic returns to Clonakilty next week, from Monday 9th of January and in Ballincollig on Monday 23rd of January. Evening appointments available. Book early to avoid disappointment.
Clinic returns to Clonakilty next week, from Monday 9th of January and in Ballincollig on Monday 23rd of January. Evening appointments available. Book early to avoid disappointment.
FST FEATURED IN RUNNERS WORLD
Hi folks,
It's great to see the profile of fascial stretch therapy being raised. In November, FST was featured in the American Runners World and further to this, Human Kinetics have featured webinars and videos on this therapy. If you were curious to see what is ACTUALLY involved in an FST session, check out this link: http://www.humankinetics.com/raisingthebar/raising-the-bar/listen-now-fascial-stretch-therapy-fst-the-missing-link-in-training-fitness-and-rehab
Alternatively, if you would like to see pictures of me treating clients so that you can see what kind of gains can be made during a session, then leave a comment.
Chat soon,
Fiona Bron :-))
It's great to see the profile of fascial stretch therapy being raised. In November, FST was featured in the American Runners World and further to this, Human Kinetics have featured webinars and videos on this therapy. If you were curious to see what is ACTUALLY involved in an FST session, check out this link: http://www.humankinetics.com/raisingthebar/raising-the-bar/listen-now-fascial-stretch-therapy-fst-the-missing-link-in-training-fitness-and-rehab
Alternatively, if you would like to see pictures of me treating clients so that you can see what kind of gains can be made during a session, then leave a comment.
Chat soon,
Fiona Bron :-))
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