Active Myofascial Therapy

Nice tape huh? Kinesio tape applied by Matthew Trujillo of Trio Therapy. 

So let's back up a bit. A while ago I experienced a great stretching session with Stephen DiLustro, it made my whole body feel better and set the healing process in motion. But the more I read, and thought about it, I realized that the Stretch To Win sessions would be great for continued flexibility, but I needed to fix my injury first. An intense stretching session every few weeks wouldn't fix the problem, in fact it may hinder it. 

I talked with Matthew and explained my problems. I have already seen a chiropractor, physical therapist, massage therapist, stretching with Steve and my family physician. I refused to believe that I had strained hip flexors and would have to just stop using them. I had stopped squatting and lunging for almost five weeks, and no changes.

After stretching with Steve I knew that Matthew's techniques would be what my body needed. He is an Active Myofascial Therapist. He uses similar stretching techniques that Steve does, and incorporates trigger point massage. 

We chatted on the phone and I went in to see him on a Friday. It was typical a Friday, the gym at 5:00am, work till 11:30, training with Roy at noon, posing with Kristy Enos at 2:00, then off to meet Matthew for the first time.

We went into a therapy room, similar to but larger than a massage room. He wanted to see me lunge, stand, walk, squat. He asked if I have ever heard of a pelvic tilt. "Yes, and I have one." I explained. Then I told him of my dilemma, I know I have one and I make every effort to tuck my hips in and not create the "sway back", but in posing practice, you have to make the sway back, you work hard to stick the butt out!

I laid on my back on the table and he started in looking for the painful areas of my left hip flexor, it was easy to find. Tight as a guitar string, just slight pressure made it feel as though it might snap. He applied pressure and then instructed me to rotate my leg in slowly and out, we did that a few times. He had me perform "pelvic tilts" to retrain the neuro-muscular connection. With every move I made, he applied pressure.

At one point I almost jumped off the table, "You tased me!" I said. I was sweating. His finger was pressing in on a muscle running up my groin, and a sharp, intense pain zipped from his hand all the way down my leg, to my foot. He apologized (although he hadn't done anything wrong) and said it was a nerve reacting to the treatment.

He worked on my right, but it wasn't as tight. He worked on my glutes, that darn piriformis on my left side is a stubborn little cuss. Then on to my QL. There is a video here that shows trigger point massage on the QL.

Matthew had me perform various stretches, holding for 2 seconds, then relaxing 2 seconds, before the brain told the muscle to tighten even further. With the Stretch To Win I was holding 3 seconds, not much longer.

We were supposed to go for one hour, and ended up spending 90 minutes. Matthew ended by applying the Kinesio tape (above) to the areas we worked on the most. This would stay on 3 to 5 days.  The tape is close to the thickness of human skin, and the body doesn't recognize that it is a foreign object. It lifts the skin allowing increased blood flow and circulation of lymphatic fluids. It's waterproof and you don't even notice it's there (unless you are looking at my picture, then it stands right out).

I enjoyed the session, Matthew was fun and very personable, as I made fun of myself and the "bodybuilding world" he joined in by asking questions about it that many other people have always wanted to ask but were afraid to. The type of sessions we had were ones where talking is best, it would take my mind off the pain and discomfort as he poked and prodded my sore muscles.

Afterward Matthew had me lunge, squat, stand, walk, I immediately felt better! I also had homework, I needed to do my stretches and pelvic tilts.

The next day at the gym, I talked to more people than I had in a year! Everyone came up, motioned for me to take out my earbuds, wanted to talk. They all wanted to know what it was, what was it supposed to do, what did I hurt, how long would I wear it, on and on and on. At times I think it was a good excuse just to chat with me.

I would go back on Tuesday to see Matthew again, and the days in between everything felt better, I was really experiencing prolonged relief for the first time in months. Training went well, I was lifting more than ever. I got up to 205# (10 reps) on my RDL's but we backed off to 200#.

Tuesday I went in, I had texted Matthew earlier and he said I should take the tape off, he would be applying more. Below is the second taping, as you can see, the tape now extends down my legs lower, and over my left hip, the pain and tightness shifted! He said that wasn't unusual at all. 

When I arrived, he asked if I had been doing my stretches and pelvic tilts. "Yes, I have." I said, "But I have a question- I was explaining the pelvic tilts to my trainer and I couldn't explain WHY I was doing them."

Matthew looked at me with a straight face and said "Oh those? Those were purely for my own personal entertainment."

We looked at each other for a couple seconds and both burst out laughing. He had me for a minute! Then he explained it was neuro-muscular retraining. 

We went through the same trigger point massage, I rotated my leg in, then out. At one point I started laughing and Matthew asked what was so funny. "I just tased myself!" Just like last time, but I could now control the nerve by how I moved my leg....a bit frightening.

Matthew worked on the hips again for an hour, and the adductor, IT band and QL. The glutes got their share, "windshield wipers" ha ha, I love it. On my stomach, he finds the nasty piriformus and presses in, then instructs me to bend at the knee, bringing my foot up in the air and move my leg back and forth, like a windshield wiper. The pain as I move my leg is one of those "hurts so good" pains....he says I can stop, but I think I keep wiping...

A week later I am back, we would work on the tight areas again and a little massage, you can see the third taping below. Only one leg! 

Seems my adductor has been giving me a lot of pain, literally! Matthew didn't have to work on the right hip flexor much, and the left only a bit. He massaged my lower body quite a lot, but it wasn't one of those "oh so relaxing I want to drift off to sleep" massages, in fact, it was quite painful at times.  I am always amazed at how tight my whole body gets. I forget that I really expect quite a bit from it.

I suppose this was more trigger point therapy and sports massage. I know there were spots that hurt like a son of a gun when he moved his forearm over them. The kind of pain that makes you breathe in really quickly and sort of hold your breath, and then you slowly release it wondering if the pain will also stop.

I must say, that Matthew does win the award for glutes though. I have written over and over how I want my glutes massaged, I always have sore glutes. The massage therapists I go to do massage my glutes, but everyone seems to have their "limits" and it has always stumped me because the glutes are the biggest muscle in the body, if you are a real athlete, these suckers are sore!  I think Matthew pretty much just tossed the blanket aside and dug in, it was heaven! I am sure he would not do this if you had instructed otherwise.....

He worked on my back and shoulders, I told him that sometimes I am so tight, I cannot pull my shirt over my head, and David just laughs at me. Oh he helps, but not right away, he will let me flounder around until I beg for help. 

Matthew also introduced me to Biofreeze pain reliever an amazing product, I am a junkie! He sprayed it on the target areas after each session, and all over my back on the last one. I bought several containers from him, the gel and the spray. Take it from me, use gel on your hip area. Spray can freeze body parts that you really don't want frozen. And make sure you wash your hands after applying it. This morning I applied it to my hamstrings, then slathered my sunblock on my face. A lot of soap and water later and then I was fine, just a slight delay in my morning routine.

So how is my body after all this?

I am sore. Wednesday is my two a day lifting day. I train arms at 5:00 am on my own, then quads at 5:30 pm with Roy. I was sore, all over my entire body when I met him. I told him that I really cannot have any work like this done before a hamstring or quad day, I am just too sore afterward.

But the hips, how are they? I think I found my cure! The pain I had been experiencing is gone and the tightness is dramatically reduced, I have to search for any discomfort. The range of motion is back, I can squat low without the tearing feeling in my hips. 

Is it completely gone? As I write this on Thursday night, every muscle in my body hurts. It's a combination of a change in my training (and when my training changes I go through new found soreness each time), and the massage therapy I went though. I am not feeling the intense pain when I sit, or drive a car, or try to lower myself onto a toilet, or when I am sleeping, yes I was in pain as I would lay in bed. So while I am not completely healed, I am almost there. Like any injury or overuse issue, it will take some time, but I am close, very, very close. 

Provided I continue with my stretching and pelvic tilts, and my rumble rolling, I am confident that I will be right as rain very soon. Matthew said I should probably come back in two to three weeks. And I am calling Steve too, I have plenty of room (and need) in my life for a lot of bodywork.

Give Matthew a call, or visit his website. He can fix your aching body.

Stretch To Win

Stretching

We all know we should do it, and we all know it feels good when we do. But how often do you stretch? And do you really know if you are doing it correctly?

Some say I am an exhibitionist, well I think that's all their own perception, but if they think that, then I am a voyeur too….I love to watch people in the gym.  I tend to linger longer on the bodies that are pleasing; I find that I watch some of the same men every day, they look good. Those who do not, I give a bit of a shudder and wonder how they can live with themselves, then move along. 

I watch people stretch and warm up. There are three groups. Those who stretch because something is sore and it just makes it feel better; they tend to do this only on occasion, when they must. They are the same people who only floss their teeth right before going to the dentist.  Then there are those who “know” they are supposed to stretch but have no concept behind the science of it all.  They incorporate a haphazard routine quickly into their workout, and actually these are people who really don’t know how to lift well either. They are the people who floss only when they have "guests". Then there is the group of people who know they need to stretch to prepare their bodies for the lifting session ahead. These are people who will also perform several sets of warm up lifts too; they don’t just walk in and lift up something heavy (and end up hurting themselves in the process). These folks floss everyday, regardless of who is or is not watching, they do it for themselves.

Stretching too long before lifting will cause problems just as not stretching at all may. 

You need to read about it and educate yourself just as you should with any other physical endeavor you undertake.

Anyone who has been following my blog knows I had been having issues with my glute, hamstring and hip flexors for months now. I saw chiropractors, massage therapists, physicians and physical therapists. My contracted glute muscle was released (but it still seems to get in a knot occasionally, but I am now the master and know just how to tame the beast); my hamstring was healed, just Thursday (on my own) I did 5 sets of RDL’s at 185 pounds…as my starting exercise; but the hip flexors…they have continued to bother me. 

A long time ago Roy had told me about a program called Stretch To Win, a proprietary Fascial Stretch Therapy™ (FST™) technique—a unique, complete and complementary system of table-based, assisted stretching, focusing on the fascia as the key element in achieving optimal flexibility, strength, performance and pain relief.

So I bought the book and started reading it, I liked what I read. I needed to look into this further.

After going through all of my injuries and issues for almost 6 months now, I decided it was time to start devoting more time to stretching. My biggest issue is time, I am up very early every day to lift and then work all day and often train at night too, then it's eating, food prep and to bed. Not a super exciting life but I wake up everyday feeling energetic and full of life and ready to attack the day, I am happy with it. 

I figured I could actually get more stretching in if I stretched at 4:30 am just before heading out the door to the gym and at night just before bed.

But first I needed to learn some of the proper stretching techniques and I wanted to experience the actual assisted stretching myself.

I looked for a certified practitioner in my area and there are several- so how to choose? I didn't want a  Chiropractor, nothing wrong with them, but they tend to treat injured people, people with problems and complaints. How many people go to their Chiropractor when they feel good? I never do. 

I found one on the site, Stephen DiLustro, a Fascial Stretch Therapist-Level 1, Sports Performance Coordinator at Stanford University. Stanford is not far from my home, so I went to their website to look, and indeed, he worked there on the athletes. Just the guy I want, he works on athletes!

I emailed him and we had a few conversations back and forth, luckily I didn't scare him away. I am pretty straightforward about what I need and want, and I have some high expectations. I tend to share just a little more information about myself than people are used to and that often puts people off. I have an odd sense of humor that puzzles people. I also had a crazy schedule the last several weeks and had to keep putting things off, so I think he started to think I was a flake, but things finally settled down and we set a date to stretch.

David says "So where did you meet this guy?" and I told him I have never met him. He shakes his head in disbelief, but he's used to me doing things like this. I go meet people, ask them here, whatever it takes to learn and experience what I am looking for, it has always, always been a positive experience for me. 

Steve came to my home on a Tuesday evening, after we both got off work. David had bronchitis so off he went to bed and Steve set up his table in the middle of the living room. He was a lot bigger than his picture, in fact he looked like SC, a big, strong guy who could stretch me like a rubber band with no problem. 

Steve started off by rolling a golf ball in my direction and told me to start with my feet and we chatted, but I think he was sizing up my posture, my movements, the general state of my health. He spied my Footsie Roller under my desk and said it was a great little tool. I am using it now as I type!

I explained to Steve about the issues I had been having and he listened, then had me lay on the table and started to move my legs around, "get the synovial fluids flowing", it felt good, we talked and he explained everything he was doing. He asked me if he should tell me everything and walk me thorough it or just be quiet and work. I wanted to know, I said "talk away!"

The table had straps, or more like elastic bands that certain body parts would be held down with, to immobilize that part of the body while the other part was being stretched.  

He took me through many different stretches, they ranged from stretches where he did all the work, to stretches where we worked together. Breathing was a big part of the process. It felt great, sometimes it was almost painful, but the relief after was fantastic. Every once in a while he would walk over to my feet as I lay on my back and jiggle one of my legs, to test the mobility and to "get that synovial fluid flowing", I started looking forward to this.....

He put his entire body into the work, at times my leg was wrapped around his waist and he leaned into it, I was breathing in and pushing against him, it was almost a well choreographed dance.

Below is a short video where one of the founders, Ann Frederick stretches Charles Barkley, it gives you an idea of some of the movements.

I liked Steve, that is important to me. I have gone to many massage therapists, manicurist, hairstylist, trainers, you name it, if I don't mesh with them I won't go back, it doesn't matter how good they are.  They need to like me as much as I need to like them, I am quite an interesting person to work with. I am very open about what's going on, I am not shy and I also have a lot of fun in the process. Steve and I laughed quite a bit as he turned me into a pretzel, wrapped his arms around a body part, told me to breathe in then asked me a question all at once.....I also appreciated his intensity and love of his work. He did not hesitate for one moment when going through any of the stretches. I have been to massage therapists who won't massage my stomach, glutes or adductors, I don't go back to them, those are parts of my body that take a beating, they need the work.

Every once in a while he told me to hop off the table and see how I felt. Hopping was out of the question, I felt drunk, I felt good, I felt happy. Endorphins...my friends.

Near the end he said he had to stretch my lats, he could tell they were tight just by watching me stand. It felt great, they were super tight and I hadn't realized it.

We were supposed to go for an hour and ended up stretching for 90 minutes, I could have gone on for longer, I am not sure whats better- massage or stretching. They are two totally different modalities, but the effect of both on the mind and body is amazing.

Steve finished by explaining some things I wanted to be conscious of, he had me stand in front of him, reviewing my posture, pelvic tilt, my body in general "looks really good" he said.

That night my body ached, I was a little apprehensive, my hamstring hurt and it hadn't hurt in a while, I was afraid we went too far. The following day was my two a day weight training days - arms in the a.m. and quads after work with Roy, this would be a good test.

I felt fine when I got out of bed, my hip flexors still had some tightness. Lifting went fine, then after work when I met Roy I told him all about the evening and how much I enjoyed it. We launched into squats.

I am working on Front Squats, 130 pounds (that's more than my body weight by the way), and I go below parallel, all the way down.

The first set I knocked out 10. Then another 10, 10, 10, and 12. Roy was blown away. He quickly said it was a 20% improvement over last squat session (3 days earlier). It's easy to squat when you aren't in pain. 

Two days later was hams on my own, I did RDL's at 185 pounds, 5 sets of 10. Again, a 20% improvement. I was on fire.

I emailed Steve and told him the exciting news, things were looking up, I was feeling much better (although not necessarily completely healed), I was on my way. We would be meeting again in four weeks so he can stretch me again and review my progress on the exercises he gave me to do, and I plan to stretch with him regularly. Once I am all healed, it will become a regular part of my life.

At work I made this sign that is posted above my standing work station, it helps me remember the things Steve told me.

Email Steve at sdilustro@gmail.com if you are interested, I cannot express how much I enjoyed it and it helped my entire body. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed lifting because the last several months I have been experiencing quite a bit of discomfort, it's great to feel whole again.

Foam Rolling

Do you have a foam roller? If not, I urge you to get one. I have owned one for several years, and there are times when it gets little use, and times it gets a great deal of use. Lately it has been one busy little beaver!


I bought mine from Perform Better but I am sure they are available in many different locations. It is important to keep in mind that you get what you pay for though. You can get some very inexpensive rollers, but the foam has cells that can compress and the roller will not maintain it's hardness or shape, it will end up flattening or squishing.


I chose the Elite Molded Foam and have been happy with it.




Last week I went to see Roy on Wednesday for quad training, I knew I had been sore and tight but it didn't seem too bad to me. With my first squat he started shaking his head and said "oh no, no, you are really tight." 


OK...so what the heck am I supposed to do about it now?

Roll

I stretched, I rolled, I rolled more. I found spots that really hurt, and then made sure I didn't move from the spot until the pain subsided. Sometimes it hurts so much I want to cry, or I have to stop rolling. But when I am done, it feels oh so good.


I stretched and rolled for 30 minutes, I guess he had a lot of time for me that night. he even had me use a small dowel on my left quad, and I found a spot there, I pushed and rolled it.


The following day, that spot was tender, like I had released an adhesion, it hurt, and rolling was not really an option, that would bring tears to my eyes, so I used a wooden dowel that I keep at my desk.


For the next few days I rolled twice a day, my quad is fine now, everything is fine now, but it took lots of rolling




Perform Better has this instructional manual online so you know what to do with your roller! Or you can watch a video if you are more visual. 





I am not promoting Perform better, it happens to be a site that I like and have ordered several items from.

What is Your Fitness Lacking (Fitness Blog World Post)

I am a member of Fitness Blog World. 21 talented, motivated, energetic and amazing women who write about fitness. Today we are all writing about what our fitness may be lacking. 

This was very easy for me to write, I know exactly what I am lacking and I have been working on it.   I have no problems with goal setting. I know how to eat properly. I have a great trainer. I have a manageable schedule. I have the knowledge. There is just one thing that I don't do enough (although I know I should).

Stretching

And it feels so good, so why do I struggle with this?

I have a great foam roller in my living room, but I would only use it when I was really sore. I have read quite a bit about how it is important to stretch and roll on a regular basis, not only to feel better, but to prevent injury and promote muscle growth.

Still, I wouldn't. There always seemed something better to do, something more exciting or challenging. I am also on a fairly tight schedule, so if I have to cut something out, it won't be any lifting at all, it will be stretching. 

I think in the back of my mind, it's similar to the same school of thought that many people who train with weights have. They only train what they can see. So, since I cannot "see" any progress or change from stretching, I can easily justify the fact that I eliminate it.

Well, I am wrong!


I always feel better when I stretch, and several years ago I was Yoga devotee. Three nights a week I would go  to my 90 minute Yoga class led by Venus. She was the reason I went, she made the studio so calm and warm, and as I would lay on the floor, she would bring essential oils over and hold them under my nostrils, or rub them on my temples. I always felt like I was floating on a cloud when I was done. But she moved away. I have never found an atmosphere like the one she created in that studio.


Oh I digress. I was trying to tell you that I LOVE to stretch, it feels great, it is necessary for a well cared for body. So....I am making a point of stretching more, to get that "cloud" feeling back!


Actually, Roy makes me stretch before we train, and that is really what has pushed me to incorporate stretching more. I am really enjoying my new schedule. I could probably do more, but for now it's a great start.


Monday 5:00 am Cardio 20 minutes/ abs 15 minutes/ stretching 15 minutes
Monday 11:30 am Stairs and jump rope
Monday 5:30 pm Weights with Roy
Tuesday 5:00 am Weights at Courtside
Tuesday 11:30 am Stairs and jump rope
Wednesday 5:00 am Cardio 20 minutes/ abs 15 minutes/ stretching 15 minutes
No stairs- standing meeting :(
Wednesday 5:30 pm Weights with Roy
Thursday 5:00 am Weights at Courtside
Thursday 11:30 am Stairs and jump rope
Friday 5:00 am Cardio 20 minutes/ abs 15 minutes/ stretching 15 minutes
Friday 12:00 noon Weights with Roy
Saturday and Sunday 6:00 am Stretching, Weights, Cardio, stretching (again)


I shall now try to roll on my foam roller a bit at night, just before bed. As the boys watch TV I could easily do that!


Advise I would give to others would be to schedule the time in. I have found that since I have it written on my sheet, and have worked it into my routine, I don't skip it. I even find that some days I am stretching and rolling a lot longer than I allotted, and that's great!


Be sure to visit the Fitness Blog World site and check in with all of the other writers.