Here’s a situation for Flash and all of the other bodywork minds here:
Big problems lower limbs:
-Locked Knees
-Tight and low arches
These two, along with the non-local problems (noted below) are probably the most malignant and problematic the therapist said.
Upperbody:
-Tight subscapularis and teres minor
-Tight Erectors
Non-Local problems:
-Piriformis (along with the Deep 6 period) and PSOAS are tight and there is a lumbar curve. It could be classified as a QL-PIRIFORMIS-PSOAS problem.
The person who did some body work on me today (a family member from out of town who is good) says that her unrealistic suggestion is Rolfing. Let’s be honest, I am a high school senior and I do not have the money to justify $600+ (probably more around $900) to get an entire Rolfing sequence when I am not even in the top 100 nationally, yet. Her more realistic suggestion was a rigorous stretching protocol with massage as often as possible (through a random occurence, I have 4 one hour slots available to me whenever, with the possibility of more coming).
Resolution:
My thoughts are to follow a stretching protocol, upper and lower body, after each session. I have done the lower body virtually every session the last 6 weeks (after doing it sporadically before), but never the upper body. I imagine that my tight subscaps and teres can be virtually gone after beginning that as they loosened up fairly quickly in 2 sessions of massage today.
What to do though for the other problems (low/tight arches and locked knees along with ql-piriformis-psoas)? Does anybody has some suggestions of what can be done fairly cheap? Obviously, I need to start to set some $$ aside so that I may get a Rolfing sequence done, but until then, what must I begin to implement?
My training journal is in the “Training Journals” section of the site for anyone to check out if interested.
-EMS (though this would take up training time and maximal contractions are not possible)
-Ultrasound Machine
-Bone Stimulator (modified ultrasound machine, works at a much lower power I believe). This may be used daily at any time in fact. I own the machine, so time/use of this is unlimited.
-Massage to an extent. One a month, possibly two is the most until I get a job. Chiro work (non-ART though with only a few ART techniques) fits in here as well.
Classic Rolfing is ten sessions therapy, a good rolfer works for specific problems in few time (1-3 time), see Flash 3D on Lou Gross Structural Integration.
IMO, 1-5 therapy sessions are enough for more problems.
The point is conservative work…after therapy.
It’s very good to work with stretching for help the body to free better some structures (see flash stretching pdf file).
I suggest getting a biofoam roller. If you’re determined and consistent, you can do a lot with one of those.
Also, the book Release Your Pain (which is about ART) has a great subscap stretch. Basically, lean against a wall, starting in a position with your hand behind your head and the elbow against the wall, with the foot closest to the wall crossed behind the other foot, as if you were trying to look casual leaning against the wall. Slide the elbow up the wall until the tricep is flush against the wall. You have to play with the angles, but if you twist slightly forward you will hit the subscap and if you twist slightly back, it tends to hit the teres more.
Interesting timing as I was going to post a question about posture.
Given that Charlie’s theory of ‘looks right, flys right’ and his defintion of the sprint postion is there a place in the training (not neccessarily annually but if required) for a postural correction type program such as Neanderthal no More
I read that and it had some good information, but my problem(s) are a bit different in why they are occuring (I do plenty of back work involving pulling the scaps back for example) than what the article is prescribing for. My posture is not the best, but certainly better than most people, but I just lack the therapy for significant volumes and intensities (maybe I am thinking too high, who knows) that I believe are needed to the most success.
I must admit I mostly skimmed through, so it’s quite possible I did in fact miss something. I believe my problems though are occuring mostly because of: being seated well over 8 hours a day (7 hours of school + however much time outside of school) as well as having spent virtually all of my life sleeping on my stomach (I simply was unable to sleep and other way and still find problems simply sleeping on my back or side), which can cause quite a bit of tightness all the way down the spine, affecting various muscle grounds.
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