The Melt Method

I feel a weak light tingling sensation through my arms to my hands and through my llegs to my feet. I lift my hand to my neck and pinch the flesh above my shoulder blade. I press my fingers into the side of my neck and press down hard as I run down it ,trying to loosen the knots underneath. I can feel a rope-like band and know from my Rolfing experience that it is bunched up fascia (Connective tissue) .I need a deep tissue massage. Wouldn't be nice if I could give myself one? Maybe I could.

Recently I picked up The Melt Method by Sue Hitzman. The method is said to help many ailments including some I experience: joint inflammation, headaches ,restless legs , brain foginess, and  stiff,tight muscles. The method uses a foam roller but is much more involved than simply rolling over muscles. The steps of the method are:

Reconnect: making a mind body connection to find areas of " stuck stress" and monitor progress

Rebalance : using Neurocore stabilizing mechanisms to improve whole body balance ,grounding ,and organ support

Rehydrate: restoring the fluid state of connective tissue system

Release: decompressing neck/low back/joints of the spine ,hands ,and feet

The method contains elements of many different therapies I have tried and received at least partial relief from ; the mind-body connection making from The Alexander Method,the adressing of the fascia from Rolfing , the cirulation benefits of massage ,and the decompression techniques of physical therapy.

This week I have my first Melt Method instruction class. Stay tuned for my progress.

What is The Melt Method?

Neck Release Sequence

Dr. Oz shares best treatments for pain

Dr. Oz Episode

See ya Sciatica!

Yoga poses for sciatic relief

Take A Load Off

Take A Load Off

Check out this great Prevention article about how carrying around heavy bags can cause neck and back pain!

Yoga Tune Up

Today I attended a Yoga Tune Up class. Yoga Tune Up uses high grip rubber balls for self-massage trigger point therapy. Using two yoga tune up balls, blocks, a yoga strap and a blanket we loosened our tight muscles through simple yoga poses. Using the yoga tune up balls on tight spots helps break up the fascia(connective tissue) that can become knotted when we do things such as sit as a desk all day. Our instructor Jennifer told us to think of fascia like the stringy part of a piece of raw chicken.

We began by rolling the ball under our feet. It felt great- like getting a foot massage . We then laid on our mats and placed the balls above our shoulder blades and rolled back on the balls. I felt a feeling of slight pain but great release as the balls pressed out my knots. We continued to move the balls down and did our low back, hips, and butt. The butt was suprisingly painful. I had not realized that even our butts can get tight and this can even contribute to hip/low back/pain down the leg/sciatia issues.

We worked muscles right between the chest and armpit that can get tight from sitting. Jennifer told us we would feel this tommorow. We worked hips and lastly the neck. If you stick out our jaw and feel along the side of your neck you can feel the sternocleidomastoid, a muscle that if too tight can cause neck pain, jaw pain and migraines. We cross-fibered this muscle to break up the fascia by rolling the ball across it. The move can be enhanced by moving your head while rolling the ball across the muscle. By rolling on the neck and chest we were targeting Sternocleidomastoid muscle, the Pectoralis minor and the Subclavius muscle.

We ended the class with some quiet mediation.

The Yoga Tune Up Website offers a place to purchase Yoga Tune Up Balls, instructors in your area and even some free videos.

Water Fitness

What kind of exercise can you safely do if you have chronic pain? If you are tired of walking try water fitness! It is easy on the joints and a nice change from traditional aerobics. Read about why exercising in the water is a great choice:
Click here to go to the article.

Safe Luggage Handling

Thankfully for my flight tommorow I will be taking JetBlue which offers a free checked bag but I think I may have have checked a bag anyway to avoid lugging my suitcase around and struggling to hoist it into and out of the overhead bins.

According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 54,000 people were treated in hospital emergency rooms, doctors' offices, clinics and other medical settings for injuries related to luggage in 2009.

Either too heavy luggage or luggage that is not carried/lifted correctly can cause injuries. When lifting your luggage you are not only doing an overhead motion you typically do not do but also doing this motion trying to lift a heavy load- and it is hard to relax your muscles while lifting- especially if you are stressed and tensed while traveling.

Some good tips:
Safe Luggage Handling