Musculoskeletal

Body Work

Can you explain how the minerals in hot springs specifically benefit muscle recovery?

Hot Springs' Muscle Recovery: Direct Mineral Absorption for Immediate Results!

Can you explain how the minerals in hot springs specifically benefit muscle recovery? So the minerals in hot springs and Epsom salts, a lot of those are skin soluble, which means when you sit in them and submerge in them, those little minerals can go straight in through the pores. So they just get dissolved right into the skin, which means that they can give you an immediate euphoric kind of feeling right away and you'll feel it. If you have a lot of Epsom salts or it's a highly mineral pool, you will feel kind of like a buzz or a tingle and your skin will kind of feel like it's vibrating. That's the minerals and sometimes it's the zinc that's really kind of causing your cells to kind of go, ooh, it's a little jolt. So that's kind of how the minerals and things will benefit muscle recovery, because they go directly in through the skin, they are not being digested by our digestive system. So they're getting broken down in other ways without the effects of having the first part of the GI go through and kind of break them down for us. So they will get absorbed a little bit differently through the skin.

Minerals found in hot springs and Epsom salts can be absorbed directly through the skin, providing a tingling sensation that helps to relax muscles and aid in muscle recovery.

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The minerals in hot springs and Epsom salts benefit muscle recovery by being skin soluble. When you submerge in hot springs or use Epsom salts, these minerals can directly enter your body through the pores of your skin. They dissolve into the skin, providing an immediate euphoric sensation. You may feel a buzz or tingling, and your skin might vibrate due to the minerals, particularly zinc, stimulating your cells.

The direct absorption of minerals through the skin bypasses the digestive system. This means that the minerals can be absorbed differently without being broken down by the digestive process. This unique absorption method allows the minerals to have a specific impact on muscle recovery.

What brand or model would you recommend for a massage gun?

Massage Gun Recommendations: Proceed with Caution and Moderation

Hi, Max. Thanks for your question. What brand or model would you recommend for   a massage gun? I personally am not a huge fan of massage guns. I think they're a little too aggressive. Uh The one I am the most familiar with is the hyper bolt.  That's the one that we used mainly at Olympic trials for track and field. And the thing that I don't like about it is I can't feel what the tissue is doing beneath it because you are holding a big apparatus. The attachments I use the most were the ones that looked like a flat doorknob kind of one. And then the ball one, the pointed one was very for a specific area like the hands or the feet. And again, you don't want to go crazy with it. I always keep it at a low speed if you, especially if you're using it after a big workout, I don't recommend it because those muscles are already traumatized from the work you just put them through and they want to recover and that percussion can further traumatize those muscles. I would say if you want to use one, use it before the big workout, you know, before a warm up and just to get everything kind of moving in that jostle to get things warmed up and then go through your warm up, especially if you're really stiff that day.

I'm not a huge fan of massage guns because they can be too aggressive. The one I am most familiar with is the Hyper Bolt, which we used at Olympic trials for track and field. I recommend using it before a workout to get everything moving and warmed up, but avoid using it after a big workout as it can further traumatize already tired muscles.

I'm not a big fan of massage guns as I find them too aggressive. However, if I were to recommend a brand or model, the one I am most familiar with is the Hyper Bolt. We used it mainly at Olympic trials for track and field. One downside I personally experience is that when using a massage gun, you can't feel what the tissue beneath it is doing because you're holding a large device. The attachments I found most useful were the flat doorknob-shaped one and the ball-shaped one for targeting specific areas like hands or feet. It's important to use the massage gun at a low speed, especially after a strenuous workout where your muscles are already traumatized and in need of recovery. Using a massage gun before a workout, as part of warming up and getting things moving, can be beneficial. However, exercise caution if you're feeling particularly stiff on a given day.

Pain relief and sensory therapy for fibromyalgia patients

Hi Alyssa, thanks for your question. What do you recommend for fibromyalgia? That's a pretty broad question. I'm not sure what you mean in terms of body work or pain management or anything like that. The fibromyalgia patients that I do see, they are wanting that really deep pressure. It's a very painful process. It's a very painful session. Usually involves lots of tears on both ends because it is really hard to watch. But the reason behind that for them is they can go and hug their kids or their grandkids. They can wear clothes without as much pain. They can move better. So that deep pressure for them kind of desensitizes them long enough for a little relief. So that bit of pain is helpful to them. The other ones like it a little lighter. There is a technique, it's the sensory approach to manual therapy. And that's a very light technique. So you're not getting a lot of pressure with it. It's trying to desensitize the sensory system through the skin. So that's another option you can have. Most people find that movement and an anti-inflammatory diet do help with the fibromyalgia as well.

For fibromyalgia, deep pressure is usually recommended to desensitize the patient and provide relief. The sensory approach to manual therapy is another option that involves very light pressure. Additionally, movement and an anti-inflammatory diet are beneficial for this condition.

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Hi Alyssa, thanks for your question about recommendations for fibromyalgia. It's a broad topic, so I'm not sure if you're asking about body work, pain management, or something else. Based on my experience with fibromyalgia patients, they often prefer deep pressure during body work sessions. Although it can be a painful process that may involve tears, the deep pressure provides temporary relief and allows them to hug their loved ones, wear clothes with less pain, and move more comfortably. Some individuals prefer lighter pressure and may benefit from a technique called the sensory approach to manual therapy. This technique focuses on desensitizing the sensory system through gentle skin contact. Additionally, many people find that incorporating movement and following an anti-inflammatory diet can be helpful for managing fibromyalgia symptoms.

How does massage compare to other recovery methods, such as ice baths or stretching?

Unlocking the Power of Massage: A Teamwork Approach to Recovery

How does massage compare to other recovery methods such as ice baths or stretching? So obviously you need a massage therapist to make those things different because the ice baths, the stretching, the foam rolling, the Theragun, those are all solo independent activities for recovery. As far as what makes the massage different, not only is the massage therapist, but the therapist is knowledgeable and you're being passive as the recovering person, they're being the active ones. So they're doing all the assessment for you, they're asking you the questions, they're asking you to go into your body and really reflect on what is bothering you, is there anything bothering you, what was tight. They're helping you reflect on what you've just done during your workout, your competition, or just if you did a hard yard work. So it really depends like, well it really hurt when I bent over here, so okay that tells us let's go ahead, let's get those hamstrings and low back feeling better, how are the glutes feeling. So the massage compared to the other recovery methods, it's gonna be more of a teamwork situation where you're bouncing ideas off of each other and you're really going into your body and seeing what does hurt, what was okay, and what needs to be worked on.

Massage is a more interactive recovery method compared to other solo activities like ice baths, stretching, foam rolling, and Theragun. The massage therapist will assess your body and work with you to determine what needs to be worked on.

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How does massage compare to other recovery methods such as ice baths or stretching? The key difference with massage is that it requires a massage therapist, making it a more collaborative and passive form of recovery compared to solo activities like ice baths, stretching, foam rolling, or using a Theragun.

During a massage, the therapist takes an active role in assessing your needs. They ask questions and help you reflect on any discomfort or tightness you may be experiencing. They consider the specific activities you've engaged in, whether it's a workout, competition, or even strenuous yard work. By discussing your concerns and areas of discomfort, the therapist can tailor the massage to target those specific areas.

Massage becomes a teamwork situation where you and the therapist bounce ideas off each other and delve into your body to identify areas that require attention. It's a collaborative process that allows for a more personalized and targeted approach to recovery.

In comparison to other recovery methods, massage offers a unique opportunity for active assessment and customized treatment, guided by the expertise of a knowledgeable therapist.

How often would you recommend athletes use the NormaTec device for recovery?

Optimize athlete recovery with NormaTec: Expert recommendations

How often would you recommend athletes use the NormaTec device for recovery? The best is basically post-event and or post-hydrotherapy. So if you do cold tubs or hot tubs, I would pop in a NormaTec after those. And it's best, you could do 30-minute sessions, I would say would be the longest, and you can get the most benefit within 10 minutes of a session. It just really depends on where you're at on your training and how often you use them. And you can use them up to two times per day, but no longer than 30 minutes on each of those sessions.

I would recommend athletes use the Norma tech device for Recovery up to two times per day, no longer than 30 minutes per session.

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I recommend athletes to use the NormaTec device for recovery post-event or post-hydrotherapy. If you engage in cold tubs or hot tubs, using the NormaTec after those sessions is beneficial. The recommended session length is up to 30 minutes, with the most benefits obtained within a 10-minute session. The frequency of use depends on your training routine and individual needs. You can use the device up to two times per day, but it's important not to exceed 30 minutes for each session.

What are some basic stretches to keep my shoulder which is all screwed up loose and limber?

Unlocking Shoulder Flexibility: Stretching Tips for Injury Recovery

Hey Louise, thanks for your question. What are some basic stretches to keep my shoulder which is all screwed up loose and limber? So a good thing to do is some band work. If you have access to a body blade that would work really well because it not only works on the shoulder stability but it also works on your core strength. If you don't have access to a body blade you can also do something with the door with some really light bands. Just make sure that you have the knot and it's coming up over the door like so. So when you shut that door it's not gonna slap in your face because that's never a good thing. And if you can't reach it, like I had a hard time reaching it, you can go ahead and just go on to the door jam like so and that will also be helpful too. So with the higher up one what you can do as far as a stretch would go, we are gonna do an elongation stretch. So what you can do is hold up like here like so and then you're gonna lean back into that and just allow that recoil of the band to pull that shoulder out for you. And then as you stand up you're gonna start with that lat and you're gonna pull it up nice and easy and it's gonna be a little stretch. It's nothing crazy like that okay. You can also come in if it's more in the back, come in at a 90 degrees here or here and again you're just allowing that recoil to gently stretch that as you roll forward. And it's not a big motion, it's real small and it's real controlled. You can also do it on like I said the door jam. So we're here and you just give it a nice little rotation here. If you have any other questions let me know. Thanks!

To keep your shoulder loose and limber, do some band work with a body blade or door jam. Stretches such as elongation and rotation can be done to help with the mobility of the shoulder.

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To keep your shoulder loose and limber, there are some basic stretches you can do. One effective method is using band work. If you have access to a body blade, that works well for shoulder stability and core strength. If not, you can use a door and some light bands. Just make sure to secure the knot over the door, ensuring it won't snap back at you when shut. If reaching the higher band is difficult, you can use the door jam instead. For an elongation stretch, hold the band and lean back, allowing the recoil of the band to gently pull your shoulder out. As you stand up, engage your lat muscles and pull up slowly for a small stretch. You can also do this stretch at 90 degrees or slightly higher or lower depending on where you feel tension in the back of your shoulder. Remember to maintain control throughout the motion. Feel free to reach out if you have any further questions. Thank you!

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