fascial

Part 2: Post Event Recovery Using Fascial Stretch Therapy

Part 2: Post Event Recovery Using Fascial Stretch Therapy

Sarah Jamieson / News, Reviews, Tips / / 0 Comment

It’s 730am and it’s already hot and humid In Vancouver BC and today, is the big day! It’s Sunday June 28th and my day starts on the start line of the Scotiabank Half Marathon.

Starting out slow and steady the first half of the racecourse is a gradual uphill. Considering the heat I decided to maintain just below my race pace to ensure I didn’t start out too quickly and waste energy or dehydrate myself early into the race. As I embarked on the end of the climb, we started the gradual descent that would last for the next 4km. As I approached the 10km mark I realized that my body felt different – it felt light and “something” I couldn’t put my finger on. I scanned by body the usual suspects… and pondered for a moment … I felt “un-injured.” That is the best way I can describe it.

For the last several months, my peak training runs has been plagued with ankle compression, tight shins, and an impinged left meniscus with radiating ITB discomfort. Moving on down the rabbit hole, the left lower back causes me daily pain from adhesions scar tissue, and let’s not forget about an anterior tilt in my pelvis on the right side. On a pain scale it’s low day to day, but in training its moderate enough to place my attempts at a personal best at a stand still for nearly a year.

For the first time since last November, my body felt light and I didn’t feel the normal compression of my ankles or the tension, the soreness in my knee or the pain of the lower back. As I closed in on the 15km mark, I realized my tissues felt great. Crossing the finish line at 2:13:19 I hadn’t achieved a personal best, but with a temperature of 31 degrees and limited muscular discomfort it was a big win!

The only change I had made to my training had been the integration of FST into my recovery days post long run for the past several months.

So why don’t more athletes’ consider fascia in performance and recovery programs?

This is a common question I am asked, and the bold answer is – because not many people know that much about it. Fascia is complex and our understanding of it is still in its infancy – and, quite frankly, it can be hard to study. It’s so expansive and intertwined it resists the medical standard of being cut up, divided up and named for textbook illustrations. Furthermore, its function and form is even more complex, yet it’s subtler than that of the other systems in our body.

For the majority of medical lineage it’s been assumed that bones were our frame, muscles the motor, and fascia just packaging. Well this is wrong. Our bones are meant to float, and it’s our fascia that holds us together and provides the super highway for neurotransmission, hydration and communication.

Recover, Restore, Realign:

As previously mentioned FST places a high priority on the assessment of each client and even though it feels predominately tissue based during the hands on treatment; each FST session includes joint and tissue mobilization, as well as integration of the nervous system and dynamic corrective movement.

Half and full marathon training places a great deal of repetitive stress on our tissues and joints beyond their capacity to recover naturally and thus placing a high degree on both wear and tear on the muscles and fascia system that inevitably cause it distress. Therefore, restoring this finite framework is crucial.

I had an opportunity to briefly connect with Chris Fredrick, co founder of the Stretch To Win Institute, who offered me a deeper insight into the power FST can have; on not only an athlete’s performance, but why the fascia system is by far one of, if not THE most important system to consider in both training and recovery.

“Some of the criteria essential for fascial fitness and training aim at:

  • Elastic recoil
  • Undulating/rhythmic movement
  • Proprioceptive refinement
  • Hydration
  • Dynamic stretching

Chris goes on to say that “All of this is accomplished with FST, so FST satisfies criteria for training fascia according to top researchers.” He also went on to note that in my particular case with an impinged meniscus; “FST often helps relieve impingement after using the closed chain movements to assess. This is because it addresses spiral & lateral lines.”

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Post Event Re Cap:

The day after the half marathon, Matt Keen, assessed my overall biomechanics post event. As you can see from the above figure of the before session and after session there is an immense change in my posture. I think these photos can speak for themselves. You can see a taller standing posture, my hips look more aligned, and the shoulder hike is significantly reduced. Prior to this session I had also spent an hour rolling and stretching.

In conclusion,  receptive motions, compression, sticky adhesions, contractures and stiffness form between fascial surfaces that aren’t regularly moved, or moved often that cause wear and tear and over time these adhesions get strong enough to inhibit range of motion, and cause possible injury.

If you are plagued by nagging injuries that you can’t seem to self manage, perhaps invest in sourcing out a professional who specializes in fascia stretch therapy and corrective movement. It could be the missing piece of the puzzle to unleashing your greatest movement potential.

Sources:

Chris Fredrick, co founder of Stretch To Win Institute and Fascial Stretch Therapy

Matt Keen, owner and FST therapist at Keensense Personal Training 

Part 1: A Review of Fascial Stretch Therapy for Athletic Recovery In Runners

Part 1: A Review of Fascial Stretch Therapy for Athletic Recovery In Runners

Sarah Jamieson / Reviews, Tips / / 0 Comment


Screen Shot 2015-06-27 at 4.40.14 PM 

Fascial Stretch Therapy, otherwise known as FST, is a partner assisted stretching technique developed by Ann and Chris Frederick at the Stretch to Win Institute of Fascial Stretch Therapy. Founded in 1999, FST was designed for athletes, but is also effective and beneficial for people of all ages and activity levels.

What is fascia?

Fascia is the connective tissue that permeates and envelops all structures of the body, essentially connecting them all together in one web like matrix.  Fascia extends from head to toe, front to back, inside to outside without interruption and is the most influential factor affecting your mobility, tissue extensibility and optimal joint range of motion.

In a normal, healthy state the fascial system maintains the body in a delicate balance of tension and elasticity.  With the proper amount of tension, fascia helps support the efficient alignment of your bones while being elastic enough to permit full, unrestricted movement. Without the wonderful world of fascia, we would literally just be a pile of bones on the floor.

Unhealthy fascia?

Faulty movement patterns, poor postural habits, dehydration, stress form aging, over training; can all have a disastrous affect on this system, causing it to shorten, thicken and tighten (like “shrink-wrap”). Over time, the accumulation of these restrictions begins exerting abnormal pressure on joints, nerves, blood vessels and even organs and can create pain in seemingly unrelated areas of your body. It can create adhesions, contractures, stiff tissue.

Furthermore, compensation in any area of the body can increase the sympathetic tone and inflammatory response. This can lead to poor performance, poor sleep, pain and unhealthy movement.

What does this mean for you, as an athlete?

At some point in an athlete’s career he/she will experience some form of discomfort or injury. The human structure is complex and the best approach we can take is one rooted in prevention and optimal recovery. Managing stress, recovery and hydration are key elements in the success of any athlete and their performance; which is why FST can be a benefit to any athlete’s program.

Stress Management – Physical activity is associated with an improved quality of life; therefore moving well and pain free directly results to improved performance. Stress can be positive or negative, and our central nervous system cannot differentiate between mental or physical stress. FST can help reduce an athlete’s stress response and improve parasympathetic activity to encourage mental clarity and mental fortitude leading up to the main event. 

Recovery – Running injuries can be related to poor running technique, as well as poor elastic bounce or rebound.; which can result in micro trauma from overuse. Studies show that the majority of running injuries is caused by miro-trauma to collagenous tissues (Elliott, 1990) (Stanish, 1984).

Hydration – Approximately two thirds of the volume of fascial tissues is made up of water. During application of mechanical load, whether by stretching or local compression, water is pushed out of the more stressed zones, similar to squeezing a sponge (Schleip et al., 2012).

 FST

What does an FST session look like?

Fascial Stretch Therapy™ (FST) is assisted stretching performed on a specially designed treatment table; which comes equipped with comfortable padded straps that aim to stabilize the parts of the body not being worked on.  It can be performed exclusively or in combination with a massage treatment or after a corrective exercise session.

As an athlete, I cycle structural integration (KMI) at least once every couple of months and add FST as part of my taper program 1-2 weeks prior to my main event.

On Sunday, I will be running in the Scotiabank Half Marathon, as part of the Pain BC Charity Challenge team, with a hope of a personal best.

Matthew Keen, owner of Keensense Personal Training and Fascial Stretch Therapy has been my go to FST guru for the past several months and I have noticed a great deal of difference in my tissue. Leading up to this event, I have had a chronic anteriorly rotated right hip; which causes the hamstring point of insertion to be painful and tender, with resonating tension down the entire back line, into the plantar fascia.

Our sessions resemble a fluidly choreographed dance between the therapist and client working with your breath to ease into a gradual series of gentle, but deep stretching patterns. The experience is relaxing and pain-free and for me, was more like a movement meditation. Matt’s ability to map out the body and see the spiral patterns that are unseen by my eyes also offers me a deeper perspective on how I am holding my tension.

What are the benefits of Fascial Stretch Therapy?

  • Improved Flexibility and Mobility.
  • Improved Overall Range of Motion.
  • Restoration of normal joint space, posture and tissue alignment
  • Improved Circulation and Oxidation to the tissues and systems.
  • Improved Energy through increased parasympathetic tone.
  • Increased Muscle Activation and Relaxation.
  • Improved Physical and Emotional Well-Being.
  • Improved Muscle, Joint and Nerve Function.
  • Decrease Pain and reduced stiffness in hypertonic tissues.
  • Decrease Compression and Pinching in Joints and Nerves.

Next week I will offer a post event review of my next session with Matt Keen, and how FST can influence recovery post your main event.

Sources:

Keensense Personal Training and Fascial Stretch Therapy

Stretch To Win

“Fascia In Sport and Movement” by Robert Schleip et al.

Fibromyalgia & Fascia: Their Common Ancestory

Sarah Jamieson / Reflections, Thoughts / , , , / 0 Comment

Fibromyalgia and the Fasical Link

There are several theories about why Fibromyalgia occurs and the best approach for treatment. Significant evidence exists for central sensitization in fibromyalgia, however the cause of this process in fibromyalgia-and how it relates to other known abnormalities in fibromyalgia-remains unclear for the most part.

Many beleive that fascia and  fibromyalgia have a common thread in dysfunction due to various common symptoms and how pain “feels” viscerally.

We know that the fascia system is the body’s protective barrier , the connective tissue and the primal web that supports responses like “fight or flight”. Therefore, when stress is high, our immune system ends up running on auto pilot and/or we when we experience trauma in our lives, its no wonder our central nervous system can switch  into permanent “fight or flight” mode and our body ultimately begins to suffer because of it.

Fascia is like a web that surrounds the bones, tissues, organs, and blood vessels throughout the body , from scalp to toes, head to feet. When the body has a heightened sense of immanent danger or risk of further stress,  we constantly try to protect ourselves from further stress; therefore, its no wonder we don’t feel well, we don’t  digest food as well, we experience a disruption in our sleep patterns ,we experience extremely tense muscles, have a hard time concentrating , and much more.  We are distracted from optimal wellness and the feeling of equilibrium .

Recently, I have been looking at the similarities in myofascial pain syndrom (MPS) and certain autoimmune “dis-orders” or “dis-eases” as the medical community likes to classify, like fibromyaligia.  Symptoms of MPS and fibromyalgia are very similar, making it difficult for medical professionals to properly diagnose many people.

So what are the common signs? The most common sign of myofascial pain is the presence of palpable trigger points in your muscles and around trigger points. Trigger points are areas of extreme tenderness and sensitivity, and usually form in bands of muscle underneath your skin. They are similar to the tender points caused by fibromyalgia. Often, pain is felt in an area distinct
from the trigger point that is actually affected – this is called referred pain. As we have observed before,  bio mechanical breakdowns are much the same. The referral pain or trigger point is usually not the cause of the actual injury – it’s just the breaking point where energy is locked and tends to break down.

So what does this pain feel like? The pain of myofascial syndrome is typically a dull ache,  but can also produce a visceral reaction of throbbing, stabbing, or burning sensation around a given area. Inflammation and dysfunction of the fascia may lead to understanding the common threads found in fibromyalgia, and how we approach treatment. Expanding our knowledge in this area could significantly expand treatment options to include manual therapies directed at the fascia such as massage therapy, fascial stretch therapy, rolfing, foam rolling and transformational biomechanics.

Chris Frederick,  the Director of sports and orthopedic rehabilitation at the Stretch to Win Center™, and CEO of The Stretch To Win Institute for Fascial Stretch Therapy™ Training” explains “t’s best to find a Functional Medicine/Naturopath who treats a lot of patients with this problem so that you become part of a team of professionals that helps your client. In my experience, this has resulted in dramatic improvement such that the client can tolerate stretching & other exercise much more.”

Over the course of the few weeks we will look at different options for helping combat myofascial pain and the symptoms of fibromyalgia.

Sources: Chris Frederick: Stretch to Win Institute  http://www.stretchtowin.com

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