TRIGGER POINT THERAPY
Trigger Point therapy is an effective injury prevention strategy, increasing muscle elasticity and functionality. It’s like doing your own deep tissue massage. Trigger Point therapy helps you gain a better appreciation of which muscles are tight and how to release them. IT Band Syndrome, Plantar Fasciitis, Shin Splints, Piriformis Syndrome and other common conditions are addressed through TP therapy. You can learn to take care of yourself by treating the cause of a problem, not just the symptoms. You can minimize the aches, pains and conditions that steer you off the path toward your goals, and you can function at a higher level.
What are trigger points?
Pain related to an irritable point in muscle or fascia, not caused by acute local trauma, inflammation, degeneration or infection. The painful point can be felt as a nodule or band in the muscle, and a twitch response can be elicited on stimulation of the trigger point. Palpation of the trigger point reproduces the feeling of pain, and the pain radiates in a distribution typical of the specific muscle harboring the trigger point.
What is muscle elasticity and why is it important?
Muscle elasticity is the muscle rebounding to its natural state. It is important for sustaining optimal performance without factors of fatigue and injury. Proper muscle function is key for flexibility, balance, power, stamina and injury prevention. An inelastic muscle is like a rope. The muscle loses its ability to lengthen and rebound. In some cases, the rope-like muscle has knots. You cannot stretch a knot out of a rope, or a knot out of a muscle.
How does the use of Trigger Point tools give me elasticity?
The TP Massage Ball, TP Footballer and TP Quadballer work to improve the body’s performance by increasing elasticity within the muscles, allowing them to rebound to their natural state. This is achieved through increased blood flow and elevated oxygen use and reduction of scar tissue and muscle adhesions. The tools knead out the adhesions, scar tissue and knots within the muscles. The kneading and the increased blood and oxygen combine to increase elasticity, making the muscle function like a bungee cord instead of a knot-filled rope.
What is the difference between elasticity and flexibility?
Flexibility describes how far a muscle can stretch, without regard to how elastic the muscle actually is. Elasticity is the ability of the muscle to rebound to its natural state after it has been stretched. If you tried to stretch a knot in a rope, it just gets tighter. If you stretch a bungee cord, it returns to its normal state. Factors of aging, wear and tear and biomechanical dysfunction due to inelasticity of the muscle and the surrounding connective tissue and fascia can significantly reduce the range of flexibility.
Gallagher Fitness Resources has been selling Trigger Point therapy tools since 2007 and offering classes since 2008.
Contact: 503-364-4198 or E-mail Susan for more information or to schedule a Trigger Point session.
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