People with foot pain usually think of the condition called plantar fasciitis, but there is another source that is easier and less painful to treat. It’s caused by Trigger Points in the calf muscles. Two of those muscles, the gastrocnemius and the soleus have referred pain patterns into the foot, one to the underside of […]
When knees are painful, non weight-bearing stretching and strengthening exercises are safer, avoiding pressure on the joint. 1) Stretching the quadriceps: Sit in a chair turned sideways on one butt cheek and bring your other knee up so you can grasp your ankle. Lower your bent knee (still holding your ankle) toward the floor until […]
In the case of Joelle G., Neuromuscular Therapy treatment at our clinic near Boston proceeded as follows: The quadriceps muscles that straighten the knee were the first to be treated to release tension in these overworked muscles and to work on Trigger Points referring pain to her knee. Walking on bent knees, the quads were always working, […]
As a Neuromuscular Therapist, how do I think about knee pain? First, I think about which Trigger Points refer to the patient’s pain location. Second, with any joint pain, when medically treatable conditions have been attended to, I treat all of the muscles that cross the knee to release pressure on the joint. Third, I […]
Joelle G., a woman in her 40s, was referred by her doctor to my Neuromuscular Therapy Center Southwest of Boston for help with her knee pain. She was limping badly and couldn’t completely straighten one leg. It hurt too much to climb stairs, so working in a building with an elevator was a good thing! […]
Practice body awareness. Here are 5 things to check: Are you clenching your jaw or holding the muscles in your jaw tightly? Open your mouth as wide as you can for a few seconds then let it go, relax your jaw. How does it feel different? Are you squinting or scrunching up the muscles around […]
Look for a daypack with an internal frame. Do a search on Amazon for an “Internal Frame Backpacks.” Check models like the Kelty Redwing series or find one on wheels if your teenager isn’t too humiliated. Using an internal frame with a waist strap makes the pack sit on your hips instead of putting pressure […]
As a Neuromuscular Therapist, how do I think about back injuries caused by lifting and shoveling? (Find information below on lumbar muscles, side-body muscles, supporting low back structures, gluteal muscle involvement and joint compression. More information is in the blog on “Understanding low back pain.”) It’s a common event to injure the low back muscles […]
Active Isolated Stretching lengthens and loosens overused muscles so the blood can bring in nutrients, oxygen and healing cells and take away the waste products and chemicals that cause pain. Think of yourself as an athlete with your arms and follow the practice of pre-event stretching. Your muscles need blood to work! Hold your arm […]
As a Neuromuscular Therapist, how do I think about the muscle pain and numbness caused by a herniated disc? Whenever there is a problem in the low back such as a herniated disc, the nerve signals generated by the irritation there can cause symptoms down into the muscles along the nerve pathway that can persist long […]