In December 2009, the Telegraph.co.uk reviewed items for holiday gifts. Here’s what they say about The Stick:

A gizmo that’s good for you – what more could a man ask? We test the latest hi-tech, healthy gadgets…

The Stick

Perfect for runners who complain about their aches and pains. £31.99, from www.the-stick.co.uk and branches of Runners Need (020 7278 9486, runnersneed.co.uk)

One of the nicest things about taking part in the Great South Run earlier this year was the post-race massage. An army of physios were on hand to rub away the aches, which really did help. Alas, attempts at persuading my partner to massage the knots away are not always successful. And splashing out on a sports massage is a bit of an extravagance. So this Christmas, I’m hoping for a new piece of kit called the Stick, so I can do the job myself.

Shaped like a magic wand, the flexible rod is made up of spindles that roll independently of each other. The idea is to hold it at either end and roll it up and down the core muscles of the legs.

It can be used before exercise to loosen muscles or as a recovery tool afterwards. Flexing the stick around the leg ensures that pressure is applied evenly across the spindles, so they work like the kneading fingers of an expert masseur. And it achieves the same result – restoring life to damaged muscle tissue. This isn’t something I’d normally buy myself – which makes it the ideal gift. And as staying injury-free is a constant battle, the Stick could be a very useful weapon in my armoury (Read full article here).

Tarquin Cooper

Jan 1st, 10. Sore muscles and cycling go hand and hand, but with daily use of The Stick this could be a thing of the past. Ben from RoadCycling.co.nz uses The Stick to roll away his knee trouble.

The Stick, packaging and instructional material

Cycling is a very repetitive sport where leg muscles don’t get much of a respite.

Over time these muscles get tight and if you don’t do enough maintenance through stretching or massage, injury could be just around the corner.

This is exactly what happened in my case when I tried to pick up my volume of training after a winter of no more than two rides a week.

After a while the tightness of my leg muscles resulted in a knee problem. Pain behind the knee cap.

An Ironman friend put me on to a device called The Stick which he predicted would roll away the pain.

From TheStick.co.nz website:

“The Stick works by simultaneously compressing, stretching and warming the muscle, inactivating trigger points [muscle knots/kinks] and increasing circulation. Relax the muscle then simply roll your way to “happy muscles”. This simple therapeutic action increases the quality of the connective tissue and allows the body to regenerate. Tight muscles will relax and the resultant improved flexibility will aid muscle recovery, adds strength and lead to a much reduced incidence of injury.”

After a quick call to the New Zealand distributor, Terry from www.thestick.co.nz,  The Stick was in the post and I was looking forward to getting my very own in house massage therapist, all day every day – that is their claim.

The Stick arrived well packaged in a cardboard tube, and came with all the instructions needed to understand how to use it. The model I received was the Standard 24″ 16 spindle version.

Rolling the quad with The Stick ©RoadCycling.co.nz

A nice personal touch was the fact the ‘how to use’ information was personalised with my name. I like that, and it made me feel like the distributor had actually taken the time to pick the information for me.

The paper on Lance Armstrong using The Stick was suitably chosen.

Also included were a couple of brochures on the research studies highlighting the tested benefits The Stick would provide.

These studies have proven a 64% increase in flexibility from the use of The Stick is achievable, translating into more power and speed in the muscles.

The general instructions were to use the stick by rolling over each muscle group for about 20 passes or about 30 seconds per area. When I found a sore point in the muscle, being a bump or knot, I was told to apply a little more attention to this area until it was gone.

There were more than a few sore points in my legs and I was happy to start working them away.

The rolling action of The Stick helps to remove knots through compression and stretching, promoting a healthy blood supply which assists natural recovery and health of the muscle.

The advice in the instructions was to use The Stick in the morning, just before you go to bed, or in fact anytime you want your muscles to feel better.

Verdict

Overall this products gets a thumbs up from RoadCycling.co.nz. Continue Reading >

“What I saw demonstrated at the show booth was a more precise and portable way to get the type of massage I was enjoying with the foam roller, but with more versatility.  I purchased one [The Stick], brought it home, and basically switched to The Stick over the foam roller for leg massage. I use it after rides and on days I do not ride as part of my evening routine.  I sit on the edge of a low foot stool that allows my knee to be bent slightly and my foot to be on the floor.  I divide the leg into sections:  top and sides of quads (including IT), the hamstrings and back of the thighs, and the calves.  I begin with easy pressure and quicker strokes and then move through the zones one at a time with increasing pressure and a slower rolling motion, finally focusing on trigger points.  Oh, did I mention I have trigger points?  I do and they hurt when I work on them, but it is a good kind of hurt.  I have found that I am getting a feel for what works well and what does not.  I think The Stick is going to remain an integral part of my training and recovery routine.”

The Stick is a revolutionary medical device to treat muscle pain and trigger points. With proper use, a user of The Stick can dramatically improve: Flexibility, Recovery, Performance, Injury Prevention, Injury Therapy.

Stick products are made of a space-age plastic that will allow necessary flexibility of the tool, providing maximum compression of the muscles. The center rod also has “memory” which will always return to its original position. The center rod is surrounded by spindles which roll over the muscle. The handles provide maximum comfort in the grip. The Stick contains no rubber or wood. The Stick comes with a 30 day money back guarantee. With proper use, The Stick should last a lifetime.

The Stick converts non-compliant muscle to compliant muscle by means of a non-motorized, biomechanical, self-use device composed of a semi-rigid core around which independent spindles freely revolve. The Stick performs what Dr. Travell calls stripping massage. In fact this noted medical physician relates that, “deep stripping massage of the tender spot in the muscle was generally the treatment of choice for muscular rheumatism (myofascial trigger points) long before the turn of this century, and for fibrositis afterwards.”

The Stick allows a working athlete to self-perform general as well as segmental therapeutic procedures with a high degree of precision. These procedures remove the barriers to peak work performance. It is the unassisted rolling, stretching, twisting and compressing of the muscle that diffuses barrier trigger points and converts non-compliant muscle to compliant muscle.

You can read Michael’s full article here at The Cyclist Site.

A product used by Olympic athletes is looking to make inroads in the golf market and could find a niche with Boomer-aged players seeking to play better, with less pain and quicker muscle recovery. It is called “The Stick,” although it has nothing to do with golf clubs. Rather it focuses on optimizing performance and alleviating the muscle pain golfers sometimes experience during and following their rounds.

You can read Peter’s full article here at Boomer Golf News.

Speed is often the deciding and prime factor in athletic competition. It is the result of flexibility and power. When force is applied over a greater range of motion – the potential for power and speed is multiplied…

Research shows that an increase in flexibility directly amplifies speed and power. About 25% of an athlete’s total training time should be dedicated to the use of flexibility enhancing modalities. This time should be evenly divided in order to include flexibility training in both the warm-up and cool-down…

Full-article: Improve Speed by Increasing Stride Length

To read a summarized overview of verified trigger points of the upper leg click here – Muscle Management Techniques – Upper Leg.

Click here to read details of this effective 2 minute lower leg routine: Muscle Management Techniques – Lower Leg

The plantar fascia is a tough thick band. Its 3 fibrous structures help hold up the arch – from the heel to the ball of the foot. A rich blood supply and high degree of flexibility are essential for proper functioning. A minor tear or pull in the fascia can painfully hamper daily activities. Plantar fasciitis is also known as calcaneal spur syndrome. It can mimic the pain of a stone bruise in the heel.

“If heel pain is felt during the first few steps after sleep – I immediately think of a problem with the plantar fascia”, says Dr William Hamilton, Orthopedic Surgeon for the N Y City Ballet.

Some Common Causes

• Over training
• Constant contact with hard or irregular surfaces
• Structural / biomechanical abnormalities
• Repeated stress to the foot
• Improper footwear
• Obesity

Dr Perry H Julian, foot specialist for the 1996 Olympic games, states, “One of the most common causes of plantar fasciitis is tightness of the calf and achilles tendon.” I agree with Dr. Julian. More importantly muscle tightness is usually traced to trigger points! And, that’s where my approach is focused.

Trigger Points

When the foot becomes fatigued the musculature becomes compromised. Muscle support and locomotion are hampered. An environment ripe for the creation of trigger points is generated. Trigger points are knotty, involuntary contractions of muscle bundles. They prevent the host muscle form relaxing and recovering. Trigger points are painful. The foot contains 126 ligaments, muscles and tendons, so there is plenty of hiding places for trigger points. These aggravating little knots can be found in any muscle. In fact, trigger points in the calf often refer pain directly to the bottom of the foot. Therefore, trigger point therapy of the lower leg and foot is essential in the successful management of plantar fasciitis.

Common Trigger Points of the Foot

Common Trigger Points of the Lower Limb

Leg Management Regimen

I like to start the treatment with the lower leg. I recommend and use a trigger point therapy product called the Intracell Stick. TOf the several different models, I prefer the short length with good flexibility. The Intracell Stick compresses and stretches muscle. It simultaneously moves fluids. The Stick performs trigger point therapy and myofascial release – with virtually no effort.

Step 1 – [about 30 seconds]

• Place the hands close together for better control and easier use of the Intracell Stick.
• Begin by rolling the muscles outside the shin bone – use short, specific, back-and-forth strokes
• Roll lengthwise, starting at just below the knee to immediately above the ankle
• Search for trigger points [ouch pain] and roll with a progressively deeper pressure. When found … roll trigger poonts an additional 10 – 15 seconds

Step 2 – [about 45 seconds]

• Follow the same procedure for the calf muscles as you did in step 1
• The area between the two large muscles of the calf, downward to the heel cord, usually needs special attention
• I always end the session on the calf with several long back-and-forth rolling strokes

The Foot Regimen

Treatment to the bottom of the foot has always presented a problem for me. In the past I’ve massaged my own feet with coke bottles, frozen cans of juice, golf balls – you name it. Recently I discovered a simple, yet very effective, body tool that absolutely eliminates shortened, tight plantar fascia. It’s called a FootWheel. The FootWheel easily compresses and stretches the complex musculature of the plantar fascia. This process increases circulation and rapidly permits chronically shortened muscles to relax and recover. The 3 treating surfaces of the FootWheel are designed to target the 3 major support muscles of the foot.

Step 3 – [about 45 seconds] Procedure

• Place the FootWheel on a thick carpet or heavy towel – always stand
• Support your weight on the opposite side, and begin rolling the bottom of the foot. Use gentle, pleasant pressure
• Roll the 3 therapeutic wheels to locate and destroy trigger points
• Trigger points will be recognized as tight, knotty, tender bands of muscle
• When trigger points are located [ouch pain] – continue rolling for 15 / 20 seconds
• Move slowly and be gentle. Use specific, short, back-and-forth movements
• Be sure to tilt and roll the foot – on both the inside and outside – before completing the session.

The foregoing is an amazingly effective procedure to prevent or manage plantar fasciitis. It takes about 3 minutes. Use the techniques at least twice per day – namely before and after a night’s sleep. Use more often if needed. Keep the sessions short and gentle to avoid soreness. Progress is gauged by the way you feel and the number of trigger points you extinguish. Healthy, happy feet are free to tenderness, soreness & pain … even during rollouts.

Good luck and keep on rolling!

REMEMBER, this is an article based on the empirical findings of the author. The suggestions, procedures and ideas are not intended to replace or substitute the medical advice of the readers’ healthcare provider. Please consult your personal healthcare practitioner before adopting any of the suggestions.

Think about it. The foot contains 26 bones and 33 joints – plus 126 ligaments, muscles and tendons.
This architectural wonder absorbs a daily beating. Look at simple walking. Only one mile produces an equivalent of 127,000 pounds – to each foot. In a lifetime the average foot travels about 115,000 miles. Wow! And, at times the strike force can be increased to 4 times your body weight.
Will this surprise you? Women are 4 times more prone to foot problems than men.

Here’s the problem? As feet get tired – muscles shorten. In order to return to normal, muscles must relax and recover. Now here’s the killer – chronically shortened muscles develop trigger points. And, muscles containing trigger points are not able to relax – until the trigger points are released. You recognize trigger points as tender knots. Muscles that harbor trigger points are always stiff and often hurt. More stiffness is felt upon rising from sleep. The first few steps are sometimes a real challenge.

Foot muscles balance the arch for a stable foundation. Here, the foot accommodates 3 major support muscles. The above diagram marks the spots for known trigger points in these muscles. But there’s help – read on.
Here’s a solution. To rid these muscles of trigger points takes effort and patience – but it can be done. To start with – make sure the foot is warm. The idea is to simultaneously compress and stretch the affected muscle – until the trigger point is extinguished. And, to do it often enough to activate muscle memory.

Here’s what you do. Roll a golf ball back & forth under the foot – while applying pressure. A rolling pin is a good substitute. Also, a new product made specifically for this procedure is the FootWheel. It can be view at www.TheFootWheel.com. No matter what self-help method you choose – frequency is important. Always start slow and be gentle. Gradually increase pressure until you feel ouch pain. Now ease up. Continue with purposeful pain for about 1 minute. Perform before and after sleep – other times as needed.

Your goal is to no longer feel ouch pain. When this is accomplished you’ll know the thrill of happy feet.

I’ve had a twinge in my right shoulder when bench pressing lately, but I wouldn’t say I have a problem.

Or I wouldn’t have said so before fulfilling an assignment to visit Rockford chiropractor R .G. Hotchkiss, who wrote to the Register Star a couple of weeks ago commending a treatment he’s found for nonspecific shoulder pain.

Hotchkiss’ treatment uses two tools developed by Atlanta, Ga. – based researcher Pat Belcher – the Trigger Wheel (registered trademark), a small metal wheel about 1/4-inch thick that rotates on a plastic grip and the Intracell (registered trademark), a row of hard plastic rings strung on an approximately 2-foot long flexible rod with plastic grips at either end.

“I had used so many different things for people with shoulder problems over the years,” said Hotchkiss, who added that pain is sometimes attributable to arthritis, frozen shoulder or a torn rotator cuff and other times no cause can be identified. “This has been so successful that I’ve thought of giving up the chiropractic end of it and just doing this treatment.”

The Trigger Wheel and Intracell were developed to treat complaints of unspecified muscular pains and that’s what Hotchkiss used them for until about four years ago, when a patient with shoulder pain said several doctors had been unable to find its cause.

“He indicated that there were areas of muscular soreness, but that he could feel the results of the Intracell in his fingers and arm on the same side as the shoulder complaint,” Hotchkiss said.

“The initial treatment resulted in a reduction of the shoulder pain, plus increased mobility. Continued treatment led to full relief and no return of the symptoms, and similar results have been repeated with hundreds of patients,” Hotchkiss said.

Here’s what he showed me.

We performed a test in which I pressed the tips of my thumb and pinkie finger together with palm up, palm perpendicular to the floor and palm down positions. I resisted as much as I could while Hotchkiss tried to pull the fingertips apart.

In the palm down position on my right hand, the fingertips came apart easily, leading Hotchkiss to believe I had a problem with two small muscles in my rotator cuff.

After having me lie face down, he rolled the Trigger Wheel across my left shoulder blade -no problem. The same action on my right shoulder blade produced shooting pains throughout my shoulder area.

He had me stand with my left shoulder against a wall and place my right hand atop my head. He rolled the Intracell across the shoulder blade and produced more pain. It took a couple more tries before the pain subsided and my shoulder felt better.

“I’ve never had this take fewer than five or more than 14 visits,” said Hotchkiss, adding that he wants a patient three times a week for each of the first two weeks. “The progress after the second week will determine the number of remaining visits. I want to make sure the ligaments and muscles are all in balance before I release them.”

The Trigger Wheel and a nonexclusive to healthcare providers version of the Intracell, called The Stick (registered trademark), also can be bought and used for self-massage of sore muscles, Hotchkiss said.

For more information, contact Hotchkiss at Metro Health Center, 461 N. Mulford Road, 815-227-1600 or Belcher at 800-554-1501 or online at www.intracell.info.