The count down is on! Who has finally had it with doing the same old, same old…. and NOT getting anywhere? You just cannot seem to get rid those unwanted pounds. You have cut calories and have been a faithful slave to your routine, and no results- in fact you feel as if you are going backwards! Are you really ready for change?

Workwithwendy HAS the tools you need to succeed! Summer is coming to an end, but that is okay- it is not too late to start making changes (unless you don’t sign up on time!) Statistically, exercise on it’s own does not work.(Yes, I really said that!) NOR, does dieting. You burn precious muscle for energy- not good. How do you find that delicate balance. Join this limited enrollment program and find out why! Take control of your health and happiness.

The program features 3 outstanding workouts per week (18 invigorating, challenging workouts to increase endurance, strength, balance and clarity), 3 diet “pow-wows” power meetings to discuss diet issues, recipes and other diet relate issues. WE offer your own personal  nutrient breakdown (calorie count, protein requirements, carbohydrate needs, and the RIGHT fat count for health and success.) We will even sample tasty snacks to help you power your workouts.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to regain your health, and the ability to enjoy the journey. We will have interesting competitions and games (yes, games!!) to keep the fuel fired.  Change starts in your mind. See it, and then become it! Don’t miss out…

The program start date is Wednesday, September 8, 2010. Be there, be ready, be changed.

Since space is limited, we encourage you to enroll as soon as possible. There are only 8 spots available, due to the personalized nature of this program. Also, as an added incentive we are offering the following discounts:

   
        *A 50.00 discount if two participants sign up. That’s right! If you and a partner sign up at the same time you pay only 325.00 per person.
        * If you do not have a partner don’t worry! All sign ups received by the end of July will receive a 20.00 per person discount.

Not ready for a program….? No problem!

We are also offering 3 times per week for you to experience one of a kind workout with Wendy type workouts. The GroupX-X Factor Workout will be available here at Function First. These workouts will be fun, and one of a kind!! If you are looking for a more integrated workout, this is it!!  The challenge starts with a creative blend of body weight and TRX exercises. Gain endurance, strength, clarity of movement and power with this versatile piece of equipment! The TRX will take you from simple to complex in one workout. Bump up the heart rate with some  kettle bells, and feel the intensity increase. More “core” you say… Check out the new Coretex, designed here at Function First!! This is a XX workout!!!

For a limited time we are offering a XX discount for these classes. Try it out for 1/2 price. Bring an friend and get in free!!  Thats’ right -FREE!! Decide you love it and get a 5% discount off of the package. This discount is only available until July 31!!!

Wendy loves her clients!! All new personal training clients will also receive an additional 5% off of training packages. This is an excellent opportunity to learn the skills required for those advanced classes. We all have our abilities… let’s learn and grow together here at Function First!!

If you are like me, you probably often wonder to yourself how in the world we have an obesity epidemic in this country when exercise is so much fun and feels so good. There are too many lifestyle related diseases to name that can be combated with exercise. So why doesn’t everyone exercise like you and I?

Interestingly, there are several reasons that are consistently used by people of all ages, genders and socio-economic status. See if any of these apply to you or someone you know.

Barrier #1: “I don’t have enough time to exercise”

Solution: The benefits of exercise are cumulative. Don’t try to change your life in one day. Begin with something simple to break the inertia. Find a convenient time for you that you can be consistent with. Even if this is walking for 15:00 during your lunch break. Avoid activities that aggravate any pain you might have the can create further damage and dampen your enthusiasm for exercise of all forms. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to continue once you get started.

Barrier #2: “I’m self conscious of how I look during exercise”

Solution: Exercise can be done anywhere. You can begin at home with a DVD or you can join an exercise group of your peers. Not everyone is cut out for the big box health clubs. Find a more intimate setting where you feel comfortable. Focus on the benefits you are gaining and not what you look like.

Barrier #3: “I’m always too tired to exercise”

Solution: It is scientifically proven that exercise increases your energy levels. The key is to progressively increase your activity level to avoid becoming sore or developing injuries from doing too much too soon. Identify the time of day that you feel most energetic and schedule some exercise then.

Barrier #4: “I’ve started exercise programs before and never follow through”

Solution: Don’t try to go it alone. Develop a network of supporters. Set short term goals initially and have your network hold you accountable. Get professional instruction and guidance. Find something you enjoy and want to do versus something you feel you have to do. Any good fitness profession should be able to provide you with an exercise program that is effective and that you enjoy. Your workout is about you!

We must understand that most people inherently know that exercise is good for them. Yet they are not exercising. But because they know exercise will have a positive effect on their health, they have not ruled it out.

Research has identified five stages of behavior change:

1. precontemplation
2. contemplation
3. preparation
4. action
5. maintenance.

The examples of barriers to exercise mentioned above fall into the “contemplation” stage. This stage is the longest and some people may be stuck in this stage for years. In this stage, people often associate more bad than good with exercise. For example, if they are too self conscious, they will never want to go into a facility with others for exercise.

By working with a friend or seeking professional guidance you can find tangible solutions and support to allow you to focus more on the benefits of an exercise program versus the barriers. The same is true for any exercise program-whether it is to get you out of pain or to get you more fit. You will move from contemplation to preparation and then begin taking action so that you can feel better, move better, look better AND be better.

I EAT THEREFORE I AM….A NUTRITIONIST! If it were really that simple, we’d all be experts by now! It seems like every time we turn on the television or open a health magazine, there’s some self-proclaimed health guru telling us what we should and shouldn’t eat; try this diet, take that supplement. But how can we know who to listen to?

Sifting Through the Science
The sheer volume of information available is overwhelming, and it’s no easy task sifting through the claims and determining which have merit and which are nothing more than hollow marketing promises. As health and fitness professionals, our clients look up to us as the real experts, so we must base our recommendations on something more than conjecture and opinion. The following list is a valuable tool for evaluating the science behind nutrition claims. Keep a copy close at hand and refer to it when considering new research findings.

Checklist for scrutinizing scientific research

Number of studies
Consider how many studies were conducted. A single study might suggest efficacy, but numerous studies conducted by a variety of researchers from independent labs without vested interests would hold more weight.

Number of subjects
The higher the number of subjects in the study, the better. More subjects give a greater degree of statistical power. That is, we can say with reasonable confidence that the results were due to the intervention and not to random chance.

Dosage
Look for consistency in the dosages employed in the studies and what is found in commercially available diets/products. If large dosages were used in the studies, say 1000mg, then how does this compare to the comparatively small dosages (i.e. 10mg) used in commercial products? We need to compare “apples to apples” and “oranges to oranges.”

Purity
In the case of dietary supplements, many nutrition products are cocktails comprised of a number of ingredients. If a study was conducted on just one ingredient, then it’s difficult to confirm that a mixed commercial product would yield the same results. Cross-ingredient interactions might potentiate the effect and pose safety issues as was the case with combined herbal preparations containing ma huang (ephedra) and guarana (caffeine).

Population group
One size does not fit all. Look at the population group upon which the research was conducted and consider how it applies to real life situations. For example, it is difficult to apply results from a study on young, university-level female athletes to bed-ridden morbidly obese, middle aged diabetic women since their metabolisms would be markedly different. Experimental conditions Consider how “life-like” the experimental conditions were. For example, a diet study conducted on elderly cardiac patients living in a metabolic ward for a month would reflect very different conditions to a young, free-living adult subject to a variety of real-life factors.

Protocol
Appropriate methodological controls help to ensure that the results are due to the intervention and not to random chance. Ideally, a study should be randomized, controlled, and, when appropriate, double blind—neither the subjects nor investigators know who received the experimental or control intervention.

Peer-reviewed
Confirm that the studies were published in reputable peer-reviewed journals. While even this is not a 100% guarantee, it at least confers a higher level of academic scrutiny to minimize bias and ensure the integrity of the research.

If You Can’t Convince ‘Em Confuse ‘Em
While claims based on science are always preferred, many diet book authors and product manufacturers are determined not to let the truth get in the way of a good marketing campaign. Clearly not everyone’s a research scientist, but we all have a built-in baloney detector that can help keep us from getting taken for a ride. Cut out and give the following quick reference checklist to your clients.

Quick reference guide for evaluating popular health claims

Too good to be true
Infomercial watchers beware! The age old adage “if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is” rings true in most cases. Often the repeating of lofty, seemingly unrealistic claims will cause you to lower your guard just long enough to make you lift the phone and surrender your credit card details. Always do your homework and thoroughly investigate all health products.

Testimonials
While a heart-wrenching testimonial makes for great late-night infomercial viewing, this is not a guarantee of efficacy. Testimonials do not separate cause and effect from coincidence. For example, if someone begins taking a “fat-burning” supplement while exercising every day for 3 hours per day, then it’s difficult to conclusively ascribe those results to the pill or the radical change in exercise levels.

Terminology
The use of trendy buzz words is not an accident. Marketing research focus groups are explicitly conducted to determine which terms resonate with consumers and will likely translate to greater sales. For example, the term “natural” has been associated with safe and effective in the eyes of most consumers, yet even natural remedies may carry potential health risks. After all, even arsenic and cobra venom are also naturally occurring substances.

No effort required
Humans are pleasure seekers and pain avoiders and will avoid logging the hard yards if at all possible.
Beware of any diet, supplement, or health product that claims quick, easy results. It took us nearly a century to reach these epidemic levels of obesity and disease and it certainly won’t go away overnight. Diet books have claimed to have the “secret” to health for over 50 years, yet if they worked in the first place, we’d all be skinny by now.

Strictly business
Advertising is meant to do one thing: sell product. Altered, airbrushed images, changes in lighting, body positioning, and body angle all give the appearance of a miracle transformation. Again, marketing materials are meant to sell, not inform.

Confusing jargon
Sometimes advertising is littered with science-sounding jargon. Glossy images of confusing biochemical pathways mean nothing to most people, yet it seemingly confers a level of scientific scrutiny. For example, because a substance is part of a fat burning metabolic pathway does not mean that taking it as a supplement will enhance the process.

Out of context claims
Sometimes it’s not what you’re told, rather it’s what you’re not told. You must be certain to evaluate the original research from which marketing claims are extracted. For example, “statistically significant” fat loss in the context of a research article may, in fact, be scientifically valid, but in the real world might only translate to a half kilo difference. Not quite the 50 kilos you were expecting to lose.

Persecuted guru
Beware of self-proclaimed health gurus who trumpet the notion that the “establishment” is trying to persecute them. If their theories are valid, then in time they will stand up to scientific scrutiny and eventually be vindicated. However, in the case of the vast majority, there is a reason why you’ve never heard of them and a reason why next year they’ll be off the health radar.

Final Thoughts
As health professionals, we are the ultimate gate keepers between our clients and the multitude of new diets and nutrition products entering the market. We are bombarded by an incessant mélange of both fact and fiction, and it is our responsibility to view each through the lens of science in order to discern the difference. We should never maintain a dismissive attitude because science is always changing. What we
believe to be false today may eventually be proven true tomorrow—or vice-versa. Clearly we need to keep an open mind, but not so open that our brains fall out!

About the author
William R. Sukala, MSc. is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist with two decades of experience in both clinical cardiac rehabilitation and preventive health care settings. He holds a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology and a bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, and is currently completing his PhD with a research focus on type 2 diabetes, obesity, and associated metabolic syndrome risk factors. William is a popular international presenter on medical exercise topics and has authored articles in major publications both domestically and internationally. He is frequently cited as an expert in his field by magazines, newspapers, and television news media. For more information, please visit his website at:
http://www.williamsukala.com

Ron Askeland has been a Function First client since 1997. Why? Because the benefits of his programming continue to give him a return on his investment. Ron is a top engineer for Hewlett Packard and often travels the globe for work. And as a dedicated recreational athlete, he knows that if he does not stay on top of his program, the chronic back and neck problems will return. Hear what Ron has to say in his own words:

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Lower back pain is only second to the common cold for missed works days in the United States. Eighty-five percent of people in the industrialized world will have an episode of debilitating back pain in their life. Many of these sufferers have symptoms related to osteoarthritis of the spine. According to the Arthritis Foundation, forty six million people in the United States are affected by osteoarthritis (OA).

The Arthritis Foundation defines OA as:
Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease in which the cartilage that covers the ends of bones in the joint deteriorates, causing pain and loss of movement as bone begins to rub against bone. It is the most prevalent form of arthritis.

The hips, knees and shoulders are also common areas of OA along with the spine. When these joints are painful they will interfere with many exercise programs. Since the hips and knees are load bearing joints for walking, standing, etc., they assume a larger percentage of the impact forces during any upright activity. Reviewing any of the literature on osteoarthritis (OA), you will inevitably see being overweight and obesity commonly listed as “causes” of OA.

From a biomechanical standpoint, I do not believe that excess body weight causes OA. I do believe additional body weight can magnify other mechanical factors leading to OA. If we think about the cartilage as wearing out on the bones, the misconception is that it is the entire bone. Instead it is often an area on the bone that is subject to excessive friction relative to the other parts. I often describe this to my clients as a “hot spot” in the joint. If you apply more pressure to that spot (i.e. more body weight), it will certainly be more sensitive than if less weight were applied. Reducing a person’s body weight does reduce the pressure on the hot spot, but it does not reduce the hot spot itself.

The overweight person often says “I can’t exercise because it hurts”. We say, “It hurts because you don’t exercise”. The caveat here is first defining the type of exercise we are referring to. Far too many people who don’t exercise lump all forms of exercise into one big category. And if you speak to any fitness professional, we can break exercise into multiple categories. These can include but are not limited to:

• Corrective exercise
• Flexibility exercise
• Mobility exercise
• Restorative exercise
• Strength training
• Aerobic conditioning
• Metabolic conditioning
• Sport specific exercise
• Mind/body exercise

For us, proper exercise would refer to a program that first influenced how the body moves. This would incorporate a corrective exercise program that improved joint mechanics to better distribute the forces in the joint. This also does not take away the hot spot but it does reduce the pressure on it and improves the overall function of the joint. This in turn reduces the pain and slows the progression of further degeneration.

Let’s use the knees for example. In our example the person has genu valgum (“knocked knees”). This may in part be congenital. But it is also a result of muscle and soft issue influences on the knee joints. The valgus position of the knee increases the pressure on the outer knee and decreases pressure on the inner knee. Therefore, the forces that should be shared on the inner and outer knee are much greater on the outer knee. This often results in accelerated degeneration to the inner aspect of the knee while the outer aspect remains normal or closer to normal.

Common imbalances associated with genu valgum are tightness of the hip ADDuctors and iliotibial band. In addition, the hip ABductors are weak relative to the adductors and do not resist the pull of the femur toward the midline of the body which leads to the valgus position of the knee. In many cases the foot and ankle are involved as well.

Addressing the body’s movement patterns through the muscles and connective tissue you improve the joint mechanics and decrease the stresses that precede and/or perpetuate the degeneration. Both sides of the knee joint now “share” the forces a little more thus removing some pressure from the “hot spot”.

This will allow the overweight individual to get all the other benefits associated with the exercise experience including:

• strength
• increasing energy
• improving sleep
• controlling weight
• decreasing depression
• improving self-esteem.
• combating osteoporosis
• reducing the risk of heart disease

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative process and the result of long term wear and tear. A strategy of ice and medications only douses the fire but never touches the fuel. And as long as you are moving the way you have always moved, the fuel will continue to build up. Changing the way you move through corrective exercises can cut off the fuel line to that fire.

See how Function First’s corrective exercise program can help you by clicking here.

(Due to a server crash, this is being reposted after originally being posted on February 17th, 2010)

If it feels so right, how can it be so wrong?

If the only vehicle that you’ve ever driven in your entire life was a 1974 Pinto, then your only frame of reference for a car is a 1974 Pinto. As far as you know, all cars feel every tiny bump in the road, rattle when moving over 55 miles per hour and take 3 people to turn the steering wheel. Then one day a kind friend of yours hands you the keys to a 2010 Mercedes SL 600. Wow! You have just experienced automotive engineering excellence.

What if your body is a 1974 Pinto? Then that is your only frame of reference of how a human body feels when it moves. You can’t step out of your beaten up body and into the body of a Mercedes SL 600. And because you are unaware how good you could feel or how efficient you could move, you accept life as a 1974 Pinto.

From an aesthetic stand point, we can look at someone else and say “I want to look like that” (or “I don’t want to look like that!”). By looking in the mirror, we can see how we compare visually. But movement and kinesthetic awareness (awareness of your body parts and their relationship to one another in space) is not something we can evaluate in the mirror.

Most of what we do with movement every day is done unconsciously and automatic. We might initiate the process consciously but once the action begins, most of it is on autopilot. For example, you might see that your shoe is untied and consciously make the decisions to bend down to tie it. But once the movement starts you’re not thinking about how much to bend from the ankle versus the hip. Those movements are based on your existing, unconscious movement catalog (even if they are those of a 1974 Pinto).

When you are learning a new exercise or dance move, nearly all of the learning is initially through visual and auditory information. The movement is demonstrated (visual) and the cues are spoken (auditory). The kinesthetic part of learning or what we feel works off its existing 1974 Pinto point of reference and are not something we can evaluate in the mirror.

When people learn a new movement, they often miss out on some of the critical kinesthetic cues the body provides. This is because when you learn a new movement or move, the tendency is to be more concerned with the final outcome of the movement, versus what’s the best route to getting there. In other words, the focus is more on what needs to be accomplished (i.e. tying your shoe) rather than the quality of the movement. Therefore, you end up working from a foundation of movements that you are already doing wrong, even though it feels so “normal”.

So what can you do about this? First, it is important to understand that the best way to influence how our body moves is with subtle movements. This is how our nervous system detects change from the status quo. A good example of this is with corrective exercise. The precisions and control of corrective exercise movements allow the nervous system to recognize differences in formerly familiar movements. This is opposed to rapid, dynamic movements that essentially generate momentum with the bigger muscles in the body. Granted, you won’t get your heart rate up the same way, but that is not the purpose.

Corrective exercises will help “reboot” your software so that your body can ultimately learn to do things in a new and improved way. With this your body starts to receive kinesthetic cues that are more like a Mercedes and less like a Pinto.

(Due to server errors this is being reposted after originally being posted on December 18th, 2009)

It’s the time of the year when people make those resolutions. You know the same ones we here every year: “I’m going to start taking better care of myself by exercising and eating right”.

You should be welcomed with open arms and applauded for taking the initiative toward better health. Statistics show a tremendous drop in exercise adherence after the first several weeks following the initiation of a new exercise regime. There are many reasons for this that are physical or psychological or both.

Ours is a society that wants things NOW. Therefore, all too often the previously sedentary person attempts advanced moves and to pick up where they left off 3 years ago…all on day one. On the next day they start to think that that might not have been a good idea. And two days after that first workout, they know that that wasn’t a good idea. It is forty-eight hours after a workout when delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is at its peak. This is one of the most important events in shaping the attitudes of a new or renewing exerciser. It is the attitudes and beliefs about exercise that will keep them coming back, or throwing in the proverbial towel.

If the new exerciser does not know that DOMS in moderation is a positive benefit from exercise, they may not come back. If they do not know that it comes from micro damage to the muscle fibers and that they can control how much micro damage occurs (by reducing weight lifted, reps, etc.), they will not come back. And if they do not know that mild to moderate cardiovascular exercise can actually reduce DOMS by flushing the waste from the muscles, they may not see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Here are a few suggestions that anyone can use to see that new exercisers become seasoned exercisers by sticking with the health benefits of a regular regime:

1. Understand that there is often a transitional period of slight or moderate muscle soreness that might occur from new uses of the muscles.

2. Know that muscle soreness is OK, but joint pain, swelling and any sharp or localized pain is a sign that something is wrong and a qualified professional should evaluate them.

3. Get help. A qualified fitness professional can provide you with many safe and effective alternatives to properly work the body. The new exerciser will not know what their limits are until it is too late. (Check what our personal training services offer here)

4. Find a partner or work out with a small group so you can communicate with someone who might be experiencing similar challenges and provide each other with support.

Keeping the new exerciser invested in their health is good for all of us. It is good for the individual’s longevity and quality of life and it is good for society as a whole because it is one less person burdening our health care systems.

Earlier this month I presented at the IDEA World Fitness Conference. It is a conference I’ve had the privilege of presenting at for quite a few years. Fitness professionals from around the globe come to learn and connect.

One of my presentations this year that was filmed by IDEA to share with others was,”The 25 Things Your Client Must Know About Lower Back Pain”.

I thought I would share with you the list of items in the presentation. Of course during the presentation each topic was discussed and explained in detail. But I’m sure you’ll find some great tips from the list alone!

1. A bad back is not always a weak back.

2. A weak back can be a precursor to a bad back.

3. Muscle endurance is initially more important then muscle strengthening for your back.

4. Acute episodes of back pain respond better to ice than heat.

5. Positive finding on an MRI often have less to do with your pain than you might think.

6. Stretching alone is an incomplete answer to solving your back problems.

7. Your body adapts to exercise, so doing the same “back” exercises for months or years has diminishing returns.

8. Chronic back pain can be months or years in the making.

9. Sleeping on your stomach is good for some people.

10. Lower back pain can be caused by your feet.

11. Lower back pain can be caused by your neck.

12. Never roll out of bed and immediately stretch in the morning.

13. Pulling your knees to your chest may be bad for your back.

14. Lumbar supports when sitting are helpful.

15. More serious medical problems sometimes mimic lower back pain.

16. Stretching your hamstrings when you have sciatica can make the symptoms worse.

17. Pregnancy and monthly cycles with increased hormone production can decrease the stability of the sacroiliac joint in women leading to LBP.

18. The best back exercises are those that are designed for you following an evaluation.

19. An old injury to another part of your body can contribute to your back pain.

20. Lying on your back with your hips and knees bent to 90 degrees and legs supported can passively mitigate back pain.

21. Repeated work or recreational postures or movements will lead to imbalances in your body and impact the back.

22. Back surgery can almost always be rescheduled.

23. If medication is your only intervention, you’ll be medicating for life.

24. Hinging from the hip can spare your back.

25. Good spinal ROM is not correlated with an absence

Is there anything you’d like to add to this list?

Definition and Brief History

The alleviation of pain in the body that originates from a focus or foci of neural hyperactivity in one or another of the different structures which together form the musculoskeletal system, has its origin in England in the late 1930’s.

It was there, at University College Medical School, that researchers discovered that referred pain from a focus of irritation in muscle and or other connective tissues or fascia may be felt in broad, diffuse, and specific areas, such as muscles, joints and even teeth.

This was significant, as pain from these foci of irritation did not and do not follow the dermatomal or nerve root distribution of neurological pain common to actual nerve injury. In fact, it was demonstrated by Drs. Good, Kelly, and Travel, in England, Australia, and the U.S., that each individual muscle in the body, when affected by these “irritant foci”, has its own unique and specific pattern of pain referral that is predictable and mapable.

These foci of irritation came to be called, over time, “myofascial trigger points.” It was discovered that the common characteristic of the various trigger points, regardless of the tissue, was electrical hyperactivity. It was also discovered that it is possible to “de-activate” these acutely tender points through the insertion of a needle, and in the process relieve the pain and inflammation that is common to sports injuries, degenerative pain like arthritis, or painful conditions such as headache or TMJ.

This method of pain relief is now called “Trigger Point” acupuncture. As such, it dovetails, somewhat, with the Chinese system of acupuncture points specific to pain, called “Ah Shi.” However, the practice of trigger point acupuncture requires a thorough knowledge of western anatomy, as well as the precise location and referral pattern of the trigger points found in the various muscles, tendons, ligaments, joint capsules, periosteum, and even skin of the body.

Trigger points occur, most often, in the thick portion of muscle bellies, particularly in the region of the motor point, but are also found in their origin and insertion.

Cause of Myofascial Trigger Points

Trigger points can form in weak, overused muscles, such as occurs in repetitive stress injuries in keyboard use. But they can also occur in very strong, but overused muscles, such as occurs in runners who rest inadequately, or other athletes. I recently deactivated the forearm and wrist trigger points in a patient that routinely does 1000 pushups at a stretch.

Trigger points may also occur in trauma from direct injury, such as a blow or sprain, as in the patient with sudden onset shoulder pain after being pulled suddenly and unexpectedly by her 110 pound dog

Many of us are familiar with the “tension” lumps found in both the shoulders and low back, properly called “fibrositic nodules.” These nodules also contain trigger points.

Effect of Trigger Points

The problem of trigger points is not just that they are at the source of much myofascial pain; but that a muscle containing active trigger points undergoes shortening, and becomes weaker and less capable of the task at hand. This can then lead to a cascade of compensatory biomechanics, that further increase pain within the affected, and allied, muscles.

Role of Stress

I have observed clinically a link between the presence of active trigger points and the presence of diffuse inflammation in the body. We know, scientifically, that constant and poorly managed stress places us in the “fight or flight” response that elevates our stress hormones like cortisol.

My informal theory is that this mechanism imitates an overuse syndrome in that our muscles are held as if ready to run or fight. This is work, and places our muscles into anaerobic sources of respiration and concomitant lactic acid
burn. This creates various chemical cascades that may contribute to both inflammation and the formation of active trigger points.

Treatment of Trigger Points and Stress with Acupuncture

One of the great things about acupuncture of any kind is that is places you into the relaxation response, similar to what is achieved by meditation. Acupuncture reduces our body’s biochemical responses to stress, lowers blood pressure and reduces inflammation and pain.

In terms of hormones and neurotransmitters it does this by increasing the secretion of our body’s natural opiates, endorphins; and by increasing secretion of natural cortisone-like anti-inflammation drugs in the adrenal glands.

Myofascial trigger point acupuncture goes one step further. In addition to being profoundly relaxing, as above, when you relieve trigger points, especially the ones in the muscle belly associated with motor points, the muscle responds by actually lengthening; this has a decompressing effect on joints, tendons, and tendon sheaths.

It is not unusual after a myofascial acupuncture treatment for the affected joints to “release” as after a chiropractic adjustment, gently, naturally, and safely. This is generally followed by an immediate relief in pain.

It is also typical that after acupuncture treatment to feel extremely refreshed, as if after a deep sleep. One will often sleep profoundly well the night of a treatment, which has enormous restorative value.

Acupuncture and the Function First Exercise Alternative for Pain

Acupuncture, like deep tissue manual therapies, works hand in hand with the Function First system. My favorite kind of patient is the one who wants to help herself. Acupuncture is passive. You lay there on the table and the therapist uses his skill to create an environment of reduced inflammation and pain, so that you can take matters into your own hands through exercise. As such, acupuncture can be a necessary “evil” that enables you to take it to the next level with your own efforts.

Function First with Anthony Carey was of enormous benefit to me in the rehabilitation of my own neck, shoulder, and back chronic pain. While I definitely treat myself with acupuncture on a regular basis to enable myself to keep as active as I do, I continue to this day to do my Function First exercises on a daily basis.

Eyton J. Shalom, M.S., L.Ac., is the owner of BodyMind Wellness Center at 3577 Louisiana St. in North Park, San Diego. He is expert in the practice of Myofascial Trigger Point Acupuncture for Sports Injuries and Chronic Pain, as well as the use of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Ayurveda in the treatment of Dermatological, Gastrointestinal, and Immune Disorders.

He can be reached at www.bodymindwellnesscenter.com, or 619/296-7591

If you think about all the movements your body does everyday, you should be quite impressed with what it accomplishes. The twisting, turning, bending, lunging, reaching stepping, carrying, etc., are all minor miracles in and of themselves. All those movements are occurring with multiple body parts working together in 3-dimensional space. Your body thrives with that kind of variety.

All too often in the exercise world, we wait until our mind becomes bored with an exercise. When in reality, if the mind is bored now the body was bored a long time ago. That is because classic fitness progressions typically revolve around either:

• increasing the resistance (i.e. weight)
• increasing the sets and/or reps
• increasing the duration or intensity

These are legitimate methods of further challenging a group of muscles to work harder than they are currently working with a given movement. Another variable for progressions that is usually forgotten about is the way we can challenge our motor system or the “software” of our body. One of the best ways to accomplish this is to introduce a variety of movements to the body that the body is not familiar with. When we do this, we can continually challenge the three main components of movement:

1. The mechanical (muscle force, direction of force)
2. The physiological (energy systems, fat burning, nutrients, etc.)
3. The neurological (the motor system and feedback systems)

An example of this is the lunge. The traditional lunge is done by stepping out with one foot in front of the body=sagittal plane. This is a great functional exercise. Yet the lunge has endless possibilities when we start to incorporate other dimensions in space.For example, stepping out to the side or in the frontal plane challenges our three components of movement distinctly differently than the sagittal plane lunge. In fact, having the toes point either forward or in the direction of the lunge would also create a different response in the body. The same is true for a rotational lunge in the transverse plane. Even changing the orientation of our upper body changes the exercise. For example, if you lunge with your torso vertical, the percentage of work done by your quadriceps is greater than if you lunge with your upper body leaning forward. The forward upper body position decreases quadriceps activity but significantly increases the work done by the gluteus maximus (buttocks).

When changing our movements frequently, the motor system has to adapt and learn to figure out the synergy to complete it. Initially, the body works harder as it uses more effort while figuring things out. Working harder means using more energy and therefore burning more calories.

If the body uses more effort in the beginning, than just the opposite is true if we do an exercise for too long. The body gets too efficient and is no longer challenged. This is improved efficiency is of tremendous value when training for sport or work related responsibilities. But if your goal is to improve your physical fitness, then spice up your workouts with ongoing variety.

Doing the same exercises for weeks or worse months on end is like driving around the fitness center parking lot for 20:00 minutes trying to get the spot closest to the door so you can go in and walk on the treadmill for 30:00. What’s the point?