WIMB Tutorials


Foam Rolling Workshop Presentation for Dana-Farber

Self-Treatment: “Graston”

Key Tips for Effective and Safe Self-”Graston”:

  • Find an object that has a nice edge but ISN’T TOO SHARP. In this case I’ve used a bottle opener and a full can of soda.

  • For larger muscles like the quad, hamstring and calf try to find an object that will allow you to use TWO hands. This way you will have more leverage and can generate more force.

  • Use LOTS of lotion!! Make sure you don’t give yourself a skin abrasion by putting lots and lots of lotion on the area. I usually use dry skin lotion or shaving cream.

  • Treat in MULTIPLE directions: I usually treat down the muscle first and then reverse the tension and come back up. It’s normal for one direction to hurt a little more than the other
    Treatment time shouldn’t be longer than a FEW MINUTES. You don’t want to over do it with this type of treatment. It’s aggressive so keep it short and sweet.

  • Feel for BUMPS in the tissue. Nice healthy tissue will be smooth and the edge of the tool will just glide right through it. Unhealthy tissue will have that bumpy/gravel road feel and will most likely be more painful to treat. You are trying to flatten out those bumps.

  • Look for different shades of RED with the reaction of your skin. You should be seeing mostly pink as blood rushes to area under your skin. When you hit an area of scar tissue you will most likely see deeper shades of red and maybe even some purple. The deeper red signifies a reaction called Petechia where the small blood vessels that are stuck in the scar tissue are broken as you simultaneously break up the scar tissue. This is a GOOD sign! Again make sure you are using enough lotion so you are not giving yourself an abrasion. You may have some bruising and soreness there tomorrow but the muscle will feel looser.

  • Post treatment: ICE the area and use some KTape/RockTape to help any bruising heal faster. Take it easy in terms of exercise for the rest of the day. Expect it to feel a little sore for the first 5-10 minutes while exercising the next day but as you warm up it should feel better.

Acupuncture 101

Self-Treatment: “A.R.T.” with a Lacrosse Ball to the Glutes, Hamstrings and Calves

Self-Treatment: “A.R.T.” with a Foam Roller to the Quads

Self-Treatment “A.R.T.” to Upper Back and Neck

3-Minute Dynamic Warmup Presented by 2x Olympic Marathon Trials Qualifier, Amanda Nurse

Steps:

Ankle Rolls (both directions): Using your toes as an anchor, make circles with ankle, clockwise and counter-clockwise, 3-4x.

Calf Activation: Place just your forefoot down, raising your heel and activating your calf muscle. Then slowly lower your heel to release. Continue with other foot as you walk forward. 

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At Home Acupressure Points, Presented by Meghan Meade, L.Ac., MAOM, MS PREP, CYT