In the introduction post to this series, we reviewed and answered some common questions regarding stretching, including why, when, how, etc. Click here to review it.

In this post we will be talking about how to stretch out the back of the shoulder. This area is also a big intersection area and includes the rotator cuff muscles, the deltoid, upper tricep and latissimus dorsi muscles.

The Rules:

1) Stretching should NEVER hurt. The goal is to only go until you feel a pull in the muscle. It should not be to go until it hurts in one of those “no pain, no gain” efforts. It should be comfortable and repeatable, allowing you to move a little further with each repetition.2) Perform stretches when the muscles are warmed up. This can be following a workout or following work with the foam roller. Click here to review the self massage post for the back of the shoulder (this includes pictures and video using a foam roller and tennis ball to review 3 self muscle release techniques).

2) Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3-4 times. You can hold longer than the 20 seconds, but the reps are key. You will always get more out of stretching frequently versus one killer session a week.

3) If hurt- be sure to stretch out the opposing muscle groups first. For the back of the shoulder, this means the front of the shoulder, the biceps and the neck. If it is too painful to stretch out the back of the shoulder due to injury, focus on these groups first and then work your way up to stretching out the injury itself.

How To:

#1 Seated stretch

This is a traditional back of the shoulder stretch. Start by reaching one arm across your chest (at chest level) and then grab on with your other hand. From this position, hold at the elbow and pull that arm further across your chest until a good stretch is felt in the back of the shoulder. Remember- keep the arm that you are stretching completely relaxed. It’s just going for the ride. Hold 20-30 seconds and repeat 4 times. If this area is particularly tight you can change the angle you’re arm is at to hit different spots in the muscles. For example, pull the arm down towards your opposite hip or up and over your opposite shoulder instead of straight across your chest.

 

 

#2 Outer Scap/Lat Stretch

For this stretch, you’re going to start on your hands and knees. From here you’re going to put both hands off to one side to start. For example, start by reaching up and off to the left. Then try to sit back on your right heel. This will give you a stretch along the right side of your rib cage. You can increase this stretch by pushing your ribs and arm pit out even further. Ideally we’re looking for a stretch that is along that outside of the ribs and up into the back of the shoulder/armpit. Another way to increase this stretch is to add a little rotation (for example, in the picture above you are stretching the right side. from this position you would twist your upper body so that the right shoulder moved up and the left shoulder down). Hold 20-30 seconds and repeat 4 times to each side.

In this post I’m going to show you how to use the tennis ball to mobilize the muscles in the back of your shoulder. This includes the small rotator cuff muscles as the sneak through the shoulder from their origin on the back of the shoulder blade, as well as, the larger deltoid, lat dorsi, and tricep muscles. The goal with this mobilization is to anchor one end of the muscle down and then actively stretch out the rest the muscle against it.

Key Points

1) Go back and read the massage post specifically on the back of the shoulder itself to review the body landmarks and muscles in this region. The main area you will need to be able to locate for this mobilization is the major intersection area for the muscles in the back of the shoulder. To find it you can use the spine of the scapula. To start, place your hand on top of your opposite shoulder. Underneath you fingertips will be a long ridge of bone. Follow it out towards your shoulder and move just below it. Another way to do it is to reach under your arm. From here you’ll be able to easily feel the edge of the shoulder blade. We’re looking for the area between the edge of the shoulder blade and the humerus (long upper arm bone) where all of the small muscles go. See the video below for further details.

2) The first part in this move is to position the tennis ball while laying on your back and then rolling over onto your side. This will apply pressure to the tennis ball and also keep it from rolling out of place. The second part is the actual movement. Start with your arm out straight at your side and then try to pull it up and across your chest. You may not be able to go very far (if it’s comfy you can even apply a little pressure with your other hand; make sure it doesn’t hurt!!). See the video below for a demonstration. We’re trying to anchor down those muscles while they are in a short position and then stretch them out from there. Go easy. This is a sensitive spot. Build through the reps if you need to. If it’s still too sensitive, bend your elbow at the start and stay on your back.

3) Try to perform 10 reps.

4) Same warm up rules apply. Try to do this either following a workout or warm up the area with the foam roller first. Especially if you’re coming back from an injury or this is a problem area.

Video

 

• Self Muscle Massage- Introduction
• Self Muscle Massage- Pt 1 The Calf
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 2 Hamstrings
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 3 Posterior Hip
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 4 Lateral Hip
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 5 Anterior Hip
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 6 Quads
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 7 Adductors
• Self Muscle Massage pt 8- Shin/Outer Ankle
• Self Muscle Massage pt 9- The Foot
• Self Muscle Massage pt 10- Low Back
• Self Muscle Massage pt 11- Mid Back
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 12 The Neck
• Self Muscle Massage- Neck/Back Extra Credit
• Self Muscle Massage - pt 13 Posterior Shoulder
• Self Muscle Massage pt 14- Anterior Shoulder
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 15 Upper Arm/Elbow
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 16 Forearm/Wrist
• Self Muscle Massage- pt 17 Hand

If you’ve ever watched documentaries following professional athletes or teams, you’ve probably noticed that most of them have regular access to a massage or “bodywork” specialist. This isn’t a coincidence. Research has been studying massage and it’s effects on recovery, lactic acid clearance, muscle soreness and fatigue for the past 20+ years. While the jury may still be out in terms of its’ specific effect on athletic performance and recovery, it has been repeatedly shown to increase soft tissue mobility and blood flow. This is key to maintaining healthy and properly functioning muscles.

But what if you’re not a professional athlete and don’t have a pit crew of specialists at your disposal??? You’re in luck. There are now a variety of tools and resources available to make you into your own private body worker. In fact you’ve probably seen or used some at race expos already in the form of foam rollers, sticks, and other assorted trigger point products. You may even own some. Personally, I’m a big fan not only as a clinician but also as an athlete. They may not save me from every injury, but they certainly help prevent and minimize the frequency of them. The key is learning how to use them so that they can become a regular part of your training routine.

So what do you do with them!?

An easy way to look at self massage is to break it down into three different ways you can loosen up the muscle:

1) You can elongate or stretch out the muscle fibers (in other words, work parallel or in the same direction the muscle runs)

2) You can work perpendicular to the muscle (known as cross friction and used to break up specific adhesions).

3) You can apply sustained pressure to the muscle (known as trigger point and used to relieve muscle spasm).

 

What you’ll need to get started:

For the first two techniques, you’ll need a foam roller. These days you can find them in some of the larger chain stores in their fitness sections (Target or Walmart for example). If you don’t have any luck there, you will definitely be able to find them in a sporting good or running store.  The web is also an excellent source to shop for them as you will be able to see the different shapes and varieties that are available. Expect to spend anywhere from $10-50. My advice when it comes to choosing one: 1) you get what you pay for. over time, foam rollers will break down and loose stiffness, especially with frequent use, and 2) the more condensed versions are easier to travel with to races and training camps.

Personally, I am a big fan of The Grid (made by trigger point technologies). It’s super stiff and has different pattern types which make it ideal for both elongation and cross friction techniques. It’s also compact and easy to throw in my bag or suitcase (it’s hollow in the middle so I can stuff clothes inside to make up for the lost space).

For the third technique (trigger point release), let’s start easy. All you’ll need is a tennis ball. As you get more proficient with the techniques, you may want to upgrade to a more specific “trigger point ball”, but to get the hang of it a tennis ball is all you’ll need.

Over the course of the series, I’m going to take you through the major muscle groups of the body. In each installment there will be an introduction to the muscle groups, directions for how to find them, and a video demonstration of the different muscle release techniques.

In the mean time, here is a video demonstration of the three basic techniques and the key points you’ll need to master them.

Video

Here is a video demonstration of the three basic techniques.

 

In this post we’re going to show you a taping application to decrease pain and swelling in the ankle. It is best used during the first 1-7 days post injury (aka the acute phase) and is great to use following an ankle sprain or rolled ankle. For these injuries, typical symptoms include pain, swelling, and bruising (based on severity).

(NOTE: use common sense here. Pain, swelling, and bruising is worth a visit to your MD for several reasons. At the very least it will allow for assessment of severity and to make sure nothing is broken!)

What you will need:

1) Roll of kinesiology tape

2) Sharpest scissors in the house.

Prep work:

1) Clean skin. This means no oils or lotions of any kind. You want your skin to be clean and more importantly dry. Moisture of any kind = tape will fall off or fail to stick altogether.

2) Hair care. Ideally, the less hair the better. Guys, this means that for best results you will need to trim any long leg hair or shave the calf area.

3) If clean, dry, and hairless skin still = no sticking of tape. Time to get some adhesive spray like Tuf Skin.

4) The tape should last 3-5 days. You can get it wet and shower with it on. Just towel dry it after. No hair dryer! The tape is heat activated. 😉

Technique #1- Swelling

The basic idea of this application is that you anchor one end of the tape down and then use it’s 4-5 little fingers to lift the skin and pull the underlying swelling towards that anchor. For the ankle, you will want to position the anchors just above the ankle with the strips crossing the malleolus (knobby bone at ankle) and stretching down into the foot. This will help move the swelling towards the lymph centers and ultimately back up towards the trunk. In the legs, ice and elevation is also key to prevent that swelling from moving down into the calf and foot.

You will need to create two identical strips for this application. Here is a sample piece with a 1-2 inch anchor and five strips:

Here is how to position the strips for swelling on the outside of the ankle:
Here is how to position the strips for swelling on the inside of the ankle:

Here is an example of what the finished application looks like (courtesy Rock Tape Power Taping Manual):

Key points:

• You will need to move the ankle into a stretch position before applying the tape. This motion is only AS TOLERATED. Following a new injury, motion will likely be limited. Do what you can, but don’t force it. This means bending the ankle/foot down and twisting it either in or out. In the case of a sprain on the outside of the ankle, move the foot in. With a sprain on the inside of the ankle, move the foot out. If no motion is available, you can apply a small amount of stretch to the strips as you position them.
• Once in the stretch position, you will have an anchor portion with 4-5 little strips. Tear the tape and apply the anchor first. Then spread the little strips out over the swollen, painful area without adding stretch. Position the two strips to criss cross each other. Remember- the tape works by pulling on itself! By moving the ankle first, the tape can be laid down without tension on the strips. If you are unable to move the ankle due to pain or motion loss, the strips can applied with light tension (< 25% stretch).
• Here is a sample video for the back of the thigh to help with the technique.
• For further instructions on how to incorporate kinesiology taping into your self treatment regimen click here.

References

1) Capobianco, Dr. Steven and van den Dries, Greg. (2009). Power Taping, 2nd Edition, Rock Tape Inc, Los Gatos, CA.

2) Hammer, Warren. (2007). Functional Soft-Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods, 3rd edition. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc, Sudbury, MA.

3) Kase, Kenzo, Wallis, Jim, and Kase, Tsuyoshi. (2003). Clinical Therapeutic Applications of the Kinesio Taping Method.

4) Muscolino, Joseph. (2009). The Muscle and Bone Palpation Manual. Mosby, Inc, St. Louis, MO.

As you may recall from our intro post on kinesiology taping, we’re going to focus on each muscle group/joint and show you how to use kinesiology tape in three distinct ways:

1. Immediately after injury  (for swelling and pain)
2. During the healing process (correction techniques to restore normal position and allow for healing)
3. Techniques to help improve strength + function

In this post, we’ re going to be talking about a taping application designed to help evenly distribute weight in the foot and support the mid-arch. This is perfect for recovering muscles and tendons along the inside/outside of the calf where you want to provide support and allow for rest so that the injured muscle/tendon can heal. It is also helpful for treating conditions along top of the foot, underneath the ball of the foot, and between the metatarsals.

Anatomy

The PF starts on the heel bone (calcaneous) and then moves up to the ball of the foot and toes (also known as the heads of the metatarsals, one for each toe). It is a thick connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot to provide support during weight bearing.

What you will need:

1) Roll of kinesiology tape

2) Sharpest scissors in the house.

Prep work:

1) Clean skin. This means no oils or lotions of any kind. You want your skin to be clean and more importantly dry. Moisture of any kind = tape will fall off or fail to stick altogether.

2) Hair care. Ideally, the less hair the better. Guys, this means that for best results you will need to trim any long leg hair or shave the calf area.

3) If clean, dry, and hairless skin still = no sticking of tape. Time to get some adhesive spray like Tuf Skin.

4) The tape should last 3-5 days. You can get it wet and shower with it on. Just towel dry it after. No hair dryer! The tape is heat activated. 😉

Taping Techniques

1) Two tails along the first and fifth metatarsal + correction strip along the mid-arch of the foot.

Key Points:

• Prep the skin first. For the foot, it is best to apply the tape following a shower with the foot dry and clean (this will help the tape adhesive and will prevent you from battling a sweaty foot). For this application you will want to put the foot and ankle on stretch. You can do this actively or if it is painful, you can use a strap or belt to pull the foot back.
• There will be two strips for this application. The first will be anchored at the heel and then the two tails placed without without stretch (the first follows the inside arch up to the big toe and the second follows along the outside of the foot to the little toe). The second strip will be a correction strip. Start on the outside of the foot (just below the curve underneath the little toe) and apply the anchor without stretch. From here, apply stretch to the tape and wrap it under the arch of the foot. Apply the other end down without stretch.
• See the video above for full details.
• For further instructions on how to incorporate kinesiology taping into your self treatment regimen click here.

References

1) Capobianco, Dr. Steven and van den Dries, Greg. (2009). Power Taping, 2nd Edition, Rock Tape Inc, Los Gatos, CA.

2) Hammer, Warren. (2007). Functional Soft-Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods, 3rd edition. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc, Sudbury, MA.

3) Kase, Kenzo, Wallis, Jim, and Kase, Tsuyoshi. (2003). Clinical Therapeutic Applications of the Kinesio Taping Method.

4) Muscolino, Joseph. (2009). The Muscle and Bone Palpation Manual. Mosby, Inc, St. Louis, MO.

As you may recall from our intro post on kinesiology taping, we’re going to focus on each muscle group/joint and show you how to use kinesiology tape in three distinct ways:

1. Immediately after injury  (for swelling and pain)
2. During the healing process (correction techniques to restore normal position and allow for healing)
3. Techniques to help improve strength + function

In this post, we’ re going to be talking about a taping application designed to decrease the amount of pull on the plantar fascia. This is perfect for recovering muscles and tendons where you want to provide support and allow for rest so that the injured muscle/tendon can heal.

Anatomy

The PF starts on the heel bone (calcaneous) and then moves up to the ball of the foot and toes (also known as the heads of the metatarsals, one for each toe). It is a thick connective tissue that supports the arch of the foot to provide support during weight bearing.

What you will need:

1) Roll of kinesiology tape

2) Sharpest scissors in the house.

Prep work:

1) Clean skin. This means no oils or lotions of any kind. You want your skin to be clean and more importantly dry. Moisture of any kind = tape will fall off or fail to stick altogether.

2) Hair care. Ideally, the less hair the better. Guys, this means that for best results you will need to trim any long leg hair or shave the calf area.

3) If clean, dry, and hairless skin still = no sticking of tape. Time to get some adhesive spray like Tuf Skin.

4) The tape should last 3-5 days. You can get it wet and shower with it on. Just towel dry it after. No hair dryer! The tape is heat activated. 😉

Taping Techniques

1) Plantar fascia with correction strip

Key Points:

• Prep the skin first. For the foot, it is best to apply the tape following a shower with the foot dry and clean (this will help the tape adhesive and will prevent you from battling a sweaty foot). For this application you will want to put the foot and ankle on stretch. You can do this actively or if it is painful, you can use a strap or belt to pull the foot back.
• There will be two strips for this application. The first will be anchored at the heel and then laid down without stretch along the arch of the foot to the toes. This can be done with a single strip or with smaller strips to each toe. The second strip will be a correction strip. Start on the outside of the foot just and apply the anchor without stretch. From here, apply stretch to the tape and wrap it under the arch of the foot. Apply the other end down without stretch.
• See the video above for full details.
• For further instructions on how to incorporate kinesiology taping into your self treatment regimen click here.

References

1) Capobianco, Dr. Steven and van den Dries, Greg. (2009). Power Taping, 2nd Edition, Rock Tape Inc, Los Gatos, CA.

2) Hammer, Warren. (2007). Functional Soft-Tissue Examination and Treatment by Manual Methods, 3rd edition. Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc, Sudbury, MA.

3) Kase, Kenzo, Wallis, Jim, and Kase, Tsuyoshi. (2003). Clinical Therapeutic Applications of the Kinesio Taping Method.

4) Muscolino, Joseph. (2009). The Muscle and Bone Palpation Manual. Mosby, Inc, St. Louis, MO.

In this post I’m going to show you a mobilization for the big toe. To do it you’re going to need some elastic tubing/resistance band or a strap that someone else can hold for you.

The whole goal of this mob (mobilization) is to use the strap to glide the metatarsals (long midfoot bones; one for each toe) back so that you can open up the joint space between them and the small phalange bones of the toes.

Key Points:

1) Place your ball of your foot flat on the floor with the resistance band about one inch above the crease of above your toes. You want the band to be high enough so that you can bend your toes back all the way without it getting in the way. You’re going to want a good amount of resistance on the tubing/band (enough that it feels like your foot/leg would be pulled back if you let go). From here, bring your foot forward over your toes until a stretch is felt. Return to the start position and repeat. See the video below for full details and demonstration.

2) This is not a traditional stretch. No hold time is required. Go for reps instead. 10-20 will do the trick. If you hit a pain point/strong stretch, stop there, hold for 1 second, and then repeat for the remainder of the reps. You don’t need to be a tough guy. You want this stuff to be repeatable. 🙂

3) Follow up with ice if you are hitting any sore/painful points. 10-15 minutes is plenty.

Video:

In the introduction post to this series, we reviewed and answered some common questions regarding stretching, including why, when, how, etc. Click here to review it.

In this post we will be talking about stretches specifically for the foot. This includes the the long tendons on the top of the foot that extend your toes (pull them up towards the ceiling), the tendons on the bottom of your foot that flex your toes (curl them under), and the plantar fascia itself.

The Rules:

1) Stretching should NEVER hurt. The goal is to only go until you feel a pull in the muscle. It should not be to go until it hurts in one of those “no pain, no gain” efforts. It should be comfortable and repeatable, allowing you to move a little further with each repetition.2) Perform stretches when the muscles are warmed up. This can be following a workout or following work with the foam roller. Click here to review the self massage post for the foot (this includes pictures and video using a foam roller and tennis ball to review 3 self muscle release techniques).

2) Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat 3-4 times. You can hold longer than the 20 seconds, but the reps are key. You will always get more out of stretching frequently versus one killer session a week.

3) If hurt- be sure to stretch the opposing muscle groups. For the foot, this means the back of the calf (gastroc and soleus), as well as, the shin/front of the lower leg (anterior tibialis). If it is too painful to stretch out the foot due to injury, focus on these groups instead and work your way up  to stretching the injury itself.

The Stretches:

#1 The top of the foot (toe extensors)

The key with this stretch is to break it up into parts. You want the foot itself to be completely relaxed while you use the upper parts of your leg (knee and hip) to move it. Start by curling your toes under your foot like the picture above. From here, bend the foot back over them until a stretch is felt along the top of the foot. You can increase this stretch by pushing the front of the ankle forward (be sure to keep the toes curled under as you do so). Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat 4 times.

#2 Bottom of the foot (toe flexors)

This stretch moves in the opposite direction as the first stretch but uses the same principles. Keep the foot itself relaxed! Slide the foot back until you are up on your toes and you feel a pull in the bottom of the foot. You can increase this stretch by squatting down into more of a lunge position as you do so. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat 4 times.

#3 Plantar fascia stretch

This stretch is a variation of a standing gastroc stretch. The key here is to keep the foot and ankle as relaxed as you can. The only thing that should be on that step, is the ball of your foot (think toes to the bottom of that “knuckle” under your big toe). From here, simply drop your heel down until a stretch is felt in the bottom of your foot. Hold 20-30 seconds and repeat 4 times. (note: if you are having a hard time with this stretch due to a pinch or tightness in the ankle, you may want to try an ankle mobilization first)

This post is a continuation from yesterdays post on how to stretch out the back of the hip (click here to review it). In this post we’re going to use a tennis ball to try and break up any soft tissue restrictions that might be in there. The goal is to anchor down one end and then to slowly stretch the muscle out against it.

Key Points:

1) Go back and read the massage post specifically on the foot itself to review landmarks and the structures that are down there. The two main areas you will want to do this mob are down near the heel (calcaneus) and up towards the ball of the foot (middle of the foot, just beneath the 1rst MTP joint).

2) Start easy when stepping down on the tennis ball. You may not be able to squat down over it and that’s fine. You can start with the ball and your foot on a chair so that you can reach your toes and work from there.

3) When doing a rep, curl your toes down, step onto the ball and then slowly try to pull your toes up to the ceiling. You may not be able to do so all the way with the tennis ball in place. Just slowly move it through the motion you have and add a little overstretch with your hand as shown in the video. As your mobility improves, so will the amount of motion you have.

4) Try to perform 10 reps.

5) Same warm up rules apply. Try to do this either following a workout or warm up the area with the foam roller first. Especially if you’re coming back from an injury or this is a problem area

Video: