Everyday Systems: shovelglove: message 317 of 649

Note: This is an archived message from our old discussion software. Join the current discussion here.

    


Hey all, hope you are all enjoying your tryptophan induced state of 
relaxation tonight... I will be enjoying leftovers later on...
Well here's a very useful way to utilize SG for self care...
As you all know, I am a massage therapist... It is very hard to get 
into your own back muscles... Well, with this frickin cold I have 
had, and all the coughing, some of the lingering trigger points near 
my right scapula have been acting up.. I believe they are actually 
in the intercostal muscles (ie ribs) or possibly the rhomboids 
(scapula retractors)... So they have been hurting me a lot the last 
week or so, and I'm not scheduled for a massage for at least another 
week or so... Simple static compression normally relieves and 
deactivates trigger points and stops the spasm and nagging 
pain...but, like I said, it's pretty hard to dig your thumb or elbow 
into your own back (unless you are *really* limber and have 
extremely long arms....) and the leverage is just not there... so I 
tried to lie down on a tennis ball on the wood floor, to get into 
that one spot that was causing all the trouble, but the bloody thing 
kept slipping away! Sneaky muscles... so guess what? I propped the 
head of the SG against my box spring on the floor, and was able to 
position the very end of the handle so that it was precisely where I 
needed it, then I just sat on the floor, and leaned into the end of 
the handle... I had tried to get relief before, by leaning against a 
door frame, but it just wasn't pinpointing that small area of muscle.
The SG had the weight to keep it from rolling away and I was really 
able to lean my full body weight into the tip of the handle!
This thing is starting to become a best friend to me.. I think I 
will have to give it a name soon :)
Trigger point devices can be pricey... I'm glad I figured this one 
out, because it is cheaper than spending $70 for someone to push in 
on my muscles... Try this out for yourself people, it feels awesome!
Sorry for the lengthy post, I am pretty bored here by myself 
tonight, so I thought I'd write some Shovelglove-Blog....
Happy Turkey Day,
Love
Deb