For neck pain
Use a ball on a wall
Scientists reveal the source of most of our
discomfort is irritation in the triple-layered
fascia that encases muscles and organs
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“The plantar fascia starts in the heel and extends toward TZ
toes, supporting the arch,” explains Ricardo Colberg, M.D.,
a nonsurgical orthopedic physician in Alabama. “When this
tissue swells, it causes pain along the bottom of the foot.”
The fix: a modified calf stretch. Stand two feet back from a
wall. Stagger your stance so the painful foot is in the back.
Put your hands on the wall. Bend your back knee but keep
your heel on t he f loor. Hold for 30 seconds, t w ice dai ly. A lso
smar t: Rol l your foot over a frozen water bott le w it h moder-
ate pressure two to three times a day for 30 seconds at a time.
This technique eases swelling to dampen pain.“The iliotibial [IT] band connects the pelvis and the knee,”
says Dr. Stecco. “It’s used constantly when we walk.” Pain
occurs when this band of fascia becomes tight and pulls on
the muscles around the knee. The fix: Use a foam roller to
loosen the IT band. “Place a low-density foam roller on the
f loor and get into a plank position over it with your thighs
resting on the roller,” says Meucci. “Roll onto the painful
side about 45 degrees, then pull yourself forward and back
over the cylinder, going to the top of the kneecap but not
over it.” Roll with intense pressure for five minutes twice a
week and lighter pressure for two minutes on the other days.Found: Safe, natural
fi xes for chronic pain
SOURCE: Schwinn Fitnessnews you’ll use health
“Tight fascia around the suboccipital muscles at the back of
the head is often to blame for tension headaches as well as
chronic neck and shoulder pain,” says Dr. Stecco. The fix:
a daily tennis ball massage. “Using your fingers, find the
sore point to the right or left of your spine,” says Christina
Meucci, a certified trainer at Canyon Ranch Wellness Resort
in Lenox, Massachusetts. Place the ball there and wedge it
between yourself and a wall. Roll the ball up and down and
from side to side with intense pressure for five minutes twice
a week and lighter pressure for two minutes on the other days.W
ith summer fun in full swing, aches and pains
are probably the last thing on your mind—until
you start to feel them! While many of us pop
an OTC pain reliever to get on with the day, researchers
at Mount Sinai Beth Israel Medical Center point to the
importance of connective tissue called fascia in relieving
and even preventing pain—without medication.
Fascia is a web of collagen fibers that envelops our mus-
cles and interna l organs. When it’s hea lt hy, we can move
freely. But when it becomes tight or inf lamed, movement is
hindered, causing strain. “Fascia has many nerve endings,”
explains orthopedic surgeon and fascia researcher Carla
Stecco, M.D. “When these nerves are irritated by repeated
strain, they fire, leading to chronic pain.” Indeed, studies
have identified tight or inf lamed fascia as the cause behind
discomfor t in up to 95% of cases in pain centers.
Fortunately, Dr. Stecco says, it’s easy—and even
relaxing —to heal tight or inf lamed fascia, banishing pain
so you can feel your best in no time!
40
For knee pain
For foot pain
Roll on the floor
Give it a stretch
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