After 20+ years of chiropractic and massage therapy to help with a permanent knot in my right trap, I found a chiro who did trigger point therapy aggressive enough to make professional wrestlers cry (so he said on his web site). Within 30 mins of his applying constant, deep tissue pressure with his knuckle, I was bawling and that trap released -- finally -- FINALLY -- and has never bothered me since! That's one of a few moments of real healing in my life... Whew! To those who suffer, don't give up!
@@ross3749 He's since retired, I regret to say. I found him by doing a local search for a chiropractor and "trigger point therapy" - that was the key thing.
Shoot. I had gotten into a car accident in 2008 and was in a car collision from behind as we spun off road and hit a giant boulder and when the hit took place from tge trunk to the backseat was crushed, and i was shot underneath my seatbelt and back into the backseat where i got done like an accordion basically. Anyhoo one day it was storming outside and when lightning struck down real close by outside it caused me to jerk, and the next thing you know it was like my hips were unraveling. I had been to the Airosti treatment place before and he had told me it looked like i had about 85% hip rotation restriction so of course since then its given me so many sensations and at first i was straight up hallucinating… or maybe i wasnt?! Human body is crazy. Still goin through some stuff. Was also an atheist before it happened lol, no mas.
I have performed trigger point therapy for years. The theory behind it is this: A muscle that has been injured appears to retain the memory of the injury and an act as simple as stepping off a curb can trigger that memory. The muscle responds "you aren't going to do that to me again" and tightens. This in turn can then trigger reactions in many different areas, distant from the original injury. The challenge in trigger point therapy is to identify the prime mover, that one spot that set off the chain reaction. I once helped a horse trainer friend that had been bucked off one time too many, was in severe pain and could not get relief. I met with him 2 weeks after the incident after he had tried several kinds of therapy with no relief during that time. He could barely stand, couldn't lay flat, couldn't sleep or function normally due to the pain. I spent 2 hours searching out and relieving his many trigger points. When I started, his back was shaped like a letter s. Not knowing if I had found all of his trigger points and especially the "prime mover" that set off the chain, I told him I would see him in 2 days. I called him and his wife told me he had left to go skiing!! His back was straight and he had no pain and was fine for a year after! Properly executed trigger point therapy does work, but it must be thorough and the prime mover must be found. The "knots" are not necessarily injured muscles as you pointed out, but they are responses from an injury that can be very distant from where they are manifest. So you need to seek out and relieve all the knots until you find that one that triggered the chain.
zappedguy: Your response is so true! Just wondering............what is your line of work? I need to make an appt with someone like you. Physical Therapist? Massage Therapist? Physio Therapist? Please reply back as I would love to meet with someone who understands and agrees with your post. Thank you!
best explanation I have ever read, I have small question, can trigger points be on the spine, like between the vertebra C5 and C6 because I have pain there when I start walking
It's a very good explanation. I've been having shin splints for months but haven't really tried PT as I thought resting is the best remedy but I'm out of options now. I'M gonna try some PT now and hope it helps.
Seems like you are on.the same page with them. The one that triggers the chain is most likely a spinal dysfunction that needs repositioning. I had trigger point therapy and chiropractic care and physical therapy. The TP and chiropractic care were together. Being hit head on by a 20-ton truck is why the problems are ongoing. I'm recovering from a knee avulsion and my physical therapist is also getting me to strengthen muscles surrounding injured area.
Thank you guys! I have fibromyalgia, overuse syndrome, back, and hip pain. Sometimes, I can't breath from the pain between my shoulder blades that's when I use one tennis ball in the sock, against the wall. It works every time. There's so much we can do to help ourselves when we get to know our body. I'm 68 years old with all body pain (since 1980), with the exception of my hair and nails. I take supplements, an occasional Tylenol, eat very healthy, walk daily, gardening, and PRAY always. No medication.💐🕊
my neck has been so painful for weeks. Tried everything, heat, massage, Aleve, stretching, pillow change. NOTHING helped. Yesterday I came across this video. I tried out the two tennis balls in a sock treatment. Very painful procedure.... BUT... now my neck pain has almost completely disappeared. Much better range of motion. Love Bob and Brad. Thanks so much to you both.
When I lived in the US I adored CAR TALK on pbs radio, each Saturday morning, presented by two gregarious auto mechanics, Tom and Ray Magliozzi. I think of you guys as 'body mechanics' and your channel as BODY TALK :)
I've had a trigger point in my upper right trapezius for years, and it does hurt when I stress it, and it definitely feels like it's in the muscle. I learned several years ago that, when I hold my arms flat at my sides, then extend them both backward and upward as far as I can and fully extend it, I hear a ripping/crunching sound inside the knot, and it feels really good. It sounds almost like Velcro ripping apart, but with a slight crunching. It makes it feel a thousand times better every time I do it, and the knot becomes tiny instantly. It's the only thing that ever relieved the pain at all..
I'm a registered massage therapist. This is such a common complaint when clients come in. I often treat trigger points with ischemic compressions and I find that to be such an effective way to treat trigger points. Also, when people have a lot of issues with their traps, I will quite often treat their pectoral muscles. Pec major and minor. As most people have have bad posture (especially with desk jobs), so traps are often weak and pecs are very hypertonic and pull on the traps. So strengthening the traps and stretching the pecs. Great video:)
amberk12 I agree I find that tence peck minors have a lot to do with fence traps, Leavator, Sternoclidomastioid area. Is there a video on peck stretching that you recommend?
Agreed, I do exactly the same. However, I have been searching ways to save my thumbs as some client has such stubborn knots and is just so much a finger can handle. 😅 I do use the elbow in some cases, but I have this particular client who doesn't want me to use the elbow. 🤷♀
I JUST watched a video of a guy saying we need to dig into our muscles and the pain will go away. Ya, right!! Doesn’t he think we intuitively dig into our muscles because we’re in so much PAIN?? But within 5 minutes of your excellent teaching, especially having us move our neck back BEFORE we move it to the left or right is already amazing for me!! I’ll be working on these areas in these gentle and common sense ways and praying I can get my life back. Thank you guys,
I’ve been to my doctor office so many times. ER 3xs and they’ve said nothing wrong with me. It’s so irritating and discouraging that doctors even don’t have the knowledge or just don’t care. This was helpful thank you guys .
@@sushmita9040 me either!!! I discovered trigger points by accident. Why didn't chiros ever tell me about it???? I've suffered for years needlessly. I have at least 40 points. I pressed them 2 days ago and most pain went away and i felt more peaceful. I'm sure mine are from emotional trauma.
@@kattalady8114 i suffer with 5 points, 40 ohgosh. Don't know how horrible that must be. I am still looking for a cure and can't seem to find any. Hope you recover soon :)
@@sushmita9040 thank you....yes all the ones I found are tender, with some very painful. I guess I just didn't know because they happened so gradually. I've had depression, anxiety and PTSD all my life so I think that's where it's from. And I haven't been physically fit in a long time so I didn't notice. I'm glad you only have 5! Have you felt for other ones?
@@sushmita9040 exactly exactly exactly. I've had chiros for 13 years now. Why didn't they say anything?? This seems like such a basic simple thing. It's anatomy. I'm always wondering what are Dr's learning all those years in school?? Sure isn't anything me or anyone i know is suffering from.
The tennis ball thing is wonderful. My doctor told me I had Myofascial pain syndrome about 2 years ago and told me to do stretches and use Naproxen. That was all the help I got except some maybes such as: massage, chiropractic help, or acupuncture, but insurance won't help with any of that. I've been in various amounts of pain everyday since it started. When it gets excruciating I medicate, but I try not to overdo the meds because I know there can be long term stresses to kidney function. The pain is really restricting my life now and I'm trying to find solutions instead of just accepting that this is how I live the rest of my life (I'm only 37). So every little thing helps, and the tennis ball thing just released my upper back, and I found extremely sensitive spots in my mid back I didn't even realize were there. So thanks for a little relief. I'll go through the rest of your videos and see if anything else can help too.
@themysticsaint I have it too and almost gave up .. The best BEST relief for the pain I recently found is the hydro therapy chair at planet fitness. It's given me hope . There is also a massage chair that has the same affect as the tennis balls in this video. After I'm done with the massage chairs , I go stretch on the Precor machine on the gym floor. Then I work out .I stretch at home and throughout the day. Do you use heating pads ? I purchased my ice pads through my physical therapists office. Go check out the hydro chair, I guarantee you will love it
subverting the common joke with "sandwiches" is not original: ua-cam.com/video/5hGhRQWtYxA/v-deo.html starts at 0:39 .There are lots of places on television where it was used: Arrested Development, Employee of the Month, Scary Movie 4 and I'm sure in many others )
I love watching these guys. They're always fun. And as Bob said, it's very hard to do this stuff yourself, but I do have my rollers and my very trusted lacrosse balls. And I am very thankful to have a wife that will watch these with me and try some of these things to help me. After 4 total hip replacements on the left side, I'm in constant pain and my body, for years, has compensated for it. Now, I have adhesions everywhere, knots everywhere, constant groin pain as well as SI issues, and lower L joint issues. I'm a mess and these guys make figuring it out a lot of fun.
Hi, Bob and Brat! I have a pain points on my spine. middle back is most worst. I have spondylosis. My low back is operated, now problems came to back. numb of legs is not come back, after operation, it is good. You two are great Team, Thank you!
Love the tennis ball massage. If you get an old pair of tights, cut one leg off, tie a knot in the centre place a ball in from either end ( don’t forget to cut the toe open ) place a ball in both ends, do another knot to secure them in place. You now have enough tight leg over to hold onto to get in a good position. Thanks guys. Love your videos. Keep them coming.
If it is in the sub-occipitals, you can reciprocal inhibit them by rolling your eyeballs down into the roof of the mouth, then tuck your nose into your chin.
I suffered from fibromyalgia for years and years and had so many knots that I couldn't function and therapies helped only temporarily. Just randomly I started suspecting that it might be from dairy products that I used to drown in (milk, yogurt, cheeses). I switched to eliminatory no dairy diet and after around 10-15 days all symptoms were gone (knots, acnes, migraine, headache in the morning, lack of energy....). To be more sure about that, did it several times after that, around 20 days no dairy and then 3-4 heavy on dairy and every time symptoms were back. So, might story might help someone. It doesn't hurt to try
From my own experience with trigger points in the back... they were present because my back muscles were generally laughably weak. They were also sort of stuck, I had almost very little sideways scapular mobility. Dedicated exercises to strengthen the whole back fixed the trigger points. So I'd say forget the rolling, stretches and funny little moves, that's just scratching on the surface. Just work on your strength. Planks, planche leans, bridges, back leg raises, quadrupeds, supermen, squats etc. etc.
Regardless of a possible cause most therapist feel that the best treatment for a purported muscle knots is to pummel them, vigorously massage the sore spot with hands. Massage promotes blood circulation which is enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle cells that eventually dissipate the pains or even get rid of. I speak on my own experienced. I am a MT for over a decade now.
The trigger points in muscles are blocked emotions. When you got angry and you didn't do anything about it for a few days, you've just blocked that anger emotion inside yourself and stored it in the traps. This is the real cause of the muscle trigger points. To fix it, you will have to release the blocked emotion and experience the anger for traps muscle trigger points. Everything else is mostly fixing the consequences and the trigger point will return eventually.
Whenever I've massaged someone who has soreness in that spot in the "upper traps" I've found that it's actually the scapular attachment of levator (which I can verify by checking if the aggrevation is also felt on the anterior side of the attachment). And a common comment when I'm working on it is "I can feel that all the way in my neck" which makes sense since the other attachment is at the neck. When you do the chin tuck and the pain moves it seems to me like it's just because you're relaxing levator and switching the stress to the splenius muscles. So it's not that the "trigger point" is moving. It's just that you switched muscle activation. And given that poor posture is so ubiquitous, which can stretch both levator and the splenius muscles, it would make perfect sense that both might have aggrevated tendons.
@@yoomang7 massage therapist use pressure to signal release to the brain . But like an earlier comment from a therapist stated. You have to relieve the compensation while working back to the source . Short answer ...find a good massage therapist
My pain management doctor is telling me that he can treat my chronic back pain around a closed fracture in one of my upper vertebrae by trigger point injection. I have refused it so far. It just didn't sound right to me. What are your thoughts?
30+ years after i was attacked & dealing with neck & back pain, I'd had pt, injections, acupunture & chiropractic (of all that had been most helpful) & paying big $$ for all of it, i was fortunate to get accepted by a new doctor, a DO. Within 4 gentle OMTs the knot disappeared, never to return. That was more than 5 years ago. I am grateful for everyone who helped me along the way so i could get to her. ☮️💞🙏🏼
I'm a licensed massage therapist,and my understanding of trigger points is different than you are describing. I learned that trigger points CAUSE referred pain, not caused BY a referred prpblem. For instance, there is a trigger point in the upper traps that causes referred pain in the temple area. Another in traps that cause pain mimicking sinus headache pain. If a sore spot or knot DOESN'T cause referred pain, it isn't a trigger point, and can be treated a little differently. Janet Travell and David Simons define and chart trigger points in their book: Myofascial Pain and Disfunction:The Trigger Point Manual vols 1&2. ~Thank you for your videos, your stretches are helping me a lot!
Michelle Velez that is my understanding, speaking from personal experience. I will have pain deep that spreads and when I can get someone to "massage" them it hurts a lot but almost always, within a few hours or next day it feels way better.
There is so much conflicting information on myofascial release it's hard to know the specifics. But one thing is for sure - myofascial release seems to help a lot of people enough that it's probably not pure placebo.
Michelle Velez Hi. Do you work with Fibromyalgia patients. I tried to get massages years ago but the toxins released from the muscles was aweful. Any suggestions?
I know from experience of having headaches for weeks. Come to find out they were caused from trigger points. The only way to get rid of the headaches was a message to relieve the trigger points. I now have a book that charts where your pain is to where the trigger point probably is. Your not even aware of the trigger point until its pressed on. Then it feels like someone punched you.
I have had debilitating irritating inflamed feeling area(trigger point?) around scapula for 3 months. Been to massage therapists and no help. Slept on heating pads every night and had my 10 year old massage that area everynight with no relief. Went to get adjusted 3 days ago and the pain is gone thank god!!! Mine was coming from the neck. I never believed in chiropractors but do now.
These guys saved my back at a time where I could not afford to go see a chiropractor even cured the numbness that was radiating down my arm to my hand 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 … may god bless you 🙏🏽
I'm a Licenced Massage Therapist I love these videos videos for self care. I do trigger point therapy on my clients one thing I look for when I find a knot is pain that recurs out of the point. If I put pressure on a point and move the muscle it can be sore and cause pain it may just be a sore muscle if the client feels pain or sensations at the point that is coupled with a refusal pain from the point to some place else then I treat it as a trigger point in the muscle. So I check of the two boxes 1. Pain when arriving the muscle while the trigger point is presses and pain recurring from the point it self. Because I am a LMT I cannot suggest any exercises I treat the points with pressure and muscle activation. But I love the exercises here for helping myself at home. Good work guys👍
I had a trigger point in my shoulder that felt like a torn rotator cuff. I had almost no strength in arm and couldn’t pick up or hold anything that weighed more than a few pounds without experiencing pain. After fooling with it for years, my doctor had done specialty training for dealing with trigger points. He was able to identify my problem by pressing on areas on my neck shoulder and back and then injected four areas with a muscle relaxant one near the end my shoulder, two in my neck and one about mid should between the neck and arm. The injects got the offending muscle and tendons to relax so they stopped fighting each other. This made to pain stop almost immediately. I then did some work with physical therapists to stretch the muscles and strengthen this muscles in my back neck and shoulder, some of which you guys demonstrated here. It’s been several years since I had the injections and my trigger points have not been a problem unless I’m doing a lot of work over my head, like painting a ceiling for instance. But I now know when/if it starts to flare up that I need to stop working, take a break and stretch. I do the stretches you demonstrate and in a few minutes I’m generally good to go.
You guys are the best! I can't thank you enough for this video. My back has been hurting me for more than 2 weeks and I'd tried so many things. I thought it was muscles in my back until you guys mentioned that if it moves around a lot (I thought I was losing my mind!) that it's probably coming from the neck. YES! I have a pain in the left side of my neck. Last summer it sent me to the doctor and I was prescribed a muscle relaxer and pain pills. I still have the pain pills because they made me feel horrible. And I didn't want to have to take a muscle relaxer again. Anyway, these techniques have helped me tremendously! I watched another video of various exercises for the back. These videos are invaluable! THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU!!!!!!!
Hey Brad and Bob, how many reps of Chin tucks do I need to do in order to see improvememt? How many weeks of Chin tucking does it take to permanently fix? Thanks Brad
I suffered (very badly) with Fibromyalgia in my upper back for years. The "cure" was ultrasound (every other day) with topical hydrocortisone 2.5% That requires a doctor's prescription. The over the counter 1% is too weak.
I would contest the idea that back muscle pain doesn't move around (refer). If you've had an acute lower back muscle spasm, it is actually quite common for that pain to refer to your mid-back/lower traps as those muscles are often fatigued by carrying the load while your lower back is out of commission. Anyone who has not been able to fully straighten up due to lower back pain starts doing the hunched-over walk out of necessity. That's all it takes to gradually cause a spasm in those mid-back muscles which are carrying the weight of your torso while hunched over.
After tying the balls in the sock, tie a long sock between the balls so that you can toss them over your shoulder and position them where needed. I made self-therapy tools like that for my Dad before he passed away.
What do we do if those neck positions hurt our trigger point areas? That’s the issue I have, whenever I move my neck and do chin tucks, I feel the spot between my shoulder blades hurt a little. I also have issues constantly pulling the muscle between my shoulder blades, doing things so simple like washing my face 😫 it’s been like this for the past year and a half.
I just wish insurance would cover massage therapy. It’s absolutely insane that they don’t. Not all of us have an SO to rub our shoulders for us. That said, the chin tuck did help at least a little bit!
@@w0mblemania I'm glad it has helped you. I see someone for deep tissue structural integration combined with somatic education. Its the only thing thats ever made a difference for me personally. I've tried just about all forms of massage over the last 14 years.
Massage therapist with 10years experience. I usually notice trigger points from repetitive holding patterns (work,driving, daily life). I always recommend structural integration to assist correcting posture. Also I’ve notice that scm release, pectoralis release, and the subscapularis release help with pain/discomfort of daily life and also alleviate tons of nerve impingement that affect the fingers.
I have a trigger point in my upper left trap, and sometimes it gives me headaches or pain in the other shoulder. Most of the time it doesn't hurt when I press on it, it will just "click" or "pop" and it just feels tight all the time like a rock is wedged between my muscles and bones. I do physio every week, I even had some dry-needling done for a few months weekly. I do massage self and with an RMT. I do the exercises religiously that my PT has given me and I've taken numerous steps to lower my stress (sleep better, meditate, journal, yoga, etc.) The exercises have also helped with my posture so I'm not rounding my shoulders or my head forward. I even took numerous steps to improve my chair ergonomics. (I primarily use my computer for leisure purposes, I'm a gamer and a writer, and I am continuously mindful of how long I sit at it. I'm not one of those people who sits in it all day FYI) thankfully my job involves me being on my feet for 12 hours. Despite everything I've been doing for the past seven months, the trigger is still there. Things like my therapy sessions and exercises, and I even do some of the things in this video, like rolling a lacrosse ball on it.... they only seem to relieve it temporarily. It just refuses to release no matter what I do. As soon as I go back to my daily activities, it comes back even if I don't sit at my computer at all. I'm starting to lose hope that this will never go away, and I'll never be able to enjoy the things I love again.
You mentioned If the pain moves to different areas of the back on different days , it would not be in the muscle. what would cause that pain to shift around ?
Ricardo Barron it's coming from the spine, more specifically the nerve roots which exit the small holes on the sides of the spine. Because those nerve roots supply "power" to the entire shoulder and arm, they can refer pain anywhere in that shoulder/arm complex, depending upon how it's irritated and what nerve roots are affected. There are common patterns we see; however, everyone is different. Ultimately, they are moving the spine at the neck level to reduce the pain being sent to the shoulder - this is the likely cause of "knots", not just tight muscles.
RJ Burr wtf are you on lol? I was diagnosed officially 2 days ago, the impairment causes lack of oxygen and because of that the body struggles to get rid of the lactic acid. It’s not rocket science
So, I am in PT and I am finding that I am getting stronger. I was starting to feel better, but lately my flare-ups have been bad and as consistent as they were prior to PT. My posture has improved; I consistently do either yoga or my PT at-home stretches; and I have a clean diet. I go to PT and the pool once a week. I know my pain is muscular. The only things that have showed in my xray/MRIs are slight neck irritation, very slightly disc buldges in my t6/t7 (dr said it is not causing any pinched nerves, so should not be the result of pain), and a 3 degree curve in my back. My pain in my lower back has been going on for years, but isn't too bad compared to the rest of my pain. My upper back and neck pain started over 3 years ago after a car accident. It has progressively gotten worse. It wasn't too bad in the beginning, but now it is awful. Back in February 2018, pain started flaring up in my arms and down my legs. It causes a lot of pressure in my fingers and toes, so I crack them a lot. It hurts to write, within maybe a few sentences. In the past week, a new pain has begun. It the front and sides of my neck and into my jaw. Sometimes I feel that my throat is closing up. I know it's muscle pain. It has made the shoulder and neck pain worse (I have the usual trigger points in my shoulder/neck area). My PT has no answers. Drs have no answers. I have no idea what to do next... anyone have any suggestions/experienced something similar. I'm anxious of what is next. I was dreading a new pain and now this front/side neck pain is just making everything worse.
Read fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain by Devin Starlanyl. She explains the Simons and Travell trigger point therapy and how one knot will refer pain to a different muscle. So the muscle that is hurting is not what is treated with an injection, it's the trigger point that is causing it. It sounds weird and is hard to explain. I have trigger points all over my body from my neck to my feet. I have been treated for this condition for 14 years. It is not fibromyalgia as some people think. It is chronic myofascial pain. I have injections to release the knots and then I have Physical Therapy to loosen up the fascia so it won't hurt so much. I stretch at home twice a day or more. It' something you learn to deal with and there are things you can do to help it. But I don't think mine will ever completely go away.
Dr. Marmorstein uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhuuuuuuuuhuuuuuuuuuhuuhuuhuuuhuuuuhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhuuhhuhuuuuujhuuhhhuuhhuiuhuhuuhuuuhhuuuuuuhuuuhhuhuhouhuhuuhuuohhuhuhuuuuouh7uuhhuuhuuuuhuuhuuhuuuuhuuuhuhuiijjhuuuhuuhuhhuhuhuuh777uhuhuuuhhuuhuuuuhhhhuhuhuhuhhuhuhhuuuuuhhuhuuuhuhuuuhhuuuhuuuhhuhuhhuuuhuuhhuuuhuhhuhhhhuuhhuuhhuhhhhuhuhuuuhuuhuuuhuuhuuhh7uhuuuhuhhuuhuhhuhuhuuuhuuuhuhhuhuuhhuhhhhhuhu9uuhhuhuhuuhuhhuhuhhuohuhuuhuhu
That “trigger point” toward the superior angle of scap that’s “always there” is more than likely levator scapula attachment - not saying there’s not a trigger point there…but to assume there always is one is kind of silly . how do they not know this ?
The spot you chose to illustrate a "common spot" in the upper trap stands out because it is the superior aspect of the scapula and the origin of the levator scapulie. Im curious who's deffinition or explaination of trigger point dysfunction you fellows are refferencing.
If it's not the muscle how is it that my entire left hemisphere trigger points fire at the same time? Neck, back, arm, leg. Yes, it started with a single one in the levator, but 3 years after, the described pattern. It also happens on the right side but not identically.
I was diagnosed with a C5/C6 compressed disc several years ago. I never really did anything about it, and although the shooting pains down my right arm and the pain, tingling and numbness in the fingers of my right hand went away, for the last year or so I've had knots in my trap and deltoid muscles on my right side, and I've also developed a deep ache in my right shoulder. I guess I'd better actually start taking care of myself!
I just got my back to crack by watching another of your videos. You guys are awesome and fun to watch, and now even more famous because you have a new subscriber. Boom!
2 accidents causing whiplash each time. Had physio.. no help. Hurts my neck to even lie on my pillow which I've changed numerous time to see if that helps 😒 I need Bob n Brad !
A trigger point is a stand of fascia caught between two points, they are painful and create shooting pain in addition to the electrical signaling to the entire motor unit cluster inside of whichever muscle because fascia is piezoelectric, when you get a thick enough stand (because fascia collects and strengthens in whichever way it is stretched... trps form in lattice like structures across not only the muscles but ligaments, tendons, the edges of bones, and joints... trp work is fascial work, which means you have to apply absurdly slow pressure to the effected region, you're welcome
Hey! How about that! Your experience wasn't the same as theirs.. How is that possible???!!!.. Oh ya, any number of reasons.. You're two different people with different gear.. I have volume turned up on everything and can barely make them out..
It would really help to keep your audience if you would make sure you have quiet surroundings before you start. No noises off. Surely that’s not to much to expect from professionals. Also please do not interrupt each other. Not while the camera is rolling. Your ideas would be a lot more credible if you behaved like grownups.
Not sure if anyone already commented this.... Perhaps the beginning text meant to say “To admit you were wrong IS (not IT) to declare that you are wiser now THAT you were before...” or maybe ill google the phrase and become wiser myself :-)...
The thought that trigger points are referred pain was very interesting, because I find that sometimes they do move around. Hmmm. The exercises are very helpful, thank you!!
Trigger points do not "move around." They occur as protective measure due to overstressing a weak muscle, or overworking its opposition muscle(s)-- i.e., a trigger point pain in anterior deltoid is usually caused by underworking posterior deltoid or one of the four rotator cuff muscles-- in this case, exercise even a wee bit posterior upper back muscles, the anterior shoulder pain will almost always vanish. Chiropractic cracking of the back is seldom necessary. Now I certainly don't proclaim that chiropractic is never needed: I myself receive a DC treatment as needed every month or so. == G. Addis, licensed and certified neuromuscular therapist / massage therapist
Gary Addis thanks for commenting! I think there's definitely some of this going on with me. I have trigger point in my quadratus lumborem so after looking into what you said, I think I need to strengthen a small muscle in my glute. I forget the name. Thanks again!
Gary Addis so if I have trigger points in my psoas muscle bilaterally (more on the left side), where is the pain originating from. I also have a weak left hip.
hey guys i’m really thankful for your sharing but would appreciate it if your sound bytes could be LOUDER? My ipad is at full volume and i’m still straining my ears to hear everything.
Localized back muscle pain CAN move around, especially as ancillary muscles which have been supporting other, injured muscles, finally fail. Many people experience acute lumbar pain for weeks, only to find themselves later experiencing mid-back and other issues after the lower back heals. That's simply because those middle-back muscles finally become fatigued to the point of paint due to holding your torso upright while the lumbar muscles were in spasm. Pain reference does not necessarily mean "muscles aren't involved."
Instead of lacrosse or tennis balls, I have found Yoga Tune Up balls (by Jill Miller) to be superior. They are solid rubber but do not flatten out when under pressure; they can be used one at a time or together in the mesh tote that they come in.
😂 they said "pretty ugly" at the end 😂 far from it! I just love them. Another great video. Sure wish I had been watching them since the beginning; would have saved me from a lot of pain.
DRS. I HAVE PAIN FREQUENTLY THAT HURTS IN MY UPPER LEFT CHEST AND MY LEFT SHOULDER. IT IS HARD TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH TO BEND OVER IS AGONY AND SNEEZING OR COUGHING IS EXCRUCIATING. EVEN TRYING TO SIT DOWN THEN GET BACK UP, BENDING OVER TO PICK SOMETHING UP OFF THE FLOOR MY TRAPS ARE TIGHT ON THAT SIDE AND LOOKING UP THEN DOWN HURTS MY NECK AND CHEST. EVERY BREATH HURTS..BUT IF I DIG MY FINGERS INTO MY TRAPS NEAR MY LEFT SIDE WHERE MY NECK MEETS MY SHOULDER ALTHOUGH HORRIBLY PAINFUL IT RELIEVES THE CHEST PAIN ONLY PROBLEM IS GUYS, I CANT WALK AROUND LIKE THIS ALL DAY. MY LAST EPISODE LASTED 2 WEEKS I HAD TO SLEEP SITTING STRAIGHT SITTING UP AND ALTHOUGH I FORCED MYSELF TO GET UP REGARDLESS I WOULD CRY OUT IN PAIN EVEN BENDING TO DRESS MYSELF OR SHOWER OR USE THE RESTROOM WAS THE MOST PAINFUL THING I WOULD JUST SOB. I DONT TAKE PAIN PILLS BUT I SURE TOOK SOME TYLENOL WHEN I WAS JUST AT THE END OF MY ROPE I REALLY CONTEMPLATED HOW MUCH LONGER I COULD ENDURE THE PAIN. I WENT INTO SEVERE DEPRESSION AND JUST KEPT THINKING THIS HAS TO GET BETTER IT CANT FEEL WORSE, I HARDLY SLEPT AND NOTHING I DID WORKED. AFTER THE 2ND WK I FOUND ONLINE A TRIGGER POINT DEEP MASSAGE SELF MASSAGE DIGGING YOUR FINGERS INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN YOUR COLLARBONE BUT I CANT REMEMBER THE MECHANICS OF IT AND I WAS HOPING MAYBE YOU COULD HELP ME SELF CURE. IM IN CALIFORNIA. I AM SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS LOCK I CAN HARDLY SEE SO IM NOT SHOUTINH JUST HAVING A ROUGH TIME LOOKING DOWN AND SEEING WHAT IM TYPING. REALLY A FAN OF YOU BOTH JUST A CRACK UP TO WATCH AND SO HELPFUL. SENDING MY APPRECIATION AND RESPECT, YOUR FAN TAMARA
Jimmy Terry why did it come down from mount Sinai no it’s some ones opinion and opinions are like ass holes Every body’s got one open your mind or you will be stuck in your box only the ignorant need the security of a closed mind read a lot and then you can expand your healing because the human body is so complex that only it’s creator knows it’s absolutes
As a certified equine sports massage therapist, I had figured out the balls in a sock thing years ago. Just a tip that works for me and makes it easier: make a knot in the sockmafter the first ball. Then measure your individual width of the space in between. Then add the second ball and knot it off. Be sure the spacing conforms to your individual backbone configuration. This will keep the balls secure so it becomes much easier to use. I also use the solid hard rubber dog balls from England as they provide a nice firm pressure. As you use them you can adjust them over time if need be by re configuring the knot spacing. Thanks for all of the good advice. I really enjoy your videos.
Well, thank God! I just stumbled on these guys and boy am I glad! I’ve been suffering from this brutal trigger point pain in my upper trapezius or whatever for ages now. After having a benign tumour removed from my spinal cord in my neck a few years ago, this particular spot remains a killer problem. My doctor suggested I see a pain management clinic, but when after a hasty assessment they scheduled trigger point injections, I didn’t trust it was the best way to treat the cause so I cancelled. So glad I did! (Trust your gut, people!) Thanks to these guys, I was reminded of a handful of exercises I had early on with physical therapy that I had forgotten… Especially the one with the tennis balls! While I still struggle with holding my head at 45° for long- using the computer, doing dishes, cooking, etc.- because my lamina were removed, scar tissue is likely involved, and damage from the surgery prevents my nerves from fully innervating the surrounding muscles, I feel empowered to be reminded of ways to escape pain and feel more in control. You guys rock! Thank you for doing what you do!
I wish you were my physicians. I've had the worst experience dealing with my joint and back pain with a clinic. I gave up but I'm trying to gain the hope to try again.
THEY ARE NOT PHYSICIANS! They are not medical doctors. They did not attend medical school. They are physical therapists (PT) and may have a PhD, "Doctoral degree" huge difference.
@Becca Lynn Well, I didn't know there was an excess of people using "sexy" women as models for their medical videos. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen what you're describing. I've seen many men who are in amazing shape explaining things... and it didn't make me feel like they were being "degraded" though. Sounds like you have some issues there.
Will it work with a field hockey ball? I'm from Pakistan, and nobody plays Lacrosse here. Finding a tennis ball or a cricket ball will be easier. I'll try the balls technique, thanks for making a video. Best!
I just discovered your channel and I love it! Like your presentation style too. One question : have you ever covered the topic of painful feet, or do you have plans for it?
These guys are WRONG, but they are also correct. The pain IS in your muscle, but the root cause is from a nerve problem that causes your muscle to contract. Mine is always close to the spine. Dry needling is the only thing that cures it immediately, and a TENS unit helps also. Both disrupt the faulty nerve signal. Thru experience, I have found that chronic muscle issues are not in the muscle itself, but is referred pain from spinal pinched nerves. I have two pinched nerves from spine I'm dealing with. There are times I don't hurt, and then I'll get what feels like a tummy ache, but I'll roll my back and my stomach ache (phantom pain) goes away.
After 20+ years of chiropractic and massage therapy to help with a permanent knot in my right trap, I found a chiro who did trigger point therapy aggressive enough to make professional wrestlers cry (so he said on his web site). Within 30 mins of his applying constant, deep tissue pressure with his knuckle, I was bawling and that trap released -- finally -- FINALLY -- and has never bothered me since! That's one of a few moments of real healing in my life... Whew! To those who suffer, don't give up!
I have a permanent knot close to my spine under my shoulder blade. Could you tell me who and where this chiro is ?
@@ross3749 He's since retired, I regret to say. I found him by doing a local search for a chiropractor and "trigger point therapy" - that was the key thing.
I’ve been borderline suffering from a work related injury for 6 years. It’s moved to my neck and mid back and I can’t find an anwser for it anywhere
Or try dry needling .
Shoot. I had gotten into a car accident in 2008 and was in a car collision from behind as we spun off road and hit a giant boulder and when the hit took place from tge trunk to the backseat was crushed, and i was shot underneath my seatbelt and back into the backseat where i got done like an accordion basically. Anyhoo one day it was storming outside and when lightning struck down real close by outside it caused me to jerk, and the next thing you know it was like my hips were unraveling. I had been to the Airosti treatment place before and he had told me it looked like i had about 85% hip rotation restriction so of course since then its given me so many sensations and at first i was straight up hallucinating… or maybe i wasnt?! Human body is crazy. Still goin through some stuff. Was also an atheist before it happened lol, no mas.
I pray that Bob is doing better. Give him the love of everyone he’s helped. Love and appreciate you to Brad.
What happened to him?
These guys are having the time of their lives.
Yes they are! God bless em
Of course, they're fucking superstars
And because of that, it’s a joy to watch them!
Each only has one life so “time of their life”
Right as everyone should.
I feel like the 90's never went away.
Simpler and better times.
Except that youtube didn't exist in the 90s
These two remind me of Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street 😆
I have performed trigger point therapy for years. The theory behind it is this: A muscle that has been injured appears to retain the memory of the injury and an act as simple as stepping off a curb can trigger that memory. The muscle responds "you aren't going to do that to me again" and tightens. This in turn can then trigger reactions in many different areas, distant from the original injury. The challenge in trigger point therapy is to identify the prime mover, that one spot that set off the chain reaction. I once helped a horse trainer friend that had been bucked off one time too many, was in severe pain and could not get relief. I met with him 2 weeks after the incident after he had tried several kinds of therapy with no relief during that time. He could barely stand, couldn't lay flat, couldn't sleep or function normally due to the pain. I spent 2 hours searching out and relieving his many trigger points. When I started, his back was shaped like a letter s. Not knowing if I had found all of his trigger points and especially the "prime mover" that set off the chain, I told him I would see him in 2 days. I called him and his wife told me he had left to go skiing!! His back was straight and he had no pain and was fine for a year after! Properly executed trigger point therapy does work, but it must be thorough and the prime mover must be found. The "knots" are not necessarily injured muscles as you pointed out, but they are responses from an injury that can be very distant from where they are manifest. So you need to seek out and relieve all the knots until you find that one that triggered the chain.
zappedguy: Your response is so true! Just wondering............what is your line of work? I need to make an appt with someone like you. Physical Therapist? Massage Therapist? Physio Therapist? Please reply back as I would love to meet with someone who understands and agrees with your post. Thank you!
best explanation I have ever read, I have small question, can trigger points be on the spine, like between the vertebra C5 and C6 because I have pain there when I start walking
I concur
It's a very good explanation. I've been having shin splints for months but haven't really tried PT as I thought resting is the best remedy but I'm out of options now. I'M gonna try some PT now and hope it helps.
Seems like you are on.the same page with them. The one that triggers the chain is most likely a spinal dysfunction that needs repositioning. I had trigger point therapy and chiropractic care and physical therapy. The TP and chiropractic care were together. Being hit head on by a 20-ton truck is why the problems are ongoing. I'm recovering from a knee avulsion and my physical therapist is also getting me to strengthen muscles surrounding injured area.
With an intro like that there’s no way you can question their legitimacy !
How nice of you say:)
Not so fast. Why did they overlook the Vulcan death grip?
@@BobandBrad How about a shiatsu massager for the spot insted of tennis balls?
🤣
kind of like celino &barnes pf PT
So happy I found you two, you bring help almost through a friendly comedy team. your patients are fortunate to have your care.
I love the chemistry between these two. I love that I'm not only learning, but have it explained by passionate people ♥
11:01 lmao
very gayrotic
They remind me of Bert and Ernie
@@jtaylor8606 yes!
I'm so glad these guys found each other. Few lovers can work together and maintain this kind of relationship.
Thank you guys! I have fibromyalgia, overuse syndrome, back, and hip pain. Sometimes, I can't breath from the pain between my shoulder blades that's when I use one tennis ball in the sock, against the wall. It works every time. There's so much we can do to help ourselves when we get to know our body. I'm 68 years old with all body pain (since 1980), with the exception of my hair and nails. I take supplements, an occasional Tylenol, eat very healthy, walk daily, gardening, and PRAY always. No medication.💐🕊
Have you got pain everyday
Adopt me pleas
my neck has been so painful for weeks. Tried everything, heat, massage, Aleve, stretching, pillow change. NOTHING helped. Yesterday I came across this video. I tried out the two tennis balls in a sock treatment. Very painful procedure.... BUT... now my neck pain has almost completely disappeared. Much better range of motion. Love Bob and Brad. Thanks so much to you both.
When I lived in the US I adored CAR TALK on pbs radio, each Saturday morning, presented by two gregarious auto mechanics, Tom and Ray Magliozzi. I think of you guys as 'body mechanics' and your channel as BODY TALK :)
that s what I thought when I saw the video , click and clack god bless them
I know this comment is old but you’re so right!
I've often thought of them as being quite similar to Click and Klack!
Loufi303 reminds me of Car Talk also! I love these guys
Unfortunately, one of the brothers died
I dont have any reason to watch these videos but I do.
+citzenslaps LOOOOOLLL
Lucky
Knowledge is power.
lol
Are you my spirit animal?
I've had a trigger point in my upper right trapezius for years, and it does hurt when I stress it, and it definitely feels like it's in the muscle. I learned several years ago that, when I hold my arms flat at my sides, then extend them both backward and upward as far as I can and fully extend it, I hear a ripping/crunching sound inside the knot, and it feels really good. It sounds almost like Velcro ripping apart, but with a slight crunching. It makes it feel a thousand times better every time I do it, and the knot becomes tiny instantly. It's the only thing that ever relieved the pain at all..
I've had this pain in my upper back for over a month now. Watching this and doing the neck exercises helped almost instantly. Thanks guys
bob and brad are my trap queens
Lucia Cee n
are they gay?>
They’re great aren’t they?
Utrdgb!jnbxkN. Cliyh
Lichtenstein Gsgb
😂😂
Seriously thinking about driving the 12 hours to Wisconsin, just so these guys can be my PTs.
@@bekabeka71 stay in your own shithole country
@@bekabeka71 how does it take 12 days
Just go to your local Physio, Chiro or Massage near home, just as good if not better
Beka Machurishvili There is no place (that people live in) that is 12 days away from America.
Y’all he said hours 😂
Thank you my knots gone without any meds. You guys are brilliant.
"Oh. Thanks Brad.." its like watching tool time...but way more educational.
Matt Mrock I’ve never thought of it that way but you’re so right 😂😂
Lmao haven’t heard anything about tool time in so long
Based Home Improvement watcher.
I'm a registered massage therapist. This is such a common complaint when clients come in. I often treat trigger points with ischemic compressions and I find that to be such an effective way to treat trigger points. Also, when people have a lot of issues with their traps, I will quite often treat their pectoral muscles. Pec major and minor. As most people have have bad posture (especially with desk jobs), so traps are often weak and pecs are very hypertonic and pull on the traps. So strengthening the traps and stretching the pecs. Great video:)
Yep, that's one of the first areas I work. Pec minors often times sore with hyper traps.
amberk12 I agree I find that tence peck minors have a lot to do with fence traps, Leavator, Sternoclidomastioid area. Is there a video on peck stretching that you recommend?
April Hook I hate "tence pecks". 😂😂😂
@@aprilh9210 for pec minor stretch, search UA-cam Aaron Mattes active isolated stretching pectoralis minor.
Agreed, I do exactly the same. However, I have been searching ways to save my thumbs as some client has such stubborn knots and is just so much a finger can handle. 😅 I do use the elbow in some cases, but I have this particular client who doesn't want me to use the elbow. 🤷♀
I JUST watched a video of a guy saying we need to dig into our muscles and the pain will go away. Ya, right!! Doesn’t he think we intuitively dig into our muscles because we’re in so much PAIN??
But within 5 minutes of your excellent teaching, especially having us move our neck back BEFORE we move it to the left or right is already amazing for me!!
I’ll be working on these areas in these gentle and common sense ways and praying I can get my life back.
Thank you guys,
That intro song should be on spotify.
I’ve been to my doctor office so many times. ER 3xs and they’ve said nothing wrong with me. It’s so irritating and discouraging that doctors even don’t have the knowledge or just don’t care. This was helpful thank you guys .
same with me. spent a sum on this when these docs didnt utter the word trigger point or myofascial once
@@sushmita9040 me either!!! I discovered trigger points by accident. Why didn't chiros ever tell me about it???? I've suffered for years needlessly. I have at least 40 points. I pressed them 2 days ago and most pain went away and i felt more peaceful. I'm sure mine are from emotional trauma.
@@kattalady8114 i suffer with 5 points, 40 ohgosh. Don't know how horrible that must be. I am still looking for a cure and can't seem to find any. Hope you recover soon :)
@@sushmita9040 thank you....yes all the ones I found are tender, with some very painful. I guess I just didn't know because they happened so gradually. I've had depression, anxiety and PTSD all my life so I think that's where it's from. And I haven't been physically fit in a long time so I didn't notice. I'm glad you only have 5! Have you felt for other ones?
@@sushmita9040 exactly exactly exactly. I've had chiros for 13 years now. Why didn't they say anything?? This seems like such a basic simple thing. It's anatomy. I'm always wondering what are Dr's learning all those years in school?? Sure isn't anything me or anyone i know is suffering from.
The tennis ball thing is wonderful. My doctor told me I had Myofascial pain syndrome about 2 years ago and told me to do stretches and use Naproxen. That was all the help I got except some maybes such as: massage, chiropractic help, or acupuncture, but insurance won't help with any of that.
I've been in various amounts of pain everyday since it started. When it gets excruciating I medicate, but I try not to overdo the meds because I know there can be long term stresses to kidney function.
The pain is really restricting my life now and I'm trying to find solutions instead of just accepting that this is how I live the rest of my life (I'm only 37). So every little thing helps, and the tennis ball thing just released my upper back, and I found extremely sensitive spots in my mid back I didn't even realize were there. So thanks for a little relief. I'll go through the rest of your videos and see if anything else can help too.
@themysticsaint I have it too and almost gave up .. The best BEST relief for the pain I recently found is the hydro therapy chair at planet fitness. It's given me hope . There is also a massage chair that has the same affect as the tennis balls in this video. After I'm done with the massage chairs , I go stretch on the Precor machine on the gym floor. Then I work out .I stretch at home and throughout the day. Do you use heating pads ? I purchased my ice pads through my physical therapists office. Go check out the hydro chair, I guarantee you will love it
Keep up updated please. Has it been better and if so what have you done? Thanks
Bob: “We finish each others’ s..”
Brad: “Sandwiches! I know!”
Hahahha awesome
subverting the common joke with "sandwiches" is not original: ua-cam.com/video/5hGhRQWtYxA/v-deo.html starts at 0:39 .There are lots of places on television where it was used: Arrested Development, Employee of the Month, Scary Movie 4 and I'm sure in many others )
@@Divchyk Thank you, I almost enjoyed the joke. Thanks for helping me dodge that bullet.
@@Ribofl4vin lolol
@@Ribofl4vin best line!
Thank you so much! I have been dealing with this for years!!!!! I started doing a couple of these exercises and it gave IMMEDIATE relief.
I love watching these guys. They're always fun. And as Bob said, it's very hard to do this stuff yourself, but I do have my rollers and my very trusted lacrosse balls. And I am very thankful to have a wife that will watch these with me and try some of these things to help me. After 4 total hip replacements on the left side, I'm in constant pain and my body, for years, has compensated for it. Now, I have adhesions everywhere, knots everywhere, constant groin pain as well as SI issues, and lower L joint issues. I'm a mess and these guys make figuring it out a lot of fun.
Are you any better
@@Truerealism747 working the fascia helps tremendously. We've started cupping as well.
@@sighermike do you feal alot better have you tryed TMS Dr Sarno to.its lack of blood flow what's the difference in knots and trigger points
These both are treating muscle pains and depression 😂😂❤️❤️
Hi, Bob and Brat! I have a pain points on my spine. middle back is most worst. I have spondylosis. My low back is operated, now problems came to back. numb of legs is not come back, after operation, it is good. You two are great Team, Thank you!
my favorite channel by far @5:48
"see if that makes things better at all, generally that wont"
10/10
Love the tennis ball massage. If you get an old pair of tights, cut one leg off, tie a knot in the centre place a ball in from either end ( don’t forget to cut the toe open ) place a ball in both ends, do another knot to secure them in place. You now have enough tight leg over to hold onto to get in a good position. Thanks guys. Love your videos. Keep them coming.
Can you do a video addressing when the triggers are in the upper trap at the base of the cranium?
If it is in the sub-occipitals, you can reciprocal inhibit them by rolling your eyeballs down into the roof of the mouth, then tuck your nose into your chin.
I suffered from fibromyalgia for years and years and had so many knots that I couldn't function and therapies helped only temporarily. Just randomly I started suspecting that it might be from dairy products that I used to drown in (milk, yogurt, cheeses). I switched to eliminatory no dairy diet and after around 10-15 days all symptoms were gone (knots, acnes, migraine, headache in the morning, lack of energy....). To be more sure about that, did it several times after that, around 20 days no dairy and then 3-4 heavy on dairy and every time symptoms were back. So, might story might help someone. It doesn't hurt to try
Same exact issue for me, but gluten was the culprit.
From my own experience with trigger points in the back... they were present because my back muscles were generally laughably weak. They were also sort of stuck, I had almost very little sideways scapular mobility. Dedicated exercises to strengthen the whole back fixed the trigger points. So I'd say forget the rolling, stretches and funny little moves, that's just scratching on the surface. Just work on your strength. Planks, planche leans, bridges, back leg raises, quadrupeds, supermen, squats etc. etc.
please can i know whar are the symtoms ?
likewise, people would rather lie on some tennis balls than actually put some work in and address the root causes though unfortunately.
Except when you cant because you have a painful trigger point because you were working to strengthen your back. Lol
Regardless of a possible cause most therapist feel that the best treatment for a purported muscle knots is to pummel them, vigorously massage the sore spot with hands. Massage promotes blood circulation which is enhances the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the muscle cells that eventually dissipate the pains or even get rid of. I speak on my own experienced. I am a MT for over a decade now.
You two have given me so much good advise. thank you. solved my husbands plantar fasciitis and my itb issue. Love your videos
The trigger points in muscles are blocked emotions. When you got angry and you didn't do anything about it for a few days, you've just blocked that anger emotion inside yourself and stored it in the traps. This is the real cause of the muscle trigger points. To fix it, you will have to release the blocked emotion and experience the anger for traps muscle trigger points. Everything else is mostly fixing the consequences and the trigger point will return eventually.
When I did the chin tuck, I experienced pain in some points of the deltoid muscle and Trapezoid muscles
Great job explaining why your PT is telling you to do these motions.
Whenever I've massaged someone who has soreness in that spot in the "upper traps" I've found that it's actually the scapular attachment of levator (which I can verify by checking if the aggrevation is also felt on the anterior side of the attachment). And a common comment when I'm working on it is "I can feel that all the way in my neck" which makes sense since the other attachment is at the neck. When you do the chin tuck and the pain moves it seems to me like it's just because you're relaxing levator and switching the stress to the splenius muscles. So it's not that the "trigger point" is moving. It's just that you switched muscle activation. And given that poor posture is so ubiquitous, which can stretch both levator and the splenius muscles, it would make perfect sense that both might have aggrevated tendons.
Joey Ostos then what is the solution to relieve pain?
@@yoomang7 I wonder the same
@@yoomang7 massage therapist use pressure to signal release to the brain .
But like an earlier comment from a therapist stated.
You have to relieve the compensation while working back to the source .
Short answer ...find a good massage therapist
Thank you! It's such a delight to read such intelligent comments!
My pain management doctor is telling me that he can treat my chronic back pain around a closed fracture in one of my upper vertebrae by trigger point injection. I have refused it so far. It just didn't sound right to me. What are your thoughts?
Thanks so much! You guys have relieved me of considerable pain. I'm very grateful to you both!
30+ years after i was attacked & dealing with neck & back pain, I'd had pt, injections, acupunture & chiropractic (of all that had been most helpful) & paying big $$ for all of it, i was fortunate to get accepted by a new doctor, a DO. Within 4 gentle OMTs the knot disappeared, never to return. That was more than 5 years ago. I am grateful for everyone who helped me along the way so i could get to her. ☮️💞🙏🏼
I'm a licensed massage therapist,and my understanding of trigger points is different than you are describing. I learned that trigger points CAUSE referred pain, not caused BY a referred prpblem. For instance, there is a trigger point in the upper traps that causes referred pain in the temple area. Another in traps that cause pain mimicking sinus headache pain. If a sore spot or knot DOESN'T cause referred pain, it isn't a trigger point, and can be treated a little differently. Janet Travell and David Simons define and chart trigger points in their book: Myofascial Pain and Disfunction:The Trigger Point Manual vols 1&2. ~Thank you for your videos, your stretches are helping me a lot!
Michelle Velez that is my understanding, speaking from personal experience. I will have pain deep that spreads and when I can get someone to "massage" them it hurts a lot but almost always, within a few hours or next day it feels way better.
There is so much conflicting information on myofascial release it's hard to know the specifics. But one thing is for sure - myofascial release seems to help a lot of people enough that it's probably not pure placebo.
Michelle Velez a
Michelle Velez Hi. Do you work with Fibromyalgia patients. I tried to get massages years ago but the toxins released from the muscles was aweful. Any suggestions?
I know from experience of having headaches for weeks. Come to find out they were caused from trigger points. The only way to get rid of the headaches was a message to relieve the trigger points. I now have a book that charts where your pain is to where the trigger point probably is. Your not even aware of the trigger point until its pressed on. Then it feels like someone punched you.
I have had debilitating irritating inflamed feeling area(trigger point?) around scapula for 3 months. Been to massage therapists and no help. Slept on heating pads every night and had my 10 year old massage that area everynight with no relief. Went to get adjusted 3 days ago and the pain is gone thank god!!! Mine was coming from the neck. I never believed in chiropractors but do now.
This might be one of the greatest things I've seen online in a long long time.
You guys are awesome. All these tips worked for me. My knots were killing me, till I found this video. I can't thank you enough.
These guys saved my back at a time where I could not afford to go see a chiropractor even cured the numbness that was radiating down my arm to my hand 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 … may god bless you 🙏🏽
I'm a Licenced Massage Therapist I love these videos videos for self care. I do trigger point therapy on my clients one thing I look for when I find a knot is pain that recurs out of the point. If I put pressure on a point and move the muscle it can be sore and cause pain it may just be a sore muscle if the client feels pain or sensations at the point that is coupled with a refusal pain from the point to some place else then I treat it as a trigger point in the muscle. So I check of the two boxes 1. Pain when arriving the muscle while the trigger point is presses and pain recurring from the point it self. Because I am a LMT I cannot suggest any exercises I treat the points with pressure and muscle activation. But I love the exercises here for helping myself at home. Good work guys👍
Volume could be louder. Straining to hear this valuable information!
Oh you may wanna check your phone or ears?
I used headphones
I had a trigger point in my shoulder that felt like a torn rotator cuff. I had almost no strength in arm and couldn’t pick up or hold anything that weighed more than a few pounds without experiencing pain. After fooling with it for years, my doctor had done specialty training for dealing with trigger points. He was able to identify my problem by pressing on areas on my neck shoulder and back and then injected four areas with a muscle relaxant one near the end my shoulder, two in my neck and one about mid should between the neck and arm. The injects got the offending muscle and tendons to relax so they stopped fighting each other. This made to pain stop almost immediately. I then did some work with physical therapists to stretch the muscles and strengthen this muscles in my back neck and shoulder, some of which you guys demonstrated here. It’s been several years since I had the injections and my trigger points have not been a problem unless I’m doing a lot of work over my head, like painting a ceiling for instance. But I now know when/if it starts to flare up that I need to stop working, take a break and stretch. I do the stretches you demonstrate and in a few minutes I’m generally good to go.
You guys are the best! I can't thank you enough for this video. My back has been hurting me for more than 2 weeks and I'd tried so many things. I thought it was muscles in my back until you guys mentioned that if it moves around a lot (I thought I was losing my mind!) that it's probably coming from the neck. YES! I have a pain in the left side of my neck. Last summer it sent me to the doctor and I was prescribed a muscle relaxer and pain pills. I still have the pain pills because they made me feel horrible. And I didn't want to have to take a muscle relaxer again. Anyway, these techniques have helped me tremendously! I watched another video of various exercises for the back. These videos are invaluable! THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU!!!!!!!
2 weeks must be nice try 14 months
I’m going on two years
Hey Brad and Bob, how many reps of Chin tucks do I need to do in order to see improvememt? How many weeks of Chin tucking does it take to permanently fix? Thanks Brad
Brad
Bob
They went Hollywood
I suffered (very badly) with Fibromyalgia in my upper back for years.
The "cure" was ultrasound (every other day) with topical hydrocortisone 2.5%
That requires a doctor's prescription. The over the counter 1% is too weak.
I wanna know this too. I can’t have this reoccurring anymore it’s ruining my life.
I would contest the idea that back muscle pain doesn't move around (refer). If you've had an acute lower back muscle spasm, it is actually quite common for that pain to refer to your mid-back/lower traps as those muscles are often fatigued by carrying the load while your lower back is out of commission. Anyone who has not been able to fully straighten up due to lower back pain starts doing the hunched-over walk out of necessity. That's all it takes to gradually cause a spasm in those mid-back muscles which are carrying the weight of your torso while hunched over.
After tying the balls in the sock, tie a long sock between the balls so that you can toss them over your shoulder and position them where needed. I made self-therapy tools like that for my Dad before he passed away.
What do we do if those neck positions hurt our trigger point areas? That’s the issue I have, whenever I move my neck and do chin tucks, I feel the spot between my shoulder blades hurt a little. I also have issues constantly pulling the muscle between my shoulder blades, doing things so simple like washing my face 😫 it’s been like this for the past year and a half.
What does it mean if you hear "crunching" when you do some of these side neck stretches?
you nailed it, i have a cervical spine injury and since i bulged it again it released all my knots ... knots are all because of nerve pressure
I just wish insurance would cover massage therapy. It’s absolutely insane that they don’t. Not all of us have an SO to rub our shoulders for us. That said, the chin tuck did help at least a little bit!
Here in Australia, health insurance covers remedial massage.
Some insurances will cover if you get prescription for massage therapy. Worth looking in to :)
@@w0mblemania yeah but remedial is the shit version.
@@brendonking5489 I disagree. Remedial massage has really helped me with chronic pain problems. It helped that that my insurer helped pay for it.
@@w0mblemania I'm glad it has helped you. I see someone for deep tissue structural integration combined with somatic education. Its the only thing thats ever made a difference for me personally. I've tried just about all forms of massage over the last 14 years.
I am studying for my massage therapy exam. You guys are wonderful, just wonderful!
Massage therapist with 10years experience. I usually notice trigger points from repetitive holding patterns (work,driving, daily life). I always recommend structural integration to assist correcting posture. Also I’ve notice that scm release, pectoralis release, and the subscapularis release help with pain/discomfort of daily life and also alleviate tons of nerve impingement that affect the fingers.
I've had tight neck muscles for weeks. Tried these and they worked so well. Thank you!
Yay I’m gonna help my friend today with her knots bc of this video. Thank you guys.
You are a goddess of light
@Bob & Brad what's your opinion on dry needling?
ua-cam.com/video/xrFF7n29XOU/v-deo.html
Excellent information and contribution congratulations to us for you two guys thanks
I have a trigger point in my upper left trap, and sometimes it gives me headaches or pain in the other shoulder. Most of the time it doesn't hurt when I press on it, it will just "click" or "pop" and it just feels tight all the time like a rock is wedged between my muscles and bones.
I do physio every week, I even had some dry-needling done for a few months weekly. I do massage self and with an RMT. I do the exercises religiously that my PT has given me and I've taken numerous steps to lower my stress (sleep better, meditate, journal, yoga, etc.) The exercises have also helped with my posture so I'm not rounding my shoulders or my head forward. I even took numerous steps to improve my chair ergonomics. (I primarily use my computer for leisure purposes, I'm a gamer and a writer, and I am continuously mindful of how long I sit at it. I'm not one of those people who sits in it all day FYI) thankfully my job involves me being on my feet for 12 hours.
Despite everything I've been doing for the past seven months, the trigger is still there. Things like my therapy sessions and exercises, and I even do some of the things in this video, like rolling a lacrosse ball on it.... they only seem to relieve it temporarily. It just refuses to release no matter what I do. As soon as I go back to my daily activities, it comes back even if I don't sit at my computer at all. I'm starting to lose hope that this will never go away, and I'll never be able to enjoy the things I love again.
You mentioned If the pain moves to different areas of the back on different days , it would not be in the muscle. what would cause that pain to shift around ?
Ricardo Barron - I have that also from a car accident. Good question
Ricardo Barron it's coming from the spine, more specifically the nerve roots which exit the small holes on the sides of the spine. Because those nerve roots supply "power" to the entire shoulder and arm, they can refer pain anywhere in that shoulder/arm complex, depending upon how it's irritated and what nerve roots are affected. There are common patterns we see; however, everyone is different. Ultimately, they are moving the spine at the neck level to reduce the pain being sent to the shoulder - this is the likely cause of "knots", not just tight muscles.
For me it’s myofascial pain syndrome and it’s the lactic acid that bring pains kinda shifting around everywhere in my back when active
Catzel1 Ps4 because you perceive and interpret it that way, does it mean that's what's actually happening physiologically?
RJ Burr wtf are you on lol? I was diagnosed officially 2 days ago, the impairment causes lack of oxygen and because of that the body struggles to get rid of the lactic acid. It’s not rocket science
So, I am in PT and I am finding that I am getting stronger. I was starting to feel better, but lately my flare-ups have been bad and as consistent as they were prior to PT. My posture has improved; I consistently do either yoga or my PT at-home stretches; and I have a clean diet. I go to PT and the pool once a week. I know my pain is muscular. The only things that have showed in my xray/MRIs are slight neck irritation, very slightly disc buldges in my t6/t7 (dr said it is not causing any pinched nerves, so should not be the result of pain), and a 3 degree curve in my back. My pain in my lower back has been going on for years, but isn't too bad compared to the rest of my pain. My upper back and neck pain started over 3 years ago after a car accident. It has progressively gotten worse. It wasn't too bad in the beginning, but now it is awful. Back in February 2018, pain started flaring up in my arms and down my legs. It causes a lot of pressure in my fingers and toes, so I crack them a lot. It hurts to write, within maybe a few sentences.
In the past week, a new pain has begun. It the front and sides of my neck and into my jaw. Sometimes I feel that my throat is closing up. I know it's muscle pain. It has made the shoulder and neck pain worse (I have the usual trigger points in my shoulder/neck area). My PT has no answers. Drs have no answers. I have no idea what to do next... anyone have any suggestions/experienced something similar. I'm anxious of what is next. I was dreading a new pain and now this front/side neck pain is just making everything worse.
Read fibromyalgia and chronic myofascial pain by Devin Starlanyl. She explains the Simons and Travell trigger point therapy and how one knot will refer pain to a different muscle. So the muscle that is hurting is not what is treated with an injection, it's the trigger point that is causing it. It sounds weird and is hard to explain. I have trigger points all over my body from my neck to my feet. I have been treated for this condition for 14 years. It is not fibromyalgia as some people think. It is chronic myofascial pain. I have injections to release the knots and then I have Physical Therapy to loosen up the fascia so it won't hurt so much. I stretch at home twice a day or more. It' something you learn to deal with and there are things you can do to help it. But I don't think mine will ever completely go away.
Can you do one on how nutrition (and/or hydration) affects muscle pain?
Dr. Marmorstein uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhuuuuuuuuhuuuuuuuuuhuuhuuhuuuhuuuuhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhuuhhuhuuuuujhuuhhhuuhhuiuhuhuuhuuuhhuuuuuuhuuuhhuhuhouhuhuuhuuohhuhuhuuuuouh7uuhhuuhuuuuhuuhuuhuuuuhuuuhuhuiijjhuuuhuuhuhhuhuhuuh777uhuhuuuhhuuhuuuuhhhhuhuhuhuhhuhuhhuuuuuhhuhuuuhuhuuuhhuuuhuuuhhuhuhhuuuhuuhhuuuhuhhuhhhhuuhhuuhhuhhhhuhuhuuuhuuhuuuhuuhuuhh7uhuuuhuhhuuhuhhuhuhuuuhuuuhuhhuhuuhhuhhhhhuhu9uuhhuhuhuuhuhhuhuhhuohuhuuhuhu
@@palopezneri helpful
Simple Get enough magnesium, calcium etc.
You guys are brilliant. What does it mean if the knots/trigger points keep moving? Thankyou
Dear doctors, thanx for your videos, they helped me to reduce my pain alot.
That “trigger point” toward the superior angle of scap that’s “always there” is more than likely levator scapula attachment - not saying there’s not a trigger point there…but to assume there always is one is kind of silly . how do they not know this ?
The spot you chose to illustrate a "common spot" in the upper trap stands out because it is the superior aspect of the scapula and the origin of the levator scapulie. Im curious who's deffinition or explaination of trigger point dysfunction you fellows are refferencing.
fred flintstone likely Trivel and Simons. That "spot" of the levator scap commonly presents with TrPs or "adhesions". What's your point?
RJ Burr it's Travell....Travell and Simons ;)
K
The superior costal Angle and yes its where the levator and the upper traps meet and often a point of addhession and micro scaring
If it's not the muscle how is it that my entire left hemisphere trigger points fire at the same time? Neck, back, arm, leg. Yes, it started with a single one in the levator, but 3 years after, the described pattern. It also happens on the right side but not identically.
''To admit that you were wrong iS to declare that you are wiser now thaN you were before''
Now please, admit those typos lol.
"To admit that you were wrong is to declare that you were even more stupid than you are now"
I was diagnosed with a C5/C6 compressed disc several years ago. I never really did anything about it, and although the shooting pains down my right arm and the pain, tingling and numbness in the fingers of my right hand went away, for the last year or so I've had knots in my trap and deltoid muscles on my right side, and I've also developed a deep ache in my right shoulder. I guess I'd better actually start taking care of myself!
I just got my back to crack by watching another of your videos. You guys are awesome and fun to watch, and now even more famous because you have a new subscriber. Boom!
YumYucky ht5 dqq🎟
You guys rock!!
2 accidents causing whiplash each time. Had physio.. no help.
Hurts my neck to even lie on my pillow which I've changed numerous time to see if that helps 😒 I need Bob n Brad !
I legit have no reason for watching this but these guys have such a great rapport going I can't stop watching. Quality stuff!!
That is so hilarious. I was wondering why I haven't switch videos so I am reading the Comments and find your speaking my mind. Lol
Reminds me of my brother and his hockey mates. Guys being guys
A trigger point is a stand of fascia caught between two points, they are painful and create shooting pain in addition to the electrical signaling to the entire motor unit cluster inside of whichever muscle because fascia is piezoelectric, when you get a thick enough stand (because fascia collects and strengthens in whichever way it is stretched... trps form in lattice like structures across not only the muscles but ligaments, tendons, the edges of bones, and joints... trp work is fascial work, which means you have to apply absurdly slow pressure to the effected region, you're welcome
Guys please add compression or normalisation or both to your sound, it's very quiet.
LAZER1986 i
quiet?? loud as fuck
Hey! How about that! Your experience wasn't the same as theirs.. How is that possible???!!!.. Oh ya, any number of reasons.. You're two different people with different gear.. I have volume turned up on everything and can barely make them out..
It would really help to keep your audience if you would make sure you have quiet surroundings before you start. No noises off. Surely that’s not to much to expect from professionals. Also please do not interrupt each other. Not while the camera is rolling. Your ideas would be a lot more credible if you behaved like grownups.
Not sure if anyone already commented this.... Perhaps the beginning text meant to say “To admit you were wrong IS (not IT) to declare that you are wiser now THAT you were before...” or maybe ill google the phrase and become wiser myself :-)...
lol ! I just left a comment about that !!!
The thought that trigger points are referred pain was very interesting, because I find that sometimes they do move around. Hmmm. The exercises are very helpful, thank you!!
freyazso - I though so too. I have had trigger point injections, PT, and just did ablation (nerve burn). Now the pain moved to a different area
Trigger points do not "move around." They occur as protective measure due to overstressing a weak muscle, or overworking its opposition muscle(s)-- i.e., a trigger point pain in anterior deltoid is usually caused by underworking posterior deltoid or one of the four rotator cuff muscles-- in this case, exercise even a wee bit posterior upper back muscles, the anterior shoulder pain will almost always vanish. Chiropractic cracking of the back is seldom necessary.
Now I certainly don't proclaim that chiropractic is never needed: I myself receive a DC treatment as needed every month or so.
== G. Addis, licensed and certified neuromuscular therapist / massage therapist
Gary Addis thanks for commenting! I think there's definitely some of this going on with me. I have trigger point in my quadratus lumborem so after looking into what you said, I think I need to strengthen a small muscle in my glute. I forget the name. Thanks again!
The piriformis? They have a video on that, too.
Gary Addis so if I have trigger points in my psoas muscle bilaterally (more on the left side), where is the pain originating from. I also have a weak left hip.
hey guys i’m really thankful for your sharing but would appreciate it if your sound bytes could be LOUDER? My ipad is at full volume and i’m still straining my ears to hear everything.
You guys have no idea how much you have helped me I’ve been going to physical therapy for years and all along it was my neck
Localized back muscle pain CAN move around, especially as ancillary muscles which have been supporting other, injured muscles, finally fail. Many people experience acute lumbar pain for weeks, only to find themselves later experiencing mid-back and other issues after the lower back heals. That's simply because those middle-back muscles finally become fatigued to the point of paint due to holding your torso upright while the lumbar muscles were in spasm. Pain reference does not necessarily mean "muscles aren't involved."
What about trigger points in the low back? That's where I think I have mine.
Instead of lacrosse or tennis balls, I have found Yoga Tune Up balls (by Jill Miller) to be superior. They are solid rubber but do not flatten out when under pressure; they can be used one at a time or together in the mesh tote that they come in.
😂 they said "pretty ugly" at the end 😂 far from it! I just love them. Another great video. Sure wish I had been watching them since the beginning; would have saved me from a lot of pain.
Are knots and adhesions the same??
So glad I've found you guys. Thank you for the work you put into these videos.
DRS. I HAVE PAIN FREQUENTLY THAT HURTS IN MY UPPER LEFT CHEST AND MY LEFT SHOULDER. IT IS HARD TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH TO BEND OVER IS AGONY AND SNEEZING OR COUGHING IS EXCRUCIATING. EVEN TRYING TO SIT DOWN THEN GET BACK UP, BENDING OVER TO PICK SOMETHING UP OFF THE FLOOR MY TRAPS ARE TIGHT ON THAT SIDE AND LOOKING UP THEN DOWN HURTS MY NECK AND CHEST. EVERY BREATH HURTS..BUT IF I DIG MY FINGERS INTO MY TRAPS NEAR MY LEFT SIDE WHERE MY NECK MEETS MY SHOULDER ALTHOUGH HORRIBLY PAINFUL IT RELIEVES THE CHEST PAIN ONLY PROBLEM IS GUYS, I CANT WALK AROUND LIKE THIS ALL DAY. MY LAST EPISODE LASTED 2 WEEKS I HAD TO SLEEP SITTING STRAIGHT SITTING UP AND ALTHOUGH I FORCED MYSELF TO GET UP REGARDLESS I WOULD CRY OUT IN PAIN EVEN BENDING TO DRESS MYSELF OR SHOWER OR USE THE RESTROOM WAS THE MOST PAINFUL THING I WOULD JUST SOB. I DONT TAKE PAIN PILLS BUT I SURE TOOK SOME TYLENOL WHEN I WAS JUST AT THE END OF MY ROPE I REALLY CONTEMPLATED HOW MUCH LONGER I COULD ENDURE THE PAIN. I WENT INTO SEVERE DEPRESSION AND JUST KEPT THINKING THIS HAS TO GET BETTER IT CANT FEEL WORSE, I HARDLY SLEPT AND NOTHING I DID WORKED. AFTER THE 2ND WK I FOUND ONLINE A TRIGGER POINT DEEP MASSAGE SELF MASSAGE DIGGING YOUR FINGERS INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN YOUR COLLARBONE BUT I CANT REMEMBER THE MECHANICS OF IT AND I WAS HOPING MAYBE YOU COULD HELP ME SELF CURE. IM IN CALIFORNIA. I AM SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS LOCK I CAN HARDLY SEE SO IM NOT SHOUTINH JUST HAVING A ROUGH TIME LOOKING DOWN AND SEEING WHAT IM TYPING. REALLY A FAN OF YOU BOTH JUST A CRACK UP TO WATCH AND SO HELPFUL. SENDING MY APPRECIATION AND RESPECT, YOUR FAN TAMARA
I follow and teach from Simon & Travell's Trigger Point. It is the go to books for understanding and treating TPs.
Yeah, I have a copy of it too. Good reference, emphasizes differential diagnosis.
Jimmy Terry I
"I
Jimmy Terry In 25 years you're the only other person I've found who uses those magnificent books, glad to hear it.
Jimmy Terry why did it come down from mount Sinai no it’s some ones opinion and opinions are like ass holes Every body’s got one open your mind or you will be stuck in your box only the ignorant need the security of a closed mind read a lot and then you can expand your healing because the human body is so complex that only it’s creator knows it’s absolutes
As a certified equine sports massage therapist, I had figured out the balls in a sock thing years ago. Just a tip that works for me and makes it easier: make a knot in the sockmafter the first ball. Then measure your individual width of the space in between. Then add the second ball and knot it off. Be sure the spacing conforms to your individual backbone configuration. This will keep the balls secure so it becomes much easier to use. I also use the solid hard rubber dog balls from England as they provide a nice firm pressure. As you use them you can adjust them over time if need be by re configuring the knot spacing. Thanks for all of the good advice. I really enjoy your videos.
Well, thank God! I just stumbled on these guys and boy am I glad! I’ve been suffering from this brutal trigger point pain in my upper trapezius or whatever for ages now. After having a benign tumour removed from my spinal cord in my neck a few years ago, this particular spot remains a killer problem.
My doctor suggested I see a pain management clinic, but when after a hasty assessment they scheduled trigger point injections, I didn’t trust it was the best way to treat the cause so I cancelled. So glad I did! (Trust your gut, people!)
Thanks to these guys, I was reminded of a handful of exercises I had early on with physical therapy that I had forgotten… Especially the one with the tennis balls!
While I still struggle with holding my head at 45° for long- using the computer, doing dishes, cooking, etc.- because my lamina were removed, scar tissue is likely involved, and damage from the surgery prevents my nerves from fully innervating the surrounding muscles, I feel empowered to be reminded of ways to escape pain and feel more in control. You guys rock! Thank you for doing what you do!
I wish you were my physicians. I've had the worst experience dealing with my joint and back pain with a clinic. I gave up but I'm trying to gain the hope to try again.
physicaltherapyvideo yes I wish you was my PT ( both of you ) can't choose..lol maybe the Green Bay Packers fan..lol
THEY ARE NOT PHYSICIANS! They are not medical doctors. They did not attend medical school. They are physical therapists (PT) and may have a PhD, "Doctoral degree" huge difference.
I like that they don't use a sexy woman to show what they are doing.
Why? That would make you insecure and jealous?
@@TheCynicalDude_lol no. Because I don't like women being degraded. I enjoy that these men can explain everything needed with using them alone
@Becca Lynn Well, I didn't know there was an excess of people using "sexy" women as models for their medical videos. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen what you're describing. I've seen many men who are in amazing shape explaining things... and it didn't make me feel like they were being "degraded" though. Sounds like you have some issues there.
@@TheCynicalDude_ haha you are too funny
They do use a sexy woman - the skeleton. All sexy women look the same eventually.
Will it work with a field hockey ball? I'm from Pakistan, and nobody plays Lacrosse here. Finding a tennis ball or a cricket ball will be easier. I'll try the balls technique, thanks for making a video. Best!
I just discovered your channel and I love it! Like your presentation style too.
One question : have you ever covered the topic of painful feet, or do you have plans for it?
These guys are WRONG, but they are also correct. The pain IS in your muscle, but the root cause is from a nerve problem that causes your muscle to contract. Mine is always close to the spine. Dry needling is the only thing that cures it immediately, and a TENS unit helps also. Both disrupt the faulty nerve signal. Thru experience, I have found that chronic muscle issues are not in the muscle itself, but is referred pain from spinal pinched nerves. I have two pinched nerves from spine I'm dealing with. There are times I don't hurt, and then I'll get what feels like a tummy ache, but I'll roll my back and my stomach ache (phantom pain) goes away.