Fixing VS. Rehabilitating

Hi all,

Recently I was invited by a large company that provides certifications for fitness specialists, to teach the post-exercise recovery certification program. I was happy to participate because as much as exercise contributing to health and wellness it might have side effects such as buildups of tension in muscles. Only the buildup of muscular tension alone is a precondition for sports-related injuries; it also impedes sports performance.

Any dysfunction in our body like, for example, the buildup of tension in muscles, triggers the chain of negative developments. Similarly rehabilitated from certain dysfunction, our body reacts by multiple positive changes in the functions of organs and systems.

Post-event rehabilitative sports massage, including self-post-event rehabilitative massage, plays a crucial role in the recuperation from the post-exercise/physical activities. Of course, my presentation was based on scientific facts, including the physiological effect of massage on the human body, the necessity of 50% of the time procedure to spend on kneading techniques, and is clinically proven.

The producer of this program is a  recognized authority in the field of fitness. He actually directed filming, stopped me from time to time, and asked me for additional explanations. It was fun, because being the fitness expert, he knew exactly what he wanted to hear and learn from me.

I demonstrated on a model, as well as on myself, while at the same time providing a detailed explanation that included a talk on the necessity for the best outcome, 50% of the time to spend on kneading, etc.

During the break, he said: "I paid attention, you really dividing the time of massage and spending 50% of the time on kneading.

I said: "Sir, as you could see I didn't look at my watch. It's just a habit." Then the next day, I decided to review my again long ago produced footage. 

Indeed, during 50  minutes of that nonstop hands-on presentation, I spend approximately 25 minutes on different types of kneading/petrissage techniques. It is an important habit to develop.

Today I have had the opportunity to review and to approve footage of the certification program for fitness experts.

My goodness, I couldn't even suspect, that the program was so substantial.  I was happy to contribute.

Using the opportunity would like to share with you an interesting story.

As I have requested, the producer brought a model for me to demonstrate. The model was a young fellow, a competitive athlete who was in the middle of the preparation for Olympian trials, running 1500. When we finished filming, he complained about the pain in his right lower back, hip, and lateral knee. It's really bothered him while practicing.

I decided to provide him with the treatment in front of the camera. The supervisor at the set told me, "Boris, don't worry. If you won’t fix him up, we would not include this footage in the video.

The conversation was in front of the camera and I said:

”Sir, no one in the healthcare field can guarantee the outcome, and if I won't succeed in one treatment, it would be ok. The pathology needs to be addressed.  All I am doing is, I'm stimulating the healing process and process means time. I don't expect that after one treatment he will be like new but, of course, evidence some minimal improvement is possible.

I did all assessments, including assessment of a range of motion of a hip, straight leg, and performed diagnostic palpation. I observed a very limited range of motions in practically every plane and axis. Each movement, accompanied by the pain sensation in the lower back, gluteal muscles, especially in the tensor fasciae latae muscle.  The muscles exhibited a lot of tensions, I  detected tensions in the fascia and I palpated numerous trigger points. During the massage I addressed all mentioned abnormalities, as well as performed post isometric relaxation techniques, to balance energy within muscles.

As a result, the range of motion was increased and the movements didn't trigger pain sensation. When he stood up from the table, he reported feeling better and two days after the treatment he reported feeling even better.

I will for sure call him for more treatments. It is good that after one treatment, we have got much improvement. The question is though "Is it possible to sustain results after one treatment?"  The answer is NO. It is impossible to sustain results regardless of how well one reacts to the first few treatments.