Muscle Medicine: The Revolutionary Approach to Maintaining, Strengthening, and Repairing Your Muscles and Joints (29 page)

How to do it:
Press in and down slightly, as though trying to slide the muscle down the back. Keeping the stick’s pressure constant, bend forward and rotate away from the treatment side as far as is pain- and strain-free. Repeat on the opposite side. Do two to three passes, releasing and moving the stick position each time from the hips toward the midback in each zone.

Troubleshooting:
Don’t press too hard as this can irritate the muscle. Do not place the stick on bone. Avoid letting the skin slide under the stick—make sure the stick moves with the body.

LATERAL LOWER BACK

A. ANTERIOR QUADRATUS LUMBORUM

Purpose:
To target and remove any restrictions and restore a full range of motion in the anterior lateral fibers of the quadratus lumborum muscle by manually releasing tight, short, and damaged muscles. This muscle affects both the lower back and the gait cycle.

Starting out:
Stand with your feet spread shoulders’ width apart. Bend toward the treatment side, without bending forward or back. Relax the muscles and place your hand around the side just below the ribs, with the thumb to the front and the fingers to the back. You should feel the hip bone at the webbing of the thumb, then move up approximately one inch onto the muscle.

How to do it:
Press in and slightly down with the thumb—think of hooking the thumb around the muscle. Keeping a steady hold so the skin does not slide and your hand stays in position, laterally bend to the opposite side. Do two to three passes, releasing and replacing your hand each time. Repeat on the other side.

Troubleshooting:
Don’t press too hard too fast; let the hand “sink in.” Avoid letting the skin slide under the hand by using angled pressure. Don’t collapse to the side; keep tall in the torso as you bend to either side. Don’t press directly on the hip bone or the ribs.

B. POSTERIOR QUADRATUS LUMBORUM

Purpose:
To target and remove any restrictions and restore a full range of motion to the posterior lateral fibers of the quadratus lumborum muscle by manually releasing tight, short, and damaged muscles. This muscle affects both the back and the gait cycle.

Starting out:
Stand with your feet spread shoulders’ width apart. Bend your body toward the treatment side, without bending forward or back. Relax the muscles and place your hand around the side just below the ribs, with your fingers to the front and the thumb to the back. You should feel the hip bone at the edge of your palm, then move up approximately one inch onto the muscle.

How to do it:
Press in and down with the thumb and pull the muscle on the front with your fingers. Keeping a steady grip so the skin does not slide and the hand stays in position, bend your torso to the opposite side. Do two to three passes, releasing and replacing the hand a little higher each time. Repeat on the other side.

Troubleshooting:
Don’t press too hard too fast; let your hand “sink in.” Avoid letting the skin slide under your hand by using angled pressure. Don’t collapse to the side; stand erect without flexing forward or back as you bend to either side.

ABDOMEN (ANTERIOR LOWER BACK)

Purpose:
To target and remove any restrictions and restore a full range of motion to the abdominal muscles and fascia by manually releasing tight, short, and damaged muscles. These muscles affect both posture and balance and innumerable movements.

Starting out:
Sit on a stability ball with your feet spread a little wider than shoulders’ width apart. Relax your abdominals and touch your belly with your hands: fingers flat, one hand over the other with the fingertips lined up, palms in. The abdominals should be divided into two zones from the ribs to the hip/ pubic bones. Zone one is to the right of the belly button, zone two is to the left of the belly button.

How to do it:
Once contact is made, press in and up toward the ribs with your fingers. Keeping a steady grip so the skin does not slide and you do not lose your placement, lean back onto the ball. Do two to three passes in each zone, releasing and moving the hands closer to the ribs each time. Note: tension can also be in and down toward feet during treatment. Try both directions to see which feels better.

As an alternative, do this self-treatment on the floor, following the same protocol as above.

Troubleshooting:
Don’t press too hard too fast; let the hand “sink in.” Keep your pressure down toward the knees or up toward the ribs, not straight into the belly. Stay “long” in the torso as you control the motion up and down—let the ball support you.

LOWER BACK

A. KNEES TO CHEST

Purpose:
To lengthen the muscles of the lower back and the muscle junction of the lower back and hips. This can be a valuable morning stretch for those who wake up with a stiff back.

Starting out:
Lie on your back with both knees bent and hips’ width apart. Both feet should be flat on the floor, or the legs can be extended if that is comfortable.

How to do it:
Grip one leg with both hands placed just below the kneecap and bring the knee to the chest slowly and only as far as there is no pain (either in the hip or back). If this motion is comfortable on both sides individually, try both legs together. Put one hand around each knee just below the kneecap and bring both knees simultaneously to the chest in a pain-free range of motion. The stretch should be held for two seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat ten times.

Troubleshooting:
Don’t allow the knees to fall out to the side, or the hips to come off the floor. Allow the upper back and head to stay relaxed. When using both legs, keep the spine as flat on the floor as possible, so the body does not rock back and forth. Only your hips should come off the floor. If you can’t reach your knees comfortably, a strap can be used to bring the knees to the chest so that your head and back can stay on the floor.

B. CORE BALL STRETCH

Purpose:
To lengthen the muscles of the lower back and their junction with the muscles of the hip. This stretch also creates a gentle traction on the spine and so lengthens the smaller, intrinsic spinal muscles.