OVERHEAD VIEW OF A MAN LYING ON A MASSAGE TABLE RECEIVING THERAPY

Athletic Recovery and the Benefits of Stretch Therapy

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Athletic recovery is an essential component of any fitness routine, whether you’re a weekend warrior, a young athlete, or a professional athlete. Recovery is the process by which your body repairs and adapts to the physical stresses of exercise, and it’s just as important as the workout itself. In this article, we’ll explore why athletic recovery is important, how pro athletes take care of themselves, and how stretch therapy from StretchSPOT can help improve performance.

The Importance of Recovery for Athletes

For weekend warriors and young athletes, recovery is essential for injury prevention and overall health. Overuse injuries, such as tendinitis and stress fractures, are common among young athletes and can be prevented by incorporating rest and recovery into their training routine. Recovery can also help to prevent burnout, improve sleep, and reduce stress levels. Some common recovery strategies for young athletes and weekend warriors include foam rolling, stretching, and light activity on rest days.

Professional athletes, on the other hand, take recovery to the next level. With the pressure of competition and the demands of a grueling training schedule, pro athletes must prioritize recovery in order to perform at their best. Pro athletes have access to a range of recovery tools and techniques, including massage therapy, cryotherapy, and infrared saunas. They also work closely with nutritionists and sports psychologists to optimize their recovery and mental health.

Stretch Therapy for Recovery

One recovery technique that is gaining popularity among pro athletes and weekend warriors alike is stretch therapy. Stretch therapy involves a series of assisted stretches that are designed to improve flexibility, reduce muscle tension, and increase range of motion. Stretch therapy can be beneficial for athletes of all levels, as it helps to promote recovery, prevent injury, and improve overall performance.

StretchSPOT is a leading provider of stretch therapy and myofascial release, with 2 locations in South Bay LA, in Torrance and Hermosa Beach. Our experienced therapists work with clients to create customized stretch programs that target specific areas of the body and address individual needs. Whether you’re recovering from an injury, looking to improve your performance, or just want to feel better in your body, StretchSPOT can help.

How Does Stretch Therapy Work, and How Can it Benefit Athletes?

During a stretch therapy session, the therapist will guide you through a series of stretches that are tailored to your specific needs. The stretches are designed to target specific muscle groups and help release tension and improve flexibility. Unlike static stretching, which involves holding a stretch for a period of time, stretch therapy involves a series of dynamic, flowing movements that help to increase blood flow and promote relaxation.

The benefits of stretch therapy are numerous. For one, it can help to reduce muscle soreness and stiffness, which can be especially beneficial after a tough workout or competition. Stretch therapy can also improve flexibility and range of motion, which can lead to better overall performance and reduce the risk of injury. In addition, stretch therapy can help to promote relaxation and reduce stress levels, which can have a positive impact on mental health.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, athletic recovery is a crucial component of any fitness routine, whether you’re a weekend warrior, a young athlete, or a professional athlete. Recovery helps to prevent injury, improve performance, and promote overall health and wellness. Pro athletes take recovery to the next level, with access to a range of tools and techniques that help them perform at their best. For athletes of all levels, stretch therapy from StretchSPOT can be a valuable tool in promoting recovery and improving performance. So next time you’re feeling sore, stiff, or stressed, consider giving stretch therapy a try!

Man lying on his side on a foam roller under his hip

5 Benefits of Foam Rolling

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If you have spent time in a gym or physical therapy clinic, you have undoubtedly encountered a foam roller. You might have even used one without fully understanding its many benefits.

This article will outline the many benefits of foam rolling to help you ease muscle tension and soreness from home.

What is a Foam Roller?

Before diving into the benefits of foam rolling, let’s talk more about what a foam roller is and how it works.

A foam roller is, quite simply, a tool made out of foam that you can roll along your body to ease muscle tension along trigger points. This is often called myofascial release, referring to the release of muscles and their surrounding tissues.

It targets specific muscle groups to stimulate blood flow, loosen knots, and restore mobility. Best of all, a foam roller is completely portable. You can use it at home or take it to the office, the gym, or on vacation. This portability ensures you always have an easy way to soothe your muscles after a long day of travel, a challenging workout, or sitting at a desk.

5 Benefits of Using a Foam Roller

Here are five reasons to add foam rolling to your daily routine.

1. Reduce muscle soreness and aches

The primary reason people use a foam roller is to ease aching muscles. The foam roller acts as a type of massager by getting knots out of muscles and helping ease their pain.

Note that foam rolling may not feel great at the time – in fact, it can be somewhat painful, especially in tight muscle areas. However, after foam rolling, you should start feeling better.

2. Provide back pain relief

Note that people experiencing extreme back pain should not try foam rolling. If you have concerns about whether or not you should engage in physical activity, we encourage you to consult your healthcare provider. Incorrect foam rolling could cause further damage or lead to additional injury.

However, some people find relief from back pain by using a foam roller. A foam roller can improve spinal alignment, release tension, and improve posture.

Healthline offers several examples of foam rolling exercises that can be used to ease minor back aches and pains.

3. Increase range of motion

Your mobility may be restricted because of muscle tightness. By using a foam roller to loosen muscles throughout your body, you may be able to increase your range of motion. This can make exercising and performing daily tasks easier and more manageable.

Research shows that incorporating foam rolling into a warmup can maximize its benefits and set you up for a great workout.

4. Reduce inflammation and maximize recovery

Foam rolling instantly increases circulation in the areas that are worked. This increase in blood flow can help you get more oxygen to areas of your body that need it most. In addition, the added oxygen can help bring fresh nutrients to sore spots to remove inflammatory waste products, thereby maximizing recovery.

5. Improve sleep quality

Sleeping with pain or muscle soreness can be a challenge. Foam rolling for a few minutes before bed can help loosen tight muscles and increase blood flow, making it easier to fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer.

Feeling Tight? StretchSPOT Can Help!

A foam roller is an excellent at-home tool for relieving muscle tension and tightness. But sometimes, you need a bit more support.

At StretchSPOT, we help everyone from elite athletes to those looking to improve their mobility around the house feel better through personalized stretching. Book your appointment today to get started.

close up of fascia

What is Fascia and Why is it so Important?

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Have you ever had myofascial release? Lots of people have had it done, but what exactly is ‘fascia’? Why do I need it ‘released’? And why is it so important to keep healthy?

 Your body, as a unit, is supported and protected by fascia as well as your muscles and organs. It plays an important supportive role to the musculoskeletal system as it provides a strong protective sheath around our entire body. Think of fascia like an orange, yes the fruit. Your skin would be like the rind of the orange and if you peeled back that rind you’d see a thick, white, fibrous layer. That thick white part of the orange encompasses the fruit and binds the rind to the center and this is exactly what the fascia does. So next time you peel an orange think of your fascia!

Our body is protected from head to toe with this fascia system that serves as a protective, bonding barrier to our deep soft tissue. Fascia can also be visualized as similar in appearance to a spider’s web. Not only is fascia covering our body right underneath our skin but it is densely woven and penetrating every muscle, bone, nerve, blood vessel and even the organs like our heart, lungs, brain and spinal cord. The stickiness and fine strong fibers of a spider’s web is similar to your fascia. So why is fascia so important then? It is important because it enables you to perform everyday activities as basic as sitting and standing. Do you need to keep it healthy? Without a doubt. What if the fascia gets damaged? Well fascia, in its normal state is relaxed and able to stretch and move without restriction, but when you experience physical injury the fascia loses flexibility and becomes tight, restricted, and tense. This is that pain you feel before your therapist talks about releasing the tension. Myofascial release is working on fascia linked to and within the muscle which becomes distorted and can pull, twist, and compress the body into misalignment.

Hopefully you can see how important fascia is and the most interesting part is there is still so much scientists are learning about it. Keeping this very important system healthy is vital for your overall health and wellness. Hydration is a big factor. Drink lots of water as it helps fascia deliver nutrients and remove waste and toxins from cells. Regular exercise obviously helps blood flow and muscle movement, but teamed up with a solid stretching routine can help decrease tension buildup in the muscles and fascia. Your body is amazing and your fascia system has a lot to do with that, so be kind to it and stretch, walk and hydrate to a healthier you.

foam rolling

Can Myofascial Release Help Back Pain?

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Many people deal with lower back pain every year and in most cases it is mechanical or non-organic simply meaning it isn’t caused by serious conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis, infection, fracture, or cancer.

Myofascial release is a manual therapy technique that can help with that bad back of yours and get you doing the activities you enjoy again. There are several myofascial release techniques that can greatly improve the mobility of the back, as well as the knees, ankles and hips. The goal of these techniques is to manipulate the myofascial tissues, which are those tough membranes that wrap, connect and support your muscles.

Your back is influenced by other muscle areas and by releasing tension in tight glutes, hamstrings, calves and quadriceps it can help improve your back mobility and posture. Using a simple tennis ball or lacrosse ball on a hard surface can do wonders to loosen up those tight connecting areas. By laying on your back and placing the tennis ball on the glutes (commonly known as the ‘butt muscles’) and rolling on it to find that tight spot can release the tension. Reposition the ball on your lower legs just midway between your knee and ankle on your calf muscle and find another point. Roll the ball up and hit the hamstring area. Flip over on your stomach and do it again on the quadriceps which is located between your knee and hip. If you don’t want to lay on the floor you can try these techniques on the bed with the tennis ball on a hardcover book, or any other hard portable surface, to stop it from sinking into the bed cushion. To have added targeted pressure on those sore trigger points you might try a lacrosse ball as it is harder and slightly smaller than a tennis ball.

A foam roller can produce fantastic results for a tight back. It provides broad and superficial strokes like the hands of a trained massage therapist stretching the tissue in multiple directions. If you sit at work all day, you undoubtedly know about stiff upper back muscles, those pesky knots between the shoulder blades and a tight mid back area. Using a foam roller can help iron out those kinks. Firstly, position the foam roller at your mid back. Have your butt on the ground and cross your arms. Slowly extend back over the roller reaching your head to the ground if possible. Roll the foam roller to your upper back keeping your shoulder blades together. This will lengthen those back muscles and ease the pressure built up.