Fringe 2010
 The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival is a
12-day-festival founded on the concept of offering 100% unjuried, 100%
uncensored, and 100% accessible theatre, music, dance, art and madness to all
types and ages where 100% of the box office ticket sales go directly back to
the artists within The Fringe. Celebrating it's 19th year, the
Orlando Fringe is the longest running US Fringe festival.
The mission of the Orlando Fringe is to provide an accessible, affordable
outlet that draws diverse elements of the community together and inspires
creative excellence through the arts.
Balance Massage and Structural Bodywork is a proud
supporter of the arts in our community and especially of the Orlando Fringe
Festival. If you enjoy live theater and
you haven't been to Fringe yet, you're missing some of the best there is. We encourage everyone to check out the
festival happening right now in Loch Haven Park. Visit the Orlando Fringe website for more information.
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Balance is a PROUD SPONSOR of:
Procrastination
An
Electronica Operetta
at
the Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival Come
out to the Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival to see Sunny Raskin and cast of fellow singers, dancers and musicians in her new
show, Procrastination An
Electronica Operetta.
If you're on Facebook, become a fan of Procrastination!
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Member Referral Rewards
A special offer for members of our monthly massage program.
Referral Reward Card | As members you have received regular treatments from us and you know the results that you feel from our work. So we know that when you encourage someone who might benefit
from our services to try us, you trust they will have the same great experience.
We are grateful for the trust you put in us and we offer
these rewards as our way to say, "Thank You!"
When a new client that you refer pays for their first appointment, you will receive
a card entitling you to 15-minutes of FREE massage time. You may use this
card to add time to your monthly member massage, or collect them to receive a
free 30-minute or 60-minute massage.
If your referral signs on as a Balance Massage Member, you will receive a FREE
60-minute massage!
We look forward to serving your loved ones with the same care and concern
that you have come to expect from us. |
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Find Your Balance
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Issue #9
May 2010
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Greetings!
All of our therapists utilize trigger point therapy at some time in many, if not most, of their sessions. But what exactly is are trigger points, how do they affect you, and how does the therapy affect them?
Today we will try to answer those questions and more.
This month's topic: Trigger Point Therapy
After reading the article, If you have any questions or are interested in booking an appointment, please call the office at 407-704-8867.
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What Are Trigger Points?
 Trigger points are essentially small, localized
muscle cramps, usually confined to only one or two of the small fibers that
comprise the main muscle body. These
palpable knots respond excessively to even small amounts of stimuli and are a
common source of chronic pain and discomfort.
The hypersensitivity of these nodules can also cause the discomfort to
radiate outward referring (or "triggering") pain, tenderness, tingling, and
even numbness to other areas of the body.
This referred pain, mediated through spinal cord
mechanisms, appears in predictable patterns.
For example, a trigger point in the peroneus muscle - a muscle on the
outside of the lower leg that makes the foot move down and outward - will cause
pain in the ankle and not at the side of the leg where the muscle is actually
located. How Do Trigger Points Affect You?
There two kinds of trigger points: active and latent. Latent
trigger points often go unnoticed
until pressure is applied and they do not refer pain to other areas. Active trigger points, however, cause acute
and chronic pain, preventing the muscle from lengthening, restricting
motion
and further irritating the soft-tissue.
In addition, these active nodules will refer that pain and
discomfort to
other areas of the body.
What Causes Trigger Points
Trigger points arise for a variety of reasons but
among the more common causes are the muscle fatigue and irritation created by
the kinds of repetitive motions now common in our daily lives. Other causes can range from direct trauma to
the affected area, skeletal asymmetry (such as a shorter leg or a pelvic
imbalance), deficiencies in vitamin B6, magnesium, vitamin C, or folic acid,
infections, and even allergies.
How Are Trigger Points Treated
 Initially the trigger point is treated with direct
pressure, for about 10 to 30 seconds sometimes applied with fingers, knuckles,
elbows and sometimes even pinching the muscle.
The amount of pressure and how long it's applied varies, depending on
how sensitive the trigger points are and the client's response to the
stimuli. This pressure forces the blood
and oxygen from the tissue. When the
pressure is released the body responds by forcing blood black into the affected
area increasing circulation and re-oxygenating the tissue.
This procedure is repeated - the amount of pressure
and length of time varying depending on the client's comfort level - until the
active trigger point relaxes to a latent state. Reconditioning the muscle with massage strokes after the pain is
reduced makes latent trigger points less prone to reactivate.
Some
trigger points can be self-treated.
There are several resources available such as the book, The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief
, and this CrossFit Journals article from 2005.
Other Resources for this article:
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Coming Soon!
In future newsletters we'll explore these other modalities:
 Assisted Stretching is like a mixture of massage and personal training that involves the therapist instructing and manually
assisting the client in utilizing a variety of stretches designed to address a number of issues and resolve the chronic pain and tension they cause. Offered by Mimi Ravndal, assisted stretching is also another great way to achieve better posture and alignment.
 Acupressure, based in the principals of ancient Chinese Medicine, utilizes finger pressure (instead of needles) on specific points along the Meridians to release blockages and help activate the body's own healing energy. Offered by Robert Hawxhurst, Acupressure is a wonderful way to achieve a balance in energy that can eliminate or greatly reduce chronic stress and pain.
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