TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR BODY MOBILITY GUIDE

TAKE BACK CONTROL OF YOUR BODY MOBILITY GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3. About Us 4. Understanding Trigger Points 5. Static Stretch vs Movement Prep 6. Equipment Needed 7. Using the Foam Roller to Mobilise 8. Pectoralis Major 9. Latissimus Dorsi 10. Gluteus Maximus 11. Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL) 12. Quadriceps 13. Adductors 14. Hamstrings 15. Calves 16. Tibialis Anterior 17. Thoracic Spine 18. Movement Prep Exercise 19. Active Hamstring Stretch 20. Leg Lowering Against the Wall 21. Side Lying Thoracic Rotation 22. The Bretzel 23. World s Greatest Stretch 24. Where do we go from here 25-26. Contact Us

03 About Us About Us 4D Health and Performance is a multi-disciplinary clinic located at Lower Ground, 210 Clarence St, Sydney. We have Physiotherapists, Sports Chiropractors, Exercise Physiologists, Massage Therapists and Strength and Conditioning coaches. We specialise in the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation of all musculoskeletal injuries and performance training. Our state-of-the art training facility houses an AlterG Anti-gravity treadmill designed by NASA, Skillmill treadmills, VersaClimbers, Spinbikes and a world class strength and conditioning facility. Combined with our facility and expertise, we aim for you to be pain free, mobile and have you running and playing your sports better than you ever have before. For more info visit www. 4dhp.com Please feel free to Contact us on 02 8041 0762 or reception@4dhp.com

Understanding Trigger Points 04 Understanding Trigger Points Myofascial trigger points are described as hyperirritable spots in the fascia surrounding skeletal muscle. They are associated with palpable nodules in taut bands of muscle fibres. The trigger point model states that unexplained pain frequently radiates from these points of local tenderness to broader areas, sometimes distant from the trigger point itself. Practitioners claim to have identified reliable referred pain patterns which associate pain in one location with trigger points elsewhere. Compression of a trigger point may elicit local tenderness, referred pain, or local twitch response. The local twitch response is not the same as a muscle spasm. This is because a muscle spasm refers to the entire muscle contracting whereas the local twitch response also refers to the entire muscle but only involves a small twitch, no contraction. WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU HAVE MUSCLE KNOTS, YOU RE TALKING ABOUT MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS

05 Static Stretching vs Movement Prep Static Stretching vs Movement Prep There is tremendous value in traditional static stretching if executed properly and done after a workout. However, static stretching routines performed before exercise can increase flexibility only for a short time. There is little scientific evidence that such routines can improve exercise performance, reduce delayed onset muscular soreness or prevent injuries. MOVEMENT PREP IS TO PREPARE FOR MOVEMENT As opposed to a traditional warm-up, Movement Prep actually makes you stronger and helps yield long-term flexibility gains. You ll actively elongate your muscles in a series of movements, which can improve balance, mobility and stability. Think of it as warming up with a purpose. You ll do approximately 5 to 10 repetitions of each exercise in your Movement Prep routine. Not only will it feel like part of your workout (as opposed to a boring precursor to the real thing), at first it might feel like a workout itself. Just doing Movement Prep alone can make your body stronger and more stable, and can also help increase speed and power output - Do it before every training session. Use static stretching after your workout.

Equipment Needed 06 Equipment Needed There are lots of different tools you can use. In this guide we have limited it to what is generally found in a gym. A foam roller, small dumbbells and a bench. Other equipment used could be resistant bands for distraction methods, triggerpoint massage balls or anything small and hard like a golf ball. There are other modalities we recommend like Remedial Massage, Active Release Therapy, Dry Needling and Cupping to help with soft tissue release. Included in this book are some of the more common muscles to be released and stretched. This is by no means a complete list of ways to mobilise these muscles. These are some of our favourite techniques to use.

07 Using the Foam Roller to Mobilise Using the Foam Roller to Mobilise 8. Pectoralis Major 9. Latissimus Dorsi 10. Gluteus Maxim us 11. Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL) 12. Quadriceps 13. Adductors 14. Hamstrings 15. Calves 16. Tibialis Anterior 17. Thoracic Spine

Pectoralis Major 08 Pectoralis Major Have the foam roller high on a bench to allow room for the arms to drop. Position the foam roller inline with the spine. Start with the arms vertical and focus your torso. Keep your ribs pulled down towards your pelvis. This will ensure your lower back is pushing down into the foam roller and your spine will be in neutral. Breathe in and hold air in. Allow the arms to drop out to the side. Hold the weights on the finger tips as to stretch the fascia down the arm as well. Breathe out when you reach the end range. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 3 times.

09 Latissimus Dorsi Latissimus Dorsi Position the Lat across the foam roller. You can move your body up and down looking for the most painful trigger points. Try to avoid the ribs, and stay on the belly of the muscle. You can go right up to the back of the shoulder. When you find a trigger point stay there for at least 20 seconds or until pain dissipates. Stretch out arm as you apply pressure to stretch the lot.

Gluteus Maximus 10 Gluteus Maximus Position the foam roller in the middle of your glute. To apply more pressure you can bend the leg you re working on and cross your leg to stretch the glute. Hold on the trigger point for 20 seconds before moving to the next painful trigger point.

11 Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL) Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL) Lying face down, place the foam roller on the TFL. This muscle is roughly where your pocket would be on your suit pants. Find the trigger point and apply pressure from your body weight on the trigger point. Hold the sight of most pain for at least 20 seconds. Then look for the next trigger point.

Quadriceps 12 Quadriceps Moving down from the TFL, lie on top of the foam roller one leg at a time. First move the foam roller down from the middle of the top of the leg all the way down to top of the knee. Stop at every trigger point for 20 seconds. Then you can slightly rotate your leg and go down the outside of the leg. Lastly go down the inside of the leg to hit the inside of the quads near the knee.

13 Adductor Group Adductor Group Lying on your stomach, place the foam roller on the inside of your thigh. Think of the inside seam of your pants, from the inside of your knee all the way up to your groin. Keeping the leg bent and the foot in the air, slowly roll up the leg stopping at any tender points for 10-15 seconds. For an extra stretch you can also turn your head to face the other way at the same time.

Hamstrings 14 Hamstrings Sit on top of the foam roller, one leg at a time. Let the weight of your leg press into the foam roller. You can rest the other leg on top to add more weight. Look for the most painful trigger points and sit on each for 20 seconds or until the pain dissipates. Move the leg around to find different trigger points on the hamstrings.

15 Calves Calves Kneel on the ground, place the foam roller in between the hamstrings and the calves. Slowly sit down on the foam roller and use your own body weight to press the foam roller into the calves. Hold for 20 seconds then release. You can also do a similar position like the hamstrings release with your legs out straight, however the weight of the leg usually is not enough to release the trigger point.

Tibialis Anterior 16 Tibialis Anterior Start on your knees. Lift one knee up and place the front of your shin on to the foam roller. It s the first muscle to the outside of your shin bone. Sit up nice and tall and let your body weight do all the work. Keep the toes pointed away from you for an extra stretch. Hold any tender spots for 10-15 seconds.

17 Thoracic Spine Thoracic Spine Place the foam roller across middle of the ribs. Keeping the glutes on the ground, support your head and keep your chin tucked in. Slowly extend your body over the foam roller. Make sure you breathe out as you go over. Keep the glutes on the ground the whole time.

Movement Prep Exercises 18 Movement Prep Exercises 19. Active Hamstring Stretch 20. Leg Lowering against the wall 21. Side Lying Thoracic Rotation 22. The Bretzel 23. Worlds Greatest Stretch

19 Active Hamstring Stretching Active Hamstring Stretching Lying on your back lift one knee up to your chest with your hands behind the knee. Keeping the other leg straight out on the floor with toes pointed up. Slowly extend the bent leg as to kick the sky. As you move the leg you will feel the stretch in your hamstrings. Extend as far as you can then come back to starting position. Complete 5-10 reps each leg.

Leg Lowering Against the Wall 20 Leg Lowering Against the Wall Find a doorway. Start with both legs up the wall keeping your legs as straight as possible and your hips as close to the wall as possible. Keeping the bottom leg straight and vertical, slowly lower the other leg. Keep the toes vertical throughout. Lower the leg to the ground then lift back up the wall. After a few reps slide closer to the wall and keep going for 5-10 reps each leg. This stretch is not only stretching the hamstrings, but also the opposite hip flexor. This is a great stretch to separate the two hips.

21 Side Thoracic Stretch Side Thoracic Stretch Position yourself on your side, with the arms outstretched and hands on top of each other. Bring both knees up to 90 degrees. Use a small pillow to rest your head on. Keep the knees touching each other throughout the exercise. Breathe in and hold air inside. Slide the top arm along the bottom arm and across chest. Rotate the torso and reach out across to the other side and exhale. Hold the end position for 20 seconds. Repeat 5-10 times each side.

The Bretzel 22 The Bretzel Position yourself on your side. Bend your top leg at a 90 degree angle, and place it on the foam roller. Hold the top knee on the foam roller with the opposite hand. Pull the bottom leg backwards and grab with your other hand. Start off the stretch by having your foot in the air. Make sure the knee is behind the midline of the body. Breathe in and rotate the torso to the ground. Breathe out when you stop rotating. The goal is to have both shoulders on the ground, foot on the ground and other knee still on the foam roller. Repeat 5-10 times each side.

23 World s Greatest Stretch World s Greatest Stretch Start by going on one knee and placing both hands on the floor on the inside of your front foot. Kick the back foot back and straighten the leg as much as possible. Breathe in and hold air. Slowly rotate torso and reach for the sky. Keep hips as low as possible. Breathe out when you reach end position and hold for 10 seconds. Then rotate back down and try to touch inside elbow to the front foot. Repeat 5-10 times.

Where Do We Go From Here 24 Where Do We Go From Here Doing all of the foam rolling and movement prep exercises can be a whole session on its own. I would suggest that you mix and match some of them before you train and make sure they are all completed a few times. If you re experiencing pain during your current training, stop what you are doing and just focus on these movements for a week or two. If your pain still persists there may be more going on than you realise and it is suggested you seek further assessment from a trained professional.

25 Contact Us

Contact Us 26 Contact Us 4D HEALTH AND PERFORMANCE CAN HELP YOU REACH YOUR GOALS. OUR SERVICES WE OFFER ARE PHYSIOTHERAPY SPORTS CHIROPRACTIC EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY REMEDIAL AND SPORTS MASSAGE ACTIVE RELEASE TECHNIQUE YOGA AND PILATES ALTER G (ANTI GRAVITY) TREADMILL INBODY SCANNER FOR BODY FAT AND MUSCLE WE CAN HELP WITH INJURY ASSESSMENT AND REHABILITATION ATHLETIC AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING CORPORATE WELLNESS PROGRAMS WORKCOVER ACCREDITATION 02 8041 0762 reception@4dhp.com www.4dhp.com 4dhealthperformance 4dhealthandperformance