Stretch Therapy

rider-fit-stretch-therapyMy first description to someone who will be coming in for their first session is that it will be like yoga, but I am the one doing the work! How is stretching considered a therapy treatment and how does it differ from stretching on your own? During treatment, you are in a position that allows you to relax and 9 times out of 10, I will move a client in more planes of motion than they will or can on their own and further without the pain or discomfort you will experience on your own. When I move an individual passively,(the client/muscles are completely relaxed) I am able to apply light tractioning to decompress the joint capsules and allow more ease to the movement and avoid impingements or a pinch that most individuals will get when stretching on their own if they have adhesions or scar tissue. Adhesions or scar tissue are the bodies internal band aides and form in the fascia (the covering or sheet of connective tissue primarily made of collagen that is throughout our body. It's primary function of enclosing and separating muscles which is a key player to stability, contributes to muscle recruitment, posture, the protection of joints and more! If you have ever cleaned a chicken breast and you notice a fine white sheath of tissue, that's fascia!). This can occur when there has been trauma to the body, overuse or repetitive motions or over training. It can also result from infections and is common following surgery.

What adhesions then create are 1) restrictions to movement. We then begin to tell ourselves, "don't move in that direction anymore so it won't hurt." The result is a 2) decrease in circulation to the tissue and tightness only increases so that when we do have to move, then it really hurts! 3) we begin to get exhausted in extended periods of movement - the effort to move a tight body is taxing, but we don't relate a decrease in energy levels to tight muscles. In order to continue our daily activities, we then begin to adjust without any awareness, our stride and our posture to compensate and now...more problems begin to develop. What started out as just an issue at the knee or ankle, is now being felt in the back. What may have started in the shoulder has now created headaches...

A final advantage to stretch therapy over massage therapy is less pain to trigger points when many therapists will land an elbow deep into the tissue or any number of other tools. For me, I may have had my daughter at home and she was born breach, but outside of that, I have no pain tolerance for someone to dig into what is already inflamed and sore or sets of nerve sensations (burning, tingling, numbness). I learned the hard way in the past to have someone who was considered "advanced" only to have sucked all the oxygen out of room and then left to soreness for almost a week following. Allow massage therapy be used to it's best application and intent.

Benefits of Stretch Therapy:

  • Pain levels can drop significantly
  • Increase your Range of Motion
  • Energy levels will go up
  • Posture will improve and yes, you will appear/be taller because you are standing all the way up again!
  • Circulation to the tissue will increase for more health to your muscles, joints and function of the nerves
  • With improved flexibility, you will not have to work so hard to move
  • Better recovery following sessions of intense training, competition or physical work

Pricing

5 sessions for 425.00 or 10 session package for 800.00