In our last post I discussed how balance can be a good indicator of your health and even your life expectancy. So if your balance is lacking, it’s important to ask, “What happened to my balance, and how can I regain my balance?”
Gil Hedley, PhD, demonstrates in his video, “The Fuzz Speech,” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdRqLrCF_Ys) how muscles gather “Fuzz.” Hedley’s “Fuzz” is scar tissue, a sticky, fibrous material that diminishes the sliding ability of muscles between themselves and the skin. This scar tissue is highly innervated, creating pain and discomfort when stretched or injured.
Hedley explains why it is important to stretch daily and be more active. Sedentary lifestyles coupled with inappropriate treatment of musculoskeletal injuries leads to this accumulation of “Fuzz” and decreased mobility. This has a profound effect on quality and quantity of life.
Here’s one daily movement that can help reduce your “Fuzz” and keep your muscles subtle and flexible.
1. Start with your feet shoulder width apart and your hands at your sides.
2. Bend your knees to a slight squat while performing a scooping action with both arms. This would be similar to scooping water out of a bucket between your legs.
3. Straighten to a standing position with palms to the sky.
4. Now lace fingers together and stretch to the sky.
5. Lean to each side gently allowing for a slight stretch down the flank and into the hips.
6. Return to the starting position, and repeat five times.
Another way to reduce your “Fuzz” is Active Release Therapy (ART). ART is the only patented soft-tissue technique that has been proven to break up scar tissue (“Fuzz”). Its remarkable ability to reduce pain and improve range of motion in old and chronic injuries has been a useful tool at
Patients with arthritic shoulders and joints have seen an increase in functional abilities and improved quality of life. Active athletes have enjoyed a fast recovery from injury while seeing their performance on the field greatly increase. ART’s lengthy certification process helps to ensure that each ART practitioner is highly trained and able to give excellent care. If you have loved ones in another part of the world, check out ART’s website (ActiveRelease.com), and do a provider search for an ART doctor near them.
I hope this gets you started thinking about your balance and looking for ways to improve. If you’d like to learn more, come to our free “Improving Your Balance” class Thursday, April 18, at 6:00pm at our Roanoke office. Email us to reserve your spot.
Of course improved balance is often a benefit of chiropractic care. If you are in the greater Roanoke area and looking to begin chiropractic care, please contact us at [CORE] Chiropractic and Wellness Center to schedule a consultation.
Dr. Daryl Rich, DC, CSCS
