Flossing: For Mobility

Flossing: For Mobility

Hey there!  Have you heard of flossing?  Nope, we don’t mean your teeth (although I hope you are flossing daily), and we don’t mean that cool dance the kids are doing these days (although send us your best moves and maybe we will feature you on our social media), we mean soft tissue flossing.  Not sure what that is?  Keep reading to find out more!

Soft Tissue Flossing

Soft tissue flossing, or blood flow restriction therapy, is one of many manual therapy tools that is growing in popularity.  The surges in popularity of CrossFit can be credited with the growing popularity of flossing, but this technique is now being adopted by biohackers, bodybuilders, and more.  Soft tissue flossing therapy is achieved through using floss bands (wide latex bands made specifically for this activity) on joints and/or extremities to disrupt blood flow while performing a variety of movements such as flexion and extension or abduction and adduction.

How to Floss

Flossing can be self-administered and is easy to incorporate into your mobility routine.  To begin flossing follow these basic steps:

1.     Determine the target area – usually an extremity that you are trying to increase the range of motion, improve mobility, or decrease pain/injury on.

2.     Firmly wrap the floss band around towards the heart (distal to proximal)

3.     Keep band on for a few minutes and move through an active or passive range of motion

4.     Remove band

As always, before starting a new routine, we recommend you speak to your doctor or licensed professional. If at any time you feel numbness, pins and needles, or see visible signs of extreme blood loss to your body – remove the band immediately.

Why Flossing?

Like most trendy new(ish) forms of self-care and biohacking – there is not a ton of research on flossing, but those who love it know it works almost immediately.  Flossing can help:

·     Boost mobility – flossing is another form of myofascial release; by restricting then reestablishing blood flow, you are removing the buildup in between your muscles and your fascia (much like flossing your teeth – get it?!).

·     Recover faster – the magic of flossing happens when that blood moves back in.  The “whoosh” of blood provides nutrients and oxygen to get to an injury faster and promote healing.

·     Increase range of motion – sometimes that sticky feeling of a tight range of motion is due to build up like lactic acid or scar tissue.  An immediate rush of blood from the restriction and removal of a flossing band helps to clear that build up that is causing inflammation.

Flossing is a great addition to any recovery tool kit.  Move more with less pain!  YouTube has plenty of videos showing great flossing technique if you are interested in learning more!

Add to Your Recovery Routine Tool Kit - Percussive Massage Guns

Add to Your Recovery Routine Tool Kit  - Percussive Massage Guns

The newest trend in warm up and recovery tools on the market are percussive massage guns.  These percussive massage tools closely resemble a power tool (and sound like one too) but provide muscle stimulation to increase blood flow.  Keep reading to find out more!

Percussive Massage Guns

Many of us are used to arriving at the gym and starting our workout with foam rolling; likewise, we end our gym time with paying attention to those tight or sore areas through more foam rolling, stretching, or instrument assisted soft tissue percussive massage using our Musclestache (IASTM).  We also know that regular body work should be part of our selfcare routine. In between sessions, and in addition to IASTM and foam rolling, percussive massage guns can be an awesome way to increase recovery and decrease soreness.

Percussive massage guns are incredibly easy to use – just turn on and apply to the targeted area and let it for the work for you.  Although there is not a breadth of research available regarding percussive massage guns (as they are relatively new to the market), there is mounting support of their efficiency.  Further, percussive massage guns may do something that foam rolling can’t due to their quick speed - in theory, a percussive massage gun vibrating at the right frequency may “trick” the nervous system into blocking pain (this is called the “pain gate theory”).  This means the hesitation one feels when foam rolling presses on those sore spots can be overcame using a percussive massage gun.  Although it is essential to pay attention to the difference between “sore” and “pain,” and pain should be addressed by a professional.

Using a Percussive Massage Gun Before, During, and After Your Workout

Interested in using a percussive massage gun throughout your workout? Let’s look at the benefits of each step:

Before - using a percussive massage gun all over is a great way to warm up before your workout. Percussive therapy heightens blood flow in muscles and helps to turn on your sympathetic nervous system.  Start your workout with 5 minutes of gentle generalized percussive massage and then focus on muscles you are going to train that day.

During – In between sets? Use a percussive massage gun to loosen tight/tense areas.  Finished weight lifting and moving on to your workout of the day?  Percussive massage the muscles just used to get the healing process going. 

After – After your workout firing up your sympathetic nervous system again will help your body enter recovery mode – this time turn your percussive massage gun up a little higher, first target the muscles used in today’s workout, then move to generalized percussive massage.  

The Takeaway

Percussive massage guns are the newest trend in recovery tools for many reasons.  They are simple to use, seemingly effective, help to decrease recovery time, and can be self-applied.  However, outside of recovery percussive massage guns can be used before and during workouts to help increase blood flow, ease soft tissue pain, and activate the sympathetic nervous system.  Although massage guns are a bit of an upfront investment – they are a great tool to have in your mobility toolbox. 

Using Electric Muscle Stimulators for Recovery

Using Electric Muscle Stimulators for Recovery

Electric muscle stimulators (EMS) units are devices that deliver electrical impulses to muscles to make them contract.  Many athletes are using EMS to help with recovery by increasing blood flow and removing lactic acid.  Keep reading to learn more about incorporating this into your recovery routine!

EMS Provides Active Recovery

During training, blood vessels in your muscles dilate and lactic acid begins to build up.  This eventually leads to muscle inflammation, more commonly known as DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).  EMS, along with good wellness practices, allows you to get back to training even faster.  

EMS devices provide the stimulus that would naturally come from your central nervous system to contract which releases nitric oxide and promotes the process of angiogenesis. This allows by products to be cleared faster and delivers more nutrients to the muscle to heal and recover. Simply put, EMS devices helps the body recover by increasing blood flow and removing lactic acid.

Controversially, some people believe that EMS should only be delivered by trained professionals, but with self-education, and a proper (and high quality) machine, EMS is a safe practice to do at home.  Further, the results of EMS can be achieved through cheaper methods of recovery (such as body work or manual muscle stimulation) which may point to the high price tag of EMS devices not being worth it.  It is important to research and learn for yourself what types of recovery options may be best for you.  Finally, because the fitness industry is accelerating quickly, many tools used do not have long term research to back up their claims; EMS devices are no exception – some studies show that EMS does not have a significant impact on quicker recovery, but there is some science that rebuttals that.  Make sure to keep an eye on the growing research!  

Five Tips for Using EMS

Interested in starting EMS? We have 5 tips to get you started:

1.    Purchase a high-quality device.  We love PowerDot.

2.    Stay consistent and have an objective.  As with most practices, consistency is key, and strategy is necessary.  Make sure you are applying the EMS device pads in logistically sound spots to make sure you are contracting the targeted muscle.

3.    Begin using the device on the lowest possible setting.  This will allow you to adjust without feeling discomfort.

4.    If you are using an EMS device to recover from an injury, make sure you talk to your doctor before doing so to make sure you are not creating additional trauma or injury.

5.    Once you are comfortable with your device, try incorporating EMS into other parts of your workouts such as using it to increase muscle strength and endurance, and to warm up.

The Takeaway

EMS devices are a recovery aide that helps to increase blood flow and decrease lactic acid through muscle contraction.  Although the verdict is out whether the results are faster than a normal recovery time, many athletes have adopted this practice, and do think there are positive results.  If you are thinking about incorporating EMS into your recovery routine make sure you are using a high-end device, stay consistent, and target the correct spots to get contractions in your desired muscles.

Mobility vs. Flexibility - What's the Difference?

Mobility vs. Flexibility - What's the Difference?

Mobility and flexibility sometimes seem synonymous, but both words have very different meanings.  Keep reading to find out what the difference is between mobility and flexibility, and how to improve both!

Mobility vs. Flexibility

Simply put, flexibility refers to the ability of your soft tissues to stretch while mobility refers to the range of motion seen in muscle tissues, joints, and soft tissue.  Therefore, flexibility is under the umbrella of mobility, and both can impact the other, but success in one does not mean success in the other.  For example, you can have good flexibility when stretching, but when trying to perform a functional movement, mobility may be restricted due to overactive muscles compensating for a lack of stability somewhere.

How to Improve Both

Flexibility can be improved through stretching activities such as yoga.   The goal of stretching is to increase the ability of a muscle to lengthen. Some great beginner yoga poses include:

1.     Child’s Pose - sit on your heels, bring your torso forward and place your forehead on the ground in front of you. Extend your arms toward the front of the mat with palms facing down. Rest your chest in between your knees.

2.     Downward Facing Dog - start on hands and knees and spread your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hips-width apart. Send your hips to the sky to create an inverted V shape with your body. Spread your fingers and toes as wide as you can to get as much grounding as possible.

3.     Mountain Pose - Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Engage your legs and draw your tailbone down.

4.     Warrior I to Warrior II – to begin Warrior I come into a lunge position with your back heel facing inward and your front knee directly over your front ankle. Keep both your hips facing forward and bring your arms over head; to move to Warrior II open up your hips to the side of the mat and extend your arms out with palms facing down. Make sure to keep a 90-degree angle and gaze out over your front middle finger.

5.     Pigeon Pose - On hands and knees, slide your right knee forward toward your right hand and slide your left leg back. Square your hips to the front of the mat and bring your torso down into a forward bend over your bent right leg.

Mobility should be used when a muscle is restricted and needs to be released or range of motion needs to be improved.  Mobility can be increased through:

1.     Myofascial release

2.     Cupping

3.     IASTM

4.     Percussive therapy

Why Should You Care About Both?

Flexibility is important to mobility because it is hard to move a joint when the surrounding tissue is tight; mobility is important to flexibility because your body will compensate for any short comings and restrict flexibility if needed.  Beyond the gym, both mobility and flexibility are important for every functional movement you perform throughout the day and to prevent wear and tear on your joints over time.  Prioritize mobilizing and stretching throughout your self care routine to keep on top of all your muscle and joint needs.