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Top Fitness Expert and
Rehabilitation Specialist Reveals the
Secrets to Eliminating Those Aches and Pains
Forever!
By Jesse Cannone CFT,
CPRS, SPN
Do
you suffer from various aches and pains? Do
you find yourself avoiding certain
activities? Do you have trouble performing
your daily activities? Have you been
suffering for months or years from a problem
that just won’t go away? Wouldn’t you like
to eliminate those aches and pains?
I’m
assuming you answered YES to at least one of
those questions. My name is Jesse Cannone,
I’m a Certified Personal Fitness Trainer and
Certified Pre-Post Rehabilitation
Specialist, and I am here to tell you that
YOU CAN eliminate those aches and pains!
Many
people suffer unnecessarily from various
aches and pains. 4 out of 5 people
suffer from low back pain, that’s 80%!
Often times, people assume they have to live
with this, and it’s all part of life or
growing old. Absolutely not true!
Unfortunately, many people are misinformed
and do not understand the basics of how
their bodies work. I meet people every week
who have aches, pains, or conditions that
can be corrected in a matter of weeks with
just a basic stretch!
The
medical community doesn’t help when it comes
to the misinformation and lack of education
among patients. I frequently meet people
who have been diagnosed with conditions that
they don’t even have! Many patients with
back pain are wrongly diagnosed as having
spinal arthritis, degenerating discs, or
bulging discs when the cause of their
problem is actually due to muscle imbalances.
Nearly all of the aches and pains people
experience are due to muscle imbalances!
What is a muscle imbalance?
A
muscle imbalance is when two or more muscles
that oppose each other are not equal. A
common example of this is the difference in
the amount of pull of the quadriceps muscles
(front of thigh) and the hamstring muscles
(back of thigh). Another good example of
this is the difference in pull between the
low back muscles and the abdomen. That’s
why so many people recommend strengthening
your abs if you suffer from back pain. In
some cases it may help, however, there is a
lot more to it then just strengthening your
abs.
In
order to eliminate those aches and pains you
must first have a basic understanding of how
muscles work. Muscles connect to bones at
both ends of the muscle. For movement to
occur, the muscles must contract (shorten),
which pulls on one end of the muscle, which
is attached to a bone. Let’s use sitting in
a chair and straightening your leg as an
example. The quadriceps muscles attach at
the upper part of your thigh and just below
the knee. When you contract the quadriceps
muscles, the muscles shorten and pull on
your lower leg bringing it up to the
straight position.
Think of your body as a marionette and your
muscles are the strings. If one of the
strings pulls more than the other, things
won’t be even. Everyday life sets us up for
numerous muscle imbalances. There are
muscles that get over worked and too tight,
and there are muscles that get neglected and
aren’t strong enough. An example of
this would be, how sitting for long periods
of time tightens the hip flexor muscles and
the hamstring muscles because they are in a
shortened position while sitting.
How much time do you spend sitting each day?
Most people spend at least a few hours each
day. Poor positioning and overuse are the 2
main causes of muscle imbalances. Whenever
a muscle is held in a position other than
normal for long periods, it adjusts in
length accordingly. The example mentioned
before about sitting is an example of poor
positioning. An example of overuse would be
how the underside of your forearm (flexors)
is usually too strong and tight, while the
topside of your forearm (extensors) is too
weak. That is the number one cause of wrist
problems, such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome.
Muscle imbalances can exist in every part of
your body. Low back pain, shoulder
impingement (rotator cuff), tennis elbow,
and runners knee, are just a few of the
common conditions that are caused by muscle
imbalances.
Basic exercises and
stretches can eliminate most aches, pains,
and conditions people experience!
Without
muscles your body would crumble to the
floor! Muscles hold your body together and
allow for movement. They play a very
big role in your overall health!
Unfortunately, most medical professionals
zoom in on your problem, which is often just
a symptom, rather than assessing the body as
a whole. Remember, the human body
functions as a whole and therefore, it
should be assessed as a whole.
Many
medical professionals do not educate their
patients as to how muscle imbalances affect
their problem or condition!
It
is extremely important that you understand
how your body works and also that there is a
big difference between a symptom and a
cause. Often times the cause of a problem
is in another area of the body!
So how do you figure
out which muscles are out of balance?
In
order to determine which muscles are out of
balance you must first know what is normal
for that muscle and then compare it to the
same muscle on the other side. For example,
compare the tightness of the right hamstring
to the left. Unfortunately, there are many
factors to consider when assessing for
muscle imbalances. I highly recommend you
get the help of a qualified professional who
specializes in assessing and treating muscle
imbalances. When looking for the right
professional you should ask them numerous
questions such as: What is their background
and education? How do they treat muscle
imbalances? Are they licensed, insured, and
qualified? I would also recommend that
while talking with this person you listen to
hear if they mention the things I’ve just
taught you. If they don’t, then they are
not going to be a wise choice
How do
I correct a muscle imbalance?
The most effective method
for treating a muscle imbalance is to
attempt to bring the muscles closer to
balance with a combination approach. The
muscles, which are too tight, or pulling too
much, should be stretched daily. And the
muscles that are too weak, or not pulling
enough should be strengthened with
progressive strength training 2-3 times per
week.
Massage and manual
physical therapy are also very effective
when used in conjunction with the right
exercises and stretches. It is very
important that you are performing the
exercises and stretches that are best suited
to you and your situation. Don’t just think
that going to your gym and starting a
general exercise routine will take care of
things – it won’t! It is very likely that a
lot of the exercises you do will worsen your
condition. However, you shouldn’t avoid
activity all together. That will only allow
muscles to weaken which will worsen the
condition when you do try to use the muscles
again.
The ONLY long-term
solution for eliminating those aches and
pains is to learn about where you have
muscle imbalances and work on correcting
them with the RIGHT exercises and stretches!
Listed below are 5
strategies, which, if implemented correctly,
will guarantee your success in eliminating
those aches and pains…forever!
1.
Learn how
your muscles work.
When you understand how something works you
are much more likely to figure out how to
fix it.
2.
Get the help
of a qualified professional! I
can’t stress this enough. It is very
important that you learn what the cause is.
A qualified professional can help you learn
what’s causing the problem and teach you how
to treat it! A physical evaluation
consisting of tests to determine strength,
flexibility, and balance should be done to
determine which muscles are out of balance.
3.
Perform some
form of progressive strength training!
This doesn’t
mean you have to join a gym, or follow some
bodybuilding workout program. You MUST
strengthen the weak muscles and the fastest,
safest, and most productive way to do that
is with strength training. You can use free
weights, rubber exercise bands, your body
weight, soup cans, or anything else. All
you need is resistance.
4.
Spend five
minutes every day stretching!
In order to correct
or improve the condition of a muscle
imbalance you MUST lengthen the tight
muscles, or get them to release a little.
5.
Drink water!
A well
hydrated body functions better in every way;
you’re less likely to have muscle cramps,
your body recovers quicker, your immune
system is stronger, and muscles and joints
function better.
There you
have it. 5 strategies you can implement to
easily and quickly work on eliminating those
aches and pains! |
