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The Stick At Work
The American work force is similar to its athletic community
in that muscles are frequently called on to perform repetitive
tasks. Employees in the workplace use The Stick to manage
production fatigue and prevent repetitive strain injuries.
The athlete is all too familiar with the pains of shin
splints, tennis elbow, muscle strain, joint sprain, etc. Today's
worker is throttled with such phrases as repetitive strain
injuries, cumulative trauma disorders, over-use syndrome, carpal
tunnel syndrome, etc. Recent research in the field of
Biomechanics has shown that the athlete and the worker have one
common, constant, irrefutable finding -- both exhibit
non-compliant or unhealthy muscle tissue.
In order to understand non-compliant or unhealthy muscle it is
necessary to discuss compliant or healthy muscle. Compliant
muscle can be stretched, shortened, twisted or compressed without
restriction or pain. It exhibits good circulation, flexibility,
strength and endurance. On the other hand non-compliant tissue is
stiff, tender, and sore with a feeling of painful knots or tight
bands in the muscle. It exhibits poor circulation, reduced
flexibility, weakness and easily fatigues. Non-compliant muscle
is susceptible to injury in the same way a worn tire invites a
blowout. Non-compliant muscle creates barriers that hasten
production fatigue and restricts peak performance. The key to
achieving peak work performance is to remove the barriers.
A playing athlete will never perform without warming the
muscle and preparing it for the desired sport. Additionally, the
player will stop or change pace when the muscle tires or
fatigues. On the other hand, the working athlete rarely if ever
prepares the priority muscle for the required manual task. The
worker seldom stops or changes pace when the muscle gets tired or
production fatigue becomes an issue. The human body contains
roughly 690 muscle heads, tendons and bellies. Why are some
compliant and others are not? Why do certain muscles get stiff
during sudden weather changes, yet others appear unaffected? Why
do we continually wake up with the same pain in the same muscle?
Why does our back hurt more while standing than during bending?
Why do our episodes of muscular pain return to the same spot? Why
does the pain keep coming back - even after treatment?
The above hypothetical questions share a single response. The
answer is myofascial lesions in the form of barrier trigger
points. The Stick allows the working athlete to self-perform
general as well as segmental therapeutic procedures that remove
the barriers to peak work performance. It is the unassisted
rolling, stretching, twisting and compressing of the muscle that
diffuses barrier trigger points and converts non-compliant muscle
to compliant muscle.
The Stick offers a program for Industry that brings The Stick
technology into the workplace. Contact us for more information on
this innovative workplace program.
Copyright 1992, All Rights
Reserved Dr. Andrew S. Bonci Sport Biomechanics
Laboratory
A Brief
Review | The Stick
for Athletes | The Stick
at Work | Fibromyalgia & Trigger Points
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