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Read! If you’re not sure who will have good foundational material, I think we can all agree The Governor knows a thing or two. Arnold has a “Bodybuilding Encyclopedia” that is for both beginners and advanced lifters, with a huge range of info that even covers nutrition. It’s massive and inexpensive. It can be bought on Amazon.
u/razzordragon
> Get an inexpensive folding massage table. (Under $100 on Amazon, the best investment in good sex you'll ever make.)
The truth of this humble statement by u/TantraGirl cannot be underestimated. Missus and I bought one for $80 bucks and it is absolutely the best sex toy we ever bought. To put that into perspective, we've been together 40 years and introduced toys into our sex inside the first six months. We bought the massage table 2 to 3 months ago and it absolutely rejuvenated and supercharged the intimacy of our sex sessions. We don't practice trantric or sensate focus techniques per-say but the table did create the space where we slow down, touch and feel each other, and take time to bring the extra pleasures of caressing and massage into our love making. The table is the best money we ever spent on our sex life. We also had this book on massage some 30 years ago and found it very useful as well.
I wonder how many commenters in this thread are actual bodybuilders in real life? Arnold Schwarzenegger authored a big book that will provide you a lot of actual expert info if you are sincerely interested : “https://www.amazon.com/New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Updated/dp/0684857219
If you want to gain muscle - stop doing the cardio - and get in the gym and start doing weights. Read this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Encyclopedia-Modern-Bodybuilding-Updated/dp/0684857219/
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It works!
If hip flexor stretches help there's a decent chance that you have anterior pelvic tilt; that can overstress back muscles significantly. It's common to have tight hip flexors along with weak glutes and hamstrings.
You might also have trigger points causing you issues; I had bad quadratus lumborum trigger points. I highly recommend this book.
There can be pain during, especially when getting a trigger point to release, but not after. The vagus nerves are nearish the sternocleidomastoid muscles which run from the ear down the sides of the neck. It is easy to upset them which can lead to vomiting.
This book has been a lifesaver for me for home self release :
https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1608824942
Anything with the neck needs to be gentle. It is easy to do permanent damage to the neck. When I get bodywork done, it sometimes takes an hour or two for them to get all of the muscles to stop spasming, and some of the deep ones are quite painful to release. But after the massage, I’m floating on a cloud and go to sleep for hours. I drink a ton of water to help flush the muscles and I’m beyond refreshed and pain free.
There is something not right about her experience. They should at least be concerned about making the experience more tolerable and reducing her pain. Find someone else.
Go to your favorite bookseller and buy this book.
It is reasonably likely that you have a trigger point rather than a nerve issue, especially given your lifestyle.
The key thing to know about trigger points is that they often "refer" pain - the pain does not show up where the trigger point is.
Thank you so much for your response. It sounds like we are definitely in a similar boat and you’ve illustrated at reality that I’m sure I didn’t want to accept, I’m in it for the long haul. Being in my 40’s and working in a repetitive motion career, pain management has become something of an unwelcome passenger for me. I got through tennis elbow about 3 years ago. It took about 1.5 yrs before it became something I stopped thinking about anymore, but If you’re anything like me, its not so much about the present pain but rather what the heck awaits 20-30 yrs from now.
I thank you for the recommendations, I’ll definitely heed them with care. Dealing with these things myself I’ve learned that diligence and consistency make a difference. Google, Reddit, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov, and Amazon have all played a role in my roads to recovery. 2 things I’ve found so far in my search for this solution Id also like to share. Thanks again for your response friend and best of luck!
The Trigger Point Therapy... https://www.amazon.com/dp/1608824942?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Osteo Neck Stretcher with... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B13TKJMK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Youtube is dog shit. Everyone has the latest and greatest. This is all you need. Tired and true techniques whos job it is to be in shape.
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I went through this same exact thing! I’m about 85% better now because of this “self applied trigger point massage therapy workbook” and going in the sauna everyday. They have portable infrared or steam saunas for a few hundred dollars on Amazon
Plus taking all the supplements too
Yes of course; here is the book I read cover-cover to get the workout programs that got to me to where I am at today The sacred meat head Bible
Yes learn how to massage your sternocleidomastoid muscles from this workbook… those symptoms you’re talking about can be caused by knots in this muscle.
After the vaccines I literally developed knots in every single muscle in my body… the pain was so bad, I couldn’t work for like 6 months. But this workbook has been a life saver. Plus supplements, sauna, etc. of course. But my pain is manageable now after learning how to do self applied trigger point massages
Hope it helps you too!!
Something that has built up over 5 years is not going to be fixed in a couple of days.
Two bits of advice...
On the PT side, find one that works with athletes if possible, tell them you are highly motivated to do the exercises on your own and you aren't afraid of discomfort, do the exercises faithfully, tell them if the exercises aren't working, and go back for regular sessions. PTs mostly work with sedentary people who really don't exercise and are poorly motivated, so you need to make it clear that you are different. A good PT will also be able to tell you whether they can help you or whether you need a referral to an ortho.
Second, go buy this book. It is possible that you have trigger point issues and the right treatment can make a big difference.
First, check your hip flexors. Especially check whether you have tight hip flexors and/or anterior pelvic tilt.
Second, you might consider a bike fit if you haven't had one.
Third, try this book.
https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1608824942
Yes, this or Ian's book.
I'd kind of avoid gear (table, lube, etc) because therapists often want to choose their own based on their own personal preferences...
this book is for you!
https://www.amazon.com/Massage-Weird-Beat-Burnout-Therapist/dp/B09M8CFSCK
I think the first chapter is literately about MT performance anxiety (that or the second chapter or something)
congrats on the therapy though, that's really the golden ticket right there
Tinnitus can be caused by muscle trigger points.
This book has some good advice: https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1608824942/ref=pd\_lpo\_1?pd\_rd\_i=1608824942&psc=1
Yes, I have found relief. I don’t have a ton of specific techniques. I try to listen to my body and what it needs at the time. Mostly going slow and following the muscle. But sometimes faster is better. Or staying in on area. I will say, if you’re working on muscle, this book has been a major help to me:
Gotcha. With that much not working well, I’d suggest NOT starting with Awareness Through Movement lessons, at least not without being in the room with a practitioner as part of a group, just because you probably underestimate how important moment-to-moment comfort is in learning new ways to move. And there’s no chance to get better at that without being in the same room as someone who can help.
That said, some of what you’re describing could probably be helped by the techniques in this book: https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1608824942/
I recommend buying a hard copy, but if money is an issue, there’s pdf versions online that are easy to find.
I discovered that book a few years before I found Feldenkrais, and it really helped me, and still does for a few things.
You might have some trigger points causing referred pain. Check out this book: Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1608824942/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_51X1DNTWTARTNSBVE1S4
I’ve had this, not quite as bad I don’t think.
Here’s a book: https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1608824942/
Buy it, or Google it and you can find the pdf for free if that suits you. Stretching never works for me. But using a hard rubber ball against a wall usually does. The places to try are the piriformis, the gluteus medius (which is over on the side), and probably the quadratus lumborum (QL) in the lower back (or perhaps a little closer to the spine from the QL).
The ball I use is a super-bounce ball that’s solid rubber. Air-filled balls are too soft, like racquetballs. I hear lacrosse balls work, I don’t know anything about them.
Look at the table of contents of the book to see how you should be doing the massaging using the ball, then look up the muscles I mention by name in the ones or in the quick-reference in the very back. And look up sciatica. There’sa whole section on it.
My understanding is there’ a sub-set of the populace for whom stretching makes things worse not better, but we are small so most professionals that are in the habit of recommending stretching just ignore that we exist. Luckily, trigger point massage is fairly effective and very quick. Like do the massage for 2 minutes and then wait 5 minutes and if you were working the right place, you’ll know.
There is a *decent* chance that the pain is myofascial rather than bone-related, especially since the course of treatment you followed didn't fix the issue.
I am a huge fan of this book which outlines all of the different muscle trigger points that can lead to pain. The weird part about trigger points is that the pain is often "referred" - it doesn't show up where the trigger point is but somewhere else. I sometimes get pain on the front of my ankles, but it comes from a trigger point near the top of my shin. It's just a weird phenomena. The book not only helps you identify which trigger points might be problematic, it tells you how to treat them.
My notes on physical therapy:
- Different PTs have different degrees of skill and experience. It took me a few tries to find one that works well with athletes and with me.
- Most of the work PTs do is with people who are mostly sedentary, have low motivation, and need to be closely supervised or they won't do their exercises. For me, that meant too much of the visit time was on exercises and the exercises were rarely hard enough to get the effect I want. My PT will show me exercises (and video tape me doing them on my phone), but our visit time is generally used for massage, manual mobility work, cupping, and other hands on work.
Oh, one more thought - you can try cupping at home; there are silicone cuppings sets that are pretty cheap and work well. Think of it as the opposite of foam rolling; instead of pushing down on the area it is pulling up. I've had some great results recently with some nagging areas that weren't getting better, but like deep tissue massage, it can be very painful. A good PT will use this as one of their treatment modalities.
Similar issues and others have responded to DIY myofascial trigger point release in my case. There are lots of YouTube videos these days on such release for specific areas, many excellent, some not so good. But it can be hard to gain the perspective and consider all the muscles involved which might be affected or contracted without some sort of overall reference resource with maps of pain patterns and alternative muscles and trigger points to release. There is a good workbook by Clair Davies that serves that function, can be worth reading the reviews to consider whether it may be helpful or of interest . . .
https://www.amazon.com/Trigger-Point-Therapy-Workbook-Self-Treatment/dp/1608824942
Myofascial release techniques were pioneered by Janet Travell MD, and she co-authored a 1300 page 2 volume medical treatise on the subject.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_G._Travell
I have those Travell books, excellent medical resources, but the Davies book is much less expensive and great for DIY assessment, understanding, and resolution. I carry a Kindle version of the Davies book on my phone in case reference is needed in the backcountry. A couple of the most astute primary care MD’s I know, hikers themselves, use the techniques and education regularly in their practices. One of them photocopies pages of the Davies book and passes them out to patients.
Two bits of advice...
Hip flexor issues can easily lead to back issues. Doubly true if you have anterior pelvic tilt.
I had muscle trigger point issues that gave me weird back issues. This book helped me a lot.
Has anybody considered muscle trigger points? Burning sensations are exactly what I got from some of the trigger point issues I've had, and the weird part is that trigger points often "refer" pain to a different part of the body.
This book has been invaluable for me in doing self treatment.
You might just have some trigger points check out this book
Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1608824942/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_S7R39AVXNPYT5SND9WBJ
I would really suggest this book:
Trigger Point Therapy Workbook: Your Self-Treatment Guide for Pain Relief (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1608824942/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8GW8XW21MDF9EJE248PC
Backs are notorious for having chronic issues that don't show any symptoms and then a little extra something makes them really painful.
You need to address the chronic issues or it is likely to keep happening.
My best advice is to find a good physical therapist, get an evaluation, and do the stretches and exercises they prescribe.
My "I can't get to a PT" advice is to check and see if you have anterior pelvic tilt, work on your hip flexor flexibility, and buy this book. That's what fixed my issues.
This book has helped me a lot.
I use a foam roller sometimes, but I more commonly use a set of massage balls or a percussive massager.
I also generally recommend a visit to a good physical therapist. Muscle issues that crop up now and then are generally a sign that you have a chronic issue that only shows up sometimes.
I really like "The Anatomy of Stretching: Your Illustrated Guide to Flexibility and Injury Rehabilitation" by Brad Walker.
The book itself don't go super deep on the details of how stretching works, but it has a huge selection of stretching movements and positions and very helpful tables and guides on the end that helps you selecting what exercise to do depending on injuries or what sport you practice.
https://www.amazon.com/Anatomy-Stretching-Second-Illustrated-Rehabilitation/dp/1583943714/