28 Oct Astym Therapy Is Good For My Stems And Got Me Running Again!
A few facts for a little perspective!
1. I am and always have been athletic.
2. I graduated massage therapy school in 1998.
3. In 2009 I was diagnosed with a neurological disorder that at its peak left me unable to stand longer than 20 minutes at a time before fainting.
4. One of the requirements to manage this health condition is cardio. My cardio of choice is running.
I started running for 3 minutes at a time. This was humbling. But I did what I could. I gradually got up to about 45 minutes at a time, but then my calves started hurting so bad. It felt like a huge pressure and at any moment they would just pop. I tried all the massage techniques I could think of, I massaged the origin and insertion of all the muscles, I massaged my feet, I stretched, I stretched and massage, I soaked them…I did all I could think of. The pain prevented me from running and other exercise and therefore my symptoms started coming back.
Then my doctor referred me to Functional Performance for Astym therapy. He said it was as if the fascia around my calves (and really all the muscles of my legs) was suffocating my muscles.
I love Astym treatment.
I was able to keep exercising and improve quickly with this therapy. It was unlike anything I have experience. While I think massage can help prevent the need for it, Astym treatment is the ONLY therapy that will work for my legs when they start to get bound up.
I have gone in for a few rounds of Astym therapy for the past 3 years and honestly I will be probably try to be a lifetime recipient of this due to my health condition.
I am so very thankful for Astym treatment. I really want become a COTA and often daydream about becoming a Certified Astym Practitioner!
Thanks for helping me have healthy legs to keep me moving!
Loren, Recreational Athlete
Clinic: Functional Performance
