Injury Recovery and ESSENTRICS, a personal story
In ESSENTRICS, we approach the body holistically and focus on keeping all areas open, strong, and pliable. Whether dealing with new or old injuries and scar tissue or simply maintaining overall health, our goal is to draw as much energy (blood flow) as possible into the muscles through eccentric muscle contractions (the lengthening of the muscle). By doing so, energy is more effectively circulated throughout the body, assisting the heart in delivering oxygen to even the smallest capillaries and removing toxins from the body.
The ESSENTRICS concept of "pulling up" is essential, especially when dealing with hip, knee, or ankle injuries. Imagine a string attached to the top of your head gently pulling you up, lengthening the cervical spine and right down through the tailbone, giving you a long and light "S" curve in your spine and dramatically reducing the amount of impact on your lower extremities. Without "pulling up," it is like having a bowling ball balanced on your spine, compressing all the vertebrae and joints of the body below it.
Injuries happen, and many times, this leaves scar tissue (plus, scar tissue can develop even during daily activities). The pain of an injury can limit our range of motion. Also, scar tissue limits the range of motion, causes stiffness, and even leads to chronic pain. ESSENTRICS provides gentle stretching to address healing and scar tissue. Recently (August 2023), I had a bike accident. My brain was telling me I was 17, and I was hot-dogging it down a pedestrian ramp at an overpass and entered the hairpin turn too fast. My front brakes grabbed more than anticipated, and I topped headlong over the handlebars onto the walkway, the bike falling on me. I was banged up and bleeding a bit. However, I initially thought it was more of a bruised ego. A few days later, what I thought was "just muscular" was confirmed by x-rays in the primary care doctor's office as something more serious. The subsequent MRI confirmed that it was a tear of my labrum, that piece of soft tissue that lines the socket of the hip joint. The labrum helps to provide stability and cushioning to the joint, kind of like a rubber gasket around a pipe fitting. When the labrum is injured or torn, it can cause pain and instability in the joint, and it was!
Referred to a specialist, an orthopedist. His take on the matter was I just needed to set an appointment for a hip replacement ASAP! My injury prevented me from running out of the room as fast as a jackrabbit, but that was my immediate impulse. My second orthopedic doctor's opinion was much more palatable and sane. He wanted me to schedule a follow-up appointment after some PT sessions. I was not impressed by the PT's demeanor and ability to listen to me. Also, the exercises were mind-numbing. I decided to test the healing properties of ESSENTRICS. In ESSENTRICS, we have a concept we call "levers"; basically, our appendages are levers. You can have short levers (arms extended with bent elbows) or long levers (arms extended with straight arms). We have a catchphrase of the longer the lever, the heavier the load. I knew that the smooth, gentle, profoundly effective, and full range of motion movements of ESSENTRICS would be my ticket to recovery. I also wanted to provide more resistance, lengthening the lever, so to speak, so I joined the Y to take advantage of their beautiful pool. In the pool, I lengthened the lever even more by using flippers.
The relative weightlessness you feel in the pool truly supported me through my hip-cleaners and side lunges in the pool (of course, I did even more movements that ESSENTRICS inspired, what fun!). Of course, my regular full-body ESSENTRICS workouts were a part of this healing cocktail, as they always leave me feeling so balanced and ready for the day. Importantly, I also took the direction I give to students in class: if you experience any sharp pain, you back off a bit. If you fight your body, your body will fight back. Nurture yourself! All in all, within a short few months, the torn labrum is no longer an issue, and I am feeling great. And one of the reasons I am feeling great is that I genuinely know that the healing power of ESSENTRIS is not just hype; it works!
When dealing with injury or scar tissue from an old injury, it is crucial to gently maintain the range of motion in affected areas and surrounding support structures. Utilizing the full range of motion of our muscles, joints, and tendons, with a focus on eccentric contractions, can help load energy (blood flow) into the muscles before using concentric contractions to pump energy throughout the body. In Essentrics, we also sometimes move within a stretch, gently testing and stretching all the supporting players to the main focus of the stretch. This movement within the stretch allows us to keep relaxed and more connected with our whole body.
It is essential to listen to your body and avoid overuse or pushing through pain, as this can worsen the condition.
I swear by Essentrics as a standalone fitness and health modality. However, Essentrics is an excellent complement to other healing modalities, like gentle self-massaging (possibly with a tennis ball or roller) or visiting a professional massage therapist. Staying hydrated and maintaining good nutrition can also support the body's natural healing processes. Please consult with a healthcare professional or a licensed physical therapist if you are experiencing pain or discomfort due to an injury or scar tissue; these practitioners can provide additional personalized guidance and treatment.
