muscle massage therapy Archives - Health Tips From The Professor

Relief From Tension Headache Pain

January 21, 2025 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Which Muscles Cause Tension Headaches?

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

Topic Of The Month – Tension Headaches

Lately a lot of people have been coming to my office complaining of headaches that have plagued them for a long time…in one case for years!

This woman had been everywhere and had every test that the medical world could offer. Nothing showed why she had these terrible headaches. At one point she told me the pain was a 10 on a scale of 1-10. Imagine how terrible it was for her to suffer every day from such a crippling condition. My heart went out to her!

Fortunately, her problem was caused by muscles, the one thing that most of the medical world doesn’t consider when looking for a solution to pain.

In fact, if you watched my TED talk: The Pain Question No One is Asking, you may have already heard me talk about this missing link. (If you haven’t heard my TED talk, go to YouTube and enter: Julie Donnelly, Pain and I’ll pop up.)

Let’s talk about muscles and why they will cause headaches (and a whole lot more!).

Which Muscles Cause Tension Headaches?

While there are many causes for headaches, such as stress, anxiety, depression, head injury, or anxiety, and life-threatening causes we won’t go into here, one type of headache that is caused by muscular tension is known as a muscle contraction tension headache.

As shown in the graphics above, muscle spasms (colored circles) will refer pain to your head, even when you don’t feel any discomfort where the spasm is actually occurring.

(In this article I will focus on treatments for pain caused by the levator scapulae and trapezius muscles).

Muscles in the neck and scalp can become tense or contract in response to stress, depression, or anxiety, leading to tension headaches. Fortunately, in many cases, simply pressing on the trigger points (the colored circles) will release the tension being felt in your head.

To prevent tension headaches, it is important to maintain good posture, practice relaxation techniques, and use a pillow that keeps your head, neck, and spine in a horizontal plane while you sleep.

Relief From Tension Headache Pain

There are too many treatments for headaches to include all of them in this newsletter. If you want to know them, I suggest you get one of my books, especially Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living or The Pain-Free Athlete.

Meanwhile, I want to share an important Julstro self-treatment that you may find works well for tension headaches:

Place a ball such as the Perfect Ball (shown in picture) or a tennis ball, on the top of your shoulder.

Lean into the corner of a wall, as shown.

Keep your head close to the wall to prevent the ball from slipping and landing on the floor.

Bend at your hips so your upper body goes up and down, causing the ball to roll along the top of your shoulder. This will treat both the levator scapulae and trapezius muscles – both are key muscles for tension headaches.

Be gentle with this treatment as it will cause pain to be felt in your head as you are doing the treatment. Only use enough pressure that it “hurts so good.”

Do 5-6 passes on each side. It can be repeated often during the day but give a little time between each session to allow the muscle to relax.

Drink a LOT of water so the acid that you’re pressing out of the muscle will get flushed out of your body.

This may look a bit confusing, but it’s simple when you follow the directions. And the best part is, IT WORKS!

How to Learn the Other Treatments for Headaches

If you go to www.FlexibleAthlete.com you can read a lot more about muscles and pain. You will also find my books and other self-treatment tools by pressing on Shop.

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

______________________________________________________________________________

My posts and “Health Tips From the Professor” articles carefully avoid claims about any brand of supplement or manufacturer of supplements. However, I am often asked by representatives of supplement companies if they can share them with their customers.

My answer is, “Yes, as long as you share only the article without any additions or alterations. In particular, you should avoid adding any mention of your company or your company’s products. If you were to do that, you could be making what the FTC and FDA consider a “misleading health claim” that could result in legal action against you and the company you represent.

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

______________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Julie Donnelly has been a licensed massage therapist since 1989, specializing in the treatment of chronic pain and sports injuries. The author of several books including Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living, The Pain-Free Athlete, and The 15 Minute Back Pain Solution.

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She has a therapy practice in Sarasota, Florida, and she travels around the USA to teach massage and physical therapists how to do the Julstro Method, and she also teaches self-treatment clinics to anyone interested in taking charge of their own health and flexibility.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

About The Editor

Dr. Chaney has a BS in Chemistry from Duke University and a PhD in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is Professor Emeritus from the University of North Carolina where he taught biochemistry and nutrition to medical and dental students for 40 years.

Dr. Chaney won numerous teaching awards at UNC, including the Academy of Educators “Excellence in Teaching Lifetime Achievement Award”. Dr Chaney also ran an active cancer research program at UNC and published over 100 scientific articles and reviews in peer-reviewed scientific journals. In addition, he authored two chapters on nutrition in one of the leading biochemistry text books for medical students.

Since retiring from the University of North Carolina, he has been writing a weekly health blog called “Health Tips From the Professor”. He has also written two best-selling books, “Slaying the Food Myths” and “Slaying the Supplement Myths”. And most recently he has created an online lifestyle change course, “Create Your Personal Health Zone”. For more information visit https://chaneyhealth.com.

For the past 45 years Dr. Chaney and his wife Suzanne have been helping people improve their health holistically through a combination of good diet, exercise, weight control and appropriate supplementation.

Relieve Carpal Tunnel Pain Naturally

December 17, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Why I Developed Natural Treatments For Carpal Tunnel Pain

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

In 1997 I had wrist pain that was so incredibly severe that I couldn’t take my left hand from flat on a table and bring my thumb up to two o’clock. I couldn’t pick up a pen, never mind write with it, and the pain was like someone was cutting my wrists with a hot knife. It closed down my massage therapy business and was forcing me to think what I could do to support myself for the rest of my life!

I was told I had carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and that I needed surgery, but I knew that scar tissue was going to fill the space, so that’s not something I was willing to do. Also, I knew that cutting the bridge to the carpal tunnel would weaken the thumb muscle, so another reason I didn’t want surgery.

It took a LOT of thinking, but I finally figured out how to solve the problem by treating muscles from my neck to my thumb, each of which was putting a strain/pressure onto the median nerve. The median nerve is the nerve that causes the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (numbness, tingling, pain).

And it worked! I was completely out of pain and back to work again! I was thrilled!!!

Muscles Affecting The Carpal Tunnel

The muscles on the top of your arm (B) are called the Extensors.

Your extensors originate at your elbow and insert into the carpal bones (back of your hand) and into your fingertips.

Your Flexor muscles (A) are on the underside of your forearm.

The flexors also originate at your elbow, they come down your forearm and merge into the tendon at your wrist. The tendons then go through your carpal tunnel and then insert into your hand and fingers.

When your hand is flat on a table and your extensors start to contract, you lift up your hand (B). But you can see that the flexors (A) on the underside of your forearm will need to lengthen to allow this movement.

When your flexors are tight (commonly from repetitive movements) they won’t lengthen to allow your extensors to pick up your hand, and the taut flexor tendons may trap your median nerve in your carpal tunnel. This is a major cause of carpal tunnel syndrome because the nerve is being trapped right in the carpal tunnel. It was one of the primary keys to my symptoms, and an important part of the carpal tunnel treatment protocol.

Why I Developed Natural Treatments For Carpal Tunnel Pain

As you look at this graphic, you’ll see the flexor tendons surrounding the median nerve as they all pass through the carpal tunnel. Also, notice the carpal bones, which are where the extensor muscles attach. Finally look at the thumb muscle called Opponens Pollicis. This muscle originates on the bridge to the carpal tunnel (called the Flexor Retinaculum), and when the muscle contracts you bring your thumb into the center of your palm.

The flexor retinaculum is the ligament that is severed during carpal tunnel release surgery. As you look at how close the median nerve is to the flexor retinaculum you can see where a potential surgical mistake could sever the nerve. This accident disables the hand and isn’t reversible. Also, severing the flexor retinaculum means your thumb loses its base, and you lose strength

This is the reason I refused surgery and sought a different carpal tunnel treatment.

As I studied each muscle and saw how they each impacted the median nerve, I realized that if I released the spasms in each muscle that it would take the pressure off the nerve. And, sure enough, that’s exactly what happened!

It took me about 90 minutes to figure this out (it will only take you 15 minutes to do all of the carpal tunnel treatments to yourself), but in just that short amount of time I released ALL of the pain and numbness in my hand and wrist. I was beyond being thrilled — I saved my career!

Relieve Carpal Tunnel Pain Naturally

The reason you feel pain at a location that is different from the area of a muscle spasm is pretty simple to explain:

If you pull your hair at the end, it will hurt where it inserts at your scalp. But you don’t need to massage your scalp, you don’t need pain pills, and you definitely don’t need brain surgery to stop the pain.

You just need to let go of your hair!

If The Extensors Are The Problem

This same principle applies with muscles. The pain will refer to the insertion point in the wrist or hand.

If the extensor muscles are the problem, the solution is to until the knot in the muscle by applying direct pressure onto the spasm and holding it for about 30 seconds.

For example, if the knot is in the extensor muscles in your arm, you can apply pressure on your extensor muscles by following the picture on the left and pressing deeply into the muscle fibers.

It will hurt, and you’ll probably feel it refer all the way to your wrist and hand.

Hold the pressure for at least 30 seconds, longer if you want, and then move your fingers 1-2” in either direction. You’ll keep feeling tender points. Each of them is a spasm that is causing pain in your wrist.

Then turn your arm over and use your fingers to press into the muscles on the underside of

If Your Flexors Are The Problem

Step 1:

To release the spasms in your thumb muscle, place your opposite elbow into the thick portion of your thumb as shown in the picture to the left.

Step 2:

Use your fingertips to guide your elbow along the muscle. Move your elbow in a line from the center of your wrist to the base of your thumb.

Use sufficient pressure to really feel the muscle and the tender points which are spasms in the muscle fibers.

When you find a spasm, hold the pressure for 30 seconds and then deeply move back and forth a little bit.

If you are experiencing hand/wrist pain or numbness, before you make the decision to go for surgery it is worthwhile to check out my Julstro System For Hand/Wrist Pain and Numbness. You can’t undo surgery!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

______________________________________________________________________________

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

_______________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

About The Editor

Can You Touch Your Toes?

November 19, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Treating Hamstrings To Relax The Pelvis

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

Happy Thanksgiving!

November is the month that reminds us to be grateful for all the blessings we enjoy because we are Americans. Of course, we should be grateful every day for the freedoms we have in this beautiful country! Have you thought about the freedom you enjoy the most?

For me it’s the freedom to worship however I choose because we don’t have a particular religion forced on us. I also love the fact that I can own my business and move it anywhere I like in the entire country.

I hope you’ll give some thought to what you are grateful for as this happy holiday draws near.

With that said, I want to tell you about a man who drove 17 hours from southern Texas to work with me for a week. Let’s call him JT for privacy.

Can Touch Your Toes?

JT was stiffer than anyone I’d ever seen in the past, and after a 17-hour trip, we knew he needed to come in a LOT. He ended up coming in for 3 hours a day for the first 3 days, and 90 minutes on Thursday and Friday.

When JT arrived, it amazed me at how stiff his pelvis was, every muscle that moved his pelvis, legs and low back were tied up in multiple tight knots. He has given me permission to share his pictures with you so I can explain something interesting that I found, and how it can help you to release tension in your low back.

Day 1: JT’s hips were so locked that when he bent forward his fingertips only went to 7” above his knees. He couldn’t bend any further than this!

I’ve already shown you how to do the self-treatment for your quadriceps using a 12”x1” length of PVC pipe (https://chaneyhealth.com/healthtips/chronic-thigh-muscle-pain-relief/), and how to use the Perfect Ball on your low back muscle (https://chaneyhealth.com/healthtips/do-stretches-for-sciatica-nerve-pain-work/).

This is where we started so the muscles that rotate the pelvis down in the front can start to release.

Day 2: First I worked on all of the muscles that insert into his thigh bone where it inserts into his pelvis. Then JT used the Perfect Ball and working on the floor he went deeply into all of the muscles that connect his pelvis to his thigh bone.

At the end of the day his fingers were 5” below his knee joint.

On Day 3 there was a set-back, his fingers were still about 2” below his knee joint but we were questioning what we were missing. When JT bent forward, he had pain in the front of his pelvis, just below the point of his hip bone.

That’s an area that shouldn’t be hurting when JT bent forward. I kept looking at my skeleton, Max, and my book of muscles/bones/joints, to try to figure it out, and looking at the muscles of the pelvis. Then suddenly it was so clear!

Your hamstrings originate at the base of your posterior pelvis, and they insert just below the back of your knee. Your thigh bone (femur) inserts into your hip at an area called the acetabulum, it looks like fitting a ball into a curved cup.

This is the part I want to share with you today.

How Your Hamstrings Impact Your Pelvis

On the afternoon of Day 3, I was frustrated at the set-back. After staring at Max and my book of muscles it finally dawned on me that it was JT’s hamstrings that were part of the problem, even though it was his rotating pelvis that was causing his hip joint to be out of alignment.

I had been working on all the pelvic muscles and they all felt pretty good, and I had done a pass down the back of his thighs, but I hadn’t focused on JT’s hamstrings. And that made all the difference!

An important point to mention when talking about a long-standing problem with tight muscles is to discuss “muscle memory.”

Muscle memory is when a muscle that has been held shortened for an extended time (which could be just a few hours) it will shorten to that new length. The problem is, you release the tension in the muscles and get relief, but the muscle shortens again, and the strain is again placed on your joints.

As JT’s hamstrings shortened, they pulled down of the back of his pelvis, and this twisted the alignment of his hip joint. Because of this misalignment, he was feeling pain in the front of his hip, and that was the piece I’d been missing.

After treating JT’s hamstrings (treatment shown below) he was able to bend almost all the way to his ankles! Only three days before JT could only bend to not even the middle of his thigh, yet here he was almost to his ankles!

Treating Hamstrings To Relax The Pelvis

If you have been to my therapy office, you know that I always teach how to do 1-2 self-treatments. The reason is you need to reverse muscle memory, and the only way to do that is to do the self-treatments frequently – every day is best.

A simple way of treating your hamstrings is to put a Perfect Ball on a wooden chair, or the corner of a desk, and put your hamstrings onto the ball.

Keep moving the ball until you find tender points as these are the knots (spasms) that are putting a strain on your pelvis. Treat each point and then stretch

Stretching Your Hamstrings

Lie on your back and put a rope under your arch. Start with your knee bent and lift your leg up as high as you can go without seriously straining your hamstrings.

Slowly straighten your leg, stretching your hamstrings.

Day 5 – JT is Ready to Go Back to Texas

JT is now only 3” above the top of his foot. He’s not touching his toes yet, but he feels so much better.

The best news is that JT is thoroughly familiar with every self-treatment to release all the muscles that have an impact on his pelvis. He’s not 100% better yet, but he’s well on his way.

How Does This Affect You?

The important part of this story for you is that you CAN learn how to self-treat, and the odds are excellent that you can get relief from even the most stubborn of chronic pains.

My goal is to help as many people as possible to eliminate chronic pain that is caused by tight muscles, and to show them how to self-treat!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

_____________________________________________________________________________

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

______________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

About The Editor

Quick Relief For Calf Cramps

October 15, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Be Prepared When Muscle Pain Happens

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

I hope your summer went well and that you survived Debbie and Francine without too much damage. When Debbie came through South Florida the building where I have my office was flooded with 18” of water, and the area around Unity Church was under 3’ of water in some places!

There are long pine needles that have been blanketing my garden for several years. They always annoyed me until I decided to just use them as mulch and get over it.

They turned out to be a blessing. As the water rushed toward my front door, it picked up the needles, which got pushed under the rubber mat at my door. Between the mat and the needles, it formed a dam, and the water rushed to both sides, but not in my office!

So, I’m working as usual even though the building is going through some construction caused by the floods.

September ended with two wonderful things happening, proving to me that I can’t stop doing my work until I have someone trained to take my place.

Pain Relief After 38 Years!

The first example was a woman who has been in terrible pain since a surgery she had in 1986. On her first visit we were able to lower her pain level by about 90% and on her second visit it ended the pain totally. Then muscle memory set in and, since the muscles were held tight for 38 YEARS, 2 days later they tightened up again.

She came back into the office, and it didn’t take long to release the tension and go over the self-treatments I’d taught her on her first visit. She left feeling good. She also left feeling empowered because she felt more comfortable doing the self-treatments correctly.

A Reader Who Helped A Friend

The second example was really interesting. A woman named Margie, who lives in California, sent me an email. I’ve never met her in person, and she had only read my book. But when a friend was having a severe calf cramp, Margie was able to help her.

She wrote:

“Hi Julie, I just had to share what happened this past weekend. I was at a performance of the Pasadena Symphony orchestra when my friend sitting next to me was hit with an excruciating cramp in her calf! It happened at a quieter moment during the concert and not at a time when she could stand up or do anything except be in intolerable pain!!

I was able to quickly apply the Julstro Method for cramps that you had taught me. Within moments she said the pain had subsided enough to be doable until it eventually went totally away. It made me feel so good to be able to help her.

Thank you for your great instruction to me and she thanks you also!! Needless to say, you have another fan.”

I can’t tell you how happy this message made me. I asked her permission and then I posted it on my LinkedIn page for others to see.

You don’t need to stay in pain, you can treat the muscles. Frequently that is all that was wrong in the first place!

Quick Relief For Calf Cramps

Here are the steps I teach for leg cramps:

1) Grip your calf muscle as shown in this picture. This will really hurt, but a calf cramp hurts for minutes at a time, and this will shorten the time span for the cramp

Hold your hands and continue pushing the muscle together until you can begin to breathe normally again. Continue holding it another 30 seconds, bringing in as much oxygen as possible with slow, deep, breathing.

2) Release your hands and keep breathing deeply.

3) Repeat #1. This time it won’t hurt, but you are helping any last muscle fibers to complete the contraction before you move to release the spasm.

4) Begin to squeeze your entire calf as if you were squeezing water out of a thick towel. Move from the top of your calf and go down toward your ankle. This will feel good, so do it for as long as you can.

5) It is now safe to stretch your calf muscle because the cramp has completed, and you have flushed out the toxins. Stretch slowly, and don’t go past the point of “feels so good”. You don’t want to overstretch.

May it help you out with your next leg cramp and/or those you are near who suffer a leg cramp. Enjoy!

Be Prepared For When Muscle Pain Happens

This is the book that Margie has, and where she learned what to do with a calf cramp.

For only $47 you can discover how to stop pain from headaches to foot pains. You never know when you will need this valuable resource!

Click here for information on books, and other self-treatment products I’ve developed to help you stop pain FAST!

If you, or someone you know, is having chronic pain, please call me and we will work together to get relief quickly!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

_____________________________________________________________________________

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

_______________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

About The Editor

Is It Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

September 17, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Or Is It Something Else?

Treatment For Wrist Pain Masquerading As Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

It’s been hot this summer. High temperature records were broken not just in the USA, but all over the world! The funny thing is it was sometimes hotter up north than down here in Florida.

A snowbird client came in several weeks ago and told me they came back to Florida because they don’t have central air in their house up north (never needed it before). That’s pretty incredible.

For those of us who are old enough to remember the days before air conditioning, we are even more grateful for air conditioning.

I remember being pregnant with my son in 1967, when we were living in San Antonio, Texas. Most people didn’t have air conditioning yet, and we certainly didn’t.

I came to realize why Southerners talk so slow (remember, I’m a New Yorker). It was so hot we just didn’t talk at all. It took too much effort!

Fortunately, this time of year seems to pass quickly, and we’ll be getting back into cooler weather before we know it. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself.

Update On Giving To The Lakota Sioux Tribe

(https://www.onespiritlakota.org)

Thank you to so many people who generously gave clothes, shoes, and coats. Plus, two people gave a donation of money to pay for shipping, and one woman bought shoes during a Walmart Online sale, then she had them shipped directly to the tribe. I’m getting ready to send a box with coats and sweaters, and I’ve been told more will be coming to the office or being sent directly. If you would like to send it directly you can get a $30 shipping label for a box up to 70 pounds by going to https://givebackbox.shop/products/one-spirit-shipping-label.

Fusion Massage

I mentioned to you that I’ve added Fusion Massage to my list of therapies. Fusion Massage is a blending of relaxing oil massage with the focused osteopathic techniques that I normally do every day. It works extremely well. I’ve been doing focused osteopathic therapy for over 30 years, so there is no way that I could glide over a knot in your muscles, knowing that this knot is causing you pain, and not stop to take care of it. And that’s how Fusion Massage works…I stop gliding when I find a knot, put a piece of cloth on it, and work it out. Then it’s back to relaxing, gliding strokes again. Try it, you may like it.

This Month’s Focus Is On Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)

For some reason conditions seem to run in waves. Lately I’ve had several people come in with pain and numbness in their arms, wrists and hands. Some have even been diagnosed as having carpal tunnel syndrome, others are told they have something different going on. One person was told she had thoracic outlet syndrome, which is closer to the truth.

Rarely did any of them actually have carpal tunnel syndrome. CTS is when the median nerve is impinged within the carpal tunnel of the wrist.

This graphic of the carpal tunnel shows how the median nerve and the tendons of the underside of your forearm (the flexor muscle tendons) all pass through the tiny carpal tunnel.

I hope it will help you visualize the problem as you watch the video (below) that explains why muscles from your neck to your thumb can cause burning and tingling in your wrist, hand, and fingers.

A Bonus…A Treatment For Trigger Finger

Trigger finger is when one of your fingers gets stuck in the bent position, or when a finger won’t bend at all. Surgery is often recommended, and while it is sometimes necessary, it’s wise to check the tight forearm muscles before doing a medical procedure that can’t be reversed. The forearm muscles merge into tendons that move your fingers. If a muscle fiber gets tight, it is pulling on the tendon and therefore putting pressure on the finger. Release the tight muscles and your finger will move just fine.

Is It Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Or Something Else?

This video explains how muscles from the neck to the hand can cause symptoms that feel like carpal tunnel syndrome.

Hand and Wrist Pain Caused By Muscle Pain and Joint Stiffness

Treatment For Wrist Pain Masquerading As Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you have symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, you can come into the office and I’ll treat each muscle for you, or you can learn to treat it yourself.

In 1997 I had a severe case of CTS, which was so bad it shut down my entire therapy practice. It took some time and a LOT of searching, but I was able to eventually figure out how to self-treat it for 100% relief WITHOUT surgery. I’ve been sharing that knowledge ever since, and I’m happy to say it has helped hundreds of people avoid surgery and get total relief.

It’s simple to do, although it takes some time and concentration to learn each technique. The most challenging part was getting people to be able to apply the right pressure without hurting their opposite hand.

I had a client who was a sculptor, and he solved the problem. He designed a specialized tool, which we called the TotalTX Tool (TX is the abbreviation for “treatment” in the medical world). We tested it and found that not only does it work to treat the tight muscles that cause CTS, but it can release tension from your neck to your feet!

For the first few years a person had to come to me to learn how to do it themselves, but ultimately, I figured out how to teach the treatments on a video. That video became a DVD, and the DVD has grown into an MP4. Now you can order it on my shopping cart, I’ll mail you the TotalTX Tool, and you’ll get the rest of the pieces as an MP4, so you have them immediately.

Check it out for yourself. You CAN be your own Best Therapist and Stop Pain FAST!

https://julstromethod.com/product/julstro-system-for-hand-wrist-pain-and-numbness-dv

Give A Man Or Woman A Fish Or Teach Him/Her HOW To Fish

If you have been to my office for therapy, you know that I always teach you how to do something to help yourself at home. It’s something people really appreciate and tell others about because it’s not the norm in the therapeutic world. Teaching people self-treatment is something I’m very proud of because I am teaching my clients “how to fish.”

Have a wonderful month!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

_____________________________________________________________________________

For more detail about FTC regulations for health claims, see this link.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/health-products-compliance-guidance

______________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

About The Editor

Treatment For Shin Splints

July 16, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

What Causes Shin Splints?

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

July is here and Florida is hot! The “Snowbirds” have gone north to the cooler weather (a goal of mine!) and life is moving in the slow lane.

For me, the slow down time is giving me the opportunity to work on some big projects such as my self-treatment videos and my information videos explaining all kinds of info about muscles and pain. In future months my newsletter will have one of those explanatory videos, and 1-2 self-treatment videos that relate to the topic being discussed.

This month’s topic is on Shin Splints. I hope you enjoy all the outdoor activities that go with the month of July. This newsletter will help you deal with the shin splints that go along with some of those outdoor activities.

What Are Shin Splints?

If you are a runner, play any sport that involves a lot of running, or if you drive for long distances, you may have experienced pain &/or burning along the front of your leg, next to your shin bone. This pain is commonly called Shin Splints.

I’ve searched all through the internet and while I’ve found LOTS of articles about the cause of shin splints, the definition of shin splints, and treatments such as rest, ice, various meds, etc., I’ve never found anything that resembles the self-treatment I’ve been teaching for years and that is in each of my books.

I’m going to share that self-treatment with you. A plus is the treatment for the muscle that causes shin splints is also one of the main muscles that cause plantar fasciitis. So, you may get some pain relief that you weren’t even expecting.

What Causes Shin Splints?

The Tibialis Anterior muscle cause shin splints. The tibialis anterior muscle runs along the outside of your shin bone (the tibia bone), merges into a tendon at your lower leg, crosses over your ankle and then inserts into your arch. When it contracts, it lifts your foot and rolls it toward the outside. Because of these attachments, it is also a key muscle in a sprained ankle and in plantar fasciitis, but these are topics for different newsletters.

The muscle fibers are directly on your shin bone, so when they are tightening due to a repetitive strain, such as running or pressing down on the gas pedal while driving long distances, they start to tear off the bone. You can visualize this by considering how you rip meat off a bone while eating a steak or spareribs.

As the muscle is slowly tearing away from the bone you feel pain along the entire length of the bone, and it really hurts! Fortunately, it’s easy to release the tension in the muscle. Plus, as you’re doing the self-treatment I’m showing you, you are pressing the fibers back on to the bone, so it stops them from ripping away completely.

Relief From Shin Splints

You can get immediate relief from shin splint pain by treating your tibialis anterior muscle.

Begin to warm up the muscle by putting your leg straight out and running your opposite heel down the length of the muscle.

Right at the point where the picture is showing the model’s heel on her leg is the point where you’ll find the most sensitive trigger point.

Continue from just below your knee to just above your ankle joint.

Next kneel down as shown in the picture on the right, placing the ball at the top of the muscle and right next to your shin bone.

Notice the way his toes are bent. This will help prevent your arch from feeling like it’s going to cramp as the muscle pulls on the insertion point

Begin to move your leg so the ball is rolling down toward your ankle. Stop when you find a tight point.

When you get to your ankle you can roll back up toward your knee again. Ultimately it won’t hurt, but if it’s especially painful in the beginning just lighten up on the pressure. You may even need to lift your leg off the ball at first which will allow blood to come into the muscle fiber and help lessen the tension.

This technique has helped so many people over the years, I know it will help you too!

Snowbirds And Clients Around The World – Zoom Consultations Are Available

I’ve successfully worked with people around the world for many years.

I also love working with Snowbirds who are in Sarasota all winter, and then head north when it gets hot here. It’s so nice to see you, and to help you stop aches and pains.

The way we work together is simple:

You go to https://julstromethod.com/product/one-on-one-zoom-consultation/ and order a private consultation.

You send me an email explaining what is wrong, where you feel the pain, what you’ve done to treat it so far, etc., etc. Don’t tell me about medications because that is far out of my scope of practice so I can’t give any advice about them.

We meet on Zoom and work together to find and eliminate the source of your pain.

You receive the Zoom recording so you can watch it again later to refresh your memory about the treatments.

All this for only $147.

Have a beautiful summer!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

About The Editor

Relief From Headaches And Shoulder Pain

June 18, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Treating Your Levator Scapulae Muscle

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

This newsletter is moving into the 21st century! Everyone has been pushing me to get into videos, but I’m often a dinosaur and I could relate to just text and photos, so I pushed back. And finally, I saw the benefit to everyone of using videos.

Last month I included just the self-treatment video, and this month I’m moving even further ahead. I’ve filmed at least 40 videos explaining all kinds of info about muscles and pain. Each month the newsletter will have one of those explanatory videos, and 1-2 self-treatment videos that relate to the topic being discussed.

I’d really appreciate your feedback on this new way of presenting my info about why muscles cause pain and what you can do about it. I also appreciate your patience while I learn this new method as I’m sure I’ll be making some technical mistakes. 😊

A BIG shout-out to three people who are making this possible:

Pat White, Carla Sellers,

and Sherri Proctor

I’m also a dinosaur when it comes to creating the videos that are necessary to make all of this happen in the first place. So, I called an expert! I spent many hours with my good friend, Sherri, creating videos of just about everything. Sherri is a fantastic photographer and videographer. Aside from doing all the videos I’ll be sharing with you, Sherri is responsible for almost all the videos I use when I teach massage therapists, and now the self-treatment videos that are being shared with everyone. (If you need a GREAT photographer or videographer, call Sherri at 941-345-5135)

Pat is my webmaster. I can’t begin to list all the work he is doing with the newsletter to make these videos presentable so you can have the best experience watching them. He is also in charge of all my websites, teaching programs for massage therapists, and so much more. Pat also has great patience (or he hides frustration well!) as I move kicking & screaming into this new electronic world!

Thanks to Pat there will be many articles added to the website, each explaining another piece of the puzzle that makes up our body and how it works. The articles have all been tucked away in my computer as I didn’t know what to do with them. It’s fun working on the project of sharing them with everyone.

Plus, Pat is working on a major project that I’ll share with you when it’s ready to come out. I’m so excited!

Carla runs all the social media sites: Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. It all started with her just putting SEO and descriptions, and new thumbnail pictures, on each of the videos. She told me that as she watched the videos, she knew she had to do something to help me. That grew from a smallish project to a HUGE project! I’m incredibly grateful for all she has done, and is still doing, to bring my work to the world!

On To The June Newsletter

The body is a symphony of muscles, each playing its own part in our ability to move, and each a key player with a group of other muscles in just about everything we do.

I can’t possibly give you every treatment that needs to be done to get relief, but I will always give you information on the key muscles that need to be treated.

Relief From Headaches And Shoulder Pain

This month I want to share a video that explains a muscle that causes shoulder pain and headaches. The name of the muscle is Levator Scapulae.

The levator scapulae muscle originates on the first four cervical vertebrae and inserts into the medial border of your shoulder blade (scapula).

When the muscle contracts normally it lifts your shoulder blade, hence the nickname, “the shrug muscle.”

Click Here to watch the video explaining this muscle and why it causes headaches and shoulder pain

JulstroMethod Self-Treatment For The Levator Scapular Muscle

You’ll need a ball to do this self-treatment. If you’ve been in to see me, you have the Perfect Ball, which really is perfect to do this treatment correctly.

Click Here to watch how to quickly and easily release the tension in your shoulder muscle.

Snowbirds And Clients Around The World –

Zoom Consultations Are Available

I’ve successfully worked with people around the world for many years.

I also love working with Snowbirds who are in Sarasota all winter, and then head north when it gets hot here. It’s so nice to see you, and to help you stop aches and pains.

The way we work together is simple:

You go to https://julstromethod.com/product/one-on-one-zoom-consultation/ and order a private consultation.

You send me an email explaining what is wrong, where you feel the pain, what you’ve done to treat it so far, etc., etc. Don’t tell me about medications because that is far out of my scope of practice so I can’t give any advice about them.

We meet on Zoom and work together to find and eliminate the source of your pain.

You receive the Zoom recording so you can watch it again later to refresh your memory about the treatments.

All this for only $147.

Have a beautiful summer!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

About The Editor

Is It TMJ Or Simply Your Digastric Muscle?

May 21, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Treating Your Digastric Muscle

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

How wonderful, it’s May! I especially love May when I’m up north and the flowers are all blooming, the air feels fresh, and people come out to enjoy the lovely weather.

Here in Florida, it’s just starting to get hot. Most of our “snowbird” friends have left, although the traffic still seems heavy. I think a lot of people have moved here, or they are just staying longer than normal. So far, the humidity isn’t too bad. I’m pretending that it will stay that way. LOL

I’m Changing My Newsletter

I’ve been writing this newsletter for around 10 years. It’s time for a change.

On Friday, April 30^th, my dear friend Sherri, a fantastic photographer and videographer, came over to the office, and along with four models (Frankie, Barbara, Rachel, and Thomas) we filmed 50 short self-treatment videos for my YouTube channel. Pat, my webmaster, will format them and put them up on YouTube, and then one by one I will add the videos to my future newsletters.

My plan is to still write the explanation of the muscle and why it causes pain, so you’ll have all the background info you want. Then there will be a link to the video so you can do the self-treatment along with the model.

You’ll also be able to subscribe to my YouTube channel and see other self-treatments, so you won’t have to wait for a newsletter on the topic if you have an ache or pain that you want to resolve.

This month is the first newsletter to be done this way. I hope you like it.

A Muscle That Mimics TMJ Pain

We’ve discussed TMJ in previous newsletters, and now that I’m switching the pictures for videos, we’ll be talking about it again in the near future. The muscle we’re looking at this month causes pain in the same area of your jaw, but it doesn’t really affect the jaw at all.

The name of the muscle is Digastric Muscle.

The posterior digastric muscle is right under your ear, as shown in this graphic to the left.

It originates from the mastoid bone which is the bone behind your ear. And it inserts into the bottom of your chin.

When the digastric muscle contracts you open your mouth to chew, speak, sing, or yawn. Obviously, this is an important muscle.

Treating Your Digastric Muscle

The self-treatment is simple. Click Here to watch how to easily eliminate this ache.

You Can Also Find All The Solutions In One Easy-To-Read Book

Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living The Comprehensive Guide to Relieving Chronic Pain

This book provides a complete introduction to the Julstro Method, along with easy-to-follow self-treatment techniques to help you live a pain-free life.

Key highlights include:

It reveals the root causes of chronic muscle and joint pain, including trigger points.

It teaches the Julstro Method, a proven approach for self-treating a wide range of pain conditions.

It is fully illustrated with step-by-step instructions to relieve pain in different areas of the body.

It offers a drug-free, cost-effective solution for pain stemming from sports, work, or other repetitive activities Whether you struggle with persistent aches, numbness, or mobility issues, this book empowers you to take control of your health and find lasting relief. Discover how to revitalize your body and reclaim your active, pain-free lifestyle.

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

About The Editor

Your Popliteus Muscle And Knee Pain

February 13, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Treating Your Popliteus Muscle Safely

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

While February is the shortest month of the year, to our northern family and friends it is the longest, seemingly endless, month because it seems like winter is never going to go away.

Where I live in Sarasota Florida, winter brings us near-perfect days and cooler nights. It’s my favorite time of year. And of course, we all celebrate the holiday of love – Valentine’s Day!

Just a bit of trivia: In 1868, Richard Cadbury released the first Valentine’s Day box of chocolates, followed in 1902 with the first Valentine hearts from the New England Confectionery Company. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland created the first commercial Valentine’s Day cards in the United States. Hallmark first offered Valentine’s Day cards in 1913 and began producing them in 1916. (Thanks to Wikipedia for all this interesting info).

I was reviewing last year as I was deciding on a topic for this month. We discussed:

*Heel pain

*Groin pain

*Low back pain

*Restless leg

*Foot pain

*We spent two months discussing various causes of headaches,

*And now we are in 2024, this will be the second month explaining some of the many causes of knee pain.

In each of these I showed, or explained to you, how to do a simple self-treatment that can help to relieve the pain. Each of the treatments are in my books, and many people have decided to just order one of the books, so they had the full treatment protocol for aches and pains from your head to your foot.

I’ve done self-treatment videos, and if you have come to the office, you know that I teach you how to do specific self-treatments that relate to your personal area of pain.

Before I change the way I do things, let’s finish off knee pain by talking about a little muscle that causes pain deep inside your knee joint. It’s a muscle called popliteus.

Your Popliteus Muscle And Knee Pain

The popliteus is a small muscle that causes a LOT of deep-knee pain. It is located at the back of your knee joint. It attaches to the bone in your lower leg, crosses the joint, and inserts into your thigh bone. You can get a good look at it and read all about it by going to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Popliteus_muscle.

Because of the location of the origination and insertion points, when it contracts normally you bend your knee. In fact, its nickname is “the key that unlocks the knee.”

The muscle shortens and you bend your knee so you can sit down. However, you are sitting for a while and the muscle experiences muscle memory, so the muscle now “thinks” it is supposed to be shorter.

You then try to straighten your leg and stand up. However, the muscle is too short to make that movement, and it pulls hard on your knee joint. Since the muscle is so deep, you feel the pain deep inside the joint, and it may feel like a knife cutting into the back of your knee.

Treatment…

Fortunately, all you need to do is press your fingertips into the muscle, hold it for about 15 seconds, and then s-l-o-w-l-y straighten your leg. The pressure will force toxins out of the fibers, and straightening your leg will stretch the fibers.

Prevention…

When you are sitting for extended periods of time, simply stretch out your legs every 10 minutes or so. That will stretch the muscle before it has the chance for muscle memory to shorten the fibers.

What’s New For This Year?

This year I’m going to continue explaining why various muscles cause pain from the top of your head to your feet. The difference will be that I’ve already posted most of the self-treatments, and if you have one of my books, you definitely have all of the self-treatments.

Plus, there’s something exciting happening in 2024!

I’ve been working with my webmaster to start a yearly membership program where people can join and get:

*24/7 lifetime online access to my eBook: The Pain-Free Athlete

*a Perfect Ball (free shipping in the USA only),

*two 15 minute Zoom consultations where we can isolate the member’s pain situation, and

*access to several members-only group Zoom meetings over the course of the year.

This membership program will be renewable each year (sans the book and ball) so members will be able to quickly discover the source of their pain before it becomes an issue.

This book has been called “the bible” by athletes because they could find all their answers in it.

You can also have it in your home so you can Stop Pain FAST!

https://julstromethod.com/product/pain-free-athlete-book/

Watch for more new and exciting changes happening in 2024!

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com

Your Rectus Femoris Muscle And Knee Pain

January 16, 2024 by Dr. Steve Chaney

Treating Your Rectus Femoris Muscle Safely

Author: Julie Donnelly, LMT – The Pain Relief Expert

Editor: Dr. Steve Chaney

I hope that 2023 was kind to you and your family. Covid seemed to come and go, with new strains popping up every time we turned around. And then there is RSV and the flu. What a year!

In December the foods all seemed to be fattening – delicious for sure, but fattening. Which brings me to the topic of the month. Maybe you are trying to walk off some of the extra calories you put on last month.

Walking will help burn calories, but it can also come with aches and pains from muscles getting used repetitively.

This month I want to focus on pain that prevents you from bending your knee after several days of walking more than your body is used to. It can reduce your walks to a slow hobble at best. And that isn’t going to burn off any extra calories.

One Quadricep Muscle is the Source of Pain from the Low Back to the Knee.

You likely already know that there are four quadriceps that form the front of your thigh. You probably also know that they are responsible for straightening your leg when you want to stand up from sitting. But there is so much more…especially for one of the quads…the rectus femoris.

Your Rectus Femoris Muscle And Knee Pain

The rectus femoris is a long muscle located in the front, and a bit toward the outside of your thigh.

The rectus femoris is the only one of the four quads that originate on the tip of your pelvis (ASIS), the rest: vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus medialis, all originate along your thigh bone (femur). These four muscles join together and attach to your kneecap (patella).

This picture shows the muscle but fails to show the tendon that starts at the top of your kneecap, goes over your kneecap (patella), and inserts into the front of your shin bone (tibia).

It is the patella tendon that causes knee pain and can prevent you from bending your knee when you sit down or want to walk up steps.

Think of the analogy I use so frequently. When you pull your hair, your head hurts, but you don’t need to rub your head, take pain pills, or have brain surgery. You just need to let go of your hair!

In the same way, the muscle is pulling down on the front of your hip and may cause anterior hip pain, and it’s pulling up on your patella tendon, causing your kneecap to move up so you can’t bend your knee, and putting stress on your shin bone.

Your knee and front of your hip are NOT the problem, they are the symptom!

The Function Of The Rectus Femoris Muscle:

Since the muscle originates on the tip of your pelvis,

The rectus femoris flexes (bends) the hip along with two other muscles I’ve discussed in the past, the sartorius and iliopsoas. The four quads pull up on your lower leg at the knee, straightening your leg so you can stand up.

Injury To The Rectus Femoris Muscle:

In acute rectus femoris muscle injuries, a person may feel a tearing sensation at their knee, with an abrupt onset of pain.

Subacute injuries may present with gradual onset of pain at either the front of your hip or your knee. If you enjoy running, you may also have knee pain while you’re running uphill.

You may feel that you have arthritis in your knee joint. If that is the case, it is beneficial to see a deep muscle massage therapist to eliminate tight muscles from the diagnosis. You can also do the Julstro self-treatment that is shown below to release the tension in the muscle.

When a muscular strain injury occurs, a person may also have moderate to severe pain in the groin.

Pain can be sudden, like kicking the ball in soccer or sprinting from a standing position. Or it may build up gradually as an overuse problem with repeated tearing and repeated stress.

Stretching, without first releasing the tension in the muscle, can cause tearing where the muscle inserts into the tendon, or tear the tendon fibers from the bone.

Spasms in your rectus femoris can also be caused by contractions in the muscles that impact your lower back and pelvis. If this is the case, you need to treat each of the muscles before your thigh muscles release. I demonstrate the full treatment in my books in the chapter about the Julstro Protocol.

Treating Your Rectus Femoris Muscle Safely

There are multiple ways to treat your rectus femoris muscle and I show them to you in my books: The Pain-Free Athlete and Treat Yourself to Pain-Free Living.

Using a 12” length of 1” PVC pipe, place the pipe as shown in this picture. This is the perfect position to treat the rectus femoris.

Hold the pipe loosely in your hand or hold your four fingers straight out so you are not curling them around the pipe. This will prevent tension from forming in your forearm muscles.

Press into your thigh and slide, don’t roll, down your thigh to just above your knee.

Do this to your entire thigh, outside/front/inside so you treat all four quadriceps.

I suggest you treat both thighs, even if you are only having pain in one leg.

Wishing you well,

Julie Donnelly

www.FlexibleAthlete.com

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

About The Author

Julie has also developed a proven self-treatment program for the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.

She may be reached at her office: 919-886-1861, or through her website: www.FlexibleAthlete.com