MYO Seminar Series on Myofascial Trigger Point Therapy

Tool Checklist

The easiest tools that you can’t forget are, of course, your hands!
Mini Fomentek Bags
Jacknobber
Tennis ball(s)
“Knee-hi” stocking
Ischial Lift (if applicable)
Essential Oil(s)
Saline Nasal Spray
Earplanes

Techniques For Tools

Don’t feel limited to the techniques listed below.

Feel free to be creative, working within your comfort zone.

The Hands
To relieve symptoms of nausea, dizziness, or ringing in the ears try pinching the SCM muscle between thumb and index finger. Be sure to work along the whole length of the muscle including the attachment side at the mastoid process (the bony prominence behind your ear). Gentle pinching of the front of the neck, jaw and face will keep these areas loose and relieve tension.

Tennis Ball

1) Place tennis ball between your back and the seat or a wall. Starting at the upper back near your spine, compress the paraspinal muscles by leaning back into the tool. Cover the entire surface of the back, avoiding direct compression on the spine.
2) Sit on the tennis ball. Once again, shift around in the seat, working the glutes and back of the thigh.

3) Lean into a wall using the tennis ball to compress pectorals, shoulders and arms.
4) Place tennis ball on the floor. With bare or socked feet, roll the entire foot over the tool.

Jacknobber
Use the tool on any of the following areas:
1) Base of skull: Lean back into the tool while gazing upward.
2) Back of the neck

3) Shoulder
4) Arms/Forearms
5) Hamstrings (seated) Place the tool on seat under thigh. Relax the weight of the leg over the tool. Move along the length of posterior thigh

6) Quadriceps (seated)

7) Lower Leg

8) Feet (Step on tool, working within your comfort zone.)

A word about Fomentek bags:

After filling the bag 1/3 full, squeeze extra air from bag carefully (over a sink is safest) and secure the cap. Bags will stay warm for about an hour and can be used anywhere you would like to warm up; you can even sit on them!

An extra tip: Placing a bag on the lower abdomen relaxes the vagus nerve, which can have a very calming effect.

Ranges of Motion

Diaphragmatic Breathing: Forcibly exhale so that the lungs are not holding residual air. Inhale (through your nose if possible) allowing your abdomen to expand. Place one hand on the chest and one on the abdomen to notice this motion.

Neck ROM: Slowly rotate the head to either direction. Gently drop the chin to chest and let the head be heavy. Slowly bring the right ear to the right shoulder & repeat to the left side.

Shoulder Rotations: Roll the shoulders forward a few times, then switch to backwards. This can be great for loosening tight traps!

Chest Movement: First, round the shoulders forward; then bring them back, pushing out the chest. Repeat.

Trunk Twisting: Rotate torso as if you were trying to look behind you. Do this on both sides.

Micro Pelvic Tilts & Rotations: While seated, slowly rock your pelvis forward, backward, and side to side.

Knee Lifts: Alternately raise each knee towards the chest. This can be done either seated or standing.

Ankle-Over-Knee Crosses: Alternately cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Leaning forward from this position provides a great stretch for the hips.

Ankle Rotations: Simply rotate the foot in both directions or trace the alphabet with

the toes.

Heel/Toe Taps: Alternate between tapping the toes and the heels to the floor.

Toe Tucks: Tuck the tops of the toes under your seat.

Feel the stretch at the front of the lower leg, foot and

ankle.