Forgive to be Forgiven

Mark 11:25-26  "...And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.  But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."

Forgive others and also yourself.....If Christ can forgive you your trespasses, you are required to forgive yourself also and move on (forward).  Remember the lessons learned, but let go of the sorrow...and stop beating yourself up for what is done, past, and forgiven!

Romans 2:1; 5-6 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself: for thou that judgest doest the same things.  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

I Peter 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

Psalms 94:18-19 When I said, "my foot slippeth;" Thy mercy, O Lord, held me up.  In the multitude of my thoughts within me Thy comforts delight my soul. 

What's Up....

So, I have been unusually MIA since Friday.....As life does, I took a sharp turn on Friday to the hospital to have an emergency appendectomy and recovery since has been rough!  I am taking this week to recoup and therefore have canceled all clients and classes, including the free workout at Trinity on Saturday the 16th.  Sorry for any inconvenience.  Hopefully all will resume normally on Monday!  Thanks to everyone for the well wishes and prayers!

Hip & Knee Trigger Points

Excerpts from The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies, NCTMB

For other posts of this series:
Trigger Points
Referred Pain,Trigger Point & Symptoms
Shoulder Trigger Points
Back Trigger Points


Arthritis, ligament injury, and deterioration of joint cartilage are the most usual medical explanations for hip and knee pain.  X-rays and other tests often seem to substantiate such diagnoses.  But even in the absence of objective evidence, joint pain itself is assumed to be proof that the joint is in trouble.  As a consequence, hip and knee replacement surgery is commonplace and heavily promoted (Travell and Simons 1992, 221, 263-264, 300-302).

In reality, pain in hip and knee joints is often nothing more than referred pain from trigger points in the muscles of the thigh; such pain can be every bit as intense and debilitating as pain from a damaged joint.  Even when a hip or knee joint has suffered a genuine injury, trigger points in associated muscles nearly always contribute a major part of the pain.  Treatment of joint trauma should always include treatment of trigger points in all nearby muscles.  Look for trigger points first when you have pain in a hip or knee.  You can take care of trigger points yourself.

Trigger points in the tensor fasciae latae (TFL) muscle cause pain in the hip joint just in front of the greater trochanter.  There can be two sites for trigger points, one in front immediately below the hip bone, and another an inch or so to the outside.  Occasionally, pain may extend down the outer thigh as far as the knee.  You may also have a deep ache behind your hip, between the sit bone on that side and greater trochanter.  The muscle shortening that is sponsored by trigger points makes it difficult to straighten the hip.  You may need to walk slowly because of the restriction in the hip.  You tend to stand with both your hip and knee partly flexed.  Pain from trigger points in the TFL may be mistaken for bursitis of the hip.  It may also be wrongly blamed on a thinning of the hip joint cartilage (1992, 217-221).

To locate the belly of the TFL by isolated contraction, first find the greater trochanter, the bony knob on the side of your hip.  Place a finger right in front of the trochanter and shift your weight from leg to leg.  The muscle will alternately bulge and soften.  Simply turning  your knee or foot inward also makes the muscle contract, as does raising your leg to the side.  Supported fingers don't work well for deep massage of the TFL because the leverage is poor.  The Thera Cane is excellent however, or you can stroke the muscle deeply with a tennis ball.

Be aware that tightness in the iliotibial band on the outside of the thigh is due to tightness in the TFL and gluteus maximus muscles, due of course to trigger points.  Apparent tenderness in the iliotibial band is more likely coming from trigger points in the underlying vastus lateralis, which is part of the quadriceps.  [see below]

The sartorius is the longest muscle in the body.  The word comes from the Latin for "tailor."  In olden times, tailors often sat in a cross-legged position to do their work.  Strong action of the sartorius muscles is needed to get the legs into this posture.  The sartorius attaches to the hip bone then descends, crossing the thigh toward the inner side, and attaches again to the tibia on the inner side of the knee.  This arrangement allows the sartorius to participate in raising the leg forward and turning the knee outward.  A soccer kick requires strong contraction of the sartorius.

This long muscle is interrupted in several places by strips of connective tissue that break the long muscle fibers into short ones.  Each section of muscle has its own belly, creating the possibility of trigger points anywhere along the muscle's entire length.

Sartorius trigger points don't send active pain to the knees but they can make the inner knees so hypersensitive to pressure that it's uncomfortable to lie on your side with your knees together.  This sensitivity can lead to the mistaken assumption that you have something wrong with your knee joints (1992, 229; Lange 1931, 49).

Compression of sensory nerves by a tight sartorius muscle can also cause superficial burning pain, numbness, itching, and tingling in the skin of the front and outer thigh.  This is not referred pain but rather a direct effect on a nerve.  These symptoms are often labeled "meralgia paresthetica," which is a fancy way of saying that you have numbness and pain in your leg. [Just work the trigger points in the sartorius muscle for relief.]

The quadriceps muscles are the largest, heaviest, and most powerful muscles in the body.  Quadriceps trigger points are the primary source of knee pain.  A case of jumper's or runner's knee is ordinarily nothing more serious than referred pain from the quadriceps.  Growing pains in the legs and knees of children can usually be traced to trigger points in their quadriceps muscles.  Quadriceps trigger points may also cause the phantom knee pain felt by amputees who no longer have their knees.  Restless leg syndrome, a serious annoyance to its victims and a mystery to their doctors, can be traced to trigger points in quadriceps muscles.  Knots in the quadriceps can also cause a locked knee, a trick knee, or a buckling hip (1992, 249-253, 263).

Pain and weakness from quadriceps trigger points are easily mistaken for tendinitis, bursitis, or arthritis of the knee, or for evidence of damaged ligaments or meniscus cartilage.  Treatment is unlikely to succeed when the problem is wrongly assumed to be in the joint simply because it's the site of the pain (1992, 248-265).  Knee pain can be extremely debilitating and yet unimaginably easy to get rid of when you understand what's really going on.


     

Four muscles actually make up the quadriceps muscles and they are the rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis.  The rectus femoris is superior (on top of) to the underlying vastus intermedius and is the only muscle of the four quadriceps muscles to work at both the hip and knee joints (the other three only work at the knee).  The vastus medialis runs on the inner thigh side of the rectus femoris and the vastus lateralis on the outer thigh side.

The most common trigger point in the rectus femoris muscle refers pain deep inside the knee; this pain is usually described as feeling like it's under the kneecap.  A second trigger point is sometimes found just above the knee.  This trigger point causes a deep ache above the knee, local to the trigger point.  Both these trigger points make the knees stiff and weak.  They also contribute to restless leg syndrome.  Interestingly, tightness in the muscle, in maintaining tension on the patellar ligament, inhibits the knee-jerk response to the doctor's taps with a percussion hammer (1992, 249-250, 267).

Pain from trigger points in the vastus intermedius is characteristically felt in the midthigh, spreading and radiating down from the trigger point, occasionally as far as the knee.  Pain increases when you walk, and increases dramatically when you climb stairs.  You may have trouble straightening your knee when you stand up after sitting for a long while.  Stiffness in the knee may cause you to limp.  Vastus intermedius trigger points combined with those in the upper gastrocnemius of the calf can make your knee weak enough to buckle without warning.

Problems caused by vastus medialis trigger points commonly affect runners.  Trigger points in the vastus medialis send pain to the inner thigh and to the knee.  The knee pain usually focuses in the lower half of the knee a bit to the inside.  Vastus medialis trigger points typically make the knee weak; a buckling knee, in fact, is their signature.  Knee pain and weakness caused by vastus medialis trigger points are frequently mistaken for signs of arthritis, ligament damage, and tendinitis. 

Trigger points in the vastus lateralis can make the hip and outer thigh hurt, and they're an exceptionally common source of knee pain.  Trigger points in the muscle's back edge can cause pain behind the knees and in the back of the hip (1992, 251-253).

Vastus lateralis trigger points are very common in children, even infants, and probably account for much of their unexplained thigh and hip pain.  Healthy children--babies too--are continuously exercising and overexercising their leg muscles.  "Growing pains" may be largely undiagnosed myofascial pain that would have a very simple remedy if it were only recognized (1992, 251-252).

Walking can be exceedingly painful with afflicted vastus lateralis muscles.  Lying on your side can be very uncomfortable.  Tension in the muscle can pull the kneecap to one side, locking it in place and preventing movement in the knee.  A locked knee is usually due to a trigger point just above and to the outside of the kneecap.  The normal position of the kneecap is maintained by balanced action of the vastus medialis and lateralis muscles.  Trigger points in the vastus medialis can weaken its counterbalancing effect on the vastus lateralis and may be of central concern in treating a locked knee (1992, 251-252).

Pain from a pectineus trigger point occurs deep in the groin just below the crease where the leg joins the body.  It may be felt as either a sharp pain or a deep ache, often seeming to be coming from the hip joint itself.  Extreme extension of the thigh increases pain, but the leg's range of motion is otherwise unrestricted.  Note that several other muscles may project pain to the groin, including psoas, gracilis, and the three adductor muscles (1992, 236-237).

Trigger points in the adductor longus are the most common cause of groin pain.  Typically, it's felt deep in the hip joint.  Occasionally, pain may extend down the inner thigh to the inner side of the knee, as far as the shin.  Pain occurs during vigorous activity and is greater when you're carrying something.  Adductor longus trigger points cause stiffness in the hip, tending to limit movement of the thigh in all directions and to restrict lateral rotation. 

Pain from trigger points in the biceps femoris muscle is felt as a dull aching behind the knee.  The pain tends to be toward the outer side of the back of the thigh rather than rather than centered, and sometimes concentrated around the head of the fibula.  Discomfort from biceps femoris trigger points sometimes extends up the back of the thigh and down into the upper calf.

Trigger points in the popliteus muscle cause pain behind the knee when you straighten your leg.  A shortened popliteus will prevent normal locking of the knee.  The popliteus may not be suspected until trigger points in the biceps femoris have been deactivated.  Knee pain caused by popliteus trigger points can be mistaken for tendinitis, torn ligaments, and damage to the meniscus or other knee joint tissues.  While real physical damage to the knee is always a possibility, especially from accidents and in violent team sports, you shouldn't assume that knee pain automatically means knee surgery.  The first step should always be to look for trigger points in the muscles that control the knee.

Foam rolling, even utilizing a basketball, tennis ball, and/or rubber ball are all excellent ways of working these tender trigger points.  Thera Cane and the other tools discussed in this trigger point series are all great ways for eliminating your trigger point issues causing your knee and/or hip pain. 

Now just a little something on buttocks pain.  There are numerous trigger points and referral pain caused by the muscles in the buttocks (one was discussed in the Back Trigger Points post) including but not limited to piriformis muscle, sciatica, etc.  These can causes problems not just in your low back but your hip, and entire leg with one example being:  Trigger points in the gluteus minimus muscles cause pain down the back or the side of the thigh and the lower leg as far as the ankle. Tracking down the problem can be made difficult by pain from associated trigger points in the quadratus lumborum, gluteus medius, piriformis, tensor fasciae latae, vastus lateralis, peroneus longus, and hamstring muscles. Pain from gluteus minimus trigger points can be excruciating and constant. Numbness can occur anywhere in the referral areas. In addition to leg pain, there is often a diffuse tenderness in the buttocks (1992, 168-169; Zohn 1988, 212).

Even though I am posting excerpts from Mr. Davies' book The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, I am by no means able to post every important facet on this subject and highly recommend you purchasing this book for your own reference...it is that good! Clair Davies' story is amazing as is his entire book. I am very grateful to his dedication and revelation of this subject matter!!!

Metabolic Conditioning

from Women's Health March 2013 issue:

Ketchup or mustard?  Flats or heels?  The X Factor or The Voice?  That eternal fitness face-off--cardio or strength training--is just as perplexing.  Cardio is a known calorie crusher, but strength workouts build muscle and rev your metabolism.  But you don't have to choose sides: A new regimen of experts have dubbed metabolic conditioning offers the best of both.

By combining short, high-intensity work periods, little to no rest between exercises, and big-body movements, metabolic conditioning challenges your strength, power, and cardiovascular endurance in one workout--maximizing calorie burn during and after a sweat session, says Frank Salzone, a group fitness instructor for Equinox in New York City.  It also helps improve your muscles' ability to use energy during workouts, so you can push harder and get better results over time.

Sound too good to be true?  It's no gimmick: A study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism found that women who completed a 10-move strength circuit recorded 13 percent higher oxygen consumption levels (or EPOC, which measures the energy used to return your body to a resting state) three hours after their workout than a control group.  Plus, their resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories burned at rest) was still elevated 16 hours later.

Links to Check Out:
How Effective Is HIIT? Low Intensity Fact Or Fiction
Greater Muscle Mass = Higher Metabolism
Muscle Fiber Types
Energy Systems
ATP

Measuring Results

Reminder for those of you on track with the Current Fitness Challenge today/tomorrow are weigh/measure days!!!

Measuring Results

For those of you who are getting fit in part for weight loss know that the scale is not the best way to ascertain your results. You can lose a lot of weight on calorie restriction focused diets, but what you are most likely losing is muscle mass. To lose fat and maintain muscle, the scale might take longer to move. It's not that fat weighs less/more than muscle (a pound is a pound), but fat takes up a lot more space than lean muscle mass....so, when you lose fat and increase lean muscle mass, the scale doesn't move a lot but the reduction in inches lost is quite substantial and easily measured. To be consistent and get the most out of your progress assessment, you want to try and use standard sites and procedures. All measurements and weight assessments should be done first thing in the morning after you go to the bathroom, before you eat/drink anything, and with as little to no clothing. If you are doing your weight assessments at a facility other than your home and/or at a different time of day, then it's best to do your assessments at the same time of day and under the same (similar) circumstances (e.g., before lunch every time as opposed to sometimes before, sometimes after). All measurements should be taken while standing upright and relaxed with feet together. All measurements should be made with a flexible yet inelastic tape measure. The tape measure should be placed on the skin surface without compressing the subcutaneous adipose (fat) tissue. Take duplicate measures at each site, and retest if duplicate measurements are not within .25 of an inch. Rotate through measurement sites before retaking measurements at any one site so as to allow time for skin to regain normal texture. When taking your measurements, look in a mirror if necessary, verify that the tape measure is horizontal and even along the measurement site (in other words, if taking the measurement of your hips, the tape measure should come straight around your buttocks and not droop anywhere making an uneven line). You only need to take the measurements of one side of your body (e.g., one bicep, one calf, etc.), but in doing so be sure to take the measurement of your dominant side (e.g., if right handed then of your right bicep, right calf, etc.). You may take measurements at other sites than what is listed below which is more than okay, just try and apply the logic that is presented in the sites listed below to apply to additional measurement sites.

Arm Midway between the shoulder joint and the elbow joint (mid-bicep)
Abdomen At the level of the umbilicus (belly button)
Waist If you desire a separate measurement for your waist other than that of your belly button then: At the narrowest part of the torso above the belly button and below the base of sternum
Buttocks/Hips At the maximal circumference of the buttocks
Upper Thigh At the maximal circumference of the hip/upper thigh, just below the gluteal fold (thickest part of your upper thigh)
Calf At the maximum circumference between the knee and the ankle (thickest part of your calf)

Other forms of measuring your results....How your clothes fit. There will be no mistaking the effectiveness of your fat loss plan if you are losing inches and going down in pant sizes! Don't let a slow moving scale give you a head trip if you are losing pant sizes. Seriously, would you rather weigh less and be in the same pant size or weigh the same and be two sizes smaller?

Another way to see your results is by taking before and after pictures throughout your fat loss journey. A picture can show you places you have trimmed down that you might miss when measuring yourself. The best way to go about this is to wear a swimsuit or shorts and sports bra (for women...no shirt for men) and take a front pic, back pic, and side pic. Take a before picture and then follow up with pics every 6 to 12 weeks until you reach your fat loss goals.

Post Links of Other Helpful Tidbits to Know:
Body Comp v Scale
Greater Muscle Mass = Higher Metabolism
Not Getting Results???
Body Composition
How Much Should You Weigh?
Skinny Or Fit??? You Decide...
Afternoon Bloat?
5 Pounds Of Fat
Scoop On Fat Cells

The Refiner

from unknown author:

Malachi 3:3 says:  "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."  This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.  One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study. 

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work.  She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.  He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says:  "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."  She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire.  If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment.  Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" 

He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy--when I see my image in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.

Isaiah 26:3-4 "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:"

 

 

http://veryeffectivescripture.blogspot.com/

Some Inspiration

Why a Free Blog

You will get some sense of where my passion stems from My Fitness Story but that is only a fraction of the reason as there are many. Back in 2009 when it was finally clicking how easy, accessible, and doable being healthy and fit actually was, I wanted to share the information and tools with as many people as cared to listen. It frustrated me how many years I wasted in ignorance and I didn't want the same for anyone I could help to know better. So getting fit and healthy for weight loss alone is certainly important, but I needed to get fit and healthy for more than just that.

I lost both of my parents to poor health. My father died very unexpectantly from heart disease when he was just 59 years old (I was 29 at the time) and my mother passed away after an 8 year battle with breast cancer when she had just turned 60 years old (I was pregnant with my first child at the age of 33). Anyone who has lost one or both of their parents knows that there is no good time to lose them, but the younger you are, and especially now having two small children, the more difficult it can make it. In losing them to poor health, I was awakened to just how truly fragile our bodies can be if we do not properly take care of them.

I had taken my body for granted for years working more 12+ hour days than 8 hour days at a desk 5 to 6 days a week for almost 10 years. I come from a long line of worriers and hard workers who put everything and everyone before themselves. I totally get the mindset of not having time for yourself. I totally understand the mentality of not putting yourself on the to-do list because it is selfish. That was my mindset for so many years passed down to me from my parents from their parents, etc. I didn't have any example of what it is and how important it is to take care of myself. It is crucial for so many reasons, but the most blatant reason I can give you is so you do not leave your loved ones years and maybe decades before you should. God is wonderful and gives us so many opportunities to take care of these amazing bodies he has provided for us, but it is up to us to actually do it! Your Children are Watching!

Not having had the example to follow for good health, good fitness, or good habits. Not having my parents around to watch their grandchildren grow up. Not having my parents around to ask them questions about how to best raise my precious children on loan to me from God. Not wanting to leave my children one second too soon. All were very big wake up calls to get with the program! Alas, not even all of the reasons as to why I am so very passionate about sharing all I know and doing all I can to help anyone I am able.

Another part of the equation is my autoimmune disease. With all of the stress of what I have thus far shared with you on top of numerous other life experiences, which sufficed it to say I have walked many walks and in many shoes in my short life time, triggered an autoimmune response the year I was pregnant with my first child and lost my mother (2006). I have vitiligo which seems like a superficial and inconvenient autoimmune to have. It is, but it isn't just skin deep. It like all autoimmune diseases opens me up to an array of lovely systemic responses if I do not take care of my health and keep myself in check. There are numerous stories to share but this is not the space.

So there you are, my journey started well before 2009 but with the knowledge I amassed up to and at that time was the pieces to the puzzle I had been trying to complete for years. My journey took on a whole new meaning and with a whole new direction and drive. For those that know me, know I am very driven by my very nature; but this was a whole new level of intensity even for me. My passion and desire to help those around me has only grown with my ongoing education and knowledge, and I do not foresee that dwindling. I shared with someone just yesterday that my two biggest passions (we will just remove my wonderfully supportive husband and two fabulous children from the running here) are God (always first on my list) and learning, practicing, and sharing fitness/good health strategies.

I have spent the last few years educating myself on personal training, obtaining my American Council on Exercise personal training certification in 2011, exercise programming modalities, healthy and affordable nutrition for fat loss and weight management, and mind-body exercise modalities. My desire is to be able to offer as much of what I have learned with as many people as possible. This free blog is a big part of that offering. I have created the Tabs (Pages) with information that I didn't want to get lost in Posts. If you sign up to receive e-mails with updates, you will receive an e-mail with new Posts. As I make significant changes to particular Pages, I will try to be sure and notate that in a daily Post so you can get the e-mail notification on that, but be sure and check in too on Pages periodically that you are particularly interested in to see if any changes have been made.

My intention is to make this blog as informative as possible without being too text book or dry; however, I am fully aware some of the information is that way due to the nature of the data needing to be relayed. If you get lost, let me know and I will try and help you through it (cagib1@charter.net). As my husband jokingly pointed out to me, "no one wants to go to a fitness blog and do Algebra". ;-)

Know too that there is no judgment on my end for where anyone is or isn't. As you have read in this Post alone, I have had many experiences in my life thus far and know but for the Grace and Mercy of God I could have gone down much different paths in life and am very appreciative and thankful for my blessings as well as my struggles. As I have learned the hard way, it is the struggles in life that make us who we are and teach us what we need to know to be who we are meant to be! My desire is always to help you better understand how to achieve a healthy, fit you!

Update & Clarification

Posts of Inspiration & Encouragement: (Found throughout the Blog, below are just a few quick links)
Choose Your Path
Perspective
Balance
Don't Give Up!!!
You Are Worth The Effort...
Challenge = Gift
Happy Place
Why A Free Blog
Do It For Love
Your Children Are Watching! --- With Pin
Sad But True
Entitlement = Led Astray
What's Holding You Back?
Stages Of Understanding
SMART Goals
Overwhelmed?
Choose Strength Over Defeat!
Excuses
Consistency
One Decision At A Time
You Will Succeed
Clean It Up x 5
Where Is Your Head?
Letting Go To Move On
Surprise Yourself
Journey To Success
Where Is The Finish Line?
A Great Reminder.....
To Do's, Have To's & The Remainder
Keep A Short List
Monday Encouragement
Case Of Mondays?
Hump Day Inspiration
Inside & Out
Perspective On Forgiveness
Week Of Reflection
Food Rewards
Rewards
The Currency Of Knowledge
Rough-n- Rushed Times
You Are The Star
Only Take The Lessons With You
Planting Seeds

Back Trigger Points

Excerpts from The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies, NCTMB

For other posts of this series: Trigger Points
Referred Pain,Trigger Point & Symptoms
Shoulder Trigger Points

The solution for your back pain may be simpler than you've been led to believe.  Many people are haunted by the fear that pinched nerves, ruptured disks, or arthritis are causing their back pain, when there's a good chance that their pain may be coming solely, or at least in part, from myofascial trigger points in muscles.  Even when back pain is due to genuine problems in the vertebral column, myofascial trigger points always contribute a major part of the pain.  In fact, there's reason to believe that trigger points are the root cause of many spinal problems because of the muscle tension they maintain.  Muscle tension displaces vertebrae and causes compression of nerves and disks.  When investigating back pain, trigger points should be at the top of the list, because pain that comes from trigger points is usually self-treatable (Travell and Simons 1999, 804-809).

The reason there are so many differing opinions about the cause of back pain is that it's mostly referred pain.  This is especially true of low back pain.  You may never find the real cause of low back pain if you look for it only in the low back.  Surprisingly, trigger points in the buttocks muscles are a frequent cause of low back pain.  The reverse is also true: trigger points in the low back often refer pain down to the buttocks and hips.  In addition, trigger points in the abdominal and psoas muscles can send pain to the back, though they're easily overlooked, even by people who know trigger points well.  For pain in the back and buttocks, the old rule applies more than ever: "Never assume the problem is at the place that hurts!"

Confusing the issue further, back pain is usually a composite, with components sent from trigger points both above and below where you feel the pain. The key to success in self-treating back and buttocks pain lies in your troubleshooting skills.

Superficial muscles are muscles that are closer to the surface (towards your skin) and inferior or deep muscles are those under superficial muscles and closer towards your inner body (bones/spine).  Deep spinal muscles are actually "one of the few examples of trigger points that cause pain right at the site rather than referring it away."  "Pain from trigger points in the deep spinal muscles may feel like it's in the spine itself."  Even so, they also can still refer pain "forward to the abdomen and downward into the buttocks." 

Superficial Spinal Muscles on the other hand:  In addition to pain, trigger points cause tightening of the superficial spinal muscles over their entire length.  They can bulge out in a hard contraction, giving the impression that one whole side of the back is in trouble, when a single trigger point somewhere is actually the prime instigator.  Although this is commonly called a "back spasm," it's not a true spasm that will respond to treatment with heat and stretching.  A contraction that's being maintained by trigger points won't give up until you locate the trigger points and deactivate them (1999, 921, 926). 

Superficial spinal muscle trigger points can refer pain from shoulder blade, top of iliac crest (hip bone), buttocks, and "may also be projected to the front of the body or to the internal organs, and can be mistaken for the pain of angina, pleurisy, appendicitis, or other visceral disease. Pain from trigger points in any of the superficial spinal muscles can be misinterpreted as a symptom of kidney stones, tumors, rib inflammations, ligament tears, or disk problems."

Stiffness or tightness in the back is a sign of latent trigger points in the back muscles, even when you're not presently having pain.  Latent trigger points should be taken seriously because they're an indication that you're verging on trouble.  Any little additional stress can quickly turn a latent trigger point into an active one.  Trigger points that keep the muscles in one side of the back contracted can cause scoliosis curves.  Muscle tension maintained by trigger points can also pull the sacroiliac joint out of place, keeping the pelvis twisted or cocked.  When tight superficial spinal muscles squeeze the sensory nerves, the skin on your back may be hypersensitive or have patches of numbness (1999, 923-924).

Part of your low back pain can be coming from trigger points in the soleus muscles in your calves.  The soleus muscles actually can maintain a hard, spasmlike contraction in the low back muscles.  You may also know that trouble with your feet can make your back hurt (1992, 428-429).

Pain from trigger points in gluteus medius muscles is felt in the low back just above and below the belt line and often extends into the buttocks and hips.  Back pain from this source can be excruciating and disabling, seriously undermining endurance.  Pain in both the hips and low back can make walking almost impossible (1992, 150-151; Sola 1985, 683).

The common assumption is that pain in the low back is caused by some problem in the lumbar spine, such as arthritis, a herniated disk, disarticulated vertebrae, a compressed nerve, or a sacroiliac joint dysfunction.  Trigger points in the quadratus lumborum can sponsor trigger points in the gluteus medius.  This is because the gluteus medius lies in the referral area for the quadratus lumborum.  It's wise to search for tender spots in both muscles when you have low back pain.  A common condition called Morton's foot can cause unstable foot placement, which can bring about trigger points in gluteus medius muscles (1999, 155-156).  Sitting a lot with your legs crossed is bad for these muscles, especially if you always cross the same leg.

You may prefer to take your injections in a hip rather than an arm or shoulder.  Just be aware that injections into a gluteus medius muscle can set up trigger points and leave you with an annoying backache.  When this happens, it's good to be able to recognize a myofascial problem and know what to do about it. 

There are several techniques and tools to work the trigger points in your back, but the best one is a tennis ball against the trigger point and a wall or floor.  For all the info on back trigger points symptoms, causes, and treatments be sure to check out The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook.

Now, just a little something regarding all types of headaches (even migraines), TMJ, frozen neck, ear aches, stuffy ears, ringing ears, bags under your eyes, sinusitis, and even teeth sensitivity to heat/cold/touch, can be caused by trigger points in your sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, levator scapulae muscles (just to name a few) in your jaw, neck, and upper back.  All outlined in the chapters dealing with head and neck pain in The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook.

Even though I am posting excerpts from Mr. Davies' book The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook, I am by no means able to post every important facet on this subject and highly recommend you purchasing this book for your own reference...it is that good! Clair Davies' story is amazing as is his entire book. I am very grateful to his dedication and revelation of this subject matter!!!

Breakfast of Lean Champions

from Men's Health report:

British scientists found that people who downed a carbohydrate-rich, high-fiber breakfast before working out burned twice as much fat while running as they did after a similar meal without the roughage.  Why?  Eating low-fiber, refined carbohydrates significantly raises the amount of insulin in your body, which limits your ability to use fat for fuel, says study author Emma Stevenson, Ph.D.  Specifically, the study participants burned the most fat when they'd eaten about half a cup of muesli cereal with 1 1/2 cups of milk and 2/3 cup of plain low-fat yogurt [greek yogurt]; they burned the least when they'd had cornflakes with milk and white toast with jam.  If you don't like muesli, eat any low-sugar [high protein], high-fiber cereal, such as All-Bran [Grape-Nuts].

At Home Metabolic Revving Workouts

The goal of a good personal trainer is to educate their clients so they can go it alone without needing the trainer for every workout....It is not the goal of a good trainer to train their clients forever!  Sure it's great to have a trainer who can stay in contact with you and give you updated workouts and tips and meet with you on an as needed basis for form check, but if a trainer has done their job well that is all you will need them for once they have properly educated you!!!  If you are going it alone and need updated workouts, I have just that for you ;-)  For metabolic revving workouts every 4-6 weeks send me an e-mail at cagib1@charter.net.


Monthly Workouts: $20 for just the workout e-mailed to you or $50 for me to meet with you and go over the moves. Get a new one every 4-6 weeks!!!