Zemper Restorative Therapy, Inc.

Something that I have learned over time from watching what happens in the injury process is that we are all walking accumulations of old injuries. I would see this time and again in my former business, (aquatic therapy) and I see it often when I learn more about a persons' activity history. It's just a fact of the healing process of the body; often too much scar tissue is formed. In most cases inflammation and the resulting restriction of blood flow is the primary reason why excessive scar tissue if formed. Scar tissue also has a strong tendency to continue growing after the initial healing process is complete. Whichever may be the case, it acts like a spot weld and bonds tissues together, often in ways that are not desirable. (think of a successful surgery, where after six months or so, the pain returns and the patient is in the same old boat again)

Now think of each muscle in the body being surrounded by a sheath of slippery material called fascia. This material also surrounds the entire body just beneath the skin and fat. Fascia envelopes each muscle and at least ties into - if not actually forms the tendons on each end of every muscle. The idea is for the muscles to be able to move easily (fluidly) across and between each other.

When an injury occurs, the inflammation happens as a part of the healing process. The problem is of course that inflammation restricts blood flow. When this happens, the lack of blood supply lengthens the healing process. The muscle can't get as much oxygen and nutrients as it needs fast enough, and it can't clear waste very well either. This tends to create what is called "hypoxia" meaning basically that the muscle is tense, tight and actually polluted. This goes in stages varying from a fresh injury with fluid surrounded "lumpy" tissues, to the advanced stage of a muscle being leathery, tight and dysfunctional.

Scar tissue forms sometimes within the muscle itself, sometimes within the fascia surrounding the muscle where you feel the injury. Some is fine, too much is the problem. Once there is too much scar tissue, it tends to spot weld more and more tissues together, meaning less movement and more problems. Inflammation actually perpetuates the growth of this scar tissue, so that over time a situation becomes worse. Breaking up this excess scar tissue is the primary function of what I do at Well-Being Deep Tissue Therapy, Inc.

Using particular methods of tensioning the muscle as it is moved through it's range of motion is the basic idea. As the muscle is tensioned the movement is resisted, stretching the tissues that are already tight. This releases much of the "pollution" or hypoxia of the muscle, immediately allowing for better function. Scar tissue is not as flexible as healthy muscle tissue, so whether it happens immediately, or after several sessions, the excess scar tissue adhesions are broken apart. Once broken up, following the prescribed stretching program will keep the muscles moving past each other and the broken up scar tissue will be cleared away by the body as waste. Leaving only the amount necessary to take care of the original injury.

Let me give you an example of a case of a "walking accumulation of old injuries". My father is a former world class distance runner, long time world record holder for consecutive sit ups, etc. He was active outside of athletics as well; he is a WW II vet, and he has taken his share of knocks and falls, slipped on ice, broken and dislocated arms and shoulders... Now during the healing process for all of the injuries over the years he has of course experienced excess scar tissue growth. Commonly we call the inflexibility and stiffness "old age". I believe that these problems can be cleared up. The older the problem, the longer it may take, but it does clear.

Getting back to my fathers' situation, he for example had a very stiff neck. To the point of having to turn his torso in order to turn his head at all. Not uncommon I know, but when I had him lay on my table, his head could not touch the table. It hung at least an inch off of the table by the extremely tight muscles of his neck. After working with his neck for 15 minutes, his head was resting on the table as you would expect it to. After a few more sessions he had true mobility and could turn his head once again.

Massage could have helped him, and it would be good as a regular maintenance program, I would even suggest it to him or anyone. However the deep release of the scar tissue and resulting return of full function of the musculature is what provides permanent relief from problems such as this. I see massage as a natural follow-up.

The work that is performed at Well-Being Deep Tissue Therapy, Inc. will work for any soft tissue injury. It is always a pleasure to see people enjoy being able to move without restriction or pain.

In another article I will cover repetitive motion injuries and more of the specifics relating to them.

This is a diagnostic treatment system that proves it's worth in the treatment of soft tissue injuries. Strains, sprains, pulls, repetitive injuries (cumulative trauma disorder) and nerve entrapments can all be remedied with this system. It has been shown to be over 90% effective.

With most injuries, scar tissue forms as a part of the healing process at the point of the injury. (as in traumatic injuries of varying degrees) Yet there is a second way that scar tissue forms. That is when a muscle loses range of motion (flexibility) through repetitive injury or tensioning. Swelling then occurs which reduces blood flow to the affected tissues, this means inefficient oxygen and nutrient supply as well as waste removal. This condition is called hypoxia, and it too causes scar tissue to form. Scar tissue helps to heal an injury, but it often will do too much by adhering muscle fibers together, or to the fascial sheathes that envelope the muscles. This prevents the muscle from being able to slide back and forth, thus losing flexibility. It can also cause adhesion of connective tissue or fascia, limiting the flexibility of a muscle or joint. It often will adhere to nerves also, leading to nerve pain symptoms - or nerve entrapments. This is often the situation involved in carpal tunnel syndrome, chronic back pain and many other conditions.

Repetitive injuries can often be in the form of "syndromes" like carpal tunnel, tendinitis, or other nagging problems. Obviously a freshly strained muscle can benefit from a few treatments to help it heal properly and avoid those problems listed above. Still, it's those problems that won't go away that people think about. What about the groin strain, hamstring or "shin splints" that keep coming back? Those scar tissues mentioned above tend to swell with activity and friction, (adhesion with the fascial tissues/muscle) causing inflammation. Naturally if you take time off, the inflammation is reduced and the symptoms fade. When it is beyond the initial stages of injury, activity will cause the inflammation to reoccur and the problem flares again, a week later, or six months later. Work done at Well-Being DTT provides an explanation and an answer to these age-old problems.

Not only does our method provide an answer, it does so in a very short time. Most injuries that have not gone over a year, may be resolved in six sessions or less. Older more significant problems may take longer, but they do respond.

Professional and Olympic athletes worldwide are learning the benefits of Active Release Technique, which is where my practice began. As we enter 2010 my method of treatment has shown it's capability for the last 16 years. It has now evolved from A.R.T. to being what I feel is an even more comprehensive form of treatment. The effectiveness continues to increase as insight and experience is continually gained and I am able to gradually unravel the mysteries that are the workings of the human body.

On adjoining pages I list further explanation of my services. As well as what I have come to understand about many common injury situations that people experience that I work with.

Please note that this is a program that is good for all soft tissues of the body, it is not limited to any particular muscle groups or nerves.