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Douglas Brodie's avatar

Interesting. I have a minor health “issue” which I’ve only recently realised is triggered by muscle facia movements. About 5 years ago (so not due to you know what) I developed an intermittent tingle in my right-side hairline, from above the ear to the temple. I went to a dermatologist who prescribed a special shampoo which did nothing. I decided to live with it as it was relatively trivial.

Then a few months ago I developed a pain in the neck. It started in the right shoulder blade, I think because I tried to put too much turn into my golf swing! This somehow exacerbated the tingle in my hairline. I realised that it switched on with certain movements such as turning the head to the left or leaning it to the right (but not vice versa), then switched off when returned to centre.

By coincidence, around that time my yoga teacher introduced the class to the mysteries of muscle facia and how it connects throughout the body from the soles of the feet to the temple. It made sense to me as I used to suffer from chronic lumbar backache (cured “just like that” by yoga magic 20 years ago) and a referred tingle in my thigh, emanating from tension in my right pelvis/psoas.

She introduced facia massage of soles, thighs, glutes, ribs, back and neck using doggie balls, golf balls and a foam roller. I found this excruciating in some areas at first but I think beneficial. My discomfort now seems limited to the neck area described in your post and my golf swing is better! I’m hoping that regular back/shoulder/neck exercises and massage will eventually sort it out.

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Gary Sharpe's avatar

Interesting observations. It is true that the pain sites may not be the cause sites because as you say everything is connected. Deanna Hansen, the founder of Block Therapy, says that most things have a cause site in the lower legs or the feet, and then the hands and lower arms, where the fascia is most frozen. She has some very simple excersizes for this https://garysharpe.substack.com/p/simple-but-powerful-fascia-release

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JSR's avatar

https://blocktherapy.com/

Has a golf program

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Patricia Burke's avatar

Hi Gary, I am really appreciating your work on substack and your teachings/insights on Fascia. My focus is on the issue of wireless exposures and so-called Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity, (EHS) and I believe that part of the mechanism of injury for these individuals is the body contracting against the exposures, especially at nighttime when the body's energies are focused inward and designed to be free of external stressors. But humans are using the nighttime to transmit data, causing interference with the yin-yang balance. The meridians flow through the Fascia.

I believe your work it is applicable to many other health conditions, including other neurological issues and postural issues, and will share it with others. Thank you.

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Gary Sharpe's avatar

Thank you! This are really intriguing concepts around sleep I haven't heard before, but feels right to me.

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John Wright's avatar

Nice little anatomy lesson.

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Jul 11
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Gary Sharpe's avatar

Not had Rolfing personally, Block Therapy is a sort of self-care/self-administer version of this you can do at home.

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