Last Updated on March 11, 2013 by Jimson Lee
Last weekend, I was at the Death Valley Marathon and one of my athletes had a very tight IT band.
Obviously, he suffers from IT band syndrome. And with the course having a very long downhill section, it was imperative that his IT band and quads were both loose and ready for the challenge.
As part of my pre-travel check-list, I always carry my travel size foam roller.
I already wrote about foam rollers from my days at the Stanford Myofacial Institute (now called SMI). You can read the article here, or click here to download the PDF guide. Yes, that is Jason Lunn Michael Stember in the photos demonstrating the use of the foam roller. (To get this inside joke, click here)
Why I Like Foam Rollers
Foam rollers are versatile tools for stretching, rehabilitation, physical therapy and fitness workouts. Popular applications include massage and now we see a surge of use in Yoga and Pilates.
Stretching with a foam roller is a great addition to any exercise routine as it helps improve flexibility for better range of movement.
When a foam roller is used in a physical therapy exercise program, it aids in the healing process by promoting spinal stabilization, alignment, myofascial release and balance training.
Here is a 4 minute video from YouTube that describes some Foam Roller Exercises. Part 2 is here.
Foam Roller Exercises Part 1
Foam Roller Exercises Part 2
I am writing you on behalf of Spinal Missions which is a group of chiropractic students in Atlanta that organizes and conducts chiropractic trips to El Salvador. We just returned from a very successful mission where we worked with Salvadorian chiropractors, medical doctors, surgeons and naturopaths to organize free clinics for the underserved population in remote cities and villages. The trip was very successful and we were able to serve several thousand people over the course of 10 days. Through our efforts we made a large impact in terms of providing much needed care and health education.
We will be returning to El Salvador for another trip from January 2-10, 2009. Our goal is to serve even more people than we did on our last mission, but in order to make this trip as successful as the last, we need the resources to do so. Because we are primarily a group of students, the success of this trip hinges on the donations of companies like yours. Any financial or material donations that your company can offer would be greatly appreciated, with 100% being used for the benefit of this underserved population. We hope you will join the other companies that have donated to this worthy cause.We would gladly accept any refurbished equipment. Recognition for any donations will be made during the trip and through our organization¡¯s our marketing materials in the form of pictures, t-shirts, etc.
Again, any help would be greatly appreciated, both by our group of chiropractic students, and by the doctors in El Salvador who take time off from their clinical practices to partake in such worthwhile endeavors and serve humanity