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Index
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Introduction
Chapter 1
My work as a myofascial release therapist
My clients and their chronic pain
My approach
Self-help and self-empowerment
Who this book is for
Chapter 2
Facts and figures about chronic pain
What everyone with chronic pain has in common
Their pain is limiting their life
They have at least one medical diagnosis
They have had a lot of different treatments
They have been given a lot of medication
They have experienced trauma or are living with stress
Summary
Chapter 3
Background to the current medical model
How the medical profession carves things up
The limits of current medical treatments
Offering alternatives to the medical approach
Resistance to a holistic approach
What this has to do with chronic pain
Chapter 4
The holistic approach
New frontiers in scientific research
The limits of drug research: the placebo and nocebo effects
The biological effects of thought on health
It runs in my family – or does it? Genetics and epigenetics
Quantum physics
Possibilities for the holistic treatment of chronic pain
What this has to do with fascia and myofascial release
Chapter 5
Introduction to fascia
Unlearning traditional anatomy
Traditional anatomical tissues and body systems
Fascial anatomy
The fascial web
What fascia is made of
Protein
Water
How fascia behaves
Movement and balance (tensegrity)
Resistance and giving (thixotrophy)
Fascia as a communication system
Fascia and the extracellular matrix (ECM)
Fascia and energy
Fascial memory
What does this mean for fascia, injury, and disease?
Chapter 6
Introduction
How injury affects fascia
How injury to fascia occurs
Accident
Surgery and scar tissue
Overuse and underuse
Posture
Stress
The importance of trigger points
The link between fascia and chronic pain
Chapter 7
Introduction
What is pain?
The “normal” mind–body pain response (the short version)
When pain becomes chronic (the short version)
The “normal” mind–body pain response (the long version)
Nerve endings and receptors
The brain
The brain and the mind compared
Neurotransmitters
The normal pain response
How normal pain becomes chronic pain
The unconscious you
How good pain turns bad
What this has to do with fascia
Chapter 8
Introduction
Myo + fascia + release
How myofascial release works with fascia
Myofascial unwinding
What this means for helping yourself
Chapter 9
You get to choose
Using what you know about fascia
When you are still
When you move
When you think
Introducing the slow fix
Fascia-friendly breathing
Fascia-friendly nutrition
Water, water everywhere …!
Eating for your fascia
The foundations of fascial health
Chapter 10
Introduction to the chronic pain conditions
Head and neck: headaches, migraines, and new daily persistent headache (NDPH)
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Head and neck: neck pain, torticollis, whiplash
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Head and neck: tinnitus
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Head and neck: temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and jaw pain
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Repetitive strain injury (RSI): a word about RSI
Neck, chest, and arms: RSI – thoracic outlet syndrome
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Neck, chest, and arms: RSI – golfer’s elbow and tennis elbow
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Neck, chest, and arms: RSI – carpal tunnel and tendonitis
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Neck, chest, and arms: RSI – Dupuytren’s contracture and trigger finger
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Shoulders: rotator cuff injuries and frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis)
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Back and pelvis: upper, mid, or low back pain, prolapsed and bulging discs
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Back and pelvis: sciatica and piriformis syndrome
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Back and pelvis: chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS), non-bacterial prostatitis
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Back and pelvis: chronic abdominal pain
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Legs, hips, and feet: knee pain and runner’s knee
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Legs, hips, and feet: shin splints
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Legs, hips, and feet: chronic compartment syndrome and calf pain
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Legs, hips, and feet: plantar fasciitis and heel spurs
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Pain syndromes: fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome (ME)
Typical symptoms
Medical approaches
Fascial understanding
Fascial activities
Fascial stretches
Myofascial ball work
Now time for some exercise
Chapter 11
Introduction to the activities, stretches, and exercises
Effect on your fascia
General fascial activities and how to do them
General activity 1 (G1): The towel stretch (not good for hypermobile people)
General activity 2 (G2): Spine roll-down (good for everyone)
General activity 3 (G3): Fascial squatting (good for everyone)
General activity 4 (G4): Fascial breathing (good for everyone)
General activity 5 (G5): Epsom salts baths (not good for pregnant women or people with sensitive skin)
Fascial stretches and how to do them
Why stretch?
When not to stretch
How to stretch your fascia
Fascial stretch 1 (S1): Neck and arms
Fascial stretch 2 (S2): Neck and back
Fascial stretch 3 (S3): Throat and jaw
Fascial stretch 4 (S4): Arms and hands
Fascial stretch 5 (S5): Doorway stretch
Fascial stretch 6 (S6): Sides
Fascial stretch 7 (S7): Spinal twist
Fascial stretch 8 (S8): Front of hips
Fascial stretch 9 (S9): Fronts of legs and feet
Fascial stretch 10 (S10): Back of legs and feet
Myofascial ball work and how to do the myofascial ball exercises
Using myofascial balls
Myofascial ball work 1 (B1): Back of neck
Myofascial ball work 2 (B2): Side of neck
Myofascial ball work 3 (B3): Back
Myofascial ball work 4 (B4): Armpits
Myofascial ball work 5 (B5): Arms
Myofascial ball work 6 (B6): Hands
Myofascial ball work 7 (B7): Buttocks
Myofascial ball work 8 (B8): Side of hips
Myofascial ball work 9 (B9): Legs
Myofascial ball work 10 (B10): Feet
Using foam rollers
Chapter 12
A more fascia-friendly workplace
Fascia-friendly equipment
Fascia-friendly movement and exercises at work
Fascia-friendly cardiovascular exercise
Other fascia-friendly activities and movement therapies to try
Conclusion: Wrapping It All Up (in Fascia)
A few final words of encouragement
Some Suggested Further Reading
Index
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