"The Stick"

[Marlon Smith]

The link below describes me to a tee...Has anyone ever used "The Stick" messager? Friday...I didn't make it from the old gym at USA to campus drive (in front of the track) before my calf tightened up and I had to turn around and go back to the car.

Last week...I was a couple of miles into the run and the same thing happened...although I stubbornly "ran through it" and completed my run...Then...I had a real slow recovery the rest of the week walking with a noticable limp. The article says "the stick" will increase blood flow helping recovery. Something I could do during my class.

Things like this has not happened very many times...But, it is sure disapointing when it does. Any other ideas on what to do for tight calves?

www.betterbodz.com/team/aching.html

[Jon Adams]

I've never used one other than try one out at an expo. Seems like they could be pretty useful, but in my case I think I would use their stiffest model. There seemed to be a big difference in the pressure I was able to apply between their "original" model and one of their stiffer beefed up models.

[Marlon Smith]

They do make a model for sprinters that is stiffer and a model for weightlifters. Scott used to have one in college but I never had to use it then...I saw my first one at an ATR expo...I think Steve Schonenwald demonstrated it. I never can spell his name right.

I'm doing the 40 second hand massage and it seems to be helping a little...Not sure if I need to stretch an injured muscle too much yet...Although...it hasn't hurt today...but, I haven't tried to run either. I may try some icy-hot on it too.

[Roy Duncan]

I've regularly used the "Marathon" model for several years. I like it and find it helpful in recovering from hard workouts. I find it works great on "tired" and "mildly sore" calves and hamstrings. It is rather flexible, and perhaps a stronger, stiffer model would be better . . . .

I've only had two incidences of calf cramps during running - and one case was particularly bad. I felt like the stick helped relax the muscle and promote blood flood, but I believe that ibuprofen and rest (time ~ 2 weeks) were the real factors in my recovery. However, if I remember correctly, the stick could pinpoint any residual sore area during the recovery process and helped me gauge my recovery. Perhaps it helped accelerate recovery, but being an experiment of one, I couldn't tell for sure.

Calf cramps are tough - I was surprized to find that I could hardly run at all until I was pain free - which was different than some of my other injuries where I could simply reduce training intensity and just "train through". But then again, that may just be me . . . . . . . . . . Good luck with recovery.
Roy

[Marlon Smith]

After taking 2 weeks off...the latter week due to just being busy at work...I ran the same course and had no pain whatsoever...Go figure...

I did do the massaging and stretching while sitting on my desk perodically throughout the day...But, I think rest was the key...Even had a couple of surges.

Think the new shoes are helping too.

[Marlon Smith]

Another painfree day...Felt a little tight at first but made sure I stretched the calves out and if I felt any tightening during the run...I slowed the pace just enough...

This weather in the afternoon is sure nice for running now.

[Sean Hylton]

The TP massage ball works better than the "stick". It allows you to apply more pressure to the affected area and get more localized too. Here is a link:

www.tpmassageball.com/

[Marlon Smith]

For $24...I may give it a try. It appears that it will work on more areas of the body than "the stick"...Funny, the calf flared up again in the fun run of the Senior Bowl run (a year later)...so, I guess it's a chronic sort of injury...It don't really bother me...but, then I'm not pushing myself like I should be doing either.

Thanks for the information...