Welcome to 7th Inning Stretch & Wellness!
We were born to move! Or like Sally O’Malley, from Saturday Night Live, we were born to “kick, STRETCH, and kick!” Unfortunately, due to desk jobs, long commutes, and TV binge-watching, we are more sedentary and less flexible.
Flexibility is defined as the ability to move muscles and joints through their full range of motion. Every 10 years, we become less flexible and lose 10% of our range of motion. Lack of flexibility and general ‘tightness’ is the cause of most peoples’ day-to-day aches and pains and significantly affects our health, quality of life, and longevity. Flexibility is achieved by stretching. There are many benefits to stretching if performed properly. Stretching can:
- Reduce the risk of future injury
- Reduce or eliminate back problems or pain
- Reduce muscular tension and soreness
- Reduce pain associated with menstruation
- Increase balance/symmetry of the body, self-discipline, and self-knowledge
- Enhance physical fitness
- Improve posture
- Promote physical and mental relaxation
- Release endorphins that act as natural suppressants
What can I expect from a stretch therapy session?
Stretch therapy is assisted stretching and has the capacity to treat the whole body. Sessions are performed on a treatment table equipped with straps that help stabilize parts of the body that aren’t being stretched. Clients should wear loose-fitting or athletic clothing and clean socks for each stretch session. After assessment, the specialist follows a stretch sequence along multiple planes of movement which involves relaxation and breathing among both parties. The use of traction, circumduction, and oscillation are performed with varied tempos to enhance stretch awareness without any pain.
FST is a comprehensive and logical system that is based on 10 principles that serves as a dependable treatment guide for manual stretch therapists. FST is composed of innovative choreography created by Ann and Chris Frederick, founders of Stretch to Win Institute. What makes this system unique is that it is active, not passive, for the client. It is a gentle and pain-free approach that requires both the client and therapist working together as a team to manipulate the connective tissue (or fascia) of the body, not just isolated muscles, to achieve optimal results. Unlike traditional stretching that attempts to isolate and stretch specific muscles, FST ™ creates lasting change and dramatically improves your flexibility by decompressing your joints and unwinding the connective tissue, or fascia of your body.
- Synchronize breathing with movement
- Fine tune the nervous system to current condition
- Follow a logical order
- Achieve gains in range of motion without pain
- Stretch fascia, not just muscles
- Use multiple planes of movement
- Target entire joint
- Maximal lengthening with traction
- Facilitate body reflexes for optimal results
- Adjust stretching to client’s goals
There are three anatomical systems of the human body: skeletal, muscular, and fascia. The fascia system is connective tissue that covers our entire body from head to toe, much like a spider web, and influences every system in our body. Due to its presence and influence throughout the body, problems with tight fascia creates stress and tension in other parts of the body. For example, imagine wearing a wetsuit that is one size too small. The wetsuit represents tight fascia in your body. Your arms and legs feel restricted and compressed with little flexibility. Over time, your neck and other muscles will start to hurt due to the restrictions caused by the tight wetsuit.
- Fascia is the most prevalent tissue in the body, and least understood
- Fascia doesn’t show up on MRIs, CT-Scans, or X-Rays
- The health and function of all joints & muscles are a direct result of the condition of your fascia
- Healthy circulation in your muscles, joints, arteries, veins, brain, and spinal cord is largely dependent on optimal flexibility of your fascia
- There is NO medication that can improve your fascia
- There is NO supplement that can optimize your fascia
- Exercise alone does not optimally balance, align or improve your fascia
- Improved posture & functional ability to do what you couldn’t do before
- No pain allows you to finally enjoy a life of quality
- Restoration of normal joint space is anti-aging at its best – youthful movement without pain!
- Will make all the difference in sports performance
- Reduces injuries so you can get on with your goals in fitness, recreation, and sports
- Increases balance and symmetry of the body
Fascia System
Muscular System
Skeletal System