Pain in the mid back or thoracic spine can have many causes but most often occurs due to muscular irritation or tension. Overhead movements require adequate thoracic extension, thus repeated overhead movements produce the risk of overuse injuries to the mid back. Thoracic kyphosis also has the potential to cause discomfort in the neck and thoracic spine. Although recent research … Read More
Contrast Baths for Recovery
If you’re a weightlifter, runner, or any type of athlete, you’ve probably looked for ways to prevent muscle soreness. You may have heard of cold water immersion, hot water immersion or even contrast baths themselves. Athletes and therapists have used ice baths and hot baths for recovery post-workout and have found them effective for relieving soreness. If you haven’t heard … Read More
How to Relieve Tennis Elbow
Lateral epicondylitis, nicknamed “Tennis Elbow”, is a common injury in the forearm and elbow. Pain often occurs during and after activity and can even progress to weaken your grip strength. As this injury can become debilitating, usually to your dominant hand, an effective recovery plan is definitely needed. You have likely tried stretching out your wrist and elbow, but have … Read More
Conservative Therapy for Hallux Limitus
Hallux Limitus is a condition that causes a reduced range of motion in the big toe. Degeneration of the cartilage between bones breaks down until the articulation is bone-on-bone and the joint cannot glide properly. Small floating bones may shift out of place, and excess bony deposits can form, further reducing motion of the big toe1. The main goal of … Read More
At-Home Remedies for Peroneal Tendonitis
With the constant impact of running, you may start to experience the pain of peroneal tendonitis. Why do you have this pain around your ankles and what can you do to get rid of it? Stretching and strengthening are the common treatment techniques among most soft tissue injuries, but muscle scraping may be the missing piece to your recovery. This … Read More
How to: Scraping for Neck Tension
Neck tension, the dreaded and the inevitable. Whether you experienced an injury or are stuck staring at your computer all day, falling into the tech neck trap, pain in your neck can take a toll on your everyday life. We’ve all tried stretching to relieve tension but a comprehensive plan may be what we really need, starting with muscle scraping. … Read More
Scraping for IT Band Syndrome
Runners, or any athletes that are constantly on their feet, may be prone to iliotibial (IT) band syndrome. The pain on the outside of your knees can be debilitating and keep you from being active. Fortunately, Sidekick tools can be used to attack almost all of the causes of IT band syndrome. This article will guide you through scraping the … Read More
How to Scrape for Golfer’s Elbow
With the season in full swing, many may be experiencing the dreaded “Golfer’s Elbow”. That nagging pain on the inside of your elbow can start to intrude when doing really any activities that eliminateur arm. Muscle scraping is an effective way to get rid of that pain and get back on the course quickly. This article will guide you through … Read More
3 Ways to Treat Calf Pain at Home
If you’re a daily runner, you look forward to getting out on the trial every day. Unfortunately, constant loading can often lead to calf pain. However, muscle scraping, combined with other home remedies can provide short- and long-term relief for your pain. This article will guide you through the most effective scraping techniques, as well as stretching and strengthening exercises … Read More
How to Relieve Shoulder Pain At Home
For those who experience shoulder pain, it can make daily tasks feel pretty impossible. Finding an effective way to relieve shoulder pain can be even more difficult. If you’re struggling to find relief, try muscle scraping! Based on the technique of gua sha, scraping effectively reduces pain and restores function at many joints throughout the body, including the shoulder. This … Read More