Products and Books For Patients
We’ve spent a lot of time going through and trying out and testing a lot of products over the years and here are the top products we recommend. If you want to purchase, the links and pictures will take you to that company’s website or to Amazon to purchase them.
Trigger Point Therapy Products
If you’re looking for the one of the best series of products for soft tissue and myofascial release, check out the products from Trigger Point Therapy. I first tried their products back in 2004 and have been a fan of Trigger Point Therapy ever since.
Trigger Point Therapy Hip and Low Back Kit
The Hip and Low Back Kit from Trigger Point Therapy is a great solution for active people that are trying to get rid of chronic IT band issues or that nagging low back spasm that seems to flare up after longer workouts. The Hip and Low Back Kit consists of two TP Massage Balls, the TP FootBaller, TP Baller Block and the TP Quadroller.
TP Therapy even includes a DVD with a 30 minute demo of how to use all the different products, so its easy to follow along and not only learn, but also see the correct techniques being done properly.
You can buy direct from Trigger Point Therapy and get free shipping for a limited time.
for $159.99 + shipping (free for a limited time) from the Trigger Point Therapy website
World’s Coolest Foam Roller-The Grid Foam Roller
Trigger Point Therapy also has a new product that I’m pretty excited about – their Grid Foam Roller is one of the most unique and revolutionary therapy products that far exceeds traditional foam rollers is a lot of ways. Its made out of EVA (the same stuff used to make the soles of running shoes) and doesn’t break down as quickly as a traditional foam roller. The Grid also has a neat matrix contour and shape that has different texture and densities – basically you’re getting three different foam rollers combined into one. The EVA is wrapped around a hard tube (which is why the Grid is hollow – all the support and firmness is from the tube.
The Grid also has a much smaller profile – just 13 inches long compared to the typical 3 foot long foam rollers we usually use here (not to worry, we’re changing over to the Grid for the clinic). Plus, the final big point for me – there is a one year warranty on the Grid. Yep, IF you can wear it out, break it down, etc, Trigger Point Therapy offers a one year warranty on it. Granted its more expensive that a normal foam roller, but if you figure that the Grid should last through at least a year of regular use, that will end up saving you money in the long run since the foam rollers tend to break down and get soft with regular use. I think we’re replacing our foam rollers in the clinic every 4 months, so do the math…$40 for the Grid for a year, or buying a new foam roller every 4 months at $20 a pop…plus you’re not tossing the old foam roller into a landfill somewhere…
for $39.99 + shipping from the Trigger Point Therapy website.
The Original Stick for Sports Massage
There’s probably not a runner or triathlete that hasn’t seen or heard of “The Stick” (actually, there’s a whole family of Sticks to choose from). This is another fanta-STICK (sorry, couldn’t resist) rehab tool that no athlete should be without.
The Stick essentially allows you to focus on a direct and consistent pressure as you roll over the muscle. Its a great way to keep your body healthy during a lot of hard training. My personal favorite is the Travel Stick, which is the shortest (just 17 inches in length) of all the Sticks, which makes it easy to keep in a gym bag or in the door pocket of the car.
Books We Recommend on Amazon
Scroll through the Amazon.com book carousel for our recommended books on running from Amazon. Neat feature that first made me want to put four quarters in my computer’s DVD slot and press “A-14″…
The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook
One book we end up recommending to a lot of our patients is the The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Clair Davies. This is one of the best books written on the subject and its in an easy-to-understand format for patients. The book is based on a two-volume medical textbook by Drs. Janet Travell and David Simon that pioneered a lot of the current research on muscle dysfunction and trigger point therapy.