ADAM MARTIN - Myotherapist.

Myotherapy
Definition: Myo (Latin for muscle) is a specialised form of massage/stretching using deep manual pressure on the body to release trigger points, which can result from birth trauma/falls/strains/sprains and misuse/overuse of the body/fibromyalgia.

The technique for erasing pain is called myotherapy. Myotherapy involves an entity called trigger points. Trigger points are found in muscles that have been insulted/damaged. This damage can even begin before birth.

Trigger points can be dormant for many years. However when conditions are met that could be emotional/physical stress, they seem to light up – they tighten. When stresses subside trigger points/muscles relax. If stresses increase, these relieved muscles will light up again.

Trigger points can’t be seen – yes, they can be felt. The job of the Myotherapist is to de-trigger these points. There are two types of pain most of us experience:

Acute pain – a warning pain – has a foreseeable end, there is usually a time limit on acute pain.

Chronic pain – may or may not have an observable cause. Chronic pain is a condition in the muscles – just living?

Trigger points are laid down, known as a highly irritable spot in a muscle, contributing critically to pain. Trigger points are laid down through our entire lives, firing when conditions are right.

A trigger point is a hyper irritable spot that is painful when compressed. Trigger points are so called because stimulating the point triggers a painful response. Trigger points can be active or latent. Active trigger points cause the patient pain. When stimulated active trigger points refer pain to other areas of the body that are not connected/associated by nerve or dermatomal segment.

Latent trigger points only exhibit pain when compressed and they do not refer pain and may or may not radiate pain around the point.

Trigger points, whether active or latent, result in dysfunction. A trigger point may be reflexively related to, contracture in the muscle, constriction/hypersensitivity in the skin and or local or referred areas, constriction in local circulation resulting from hypertonus and constriction of the muscle.

A myofascial trigger point is found in muscle tissue or its associated fascia. It is located in a taut band of muscle fibres. Normal muscles do not contain taut bands of muscle fibres and therefore do not contain trigger points.

Myotherapy involves a partnership between the Myotherapist and patient, erasing trigger points. Myotherapists treat cause as well as the symptoms of a wide range of conditions. Myotherapy is beneficial when used as a preventative/maintenance tool to keep physical/emotional stresses to a minimum.

 Now that you have a basic idea of what a Myotherapist does, meet Mr. Adam Martin.

 




















 ADAM MARTIN is a qualified Myotherapist with extensive clinical & fitness training experience in Malaysia & Australia. He was Consultant Myotherapist at the Malaysian Institute of Sport for 4 years under the 16th Commonwealth Games program. Adam is also a certified Athletics Coach and a former professional athlete, who excelled in Scottish Highland Games and was crowned South Pacific Caber Tossing Champion in 1990. This breadth of experience is unique, and makes Adam one of the most knowledgeable consultants in the Malaysian health & fitness industry today.

This is the guy who, on more than one occasion, has helped sort out my injuries and complications. Trust me, you will not regret seeing him! For those who would like to get in touch with Mr.Martin, here are his contact details : -

BODYTECH Sdn Bhd 4490 Jalan Lee Hin Neo Ukay Heights 68000 Ampang Selangor Malaysia

Mobile: +6012 206 8962
Email: adam@bodytech.com.my

Sweet Injuries!

As most of you who know me on a personal level or simply have been following my blog, may also know that I have been bodybuilding for over 24 years now. Now 24 years is no joke mind you! It's a bloody long time to be doing the same routines day in and out.

Of course exercising gives you great health and strength benefits, HOWEVER, for people like me who are rather a lil' sadistic, will always try to take it the extra mile in every training session. This is when the problem starts!

I think if someone were to ask me about virtually any sort of problem they are experiencing due to weight training injuries, I may just about be able to answer them and give them an answer as to how to treat their problems. Why? Cos' I've been there in most cases!

Anyway, back in 2009, i had torn my hamstrings in 2 places...read article HERE.  I had to undergo treatment at the ISTITUTE SUKAN NEGARA(ISN) and they did a rather good job at rehabilitating my injuries. For that I am grateful for their services. All along though, I had another problem but somehow it reared it's ugly head recently. I progressively got worse over the weeks in Jan 2011.


The problem was, me being unable to walk up any staircase, press the car clutch and obviously not work on my legs. The pain would be quite excruciating when the knees were bent at a certain halfway point rendering the entire leg hopeless. Now this was beginning to alarm me for I was really unable to train now let alone do normal daily stuff. So, naturally, where do I seek help? The people from ISN that had treated my torn hamstrings before.

They ran some tests and did some assessment to determine the root of my problem and concluded that the entire problem resulted from a hip displacement which caused the muscles and fascia to run out of proper alignment. So of course, I attended physio for almost 3 weeks. They reckon I needed to do a lot of stretching, something I would freely admit to NOT doing on a regular basis. Well after 3 weeks of therapy, guess what? The problem did not improve! That's right, NO real improvements. So at this point I was getting rather worried and frustrated. 

My next move was to call up an old friend who used to work at ISN, a sports therapist as well except his field is a bit different from the others. He name is Adam Martin and he is a Myotherapist. I have seen him twice thus far and VOILA! 95% of my acute knee pain is gone. He addressed the issue like a pro...well...he IS a pro...LOL! He is perhaps the only certified myotherapist in Malaysia and let me tell you something people..if you have some sort of chronic pain in your joints and muscles, and when physio and chiros aren't doing you much good, when doctors tell you that you need surgery, try Adam out first!!! He has a god given gift that, in my opinion, would solve most if not all of your problems. 


Of course he doesn't come cheap, fees are a bit on the premium end BUT wouldn't you be happier having to pay his fees and get sorted out once and for all than to be running around like some headless chicken consulting all sorts of specialists and eventually end up spending more AND still living in pain? I know I would rather pay the fees and be done with it!


Who is and how can you reach Adam Martin? Well, stay tuned for my next post as I will be bringing you a little bit more information about what is a myotherapist and about this fine gentleman who has those god given hands, so tune in again soon!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 9

Today, 12th of June - Saturday, another late entry on my update of my consumption of Olivenol capsules. Apologies for the late entry which is largely due to my busy schedule with my clients here at ULTIMATE GYM.

Well I'm in my 9th week on this product. Most of my joints feel much better with the exception of my lower back and knees. However, the major problems ie.lower back and knees are showing  more signs of improvements. They do not seem to nag with pain now except after a gruelling workout which leaves me slightly sore the next day. I also have taken some necessary precautions such as avoiding squats and deadlifts or any other movements that would hit the effected areas too hard.

Hopefully another couple of weeks most of the pain would have gone. My problems have taken a bit longer to heal up largely due to the fact that I've been lifting weights for the last 24 years hence taking a toll on my joints. Thankfully, I was introduced to this product. It has certainly made a difference in my life and for those still having doubts, TRY IT! Honestly, you have nothing to lose. If it doesn't work on your joint problems, then it WILL certainly work in aiding to strengthen your immune system.

I probably still have a good couple of weeks supply left and will certainly update you readers of my progress. Till then...... PEACE!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 7

Today 26th May, Wednesday marks my 7th week on Olivenol capsules. As those of you who have been following my progress, you will probably remember that I started out at an 8 out 10 on the joint pain scale and stagnated at 4 a couple of weeks back. Most of my joints like elbow, wrist and shoulder have improved tremendously....although there's still a slight pinching sensation every now and then when too much pressure is applied on them.

The biggest breakthrough last week was...my lower back! All along, the back and knees were the ones to lookout for. They were the real problem areas. However, sometime last week, something weird happened. I don't know if the supplement helped or maybe because the disc slipped back into position...but I woke up the next morning and the pain in the lower back had disappeared about a whopping 80% . I mean I will still feel some pressure if I stood up for long moments but most of the pain were gone. Now I'm carefully watching it so as not to get it busted again. The strangest thing was the knee...I believe it is linked to the lower back issue because as soon as the lower back felt better, the knees started feeling better too. Probably nerves being pinched as such.

Whatever the reasons for feeling better, I'm thankful because living with such pain day in day out can be pretty excruciating at times. Also I must say that Olivenol has actually played a part in my recovery and for that I feel a BIG THANK YOU is only appropriate. I still have supply for a couple more weeks so I will keep updating my progress until my supply runs out. Hopefully by such time, I will be more if not completely healed.

Till then, PEACE!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 6

Today - 19th of May, Wednesday marks my 6th week on Olivenol capsules. It has worked well so far however from week 5 till present, i have not made any significant improvements due to the fact that I was down with flu followed by food poisoning. During the this period, which was almost the entire of last week, I stopped taking my capsules because it was so bad that even plain water would cause me to throw up so I didn't want to waste my supply of Olivenol.

I'm feeling much better now although a little drained still from last weeks fiesta, but have resumed my schedule with my capsules. Hopefully in the coming weeks I will continue to make progress with my joint recovery. As for the lower back and left knee, I feel they are somewhat connected. Due to the weakened lower back, probably some nerves are being pinched causing the pain to run all the way down to my left knee. Perhaps this matter has to be sorted out by either a chiropractor or a myotherapist.

So, this is the status as of now, sorry not much to report as I have been pretty out of commission for a while. Till next week...Peace!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 5

Today, 11th May, Wednesday, marks the third day I am on a higher dose of Olivenol capsules.
In the last 3-4 weeks, i made relatively good progress using the initial recommended dose of 2 caps 2 times a day. My score out of 10 went down from an 8 to a 4 in that period of time. However after week 3 onwards...everything remained the same...no more improvements what so ever. So I decided to write in to Olivenol and ask if I should increase my dose due to the fact that I am almost 270lbs and the recommended dose may have been more suited for an avarage guy.

A couple of days later i received a response from Olivenol, stating that I can increase my dosage to 2 capsules 3 times a day. So since Monday, 10th May, I am officially on a higher dosage. It may take a bit of time before I start feeling anymore improvements. I will of course update my progress as we go along. Only problem is, I was supposed to be on an 8 week program but since I have increased my dosages, the supply I have isn't going to last the 8 week duration....looks like I will have to give them a call to obtain more supplies.

On another note, I caught the flu bug too recently. What I noticed was how fast i recovered compared to my fellow bodybuilding friends. Some of them caught the flu bug a week before me and is still not clear of it yet. I guess this product did help with my immune system too to an extent. Not a bad product I must say...and I am the sort to NEVER praise a product if I'm not convinced enough! Olivenol..well I'd give a thumbs up for now.

So till I update you guys on my progress...it's back to my favourite playground...Ultimate Gym!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 4

Today, 5th May 2010 - Wednesday, not much to report as I've been down with the flu since Saturday. Seems like there's a bug in the air and so many people i know or noticed seems to be down with some kind of flu or cough. So I've decided to take this week off from training to recover before resuming my training.

Right now I would say that my joint pain level has plateaued ...I'm still at a 4 out of 10 in terms of pain in my joints. The knee and lower back still hurts now and then. I suspect that there are other factors serrounding the pain in these places. I'd probably make an appointment to see a friend of mine who is a Myotherapist. They basically locate trapped or pinched nerves and massages to release these trapped or pinched nerves....instant relieve!

However i won't rule out Olivenol capsules yet as I do feel it has done some justice to my other joint problem. Until next week when I'm back on track......keep lifting peeps!!!
Peace!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 3

Today, the 28th of April 2010, Wednesday, is my third week using Olivanol capsules. If you have been following my progress, you will notice that I have somewhat had some pretty good progress. Most of my joints don't hurt as much as before...although the more severe problem areas such as the left knee and lower back are still nagging a bit...it is not as bad as before.


I'd say the pain level now is down to a 4 out of 10 , down a notch from last weeks 5. I still have 5 weeks to go so I guess things should look a bit better by the end of my therapy. 


Overall, this product seemed to have helped me make some kind of recovery...better than when I was on Glucosamine, Chondroitin and MSM. Only problem now i'm facing is that i'm not as young as I was. LOL! With the joint pains reduced considerably, I am starting to lift heavy again. It's the only way I know how to train to get the best stimulus BUT in the process,could injure myself like straining the muscles. The last thing i need is a muscle tear and at this age, it could happen...so this "old man" has to keep reality in check every so often.


Good product overall...and although i'm not paid to say this, I would highly recommend others with joint problems to give it a try.


Check out my nest report in a weeks time...PEACE!!!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 2

Today Wednesday, 21st April, 2010,
my 2nd week into using Olivenol capsules.Up to this point, all my joint pains seem much better. On a scale of 1 to 10, it's gone down one more notch to a 5 from the previous of 6 ...originally an 8. Although it did not go down much this time around, it's still good enough for me as I've noticed my joints being somewhat stronger. All my training seem more comfortable and tolarable without major pain while performing my exercises.

I trained my shoulders last week and noticed considerable improvements with my movements and yesterday i went a bit heavier...usually I start with very light warm ups then work the poundages up. Typically i will max out at only 60lbs on dumbell presses due to the gruelling pain in my elbows BUT yesterdays workout, I managed to do 100lb dumbells with relative ease. Very very slight pain was felt. So i guess this stuff is actually helping.

Well tonight, I'm going to do arms. Let's see how much i can do now that the elbows seem much better. It's a great feeling being able to lift heavy again. I get such a rush from heavy training, plus the pumps i get are outrages..something I could not do nor feel for years due to all the joint pains I was experiencing.

Anyways, the journey to recovery continues!!! Hopefully all will be repaired after the 8th week is up. Till i update you guys again next week.....
HAPPY TRAINING!!!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Week 1

Today, 14th of April - Wed, I am finally at week 1 of being on Olivenol livin capsules. If you recall in my last post, I tagged my joint pains at 8 out of 10. Well as of today, exactly 1 week out, I am glad to announce that the pain that has plagued most of my joints seem somewhat reduced. I would rank it at about a 6 right now...down 2 notches from 8.

I noticed a lot lesser pain in my knees and elbows....however the pain in the lower back seems to have reduced ever so slightly...perhaps I would need more time for this area as there are so many nerves running through that area. Afterall I have only been on this product for exactly 1 week.

I have already had people asking me what the outcome is like...I have to keep reminding them that I've only been on this product for only a week and would need at least 8 weeks to really see drastic changes. That being said, I can tell you that any inflammation serrounding the joints will be noticeably reduced

Lets wait and see how I feel come week 2 and so on....hopefully it goes all the way to recovery or even 80%...I would be soOOooo happy!

See you guys next week then...
PEACE!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS - Day 1

Today the 7th of Arpil - Wednesday, I received my 8 week supply of Oilvenol livin capsules. For the next 8 weeks I will be keeping a close eye on how my body reacts to this supplement for my joint problems.As prescribed, I am to consume 2 capsules twice a day. Currently my main problem areas that hurt are my knees, lower back and sometimes elbow and wrist. Yes I know..I am a walking wreck!!!

Lets me try and tag my pain on a scale of 1 to 10. That way as I go along, we could see how much progress I have made so far.Currently I would put my pain level at 8 because eventhough I am in a relax position, there is some pain radiating around my problem area.

I tell you, if this product works, I'm gonna get Olivenol to endorse me as their spokesperson hehehehee!!!
Gotta go...update you people in a weeks time!

Peace out!

AGONY OF JOINT PAINS.

How many times have you heard someone complain of joint pains? I'm very sure at some point of time, you would have heard someone either in or outside the gym mention this to you. Typically, there are many factors that could bring about this dilemma in an individual. In my case, it is due to years of heavy lifting...24 years to be exact!!!

Of course some of my problems are related to displacement of some nerves which can actually mimic a typical joint pain. For these sort of problems I usually seek the help of a friend who is a certified Myotherapist. But some of the other joint problems like the knee, elbows and wrists etc.would require a different approach. A Myotherapist will not be able to fix worn out cartilages, tendons and ligaments.

This is when I turned to joint protection supplements....the idea is for it to work from within by consuming these products regularly. I have tried using Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM for months but only to be dissappointed by the outcome. Nothing happened! Nada!

Then I started using another product called Super Cissus Rx which is supposed to help strengthen your joints and help rebuild cartilage etc...already on it for more than a month...yet still not much difference. People have made claims that this product is so good that within a couple of weeks they feel so much better...I guess my case is very different because nothing happened.

Of course I've not forgotten to add some essential fatty acids along the way...such as omega 3 & 6 to help with its anti inflammatory properties that  relieves joint pain.

So, in my quest to look for the right supplement to help with my chronic pain from wear and tear, I came across Olivenol livin' products. I've seen and heard of this products some 2 years ago and have heard first hand on how this stuff is good and all. So I actually wrote to them explaining my situation and as a small challenge, they offered me their products to try out. All i have to do is keep a record here on my blog on a weekly basis updating people on how my progress is coming along.

Well, my batch of goodies just arrived today and all i need to do is take 2 capsules twice a day for 8 weeks. So guys, if any of you who have joint problems, you may want to keep track of my weekly report here. Who knows, it may help you solve your problems too.

Peace!!!