Even I forgot this...
So I just got back from an incredible trip to Rome and Switzerland for my birthday. . It was a beautiful and magical adventure that I truthfully wanted to last another week.
But you know what wasn’t magical?
My left elbow.
Before our 10.5 hr flight to Rome, I squeezed in a workout—nothing crazy, but enough to get my body moving before folding myself into an airplane seat like a human shrimp.
After sitting in recycled air and pressurized altitude for the whole night, I stood up...and my elbow was not happy. It wasn’t normal workout soreness. It was deep and achy.
So what did I do?
Stretched my arm as we walked around Rome all day. No change.
Theragunned it the next day with my husband's mini Theragun he brought. That made it WAY worse and more inflamed (hammering home once again that those tools are not for pain relief).
Briefly spiraled and wondered if I had compartment syndrome because I love to overreact on vacation...(but also every time I went to straighten out my arm it was seriously SO painful).
It took me two full days to remember the very thing I teach every single day:
Release FASCIA, for Pete's sake!!
So I walked my husband through stepping on both sides of my forearm, my bicep, and even my pec. And wouldn’t you know it? The next day it was 80% better.
One more round of release the following morning… and it was completely gone by that night.
I had a full blown "moment" where I remembered what a fan of my own work I am . I don't mean that as a brag, it's just that I still get amazed how simple, how effective, and how FAST you can turn things around when you do this work right. It's experiences like this that remind me why I love fascia release so much and why I want to share it with anyone who will listen!
It also got me thinking: I taught a Partner Fascia Release Course last year—whee I taught partners, roommates, and bffs how to step on each other. It's not for becoming a Fascia Remedy practitioner, it's just to enable you to have someone in your life that can help you whenever and wherever you may need fascia-related support (and you can help them as well!).
I’m thinking about running another Partner Fascia Release Course this fall. If you’re interested in learning how to safely and effectively release fascia with a partner, please hit reply and let me know. I’ll add you to the interest list and send more details when I have them.
In the meantime…
Next time something feels tight or painful?
Don’t stretch it. Don’t Theragun it.
Release the fascia that’s creating the problem in the first place
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Long flights can leave the body feeling stiff, compressed, and restricted from hours of sitting in one position. Changes in movement, circulation, tissue loading, and posture can all contribute to elbow pain or deep aching after travel.
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Yes. Fascial restriction in the forearm, bicep, shoulder, or even chest can contribute to elbow pain and limited arm movement. Sometimes the area that hurts is not the only area involved, which is why treating the elbow alone does not always solve the problem.
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Not always. If the issue is coming from irritated or restricted fascia, stretching can sometimes make the area feel worse instead of better. It is often more helpful to address the underlying tissue restriction first before forcing more length into a painful area.
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Yes. In some cases, using a massage gun on an already irritated or inflamed area can increase sensitivity and make the pain worse. Aggressive tools are not always the best choice when the tissue is already reactive.
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It can. When the right areas are released, fascia work may help reduce tension, improve tissue glide, and ease pain surprisingly quickly. Depending on the cause, releasing the forearm, bicep, or surrounding tissues can sometimes create major relief within a short amount of time.
