Does The Stick (http://www.thestick.com/) actually work? I've heard good things for a nice recovery, but what about injury repair/prevention? Do I really need the techniques DVD to do it right?
I've been having calf and achilles problems lately and I was thinking about giving this a try.
But they're 48 friggin dollars.
I found basically all the stuff to build my own at Lowes for about 10 bucks last night.
rolling pin FTW
AMERICA wrote:
rolling pin FTW
[face palm] Why the hell didn't I think about that?! hahahaha
It feels good, I think the foam roller is much much better.
I have a foam roller at the TP Massage Therapy kit (very good!). But, I cut an 18" section of broomstick off to use as my home-made "Stick."
I prefer a foam roller. I actually strained my achilles tendon once with an errant stick massage on my lower calf.
The stick works great on calves and lower leg, and it is effective, but I prefer the Tigertail, which is like a foam roller on a stick. Look around for it on Google. It's usually $30, but I got mine for $15. The advantages of the Tigertail is that you can use it on your upper leg about as well as a foam roller, except you don't have to lay on it and you can reach those hard to get spots. The stick doesn't do as well on the upper leg.
I would definitely invest in one, but keep in mind that it is mainly a preventative measure. It's good for muscle knots, but if you have a tendon injury, then that isn't going to fix it up right away. It will help prevent tendon injuries, though, by loosening up your muscles and creating less strain on the tendons where they attach to the bone. It's a great tool for injury prevention and recovery.
It doesn't really work for the Achilles. Generally you need to go in the opposite direction that the muscle goes. So, your Achilles is vertical, which means the best way to apply pressure is horizontally, if I'm making any sense. It's really tough to do that on your Achilles with The Stick.
Your hands are less expensive and more direct. Use them.
Saw one of these this weekend. Bored out golf balls, run a wooden dowel through middle and put handles on the ends. The owner said they picked it up in South Carolina. I tried to find a website. No dice.
A small paint roller also works well, use a thick nap and its as good as the stick.
you don't need the $48 model...it's a very stiff model that is more suited for someone with very large quads/chronic tight hamstrings, etc.
The most popular model is the Sprinter Model, the Travel/Marathon and Little models tend to be too flexible for most adults (the have a thinner core than the other models)
you also do not need to get the DVD..there are insruction that come along with it and they are self explanitory.
Email me if you have any other questions I'll be more than happy to answer any.
chikin wrote:
Saw one of these this weekend. Bored out golf balls, run a wooden dowel through middle and put handles on the ends. The owner said they picked it up in South Carolina. I tried to find a website. No dice.
That's an "Eddie's Stick." Made by Eddie Pennebaker in Clemson. Get one at OnOn Tri in Greenville or e-mail:
EDDIEPEN@BELLSOUTH.NETHe was a former Clemson runner.
It's not a wooden dowel, btw. It's flexible plastic. I bought a dozen for my team and they stole them all.
AMERICA wrote:
rolling pin FTW
Yeah. That works. My parents have The Stick from way back. I remember what it was "supposed" to feel like. I never used it more than once. I got a fairly thin rolling pin and it feels just the same. Damn if this process actually works, then this $6 rolling pin is deal, baby!