Last year, I got an e-mail member from one of our auxilliary AREC members (dues paying, though I’ve never met them) about the Julstro Method. I researched the information and began a short correspondence with Julie Donnelly, BS, LMT, the creator of that technique, and eventually received a copy of her book, “The Pain-Free Runner.” (She has a series of books, all dealing with muscle pain, for runners, triathletes and swimmers.)
In my initial thumb-through (something I do in a bookstore, looking for the right book), it looked to me like possibly too technical, especially due to what looked like muscle charts at the end of the book. I was concerned that it might take multiple slow readings to get through the gist of the book.
Fortunately, I was totally off-base in my initial impression. The book draws you in – I mean, who has never felt soreness or pain after running? – and works through the entire process.
The two Forwards are short inspirational pieces by people who have used the Julstro Method. And if they could do it, why couldn’t I?
Part One then delves into listening to your body. Muscles give you messages. Even if they aren’t torn or separated from the tendon, these messages tell you to take it easy. The best message I got from this section was to Enhance your Self-Acceptance and to Tune Out your Critical Side. I told a runner earlier this week that you compete with yourself and do what works best for your body. Don’t worry about anyone else.
Part Two goes into how our muscles work, that basically a multitude of different actions produce the mechanics of how we run. Thus, if you get a muscle spasm, it is important to consider the source of that spasm. A good example is pain one might feel if one’s hair was being pulled. You feel pain where the hair connects, but the solution is to stop the hair being pulled, not massage the roots! The basic message of Part Two is that by learning the mechanics of the process and training properly, you can prevent injury and avoid unnecessary surgery.
There is also some suggestions for types of workouts (Base/Speed/Power/Peak), but for a book of this type, there are so many types of training – short, medium, ultra – that you have to find what works best for you.
Part Three deals with treatments and the Julstro Method (which I believe stands for “Julie Stroke” Method). As with the earlier example with pulling hair, your body is governed by actions and reactions.
For example, while I type this, the action of bending my wrist in a certain manner and flexing my fingers appropriately WILL cause some soreness if done repetitively. To counteract this soreness, the muscles need to be stretched in the reverse way (obviously, I can’t flip my hands over and type backwards, but there are ways to stretch the muscles in reverse).
The same issue comes up when one runs except that the whole process is much more complex. If your upper back is not in the most natural position, it affects your lower back, your waist, your upper leg, your knee, your lower leg, and your foot. Your foot pain might be caused by bad body mechanics in your back! Basically, every muscle is governed by a trigger point (the earlier once-confusing muscle charts). Pain in your heel could be triggered by your piriformis or sartorius muscles.
The Julstro Method, thus, is a technique through which you give yourself Deep Tissue treatment and clear up your problems without surgery.
After reading the book, I consulted with my sister, an M.D. and also with a massage therapist. Both of them told me about Trigger Points and Massage Treatment. Additionally, I did a test on myself – I massaged muscles between my toes on just one foot(even though there was no soreness), and during my ensuing run, I had a little soreness in that area (proving the action/reaction theory).
My only beefs with the book were an extended section on Carpal Tunnel (basically a plug for another book), and references to other books and websites (which isn’t always bad, except I felt I would have to sit in front of a monitor (or at a bookstore) to understand the process). Also, at $19.95, the book price seems a little high, but if you spent $20 on a book, instead of hundreds or thousands on Special Massage or Surgery, it would definitely be worth it.
Julie did mention the possibility that she might come out and teach a class, possibly in conjunction with the Long Beach Marathon. I would definitely be interested to see the hands-on approach to this intriguing technique. So, Cheers to an Injury-Free 2004!