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Compression V’s Compression

You know it when you see it!

Even if you don’t know what compression is, you would have seen it before. People laying on comfy chairs or lounges with their legs covered in these cool looking full leg length boots. That is one of the main ways to use compression.

Compression has become part of the Recovery revolution we see around the world and it’s usually the go to for many facilities dipping their toes into the Recovery pool.

But what does compression do besides feel nice on your legs! If you look at most suppliers of compression boots you will see many of the same claims to the benefits.

Decrease inflammation

Decrease pain or post workout fatigue

Increase flow of lymph

Increase circulation

Increased Recovery

One important piece of the compression puzzle though needs to be if this type of compression right for everybody or when should you avoid it.

Arguably, one of the biggest issues in the world today is inflammation in the tissues of the body. Lots of practitioners and body workers, acupuncturists, physical therapists all seem to relate to the fact that not being able to flush toxins from the body is one of the leading causes of inflammation. Where people tend to hold a lot of these toxins through inflammation is in the stomach, hips and mid section of the body.

So if we take a look at the benefits and we see increased circulation of blood and lymph, then we can assume increased circulation of toxins. The question is because most compression boots end at the top of the legs “is compression pushing the toxins into an area of the body that is already inflamed by toxins and does not remove them well.

Possibly a way to think about this is to push the blood and lymph around into areas where the body does a better job of clearing those toxins and not pooling them. More targeted compression could be the solution to this problem.

Targetting an area like the hips or the mid section or like the picture above just the calves might help flush the toxins through the parts of the body where they normally sit and create kaos to our overall health and wellness

If you are a person who carries inflammation from food allergies, post workout, stress, then possibly breaking up the type of compression is key or use a Percussion gun on your upper body while sitting in the boots to encourage the upper body to increase circulation and keep pushing the lymph higher up the body where it needs to go.

Percussion for bone

It has become a very common scene, people taking Percussion guns and working away on different parts of their body. Some questions are now being asked what does it actually do for the body and should it be used on hard tissue with the right gun choice as well as soft tissue

Ian O’dywer, Director at Global Wellness Designs has a different view on Percussion. “should we be working the bone as well as the muscle”

Odwyer, is a global educator and practitioner who has worked with companies like NASM, PTA Global, Institute of Motion and worked extensively with industry icon Rodney Corn from Eleiko.

Ian has found that working a shorter recoil percussion gun or a foam vibration roller can stimulate the harder tissue and bone in many ways leading to greater mobility, reduced pain and increased production of Nitric Oxide. The increase in Nitric Oxide can increase blood flow delivering more oxygen and nutrients but also help remove higher levels of toxins at the same time aiding in Recovery.

O’dywer recommends brands like Power Plate Mini and Nimbl who have a smaller Percussion gun with less recoil distance that provides a soft, non aggressive way to stimulate the bone without harming the body.

“The trick is to not use the larger guns when looking to work the harder tissues of the body as the recoil is too large and aggressive and will bounce and hurt.

The Power Plate Mini is one brand Mr O’dwyer recommends for use on bone as it creates a smooth and comfortable percussion recoil

Mr O’dwyer recommends two places to try to give it a go. “the shoulder ring of what most people know as the bony section at the front of the chest just below the throat and the hip bones.

NIMBL, another Percussion gun Ian Odwyer likes to use for Percussion on the hard tissues of the body

Power Plate vibrating roller can also be used on the lowest setting

To find out a lot more detail on how Ian uses foam rollers, percussion guns and other tools of the trade, you can find his education and immersion courses available at www.feelsoma.com or contact Ian at [email protected]