What is "Repetitive Strain Injury?"

I travel around the USA, teaching Julstro workshops to fitness trainers, athletes, and to anyone who is interested in learning how to stop pain from limiting their lives. One of the many questions I'm constantly asked is "What is the explanation of Repetitive Strain Injury?"

When a muscle is used over and over in the same manner, the fibers are being strained repetitively and they eventually will shorten, and may tear. Small micro-tears may happen to the fibers, or in a severe case of repetitive strain, the fibers may tear away from the tendon, or pull the tendon off the bone! When a muscle is severed from the tendon or the bone, it is extremely painful and will require surgery.

This is truly a situation where "prevention is worth a pound of cure."

As a muscle is shortening because of repetitive motion, it can easily be reversed by simply pressing deeply along the entire length of the muscle. This flushes out a toxin called "lactic acid," and draws blood into the muscle. The muscle fibers will begin to lengthen as the lactic acid is removed, and the longer fibers will take the strain off the insertion point at the bone. This eases, and quickly eliminates the strain at the joint, and prevent tears from happening to the muscle fibers.