I was so happy to listen to your radio segment with David Howell on Myofascial Release. I’ve been using it on myself for over 4 years. I am diagnosed with PD symptoms for 5 yrs but probably have had symptoms for 8.
I developed trigger finger in my thumb, and was interested in a therapy I could do myself other than the usual icepack, cortisone, etc therapy the doctor prescribed. I wanted to know and understand the root cause. I ended up on the internet of course and typed in “trigger finger” and saw a book called “The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook Second Edition, Your Self-treatment Guide For Pain Relief. by Clair Davies, NCTMB“.
“Trigger Point Therapy” is another name for Myofascial Release. The book is very user friendly and well written. I’ve also self-treated myself for stiff neck and shoulder pain, so common with PD, and just recently a groin pull. I am not a massage therapist. I can understand better after reading this book how PD, emotional and physical stress could breed trigger points very easily. PDr is constantly out of whack (tense muscles) and one unbalanced area puts severe strain on another part of your body you might think is in no way connected. They call this “referred” pain.
For instance, you may have excruciating wrist pain (Referred Pain), but the cause (Trigger Point) is further up your arm and even the muscles in the base of the neck. I don’t like to wait for the PD stiffness to evolve to jammed up trigger point aches and pains. I combat muscle stiffness so I don’t have to use trigger point therapy with daily at home simple yoga, tai chi, and 3lb dumb bells. Also I do walking and breathing meditation. Knock on wood, I am without any pain on a daily basis. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for featuring this not well heard of therapy in the PD community.
Monica
Robert Rodgers PhD
Founder 2004
Parkinsons Recovery



