Steps in Basic FENIX Therapeutic Pressure Massage

A pictorial display of the various trigger point treatments described below is found on
Self Care Demonstration. Do not cause yourself undo pain; you are in control of the amount of pressure you apply.

1. Place the FENIX on your bed or a carpeted floor. Select the appropriate therapeutic digit or digits, and insert them into the proper hole or holes of the FENIX. (Self Care Demonstration).
   
   
2. Slowly rest the targeted trigger point against the appropriate therapeutic digit or digits. Generally apply the FENIX through clothing. If used over unclothed areas (such as cervical spine), place a towel over the digits.
   
   

   Gluteus Medius release for Hip and Leg Pain	Low Back Pain Quadratus Lumborum release Multifidus release	Mid-Back and Shoulder pain Rhomboid/Lower-Trapezius release

   
   
3. Relax into the digit or digits to produce a sustained pressure creating a mild local discomfort with a distinctive pattern of referral pain, which will usually be similar to the symptoms of your complaint.
   
   
4. Treatment is useless if you tense the involved muscles in order to protect the trigger point from pressure, as this will cause spasms and aggravate your condition.
   
   
5. Apply appropriate sustained pressure to the trigger point with sufficient force and for long enough time to inactivate it. This will cause some minor momentary discomfort.
   
   
6. If the treatment is properly applied, generally the local discomfort and referral pain will abate within a minute (30 - 90 seconds).
   
   
7. As this tolerable discomfort lessens, you may get a sensation of the pain causing trigger point releasing or "melting away." As this happens you need to relax deeper onto the digit or digits increasing the therapeutic pressure and slightly increasing the discomfort again. Go easy!
   
   
8. During this process you can increase pressure, up to 20 pounds for large muscles only (buttocks) and much less (one to five pounds) for smaller, thinner muscles lying over bone. This treatment process can be continued up to one minute, two minutes for variable therapeutic compression technique (Self Care Demonstration). Release of the muscle knot can bring you pain relief, increased flexibility and improved performance.
   
   
9. Insufficient pressure will not adequately stimulate nerve receptors in order to produce a therapeutic response. However, excessive pressure can irritate the tissues and cause increased excitation of nerve receptors, thus increasing spasms and pain. A mild state of discomfort while performing the therapy is ideal. Ideal therapeutic pressure depends upon many factors, your age, health status, level of toxicity and inflammation of your tissues.
   
   
10. If the trigger point does not dissipate within one minute you may repeat the treatment process, after treating other secondary TPs in the area. Then:
    1. Apply a hot pack to the resistant myofascial TP.
    2. Second, slowly stretch the involved muscle to the verge of discomfort.
    3. Then reapply the treatment process again, as described above, to the resistant trigger point.
    
    
11. Treatment with the FENIX may fail to afford you complete relief because:
    1. The trigger pointis severe and will require many applications with the FENIX over a longer period of time, which is common.
    2. You are not applying enough pressure or you are releasing the pressure instead of increasing it as The trigger point"melts away".
    3. You are pressing too hard at first, causing involuntary tensing, autonomic nervous system responses, and excessive pain.
    4. Or you have complications or perpetuating factors that continue to make your TPs hyperirritable, complications which must be diagnosed and treated by your doctor or referred to a specialist.
    
    
12. To effect the greatest relief in your symptoms, choose the TPs that reproduces your symptom pain pattern. If treatment is effective, you may notice changes in range of motion and strength as well as a decrease in the level of pain. After treatment with the FENIX, passive stretching of the muscle for 90 seconds is vital if you desire to rehabilitate your pain (Please see the pictorial stretching guide). Continued severe post- treatment soreness should be treated immediately with ice on The trigger pointuntil the tissue numbs, then discuss your treatment program with your doctor or therapist.

1. The two sets of 55 angled holes on the FENIX at the end opposite the handle and near the handle can be used singularly to get at hard-to-reach places (e.g. under the shoulder blade or top of shoulder). Or these sets of angled holes can be used in pairs to compress and stretch the trigger points simultaneously with paired crossed digits (see picture on home page). This special feature is only found on the FENIX Rehab System.
   
   
2. There is also a 70 angled hole next to the handle which is of a lesser angle than the other holes, to be used with different length digits to get a better treatment angle to treat various areas of the body.
   
   
3. With some experimentation on your part you will find the best angle and length of digit to most effectively treat your selected myofascial trigger points (check your DVD and the Self Care Demonstration in the Self Treatment Guide for ideas). With a single angled digit you can apply all the special techniques listed on the Self Treatment Program page, such as variable compression, myofascial release techniques, position release techniques, and deep transverse friction massage.