Body Wise*

Sara Bethell is an Advanced MELT Instructor who trained with MELT creator Sue Hitzmann before moving to Portland, OR, in 2009. For a private MELT session or to locate a MELT class or event near you call or visit her website.

503-915-4734
sara@meltpdx.com
www.meltpdx.com

*The information contained herein is not intended to diagnose or treat ANY medical condition. Always consult your physician before beginning any new exercise or treatment.

M.E.L.T. Takes the Pain Out of Exercise

By Sara Bethell

MELT brings length and hydration to the tissues along the front of the leg and more space to the lower body joints. Photo courtesy of MELTPDX.com

Walking is a relatively gentle form of exercise, but with every step, a force equal to two to three times your body weight comes down on your foot. That force then moves up the body like a shockwave. Wave after wave travels up your body, and over time, that repeated stress can lead to aches and pains, inflammation, and even injuries.

What can you do? The answer doesn’t lie in choosing a more sedentary lifestyle — or even in finding an even-cushier pair of walking shoes. What if you could make your whole body a better shock absorber?

The MELT Method (the name comes from Myofascial Energetic Length Technique) uses soft foam rollers and a series of small balls to draw fluids into the tissues that surround every muscle, bone, joint, and organ in the body. With proper hydration, the muscles work better, the joints have the support and space they need, and the whole body finds a more ideal upright alignment that helps absorb the shocks and stresses of an active lifestyle.

Discovering MELT
MELT was created about 10 years ago by New York City manual therapist Sue Hitzmann as homework for her clients, many who came to her with chronic pain. When she saw how well these simple exercises worked — how her clients came back to see her better than when they left, how her own hands-on work with them was more effective — Hitzmann wondered whether she could teach these “hands-off bodywork” ideas to groups of people in a fitness setting.

Her experiment was a success, her MELT classes were a big hit, and not long after, Hitzmann began training people from a variety of backgrounds to share her work. MELT instructors are now spread out around the country, and their number is growing.

Living Longer, Feeling Better
The Baby Boom generation may be getting older, but it isn’t slowing down. As these active people age they want to know, what can I do to keep my body free of pain so I can keep doing the activities I enjoy?

One important part of pain-free aging is making sure the body is adequately hydrated. You already know step one: drinking enough water. The next step is getting that fluid into the tissues. You can drink all the water you like, but if your tissues aren’t absorbing it, your aching joints and inflamed tissues are going to stay dehydrated.

Each MELT move is designed to stimulate the connective tissue to replenish itself with natural hydration. (Like squeezing a sponge so it can soak in fresh water.) When the connective tissue is well hydrated, the joints are better aligned and have the cushion they need to handle the jarring effects of exercise and active living.

Because the connective tissue is one seamless interconnected system — from the layer right under your skin to the deep tissues that wrap around each of your organs — you can stimulate just one area and create improvement in your entire body. The MELT Hand & Foot Treatment is a perfect example: It not only makes the hands and feet feel great — bringing improvement to common symptoms like arthritis, plantar fasciitis, bunions, and neuromas — it can help relieve aches and pains in other areas as well, such as neck pain and low back pain.

This technique is so gentle you can MELT every day. MELT before your workout to bring your body into a more efficient alignment. MELT after your workout to help your body recover, so you can get out there and do it again!

Treat Yourself
MELT is a self-treatment technique, so whether you’re in a group class, workshop, or private session, you’re learning to take care of your body so it can last you a long and active lifetime.

A typical MELT class starts with the participants lying on the floor, tapping into their own body sense to discover areas of imbalance (does your lower back space feel really big? does one side of the body feel heavier than the other?). What follows is an hour-long series of treatments that helps bring the body back into balance — an hour that often ends with participants feeling relaxed and realigned, like they’ve just had a wonderful massage.

And isn’t that a feeling you deserve to have more often?