Yoga allows us to access the available tissue and keep it open and spacious. Block Therapy™ goes further as it releases the tissue that has adhered to bone, thereby granting you more available tissue to work with. Tissue will freeze or glue onto bony surfaces with a force up to 2000lbs per square inch. This incredible seal requires heating and oxygenation in order to release and become available for our use.
Yoga alone does not get deep enough through the layers of tissue to grant this depth of freedom in the body. In order to affect the tissue to the depth of the bone, the tool needs to be similar in density to bone. This is why the Block Buddy™ and the Block Baby™ are made from bamboo.
If you practice Block Therapy™ as instructed in the videos, it is totally safe.
Block Therapy™ is about connecting to your pain however it does not cause injury if you listen to your body and follow your breath as you are guided. Deanna guides you through the moves and if something is too painful she will provide alternate ways to approach the area. Some common modifications are practicing on a mattress to decrease the initial depth into the tissue while allowing your body to adapt, having pillows close by to help support and prop your body as needed and of course to back off if the pressure becomes too intense.
While doing Block Therapy™ a healing crisis may occur. A healing crisis is a result of putting positive energy into the body while allowing the negative energy to move out of the body. This negative energy can show up in a form of a skin rash, flu-like symptoms, changes in pain, emotional releases etc.
The most common healing crisis that may appear “scary” is called a rib release. Rib releases occur when we are melting through the frozen tissue in the rib cage resulting in a significant shift of the ribs. A gap is created from the release of scar tissue which can be painful, especially since every movement or action in the body taxes the ribcage. The pain comes from the body sending extra blood flow to the area, also known as inflammation, to help rebuild the tissue. Depending on how significant the shift was and how much tissue needs repair will determine how long the pain will last for.
It is natural to want to ice the area but doing so will cause the tissue to freeze again and become more restricted; therefore, we recommend adding heat to help speed up the healing process.
You may also see broken capillaries or slight bruising in certain areas. Do not be alarmed as this is an indicator of improved blood flow to an area that previously lacked blood flow and oxygen.
You are completely in control of how much pain you allow yourself to experience and are properly guided through this on the videos.
Contraindications to Block Therapy™
Block Therapy™ is generally a safe body work practice that anyone at any age can do. Please see below regarding pregnancy and serious medical conditions.
Pregnancy
For someone who is pregnant, it is the direct contact with the belly and surrounding area that should be avoided. The other areas of the body are safe to practice, ie., legs, face, neck.
Implants
It is safe to do Block Therapy™ with implants; however, it is recommended that you block around the area of the implants rather than directly on the implant.
Serious Medical Conditions
For anyone with serious health concerns it is always important to seek medical advice before starting any practice. We have a wonderful community support group for general guidance, but with serious conditions it is recommended to do an Assessment with a Certified Block Therapist for direction and support.
Energy moves in waves and spirals and over time, fascia compresses in this same pattern. Fluid Isometrics™ uses either a practitioner’s hands on a patient or your hand on yourself, following the “seams of time” in the fascia to melt through the “fuzz” that has accumulated in the body. Watch the YouTube video “The Fuzz Speech” by Gill Headly to see a great explanation of fascia and how it develops adhesions.
Block Therapy™ is the self-care version of Fluid Isometrics™, using tools called the Block Buddy™ and Block Baby™. Both are made from bamboo, their specific size and shape allow deep penetration into the fascia. While lying on the block, you are instructed to follow a similar pattern of movement, as in Fluid Isometrics™, to get to the root of the issue where fascia grips – at the bone.
In order to penetrate any medium, we need screw into it. Think of a cork in a wine bottle, we don’t push the corkscrew into the cork, we screw it in. This is how we approach adhesions in the fascia. When confronted with layer upon layer of fascia that has entwined and sealed in a chaotic pattern, we need to unzip those seams in the same manner they were created. Essentially, we need to melt them.
Fluid Isometrics™ and Block Therapy™ are very efficient at melting through scar tissue and compressed fascia. The combination of the technique, combined with learning to breathe diaphragmatically as we instruct (which heats up the body from the inside) allows blood to reach cells previously blocked.
Block Therapy™ is an exercise, therapy and meditation all in one. With it you are improving blood flow, increasing metabolism, working muscles and strengthening your heart.
The work can be done in a passive manner and/or the intensity can be increased for a more dynamic workout. Block Therapy™ is also a wonderful complement to any exercise practice as it is incredibly effective at improving blood flow. Block Therapy™ is also amazing for post-workout recovery as the by-products of exercise will be taken away from the cells with greater efficiency, e.g. lactic acid; therefore, decreasing the time the muscles experience stiffness.
This is a commonly asked question. In the Block Therapy™ introduction series video, you are instructed to stay on the Block Buddy™ for a minimum of 3 minutes. Block Therapy™ is a technique of melting frozen tissue therefore it cannot be rushed. Having said that, we always listen to our body and respect our limits.
I often spend up to one hour on the Block Buddy™ in one position at a time, I love to put on a movie and lie in a few placements while watching it. The longer we can be in one area, the deeper and more effective the melting of that tissue will be. However, we must understand and respect what we are doing.
For example, if you are doing the iliotibial band position you may be in a plank position which can cause stress in the neck and shoulders. If you are spending extended time in an area and are starting to feel the area going numb it is a result of the roadway for blood and nerve flow being blocked, once we release the pressure the flow comes back. I do not recommend spending more than 3 minutes on an area if it is causing numbness.
This work is in part about becoming aware of your body and learning the language of your tissue. If at any time you are uncertain of your body’s response, please reach out to support@blocktherapy.com so I can address your individual concern.