Re: Mom and accupressure- Attn Mike

May 4, 2004

.... the book is available at ?

....any of your " weird stuff " to help with a quick remedy for leg

cramps?

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You can generally, but not always, find it at and Noble or B.

Dalton. Unfortunately, any time I have seen it at either, they have

usually just had one or two copies. It isn't stocked like a top ten

best seller item.

What I do on most of the books I pick up like this is to just go to

the " EDS Today " website, click their link to amazon.com, and order

direct that way. I have always had excellent results and EDS Today

gets a small commission that way. As Bonnie reminded me earlier

today " ....then EDS Today DOES get a commission...may not be

directly to YOUR pocket but it DOES help other EDSers!!! LOL "

Quick fix for leg cramps depends on cause and where.

In terms of just getting rid of a cramp when one hits, there are

three manual techniques that work. Technical names are (1) Direct

Pressure (2) Reciprocal Inhibition and (3) Origin-Insertion

Approximation.

The first is just what it sounds like, deep, direct pressure right

in the middle of the cramping muscle. Using the calf as an example,

you would take your fist and simply push the muscle into the leg

bone and hold the pressure until the cramp let go. (And for you

anatomical purists on the list, yes, I know there is no such muscle

as the calf - the " calf " is made up of the gastrocnemius and soleus

muscles. Any time we slipped in class and said either calf or thigh

it cost us points). Problem with this technique is that it might be

in a muscle difficult or impossible to reach easily on yourself,

especically while in the midst of an eye-watering cramp.

The second method simply means making the muscle perform the

opposite action of the cramp. Let's say your back muscles (your

extensors) are cramping - just bend forward, arching your back. The

extensors can't stay shortened (cramped) when you do this.

The third isn't worth describing because it assumes a knowledge of

anatomy of kineseology that most people don't have and isn't as

effective as either of the first two anyway.

These can get rid of a cramp in progress but they don't address the

cause of the cramp. They are definitely just symptomatic

treatments. In order to stop getting the cramps in the first place,

you need to know why you are getting and then treat the cause.

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