Thursday, March 14, 2013
Hand Exercises & Grip Strength Training for Boxers
I recently had this common question from a boxer:
Will
this help me strengthening my grip in boxing because you need strong grip to
protect your wrist and have a solid punch
Handmaster Plus is vital for all boxers and combat sports
for 2 reasons. 1) It maximizes ALL 18 hand muscles (key for strength and
balance) AND 2) it stimulates maximum blood flow and lymphatic drainage
(because it is a full ROM (hand is both fully opened and closed against
resistance) exercise), which is absolutely key for repair of all tissues.
Let's look at the first function. Nine muscles close the hand and nine muscles equally open the hand. For boxers to have the most strength and stability of all the hand, finger, thumb and wrist joints these muscles must not only be strong, they must be in balance. Only then will the boxer be able to best withstand the wear and tear of sparring, performing and training. Training requires so much repetitive gripping (of dumbbells, barbells, etc. meaning the finger extensor muscles are trained in a weak static position. The result can be repetitive grip injuries.
In the second function, circulation is key for the boxer as a repair cool. Because Handmaster Plus allows the boxer to easily strengthen and train their hand through a full opening and closing motion, all tissues will receive maximum blood flow and maximum lymphatic drainage, both necessary for maximum repair over the career of a boxer. Without maximum blood flow and lymph drainage tissues do not repair effectively. Bloodflow brings nutrients and oxygen to the tissue site, and lymph drainage takes toxins and waste products away from the site. Both are key and both are stimulated by full range of motion exercise.
Boxers can purchase Handmaster plus by clicking this hand exercise link or can contact us at info@doczac.com for more information.
Labels: boxer, boxing, finger exercise, grip strength, hand exercise, rehabilitation
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Hand and Finger Exercise In 2013 - Why Handmaster Plus is a Must Have
There is much misinformation and misunderstanding regarding hand muscles and proper balanced hand and finger exercise. To follow is a summary why we have spent the last 13 years researching and developing Handmaster Plus so that proper hand exercise principles could be followed and understood easily. Poor hand exercise and repetitive grip (RSI) has been the root cause of finger, thumb, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel and elbow imbalance conditions and poor performance for decades - and is especially the case in our current computer, smartphone and video game crazy society.
Here is a recap of hand muscles, Handmaster Plus and balanced hand exercise applications.
The 9 muscles that close the
hand are located generally on the front of the hand, wrist, forearm and
elbow. The 9 muscles that open the hand
are generally located on the back of the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow.
Most people have very strong closing (grip) muscles, due to repetitive
gripping, but very weak hand opening muscles. This imbalance threatens the
health of the lower arm and hand. Due to the diversity of the hand muscles, in order to have strong, healthy hands,
wrists, carpal tunnels, forearms and elbows, the muscles that open and
close the hand must be in balance.
Handmaster Plus™ is unique due to its ability to
exercise the hand through full, natural planes of motion, through both the opening
and closing actions. It strengthens and balances all 18 hand muscles in one exercise.
Other products dictate how and where the hand must move
in an exercise, often only in 2-dimensions and not through the full range of
motion. Not Handmaster Plus™… It allows the natural motion of the
hand to dictate the motion of the exercise. The result is optimal muscle
strength, balance and flexibility, as well as comprehensive nerve stimulation,
blood flow and venous/lymphatic drainage to and away from the area.
Compare the Handmaster Plus™ to other products and
consider:
- Is
the hand moving through all ranges of motion, both opening & closing?
- Is
the hand moving naturally, in 3 dimensions?
- Are
all peripheral nerves to the hand being stimulated (median, ulnar &
radial)?
The Handmaster Plus™ is an all-around hand, wrist, carpal
tunnel, forearm & elbow training, rehabilitation and injury prevention
solution.
The product is designed by Dr. Terry P. Zachary, a
health care professional and former professional golfer.
“I originally designed the product to train finger and thumb
extension and abduction for performance enhancement and injury prevention”,
says Dr. Zachary. “It worked out as well as I could have ever imagined. As I
used it in practice, it also became my perfect final phase protocol for most
hand, wrist, carpal tunnel, forearm and elbow conditions.”
“Explain the desired exercise to your patient and send them
on their way. Daily use of the product will improve their muscle strength,
balance and stability, as well as improve blood flow and lymph drainage to all
tissues and joint surfaces in the area. This will re-establish the efficient
supply of oxygen and nutrients and improve the transport of toxins away from
the tissue. Ultimately, the tissue is brought to an optimal situation and the
risk of reoccurring adhesions and scar formation is greatly reduced. The key to
the success of the product is how the body naturally reacts to daily, balanced
exercise through full, natural planes of motion. The user just opens and closes
their hand. So simple.”
Handmaster Plus™ Practice Applications:
(**Use 1-3 times/day until comfortable fatigue.
Practitioner determines strength of product used.)
Summary
|
Why Handmaster Plus?
|
|
1. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
|
Repetitive
flexion activity resulting in shortened and/or inflamed flexor tendons is
most often causative. Bone & joint alignment are affected. Muscular
imbalance and/or swelling precipitate a decrease in the space of the carpal
tunnel. Median nerve pathology results.
|
1.
Equalizes the ratio between flexor and extensor muscle strength.
2.
Strengthens finger and thumb abduction.
3.
Increases blood flow and lymph drainage through the CT.
4.
Exercises muscles through full, natural planes of motion.
|
2. Lateral Epicondylitis
(Tennis Elbow)
|
Overuse
or direct injury occurs to the tendon(s) of a finger and/or wrist extensor
muscle at its origin, the lateral epicondyle (of the humerus). Weakness and/or tendon pathology (usually avascularity) is
often causative.
|
1.
Strengthens all finger extensor AND wrist extensor muscles (see tennis elbow
exercise).
2.
Equalizes the ratio between flexor and extensor muscle strength.
3.
Increases blood flow and lymph drainage.
4.
Exercises muscles through full, natural planes of motion.
|
3. Medial Epicondylitis
(Golfer’s Elbow)
|
Overuse
or direct injury occurs to the tendon(s) of a finger and/or wrist flexor
muscle(s) at its origin, the medial epicondyle (of the humerus). Weakness
and/or tendon pathology (usually
avascularity) is often causative.
|
1.
Strengthens the finger flexor muscles.
2.
Equalizes the ratio between flexor and extensor muscle strength.
3.
Increases blood flow and lymph drainage.
4.
Exercises muscles through full, natural planes of motion.
|
4. Osteoarthritis
|
Many
varying causative factors for joint inflammation including overuse,
traumatic, metabolic & genetic origins. Painful swelling, nodules &
reduced ROM are common physical findings.
|
1.
Increases blood flow and lymph drainage to/from cartilage.
2.
Improves range of motion. 3.
Exercises muscles through full, natural planes of motion.
*Begin
by using soft product & progress as indicated. If patient cannot perform
basic exercises with soft product, discontinue.
|
5. Osteoporosis
|
Decrease
bone density resulting from factors such as metabolic factors, sedentary
lifestyle, aging and poor diet. Fracture potential resulting from minor
trauma is greatly increased.
|
1. Resistive exercises stimulate increased Ca+/element
absorption and bone formation ,Wolfe’s Law
2.
Increases blood flow (O2 & nutrients) and lymph drainage.
4.
Exercises muscles through full, natural planes of motion.
|
6. Circulation/ Post-mastectomy, / Reflex Sympathetic
Dystrophy/ Raynaud’s Disease
|
General
group of conditions resulting in a reduction of normal blood flow to the
hand, wrist and forearm.
|
1.
Stimulates an increase of blood flow and lymph drainage to the area.
|
Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSI’s)
|
Repetitive,
imbalanced daily actions result in overuse, tissue imbalance and/or injury.
Ergonomic and wellness exercise principles are generally ignored. Workers are
physically not prepared for their workload.
|
1.
Equalizes the ratio between flexor and extensor muscle strength (strength
& balance).
2.
Increases blood flow and lymph drainage to the area.
3.
Exercises muscles through full, natural planes of motion.
4.
It is a complete, convenient and cost-effective workplace injury solution.
Everyone happy.
|
Neuropathy/ Stroke Rehabilitation/ Nerve Palsies/
Spinal Cord Injury/Intention Tremor/ Parkinson’s Disease
|
Many
causative factors result in an interruption in the conduction or coordination
of nerve messages to cells, tissues (especially muscle) & organs.
|
1.
Classically, putty or sponge balls are used in rehabilitation. The radial
nerve is not stimulated unless extension & abductor muscles are used.
Handmaster Plus™ stimulates ALL peripheral nerve roots. *Begin by using soft
product & progress as indicated.
|
Injury, Sprain & Fracture
Rehabilitation/Post-Surgery Rehabilitation
|
Sprains
& fractures are generally not rehabilitated and instead left to heal
without thought of scar formation & ROM recovery. Post-surgery cases
usually include very little or no follow-up exercise program. Any post
injury/surgery exercise is usually limited to putty or a squeeze ball.
|
1.
Exercises muscles through full, natural planes of motion.
2.
Ensures blood flow and lymph drainage for prevention of chronic adhesion.
3.
Equalizes the ratio between flexor and extensor muscle strength, ensuring
optimal ROM & recovery.
|
Athletic Performance Enhancement & Injury
Prevention
|
Generally
accepted principles in athletic training involve strengthening reciprocal
muscle groups and preparing the body completely for competition. Any edge
that can be given to the athlete increases the chance of success. Many sports
are based on daily repetitive gripping in competition, practice and training.
|
1.
The only product to strengthen finger/thumb extension and abduction (7
muscles previously neglected). Increase speed, control & stamina of
muscles that open and spread the hand.
2.
Equalizes the ratio between flexor and extensor muscle strength, ensuring
optimal performance and injury prevention.
|
Musician Performance Enhancement & Injury
Prevention
|
Stamina,
coordination, range of motion and injury prevention are all important for
musical performance and longevity. Many musical pursuits are based on daily
repetitive gripping in competition, practice and training.
|
1.
The only product to strengthen finger/thumb extension and abduction (7
muscles). 2. Equalizes
the ratio between flexor and extensor muscle strength, ensuring optimal
performance and injury prevention.
|
DeQuervain’s Syndrome
|
Caused by repetitive motion where the thumb is constantly being
required to move up and down - such as when using a computer keyboard or
typewriter.
|
1.
Equalizes the ratio between flexor and extensor muscles.
2.
Increases blood flow and lymph drainage to the area.
3.
Strengthens thumb extensor and abductor muscles.
|
Labels: carpal tunnel, finger exercise, hand exercise, hand strength, Handmaster Plus, lateral epicondylitis, tennis elbow
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Baseball Grip Exercises for Batting - Hand, Wrist & Elbow Weakness
We recently had a question from one of our customers about their son experiencing extreme pain and weakness upon his first batting practice of the year. Was this an RSI (Repetitive Stress Injury)?
This is a very common problem as we start the new year in our sport after a long layoff when our training may not been very diverse or we haven't trained at all. This is especially true in grip sports such as baseball golf and tennis. Most people do not train the hands and wrists and forearms over the winter or train using dumbells being gripped but never rotated. The result is strength only in neutral position and an inability to carry strength and stability when the forearm is tasked with grip and rotation. The weakness is exacerbated and pain and instability is common... Here is my response:
It sounds like it is highly possible that your son has experienced the case where the hand wrist and elbow are trained in one position habitually or repetitively - in other words not specifically for the actions involved in batting. Two examples that are common would be either repetitive gripping with the wrist in a one or two positions only during weight training, or for example repetitive computer use or gaming. Then, when the hand, wrist and elbow are expected to act with rotation during batting, your son finds there's no strength or stability outside this range of motion. It is impossible to determine if this is the case with your son, but this is a likely scenario if he has not been batting regularly before this incident.
This is not a standard RSI by definition, but is certainly related to the concept of repetitive stress. RSI's usually refer to scenerios where one certain action is done repetitively and leads to an injury directly related to 'that' motion. I suspect that this is more a scenario where your son may have repetitively trained in one fashion and then asked his body to work outside that position where it hasn't been challenged and thus was not prepared. Make sense?
I highly suggest that he sees a healthcare professional with skill in extremity treatment and diagnosis. When exercise rehabilitation is appropriate, yes Handmaster Plus is made for exactly this role. It is designed to properly strengthen and balance the hand, wrist and elbow which are all key to grip and performance - especially in swinging motions like baseball, golf and tennis.
The healthcare professional can also decide if the muscles, tendons and joints are badly damaged or imbalanced in which case soft tissue techniques and joint adjusting should be the preferred initial treatment. Once the muscles, joints and tendons are healthy enough for exercise, Handmaster Plus it's perfect for retraining, re-strengthening and rebalancing. Please note that we highly suggest all baseball players no matter what position are using Handmaster Plus to train the hand, wrist & elbow to maximize performance and prevent these very same preventable injuries.
Let me know if I can assist further. Let us know how your son is doing...
Best,
Terry'
Readers, be very sure to train the hand through closing and opening as well as through supination and pronation to ensure that you don't train your hand wrist and elbow just on one repetitive plane. This will help you to prepare for your sport or music or activity that may require grip plus rotation so that you are prepared to be strong in many planes of activity.
Handmaster Plus makes hand, wrist & forearm exercise and training very easy combining many exercises into one and allowing the user to close the hand against the ball and open against the cord as well as rotate the forearm against resistance.
For more information, click the link: hand, wrist & forearm exerciser or visit www.doczac.com
Labels: baseball exercises, batting exercise, grip weakness, hand exercise, hand pain, Handmaster Plus, RSI
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Glad to see hockey back
Great to see hockey back! We have so many NHL players that use Handmaster Plus for grip strength and hand, wrist, forearm and elbow stability. Great to see them putting their work to work!
Friday, January 18, 2013
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Cause by Hand Muscle Imbalance?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common imbalance in our office, computer and smart phone based society of today. Not to mention, in our grip and repetition based sports and musical pursuits. Most health professionals and educators spend their time on the 'symptoms' of carpal tunnel syndrome, what they are, where they are located, what nerve is affected, even what the carpal tunnel is... Yet rarely do we ask the question: What causes carpal tunnel syndrome? My next post will show how the small intrinsic muscles of the hand are very much involved in creating the muscle imbalance that commonly leads to carpal tunnel syndrome. Is my hope that by describing the imbalance, and the muscles involved in the imbalance of carpal tunnel syndrome, people will start to take hand muscle strengthening, balancing and training more seriously. It is the cause of many hand, wrist, carpal tunnel, forearm and elbow imbalance conditions. Keep your hand muscles balanced. It is super easy with Handmaster Plus! No more excuses for upper extremity health!
Visit www.handmasterplus.com for more information.
Visit www.handmasterplus.com for more information.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Hand & Finger Grip Strength Exercises & Bad Posture to the Hand Wrist & Elbow
I can't say I know how it happened, but hand muscle strengthening and grip strength exercises have been poorly misinterpreted in our society for decades. And the resultant problems are rampant. Yet health experts claim that the cause of hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow imbalance is mostly unknown. The anatomy has been there in clear site in Grey's Anatomy since 1858!
Think of what you have been told over the years regarding hand strength exercises. Were you given or told to get a tennis ball, a racquetball, a coiled gripper, a spring-loaded gripper or a stress ball to squeeze repetitively to help you with your hand strength? I was. And It may have felt as though you were getting stronger in the short-term using these items, but in the long term these 'grip-only' items promote imbalance to the hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow. On their own they are inefficient at best... harmful at worst.
We know so much more about hand muscles and hand & finger strength exercises today. There are nine muscles that close the hand (that are generally located on the front of the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow) as well as nine muscles that open the hand (that are generally located on the back of the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow). They work in unison to make each key peck, flex, grab and grip that we do every day. And yet we do such a poor job of taking care of them. Why would we ever think it is a good exercise to only address the nine muscles that close the hand? Because this is what tradition has led us to believe. Our consumer culture provides what we ask for... and we don't know the difference - until now!
And, inevitably, this same imbalance is at the core of so many mysterious finger, thumb, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel, forearm and elbow injuries, yet our ignorance of hand muscle anatomy & balance leaves us clueless as to the cause. Instead we mostly focus on managing the symptoms of the resulting imbalance condition. This is always an inadequate approach. Even experts in computers, smartphones, gaming, sports, music and workplace ergonomics are still adhering to this archaic 'grip-only' advice in strengthening this area. It is the blind leading the blind. There can be no way to accomplish strength, balance and stability with this hand strength exercise approach.
Handmaster Plus combines multiple complicated exercises into very few balanced exercises that allow the user to train through full balanced natural ranges of motion. Great for users, trainers and therapists. People understand the concept of hand muscle balance exercises affecting the stability of the hand, wrist, carpal tunnel & elbow once they hear it. The problem is the dense traditional belief system that society has created about 'grip-only' hand exercise (i.e. the acceptance of coiled grippers, spring-loaded grippers & stress balls, tennis balls, etc.) or no exercise.
We are educating 100's per day and we appreciate your assistance in spreading the word. These are very preventable conditions if we just recognize the imbalance that occurs from regular gripping. Repetitive gripping is much the same concept as bad posture. We would never strengthen the 'flexing' muscles of the core to correct bad posture. Yet this is just what we do in hand muscle balance every day... we keep advancing the flexion imbalance and thus we keep seeing hand, wrist, carpal tunnel and elbow instability... let's address hand muscle balance exercises from the start and stabilize these vitally key muscles & joints!
The other key factor of complete balanced exercise is that we stimulate maximum blood flow. Blood flow is how we get vital oxygen & nutrients to our tissues. Why would anyone only use a small range of any muscle. Move as fully as you are safely able for optimum tissue health. It applies everywhere in your body, not just the hand, wrist & elbow....
For more information on Handmaster Plus or to purchase, click the following link: hand finger strength exercise
Labels: carpal tunnel, exerciser, finger, finger exercises, grip strength, hand, hand exercises, Handmaster Plus, wrist
Monday, December 10, 2012
Golfers Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis) & Hand Exercise Treatment
Recently I received a question from our YouTube channel about golfers elbow - or medial epicondylitis - and whether I recommend hand exercise for this condition. Here's my response:
I recommend balanced hand and wrist exercises for both medial epicondylitis (golfers elbow) and lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). Both are from the same cause, that being an inherent imbalance between the muscles on the front of the hand, wrist, foreman & elbow and the muscles on the back of the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow. This same inbalance between the flexor muscles and extensor muscles of the hand contributes also to carpal tunnel syndrome for example. But this basic imbalance leads to many finger, thumb, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel and elbow imbalance conditions. Anyone who does repetitive gripping should be offsetting this imbalance daily with extensor and abductor muscle exercise training through full ranges of motion. Handmaster Plus makes this super-easy with one continuous exercise. Before we developed Handmaster Plus, complete balance would require a minimum of 3 exercises.
Always be sure to have your health care professional's approval before beginning any exercise routine.
The imbalance between shortened finger and thumb flexor muscles versus extensor muscles relates to a various array of conditions because the hand muscles affect so many joints. Let's not forget the diverse attachment of the hand muscles. They attach at the fingers, the thumb, the hand, the wrist, the carpal tunnel, the forearm and the elbow. Any chronic muscle imbalance will affect the joints that the muscles cross. Thus, it would benefit us a great deal to think more in terms of the balance between the front of the hand, wrist, carpal tunnel, forearm and elbow versus the back of the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow as opposed to considering individual conditions such as medial epicondylitis or golfer's elbow.
If you perform repetitive gripping task during your daily activities in your work or sport or music, you are at high risk for developing any of these hand, wrist, carpal tunnel or elbow conditions during your lifetime.
Handmaster Plus strengthens and balances all the muscles involved in repetitive gripping imbalance and maximizing performance in your workplace, sport or musical endeavor and contributes in maximizing injury prevention.
Get more information on hand and elbow exercises
Email us at info@doczac.com for more information.
I recommend balanced hand and wrist exercises for both medial epicondylitis (golfers elbow) and lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow). Both are from the same cause, that being an inherent imbalance between the muscles on the front of the hand, wrist, foreman & elbow and the muscles on the back of the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow. This same inbalance between the flexor muscles and extensor muscles of the hand contributes also to carpal tunnel syndrome for example. But this basic imbalance leads to many finger, thumb, hand, wrist, carpal tunnel and elbow imbalance conditions. Anyone who does repetitive gripping should be offsetting this imbalance daily with extensor and abductor muscle exercise training through full ranges of motion. Handmaster Plus makes this super-easy with one continuous exercise. Before we developed Handmaster Plus, complete balance would require a minimum of 3 exercises.
Always be sure to have your health care professional's approval before beginning any exercise routine.
The imbalance between shortened finger and thumb flexor muscles versus extensor muscles relates to a various array of conditions because the hand muscles affect so many joints. Let's not forget the diverse attachment of the hand muscles. They attach at the fingers, the thumb, the hand, the wrist, the carpal tunnel, the forearm and the elbow. Any chronic muscle imbalance will affect the joints that the muscles cross. Thus, it would benefit us a great deal to think more in terms of the balance between the front of the hand, wrist, carpal tunnel, forearm and elbow versus the back of the hand, wrist, forearm and elbow as opposed to considering individual conditions such as medial epicondylitis or golfer's elbow.
If you perform repetitive gripping task during your daily activities in your work or sport or music, you are at high risk for developing any of these hand, wrist, carpal tunnel or elbow conditions during your lifetime.
Handmaster Plus strengthens and balances all the muscles involved in repetitive gripping imbalance and maximizing performance in your workplace, sport or musical endeavor and contributes in maximizing injury prevention.
Get more information on hand and elbow exercises
Email us at info@doczac.com for more information.
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