Calf Heart Attack

When was the last time you heard of a “Calf Heart Attack?” 

It may have been a while, if at all…but it’s worth mentioning again. If you don’t know about it, it’s been dubbed “a weird but serious injury.” (Parker, 1996, Running Times)

A ‘calf heart attack’ isn’t directly related to the heart muscle – but here’s how it’s like a heart attack: the outer sheath surrounding the gastrocnemius (calf muscle) isn’t flexible enough to handle the increased blood flow to the area during exercise. When this happens, the sheath can’t expand to accommodate the extra blood, and the swollen gastroc doesn’t have enough room within the constriction…and that can often become problematic, sometimes causing micro-tears (or larger) within the calf muscle. Eventually, when those torn fibers heal, they’re re-enforced with scar tissue (which is less flexible than the original muscle tissue), and that often leads to another injury. It’s a recipe for cyclical tears and recurrences…and pain.

It’s not the same as a calf pull. For those of you who have pulled a calf, that sensation is a true muscle pull, and it can be debilitating; but the “calf heart attack” is a deeper-rooted pain caused by ripped fibers that take longer to heal and are often susceptible to continued re-injury.

John L. Parker, Jr, associate publisher and editorial director of Running Times magazine, was a sufferer of this type of repetitive injury until he realized that he needed to treat it differently – and regularly – with purposeful attention and care. His treatments included down time for healing, cautious re-entry into running, attentive stretching, and regular massages with The Stick.

In addition to his normal routine, he gave focused care to those micro-rips deep in the gastroc. They needed this extra attention to promote true, long-term healing.

So if you, too, have been having recurrences of a deep calf injury that won’t seem to go away, think of the micro-tears associated with a calf heart attack. It’s not a muscle pull and it won’t heal the same way. Allow your calves ample time to rest and recover before starting your running/exercise routine; begin again slowly with caution and ease; and be sure to stretch and massage the calf, encouraging fresh oxygenated blood flow to move deeper into the area in order to activate targeted and thorough healing. Then repeat on a regular basis.

It’s an oldie but a goodie – watch out for “calf heart attacks,” and don’t let them hold you back.

Parker’s Running Times Article

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Helping Our Heroes

Muscle endurance, strength, and recovery play critical roles in an athlete’s overall success. That we know…yet the same can be said for our nation’s heroes – our first responders and front-line defenders – especially when on the battlefield, in theatres of war, or under extreme stress. 

2nd Lieutenant Connor Maggs - Iraq

Since our inception, we at The Stick have proudly supported all who strive higher; and we’ve remained cognizant of supporting our nation’s heroes as they toil in unimaginable conditions to keep us safe and free to do what we love – which, for us, is sharing The Stick with the world.

Studies have shown that soldiers, like any other high-performing athletes, benefit greatly from PET massages. PET is an acronym for Prevention, Endurance, and Treatment. 

To quote Dr Andrew S. Bonci’s proposed addendum to the Army Physical Fitness Manual:

Prevention

When the soldier has been inactive for a period of time the muscles become less pliable. Metabolic waste products may become trapped in the muscles which further reduces fluidity.

Endurance

It is important to utilize [The Stick's] exercises during intense physical activity to help replenish the energy requirement and to help in the removal of metabolic waste products. This procedure may increase the soldier's endurance and muscular enhancement.

Treatment

Recovery time to specific muscles is greatly reduced when stripping massage is used with [The Stick] device. Muscle spasms, or an unconscious contracture of muscle tissue, may interrupt or follow strenuous activity. All periods of strenuous activity should conclude with the eight (8) minute regime using [The Stick] device.

Conclusion

It has been suggested that [The Stick] device can magnify a soldier's performance by modulating his flexibility (full story). The benefits can have far reaching effects in terms of heightened performance on the battlefield, survivability, injury prevention, accelerated recovery from heavy exercise, modulation of pain, and cost containment.

Andrew S Bonci, D.C. has many accolades to his name, 
including diplomate status in the American Academy of Pain Management.

As we here at The Stick keep 2^nd Lieutenant Connor Maggs, a 2014 Air Force Academy graduate currently in Iraq (pictured above), in our thoughts, we wanted to remind others that their friends and loved ones may also find relief and benefit with The Stick. And so you know, we have certain models of The Stick that are ideal for storing and carrying in packs with other gear.

One way we like to thank all who serve is by offering FREE SHIPPING to All Active Military. So when ordering, please be sure to let us know that The Stick is for one of our American heroes, an active soldier.

Our sincerest appreciation and thanks go out to all our heroes.

Dr Bonci's DOD Study

TeamStick Insider

Climb Higher

From rugged Alaskan peaks, to the heights of Everest, to the volcanoes of Kilimanjaro, The Stick is enabling climbers to reach impressive summits in good condition and with ‘relative comfort.’

Thank you, Jack, for wanting to share your Kilimanjaro experience with your fellow Stick Insiders…and for letting us know that The Stick worked its ‘magic’ so that your team and your porters could climb higher with "The Magic Stick."

Dear P (at The Stick),

I have just returned from a successful summit attempt of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Our group had myriad physical (and a few psychological) handicaps.

From knees and ankles that don't even look like knees or ankles, to ITBs and

hamstrings so tight you could play a bass riff on them.

When one of our fellow climbers pulled The Stick from his backpack, we were

skeptical.

But within hours, we had all experienced the pleasure and pain relief that

only The Stick could bring - including our Tanzanian guides and porters who

referred to The Stick in their native Swahili tongue as "The Magic Stick".

The Stick not only helped us all summit, but do so in relative comfort.

The Stick was used at the summit (5,895 metres / 19,341 ft) and we have

documented its use at this altitude.

Our mountaineering team would be happy to provide testimonials for your

marketing efforts.

If you would like copies of our footage of The Stick being used at altitude,

please let me know and I will arrange.

Yours loosely (thanks to The Stick)

Jack S.

On behalf of everyone at Team Stick, we congratulate you, Jack, and your team for such an impressive feat! We applaud your success and thank you for your willingness to share your story...and for giving us the nickname, "The Magic Stick."

Stick Insiders Climb Higher!

TeamStick Insider