The forearm is a critical area to keep healthy and fully functional for the visually-impaired. From operating a mobility cane to being able to fully manipulate objects you touch, it is important that your forearm muscles are at the ready. However, due to overused movement patterns such as using a cane to get around or doing more supinated movements (palms up) than pronated (palms down), the forearm can get adhesions and overly tight muscles. In order to combat this, some self-myofascial release is a very cheap, easy alternative to manual therapy. While it won’t be as precise as going to a licensed therapist, it can certainly help open things up.
In order to perform some of this very basic manual therapy, simply apply pressure to the muscle and move parallel to the way the fibers run. Try using your knuckles first. Take your knuckles and place them on the meatiest part of your other forearm just below the elbow. Apply pressure then slide the knuckles straight down toward your wrist a few inches. Reset and repeat, working your way all over the forearm. You can also try rolling the forearm with a lacrosse ball or if you’re a little weird like me, use a small diameter of metal piping.
Open up those forearms while you’re relaxing and amplify your ability to tactically interact with the world!
Evan
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