#70: Relieve Chronic Muscular Pain, What’s Fascia? with Eric Owens, Delos Therapy

Brief Summary & Guest Bio:
Eric Owens is a co-founder of Delos Therapy, where Delos Therapists relieve clients of chronic muscular pain, inflammation, and dysfunction using mechanical pressure to pinpoint muscle tightness, known as “knots” or hyper-contracted fascia, to restore muscle pliability. Eric is also a co-founder of sister company, Delos Robotics, which is a robotics and AI approach to automate Delos Therapy treatments alleviating chronic pain for the masses. He graduated from Midwestern University with a Master's Degree in biomedical science.

In today’s episode Eric talks about what’s wrong with foam rolling and traditional massage, as well as various pain-relief techniques. He teaches us what fascia is, what a healthy muscle should be like, and what to do about it at home and with a practitioner.

** Free Evaluation at Delos Therapy, Chicago (usually $30)
Email [email protected] tell them “Marisa from the Foundation of Wellness Podcast” sent you for free evaluation, any location you want; 20-minute appointment, they’ll discuss your condition and history, then 10-15 minutes of a sample treatment (that’s almost a full treatment!)
Delostherapy.com to choose locations (you may call to schedule, too)

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Points of Discussion:
- Eric’s Father is the original inventor of the Delos Therapy technique, he was a mechanical and electrical engineer looking for solutions to his chronic pain
- Muscles in their healthy state are soft, pliable, and spongy (when flexed it should be hard)
- Imaging doesn’t show differences in muscle states
- Direct pressure into the hard muscle is effective
- His Father worked on Evander Holyfield and many famous athletes
- Pain is complex, multi-factorial. Many causes of pain like neurological, structural, muscular.
- In medicine there’s not a specialty in muscles and fascia
- Patients should seek out multi-modalities for treatment
- Most chronic pain has a muscular component that’s overlooked
- Dense fibrotic tissue in the middle of that muscle won’t stretch, it’s deep in the muscle
- Stretching and foam rolling won’t help eliminate muscular pain
- What to expect in Delos Therapy Treatments?
- Marisa shares her story about using Delos Therapy to treat her Piriformis Syndrome, a knot in the hip/glute muscle causing nerve pain similar to Sciatica
- Eric explains Muscle Fascia
- Fascia is layered under, and embedded in fat
- first layer is superficial fascia
- directly below that is fascia profunda
- Muscle is wrapped in fascia in many ways
- Each tiny muscle cell/fiber is wrapped in fascia to hold them together to make a muscle fascicle
- Fascia wraps the muscle fascicle together to make your entire muscle
- Muscle Fascia contains 6-10 times sensory nerves than muscle tissue
- All pain and proprioception is communicated through fascia to your brain
- Everything is moving towards the idea that “repetitive use of muscle tissue causes a fibrosis, a hardening of the tissue inside the muscle; and that pressure directly into it at multiple angles is by far the most effective way to break all that apart”.
- How to treat muscle pain and fibrosis?
- Foam rolling only affects the superficial layer and hydration
- Modern foam rollers have “nubs” on them and suggest that you apply direct pressure instead of rolling
- The fibrosis is deeply embedded in that muscle
- Targeted pressure is the only way; think “3 dimensional” instead of stretching or massaging, target the fibrotic muscle in every direction
- The direction and angle of the pressure are critical
- Gliding across like a swedish massage doesn’t work
- Delos Therapy locations, expansion plans in Colorado and California
- Delos Therapy plans for Robotics
- Practical At-Home Advice
- The Knobble, on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3azUqOj
- Theracane or Hook Cane, on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ge2iHh
- La Crosse Ball, on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RjbeS1
- Advice for seeking a practitioner
- Look up “Rolfing” near you (invented by Dr. Ida Rolf) which is similar to Delos Therapy
- Clinical Massage Therapists will usually hold pressure but not often enough; gliding isn’t for pain relief
- Should you expect relief immediately?
- Should you Ice?
- Certain inflammation can be good because it is meant to stimulate healing
- If it’s unbearable or you have something important to do, after therapy you can ice
- How much is Stress causing your flare-ups and pain?
- Is it coming from the brain? Is your mind telling you the stress is causing pain?
- There’s an emotional component to pain
- The pain came from muscle fibrosis, but is exacerbated by stress
- Sleep is absolutely critical for repair
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time
- Consider a sleep tracker like the Oura Ring
- Muscle Health isn’t about being stronger, flexible, or having more endurance. Muscle health is about PLIABILITY. It’s the core of all of those things.
- If you’re NOT feeling stiff, do a self-examination: push into muscle tissue checking if tissue is all soft and pliable. If not, work on pliability.

Resources:
- DelosTherapy.com
- Instagram @delostherapychicago: instagram.com/delostherapychicago
- Facebook : facebook.com/DelosTherapy
- Free Evaluation at Delos Therapy: Email [email protected] and say “Marisa from the Foundation of Wellness Podcast” sent you
- The Knobble, on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3azUqOj
- Theracane or Hook Cane, on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2Ge2iHh
- La Crosse Ball, on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2RjbeS1
- Oura Ring: https://ouraring.com

*** Marisa can be your health coach! It’s affordable and motivational as we tackle your health goals and your daily obstacles together. MarisaMoon.com/consultation and schedule your free call. Come to the facebook group ASAP because I’m giving away a free coaching session to two people, but you have to be in the group. “The Foundation of Wellness”, go to Facebook.com/groups/fowpodcast ***

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Intro/Exit Music  - "Ukulele Whistle" by Scott Holmes