What’s the point?

Pain relief with trigger point therapy.

Trigger points are tight, contracted spots in muscles that can refer pain, numbness or tingling to referral areas in a different location on your body. This means that the pain across the lower back could be coming from abdominal muscles on the front of the body.

Trigger point muscle therapy can be an effective method of decreasing pain and increasing mobility.

A wide variety of conditions that have responded to trigger point therapy are:


Neck Pain Back Pain Frozen Shoulder Tendonitis Knee Pain Sports Injuries Sciatica Muscle Stiffness Trigger Finger

I am skilled at discovering and destroying trigger points. My celebrity clients who have suffered from pain for months and even years have reported a dramatic improvement after just a short number of sessions by having me find and eliminate troublesome trigger points. I do this by applying pressure with my fingers, knuckles or elbow (depending on the trigger point location). By applying direct contact with the trigger point, holding it for 5-15 seconds with specific compression, the trigger point slowly relaxes and “melts” under my touch.

After the trigger point has been released I will stretch the muscle(s) that have been worked. Clients may also be given some stretches as homework. I feel that it is important that my clients play an active role in their own healing process. I find that when clients work together with me, their health continually improves. It’s simple, we both work towards accomplishing the same goal and in turn we are more successful in achieving a quicker recovery rate for the client.

Visit www.jenpiceno.com for more information.

The information in this blog is for educational purposes only and not to be relied upon on its own. Always consult your doctor before embarking on any treatment for pain or healing or accepting any advice with regard to your health care.

With “the show must go on” attitude, we as dancers tend to continue our art on the dance floor even though our bodies give us every warning sign that tells us to stop, rest, and recover. We have auditions, gigs, performances, classes, and rehearsals. There is no time to rest. We have deadlines to meet. So, how do we repair and recover the muscles begging for attention?

As a licensed Massage Therapist and Professional Dancer, I have experienced massage as an imperative element essential for competitive dancers. Getting regular bodywork helps me stay healthy and injury free for my active lifestyle and for my clients as well. I have added weekly massages as part of my dance training schedule. By doing so, my muscles receive the treatment they need in order to execute and perform to the standards expected in the dance and entertainment industry. By giving myself a weekly one hour massage, I have gained happier, healthier muscles. I feel stronger, faster and more balanced. My dancing has become more fluid and I have given myself the gift of longevity on the dance floor.

I have learned about overuse injuries in dancers from my own injuries. Dancers are at high risk because muscles are worked hard during rehearsal, classes, and performance. Let’s face the facts; we do not allow muscles to fully rest before we continue training again. It is likely that injury will eventually occur because the muscles are not fully recovered and are not able to function to their full potential. In order to continue in the athletic spirit of dance and perform our best, it is important to create some source of recovery. Recovery is needed for overall muscle health and to enhance our true potential as dancers.

You should know that overuse is one of the most common causes of muscular injury and imbalance within the dance community. When overuse injuries are not properly treated they impair performance and have the potential of becoming chronic injures. Chronic injuries means dancing will come to a halt weather you like it or not. So, if you are not quite ready to hang up your dance shoes – keep reading.

Our bodies are so incredible that they instinctively know how to heal. Recovery from physical activity happens through circulation of the blood flushing out waste products that build up in the muscles from intense dance rehearsals and the physical activity our bodies endure. Instinctively the body provides nutrients and repairs tissue damage. Unfortunately, this process takes time and the process only works when we take time to rest. Without recovery time, the repair process can not do its job properly. Being a Professional Dancer for Salsambo for over ten years now, I know first hand that busy class and rehearsal schedules makes taking time for a recovery period almost impossible to achieve.

My solution: Regular massage and bodywork

Massage is a safe and effective way of speeding up the natural recovery process for tired, overworked muscles. With little time to rest and a hectic schedule running Salsambo I was fortunate to discover the healing power of massage & bodywork. The healing process in my own body is also one of the main reason I have studied and practiced the art of massage to a professional level.

Benefits of Massage for Dancers:

speed up the body’s natural recovery process
injury prevention
enhances performance
releases muscular tension and allows our bodies to move with fluidity
helps the natural process in healing minor soft tissue injuries
encourages circulation
increases range of motion

Visit me at http://www.jenpicneo.com for more information or to schedule a session.