IV. Advantages of Self-Care with the FENIX Rehab Systems

13. Dr Fors what makes the Fenix Rehab Systems different from other trigger point products on the market?

That's an important question that I am glad you asked. First and foremost, the Fenix Rehab Systems have a patented therapeutic application you can't get anywhere else. Most other products are some form of a hand-held device. This is counter-intuitive to anyone who understands proper trigger point therapy. To apply these products you have to tighten muscles to brace yourself, and then you have to contract muscles to apply the product. However, to properly and efficiently deactivate myofascial trigger points you need to completely relax the myofascial tissues. How can you do this if your tighten muscle to brace yourself and then pull with other muscle to apply pressure? There are also limitations with these products for individuals who have arthritis of their upper extremities. Arthritis of the hands makes these products difficult to hold, or arthritis of the elbow or shoulder makes it difficult to pull to apply these products.

With the Fenix Rehab System patented therapeutic application, you have a stable treatment platform with interchangeable soft tipped digits of various sizes. With this design using a small portion of your passive body weight you can apply trigger point therapy virtually anywhere you have pain-causing TPs.

Second the design of the Fenix Rehab Systems allows individuals to apply a variety of myofascial techniques. With hand-held devices not only do you have to strain and pull to apply the devise, also you are very limited in techniques you can utilize. With the Fenix Rehab Systems: it's easily to apply deep muscle therapy in tough cases of low back pain in heavily muscled males, or very light techniques in small females with fibromyalgia. The instruction materials and the Website will show you how to apply various techniques such as Variable Therapeutic Compression, Myofascial Release, and Position Release.

14. Dr. Fors could you briefly explain why there are different models of the Fenix Rehab System, and how they differ from another?

As previously mentioned we are now offering three version of the Fenix Rehab System. The Fenix ~ 'Still Point,' The Fenix ~ 'Lotus Point' and the Full-Size Fenix Rehab System professional model.

The advantages of the 'Still Point' are its size, cost and its simplicity of use. The Fenix ~ 'Still Point' is our economy travel model and sells for under $50.00. The 'Still Point' treatment platform is approximately 7 3/4" wide by 9 1/4" long, small and light enough to fit into a large purse or briefcase. It comes with ix therapeutic digits of various lengths. Put a digit in and begin to pressure massage away your trigger points. It does not do all the varied special techniques of the Lotus Point or Full-Size model.

The Lotus Point and Full-Size model perform various techniques especially effective in self-treating chronic spinal pain problems or the low back, mid-back, and neck. Because of this The Lotus Point and Full-Size models come with extensive self-treatment instructions: a 20 page pictorial guidebook and a 90 minute instructional video on DVD. This video is chaptered by problem area, so all you do is click on your area of complaint and follow to self-treat your specific area of interest, for example, Low Back Pain, Shoulder/Arm Pain, Neck Pain, and Chronic Headaches. There are also extensive self-care instructions available on-line at fenixstopspain.com under Self-Treatment Training.

Because of its simplicity and ease of use The 'Still Point' does not include this 20 page guidebook or the 90 minute video. The 'Still Point' comes with a four page instruction guide. However, you can utilize the on-line training to learn how to perform many effective self-treatment techniques, such trigger point therapy, myofascial release, or position release for very tender muscle knots. If you are looking for economy and the ability to bring your pain relief with you, this is the Fenix for you.

FENIX Rehab System	FENIX Still Point

15. Could you briefly describe The Fenix ~ 'Lotus Point' and what are its advantages and features?

The Fenix ~ 'Lotus Point' comes with a 9" wide by 11 1/2" long treatment platform with 8 soft-rubber tipped therapeutic digits of various lengths. The Lotus Point also comes with extensive instructions, a 20 page pictorial guidebook, and a 90 minute video on DVD, as previously described. It generally sells for under $80.00, about the cost of a single visit to a therapist or chiropractor for treatment. The cost savings and convenience are tremendous for the chronic pain patient.

The 'Lotus Point' comes with larger treatment platform with a handle yet it's small and light enough to still make it easy to bring along wherever you go. Also the 'Lotus Point' does most of the special techniques that the Full-Size professional model performs.

You can see these special spinal techniques demonstrated by going on-line at www.fenixstopspain.com and click on the menu link, Articles by Dr. Fors and then go to Low Back Pain. Or got to Self-Treatment Training menu link and then click on the Special technique for Spinal Pain. Through reviewing these on-line instruction see how extremely innovative the Fenix-'Lotus Point' and Full-Size Fenix Rehab System are in effectively treating chronic back pain. There is nothing else available for self-treatment like the Fenix Rehab System.

16. How do individuals know which model to choose between Then Fenix ~ 'Lotus Point' and the Full-Size Model?

In general The Fenix ~ 'Lotus Point' fulfills most individual's needs and is an excellent choice. However, the Full-Size professional model of the Fenix Rehab Systems gives you the most for your money. The Professional Fenix comes with a large stable9" wide by 19" long treatment platform which will allow you to self-treat with The Fenix Rehab System on soften or less stable surfaces, such as your bed or couch. The Full-Size System also comes with 16 different soft-rubber tipped therapeutic digits of various lengths and diameters.

The Full-Size professional model comes with 32 different treatment holes in the platform; sixteen paired 90o holes and sixteen angled holes in various patterns. These 32 different treatment holes and 16 therapeutic digits of various sizes give you the widest possible self-treatment options. The full possibility of these self-care techniques can again be found on-line at www.fenixstopspain.com, either through the articles I have written or by clicking on the menu link Self-Treatment Training. You can keep your large treatment platform at home and carry the small platform in your purse or brief case. The Full-Size system comes with the 20 page pictorial guidebook and 90 minute chaptered video on DVD. These comprehensive instructional materials train you in the wide variety of self-care technique available with the Full-Size Fenix Rehab System.

17. Dr. Fors would you describe the special techniques the Fenix Rehab System can do for the overwhelming problem of chronic back pain and headaches?

This is one of the most unique aspects of the Lotus Point and Full-Size Fenix Rehab Systems. Using paired therapeutic digits in sets of two or four you can apply a variety of techniques specifically for spinal pain syndromes. For example, using four angled digits you can apply low back and mid-back traction and decompression. This special technique will stretch the paraspinal muscles that cause pain, and lift separate the small joints of the spine relieving pain and pressure in these facet joints. The guidebook, video, and website for the Fenix Rehab Systems give explicit instructions on how to accomplish this technique. The Fenix ~ 'Still Point' does not have the ability to perform this and other spinal techniques.

There are also paired digit treatment to treat the paraspinal muscles that commonly cause deep spinal pain, the Multifidi and Rotatore muscles. The paired digits angle in at 65 degrees to treat these muscles on either side of the spine. This technique is also completely described in the guidebook, video, and website.

Another special technique especially helpful to those with chronic myofascial headaches is the Suboccipital Lift. Using two angled digits applied to the Suboccipital area this technique lifts and stretches the Suboccipital muscles. When these muscles contain myofascial TPs they refer pain into the head. They also shorten and contract and put traction on nerves at the back of the head. They also shorten and contract and put traction on nerves on the back of the head, thus causing many headaches. This technique is an excellent way to deactivate these myofascial TPs; it is well described in the guidebook, video, and website. The full-Size professional model also has the unique ability to utilize two therapeutic digits in a crossed pattern to actually stretch the myofascial tissue housing the trigger point.

Next: Self-care for Chronic Pain