What is The Stick? The Stick is a revolutionary device used in self-massage to segmentally compress and stretch muscle. It is highly effective in the treatment of tight muscles, muscle pain and trigger points. It has been used by medical professionals and athletes worldwide to assist mobility, flexibility, improve circulation and to enhance muscle recovery following exercise. The Stick provides the following benefits: Prevent & Predict Muscle Injuries Dramatically improve strength, flexibility and endurance Rapidly prepare muscles for physical activity Disperse the effects of lactic acid following activity Accelerate muscle recovery   What isThe Stick made of, how long will it last? Stick products are made of a space-age plastic that provides the flexibility necessary for maximum compression of the muscles (the Stick contains no rubber or wood). The centre rod of the Stick is surrounded by spindles which roll independently over the muscle. The handles provide maximum comfort in the grip for an easy to use self massage tool. The Stick comes with a 90-day satisfaction guarantee, and a 1 year manufacturer's warranty against defects. With proper use, The Stick should last a lifetime.   Medical Talk: In order to understand non-compliant or unhealthy muscle it is necessary to discuss compliant or healthy muscle. Compliant muscle can be stretched, shortened, twisted or compressed without restriction or pain. It exhibits good circulation, flexibility, strength and endurance. On the other hand non-compliant tissue is stiff, tender, and sore with a feeling of painful knots or tight bands in the muscle. It exhibits poor circulation, reduced flexibility, weakness and easily fatigues. Non-compliant muscle is susceptible to injury in the same way a worn tyre invites a blowout. Non-compliant muscle creates barriers that hasten fatigue and restricts peak performance. The key to achieving peak work performance is to remove those barriers. The Stick converts non-compliant muscle to compliant muscle by performing, what Dr. Travell (author of The Trigger Point Manual) calls, stripping massage. In fact, this noted medical physician relates that, "deep stripping massage of the tender spot in the muscle was generally the treatment of choice for muscular rheumatism (myofascial trigger points) long before the turn of this century, and for fibrositis afterwards."   The Stick allows people to self-perform general as well as segmental therapeutic procedures with a high degree of precision. These procedures remove the barriers to peak physical performance. It is the unassisted rolling, stretching, twisting and compressing of the muscle that diffuses barrier trigger points and converts non-compliant muscle to compliant muscle.