Ten years ago I met a coach who suggested I watch a lecture. It took me about two and a half years to finally do it. The lecture was a chiropractor working with elite cyclists. In this lecture he spoke about using something called Earthing as a mode of recovery for the cyclists. In his talk he outlined how one rider fell and time lined the skin recovery while the rider was grounded in between races. This lecture left me very intrigued and with a week to go before I left for a beach vacation, I ordered the book titled “Earthing” by Clint Ober, Stephen Sinatra and Martin Zucker, to read on my trip.

As I read the book, the concept of Earthing can be simplified to humans as a population are no longer connected to the earth. We wear shoes to protect our feet, we live in homes with non-conductive surfaces, and few of us put our hands in the dirt to garden and farm, like so many generations before us. By not connecting with the earth, we are losing out on the earths energy and negative charge, and as a result, may be susceptible to inflammation and inflammation based dieseases.

Many diseases exist appear to be inflammation based. The book lists the following as inflammation based diseases:

• Allergies
• Alzheimer’s
• ALS
• Anemia
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Autism
• Cancer
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes 1 & 2
• Fibromyalgia
• Common intestinal disorders
• Kidney failure
• Lupus
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Pain
• Pancreatitis
• Psoriasis and eczema

As I read the book while sitting out on Daytona Beach with my family, I thought about my mother-in-law, who had a history of wrist pain. She was with me on this trip and every day she would go to the beach, put her feet in the wet sand, and relax. I asked her if she had wrist pain while on vacation and she said no, but it would come back a few weeks upon returning back to Michigan. This was even more intriguing to me, as one of the most conductive surfaces is salt water and sand. Her pain free vacation and this Earthing concept started to make sense.

Upon getting back home from my vacation I ordered a sleep sheet sold at Earthing.com. (I receive no compensation for promoting these products, but I am always asked where to get them). It was a soft cotton sheet that had fine copper wires running through them, but yet you couldn’t feel the wire. A plug attached to the sheet that the cord connected to, and the cord either connects to the ground of the electrical outlet, or you can literally ground a rod into the ground if the wiring isn’t appropriate. I later ordered

Various products to help you become grounded.

body straps of different sizes, patches that can be applied to specific body parts, and general pads that can be used near the computer .

I recall the first time I took a nap on the sheet. It felt different, but it’s hard to describe. Most times I have no feelings when I am grounded, other times I do feel energy about me. You don’t need to buy this to experience what being grounded is like. All you need to do is go outside barefoot on the grass. One of my favorite summer activities is walking barefoot and pulling weeds in my yard. I find many of my aches and pains are not present when I am doing this. The products come into play in the winter and cold weather months. Living in Detroit, there is about 6 months of weather where going barefoot outside isn’t the best option.

Many people, possibly yourself, are doubtful of the impact this might have. According to the creator of this movement, there have been over 20 studies done to demonstrate the effects Earthing has on health. I have two stories, which were featured in the second edition of the book, I will share with you. When my oldest daughter was just a baby, she began to get eczema behind her knees. We had applied lotions and creams and didn’t see much change. I suggested to my wife we let her sleep on the sheet and see what happens, since eczema is listed as inflammation based disorder. Almost overnight the patch was gone. We couldn’t believe it. In fact, it dried up the skin so we had to cycle her use on it. Eventually she would not require the sheet as she got older. The second story involves my wife. When I first found out about this, she was accepting but yet skeptical. Fast forward a few years and during her pregnancy with our second child, she developed hives with a few months to go before the due date. She had also developed hives during the first pregnancy and they went away after childbirth, having them only a few weeks. With the second child, it was different because she had so much longer to go. The doctors had given her some creams to use and nothing helped. I suggested she sleep on the sheet and see if it would help like it did the eczema. Almost overnight, her hives were gone. She slept on the sheet the remainder of the pregnancy and they never came back.

When I was actively coaching soccer players, I had a female college player who had dislocated her patella several times, eventually requiring reattachment surgery. The rehab process for this can be quite painful. She was mentally tough, the kind who doesn’t flinch when something hurts. During her rehabilitation when she was running and doing soccer drills, her bedtime pain levels were near 9 or 10. I suggested she sleep with straps and on the sheet and she reported back her pain levels would go down to a 4 the next day after just a few days of Earthing. Several other athletes have listened and used it as part of their recovery routines.

For those who do a lot of work on computers or near electronics, check out this short video which might convince you to get an Earthing pad for your computer work station.

There are so many other things to say about how Earthing can help. It is definitely one of my most recommended recovery strategies, since you can sleep on it or go outside and touch the ground during the day. I do suggest reading the book for more details on the mechanisms behind it and some of the before/after tests performed.

For those who might prefer documentaries, check out “The Grounded” below, and if you can find “The Grounded 2,” that documentary goes into some of the lab testing results before and after Earthing.  Also shown is a 15 minute trailer for a documentary called “Down to Earth” coming out soon that includes the people who have formally brought this concept to us.

A few years ago I began to ask therapists questions about how they got to where they were at.  You can find the half dozen interview articles on this blog.  That helped create a path to follow with the goal of working with high level track and field athletes.  2016 was a great year for me as a therapist.  I had the honor of working two Olympic Trials events and was at the New York Marathon doing personal medical for one of the elite runners.  After New York, I set my sights to be placed on a national team for USA Track and Field.  In the fall, I completed an application and crossed my fingers. I eventually received an email saying I was selected to be part of the medical team for the 2017 Thorpe Cup in Germany.

I was excited to get to go to Germany, but had no idea what the Thorpe Cup was. I shared my selection on social media and began getting replies from people I highly respect telling me this was an incredible event and I was going to enjoy it.  For those curious, here is the short history from Wikipedia:  Thorpe Cup

At the time I was given notice, I still had about 7 months until the event took place.  I began to receive various forms to complete and not too long after received a large box filled with USATF team apparel I was to wear for this trip.

The competition took place the last week of July in Dusseldorf, Germany.  I flew to Atlanta and met with a large number of the team and coaches as we connected on our flight to Germany.  The flight was a “red eye” and I didn’t sleep, and most of the others didn’t sleep well either.  We arrived at the airport and was greeted by Hermann, the German coordinator of the event.  We were escorted to vans with our luggage and after a short 10 minute van ride we arrived at our hotel, the Tulip Inn Dusseldorf Arena.  It was attached to Espirit Stadium, home of the Fortuna Dusseldorf professional soccer team.  You walked in the lobby of the hotel and were looking at the entire stadium.  The accommodations of the hotel were fantastic.  I barely spent any money the entire week I was there.

Some athletes went to the warm-up track and did some loosening up in the afternoon and soon after, my medical team partner for this team, Scott Hudson, arrived from Belgium, where he had been stationed the entire month of July helping US athletes training and competing in Europe.  We arranged a schedule and began doing treatments that evening.

The team was comprised of 7 males and 7 females who competed in the decathlon (men) and heptathlon (women).  Some were still college students, others more “experienced” competing in their upper 20’s. In the one event in track and field where the best are given the title “Worlds Greatest Athlete,” the sport hasn’t embraced it financially here in the US or in many other countries.  I don’t think any on this team had significant sponsorship and those post-collegiate competitors have had to find unique ways to get housing and enough money to allow them to train enough to be at a competitive level.  For many of the athletes, this was a chance to get all sorts of nagging aches and pains worked out for free.  I have to say that every athlete there was very appreciative of this, and Scott and I were happy to help.

Scott is an athletic trainer (ATC) at St. Vincent’s in Indianapolis.  He and I worked well together.  Scott is one of the few people who I have been able to learn new things that made sense and agreed with my philosophy.  He has an incredible ability to pin point causes of aches, pains and injuries and find fixes for them fast.  There were times I would feel something not right, tell him what I found, and then he could address it.  That there is teamwork at it’s finest!

The second day there was a morning practice session, lunch, then an afternoon tour of the city, followed by evening treatments after dinner.  Right next door to the hotel was an outdoor and indoor track.  The weather was cool and the athletes trained indoors. 

The next day the athletes would train at the competition stadium, about a 20 minute van ride away.  One thing our team learned is to be not just on time, but early!  The stadium was very nice, surrounded by trees, and had a personal feel with stands the came up next to the track.

The long jump run way and the stadium seats.

Me and some of the team waiting for a van to the competition stadium the day before the meet began.

Me at the competition stadium the day before the meet.

Our hotel treatment room with a few of the team members.

Treatments were mainly in the evening due to schedule and meal times.  We started most evenings around 7:30 or 8pm and would go until 10:30 or 11pm. Saturday is day 1 of the competition and we arrived at the stadium.  Scott and I were set up inside a gymnasium at the athletic facility.

Our set up location for the competition.

For many of the athletes, their season has been very long filled with plenty of competitions, and that takes a toll on their bodies.  Scott and I worked hard to keep them as healthy as possible for this two day event.

Following the first day, the team headed back to the hotel for dinner and the evening treatment routine.  We had to work fast to get finished in time so the athletes could get to bed at a decent time.

The second day was filled with emotion.  The men’s team was down a large amount of points after day 1 and couldn’t rally back.  The German men took the podium going 1-2-3.  Our women’s team did win the Thorpe Cup and swept the podium as well.  Following the awards ceremonies, celebrations began.

The day after the competition, a cultural day was scheduled and finished off with an evening Bundesliga soccer match at the stadium our hotel attached to.  For many of us, this was quite the highlight given the soccer culture in Germany.

Tuesday was a travel day back home after a wonderful week in Germany.  This competition isn’t a small task and takes considerable effort.  I can’t thank USATF and the Germans enough for organizing this competition.  One day I would enjoy coming back for another competition.  I have no idea what next big event awaits me, but I will keep getting better at what I do so I can provide the best care for the world’s best athletes.

For those who have read my blog posts, I’ve written about my journey to where I am today.  In recent years I have been fortunate to have participated in some incredible events.  Back in 2014, I friended Washington DC Massage Therapist Terrel Hale and saw he traveled to Oregon to work the 2014 Pre Classic, a top track and field competition in the world, held in Oregon.  It’s one of the only US based international track and field meets.  Terrel agreed to do some Q&A with me about his experience.  From this interview, a series of events occurred.  Fast forward to May 2017, and here I am, on my way to the 2017 Pre Classic.

The medical team comprised of massage therapists, chiropractors, athletic trainers, physical therapists, and even an acupuncturist.  Athletes could come in to our room during treatment times and get whatever they needed (or wanted!).  Here was the river view from the treatment room

Don Butzner, who I interviewed for this blog before, was the Captain of the event for me.  He has been organizing events in Eugene for quite a few years and has worked with some of the worlds best athletes in track and field.

I arrived on Wednesday afternoon into Eugene Airport, a short drive away from where all the action would take place.  After unpacking at the hotel, I headed over to the hotel I’d be working at the next few days.  Athletes from various countries began to come in over the next few days.  As a fan of the sport, this was incredible to see, and work with, the biggest names in the sport.  The Pre Classic line ups were nearly rematches from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.  (So yes, I did work with a few Olympians this weekend!)

Friday night there were a few distance events for the female athletes.  I headed over to the track to work with athletes I had seen earlier in the week.  As the sun went down, the evening was absolutely amazing.  Here was the view of the warm up areas just past where the medical tent was set up.

As the athletes finished their races and events that night, some began to head over to the tent for post race treatments.  Around 10pm that night, I was one of the last to leave the stadium with a few athletes who did a workout and long cool down afterwards.

The next morning, I was at the track at 10am.  Soon after the shuttles from the athlete hotels began arriving and athletes began to warm up.  It was another beautiful day.

The medical tent on the main race day was filled with nearly a dozen treatment tables.  Athletes began coming in for pre-race treatment, stretches and other things they needed to perform their best.  Soon after the events started, athletes began coming in for post-race massage.

The last race ended around 3pm, and around nearly 430 pm, most everyone said their good byes and off we went. It was a great experience overall and I do look forward to hopefully coming back again in the future.

How many times have you or someone you know asked for a referral for something?

We all need help or advice at some point in our life, and to ensure we make a good decision, we often ask for recommendations on “good” people for whatever we need help with.

You know, something like, “Who knows a good massage therapist( or PT/chiro/mechanic/plumber etc)?”

Nearly everyday my Facebook feed includes one of these type of posts, and what follows in the comments is often a list of dozens people.  But how many of those people are actually contacted?  What is it about human nature where we want to ask for advice and recommendations and then often go make our own decisions anyway?

To a fault, I do zero advertising and marketing of my therapy services.  It’s 100% word of mouth from people who have seen me at one point, or people I know. A good friend of mine and competitive bodybuilder David Reid has been a tremendous referral source for me, for which I am very grateful.  I’ve known and worked with Dave for nearly 10 years now.  He’s been in the fitness game for a long time and has had his share of injuries and therapy sessions.  Whenever someone Dave knows is hurt, he is quick to send them my information.

A good portion of his referrals have called me immediately, others wait weeks to months later, and some never call.  The delay in calling me is not a result of Dave’s recommendation, it’s a result of those people not having the immediate motivation to take action.  I bring this up because when someone is in enough pain, they will call.  When someone is frustrated with the results, they will look for other options.  If they haven’t experienced those emotions, they likely won’t go for the contact.

Here’s a story that occurred recently.

An active woman came to see me after going through months of physical therapy for hip pain.  MONTHS!!! and she saw minimal progress.  She decided to call me and in one 90-minute session with me, she was fully functional with no pain.  So why did she call me after all?  Because she was frustrated with her results and wanted other options.

There is another key point in that paragraph.  Her problem was gone after one session.  I consider myself a really good therapist. I still have areas to improve on, and that will come with time.  With the people I see, I can confidently say if I cannot show immediate relief, if not full recovery in 1-2 sessions, there is a major problem that needs to be addressed.  I’ve said I can fix just about everything except broken bones.  Not to be egotistical, but my results indicate this to be true.

In the past year, I worked with a retired Olympic level track and field athlete.  All those years of training has now led to discomfort.  In this case, it was chronic groin pain.  The next day the person came back and said, “Whatever you did, let’s do it again, because I haven’t felt like this in a long time.”

I have many stories like this and the common comments I get from them is, “Why didn’t I come see you sooner?”

Your friend: “I have this back issue, do you know someone who might help?”

You: “Yes, you should call Roger. He’s great.  He’s worked with all kinds of great athletes, Olympians, professionals. You should call him.”

Friend: “ok, why is he great?  I mean, I know my PT also works with athletes too.”

You: “Because he can fix things in one session.”

In this scenario and recommendation, who wouldn’t want to get fixed in one session? Someone who doesn’t call isn’t in enough pain (pun intended) to seek help.  They are going through the stages of decision making but aren’t quite there yet.  One last thing I have learned is that who you have worked with isn’t as big of a factor in someone’s decision to seek treatment as one might think.  It still comes down to how emotional they are about their current situation.

So although I can provide help to many people, it’s still up the person to make the decision what is important to them.