ST. LOUIS – People are going to specialized stretch centers, like XIST Stretch on Hampton Avenue in south St. Louis where therapists stretch you in ways you can’t do alone.
It may seem like a “stretch” to say it’s as good for your mental health as it is for your muscle health. We let St. Louis County Police Captain, Brian Schellman, be the judge of that. He’s in charge of the bureau of tactical support.
FOX 2 News was there for his ever “stretch” session.
He was taking advantage of the XIST Stretch “Hero” offer: a free 1 hour stretch and special rates thereafter for first responders, military, and hospital workers.
“Right now, I’m just trying to break the fascia within his shoulder,” said Stretch Therapist, Trish Roades, as she worked on Schellman’s back and shoulder.
“You can feel little adhesions in there. He works it. He works out. It’s there. “Everyone’s like, ‘Oh, I’ve got a knot in my shoulder’. Those are those adhesions in the fascia that you need to break up. The more you do, the better the blood flow, circulation, more mobility in the joint.”
“Things like the (police) belt, the (bullet-proof) vest, those are all heavy,” Capt. Schellman said. “They wear on you. You don’t think about them when you’re younger, but here I am 46, I’m not 23 like I was.”
He felt an immediate difference. His mood lightened. You could see it in his face.
“After the stretch … you can see … the glow,” Roades said. “Just the different stance, the posture’s different. Yeah, it’s good,” she smiled, patting her heart.
The impact typically lasts from 4 days to 2 weeks, according to clients.
“Feel loose?” FOX 2’s Andy Banker asked Captain Schellman.
“Oh yeah,” he beamed.
“When’s the last time you felt this loose?” Andy asked.
“Probably about 23 years ago when I first started in the police academy,” Schellman laughed.
They say you don’t have to be a first responder to feel the difference. So, XIST Stretch is offering all first-time customers a free half-hour session.
