Better Recovery with the CTM Band

Disclaimer: I received a CTM Band to review as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!

I hate to say it but if you’re a runner, you’re bound to get injured at some point in your running journey.  It could be as minor as shin splints or as major as a stress fracture (been there, done that!).  It’s so important to focus on recovery as a runner and to incorporate injury prevention activities in order to stay healthy.  That’s why I was excited to get the opportunity to test out a brand new tool call the CTM Band!  Keep reading to check out my review!

I’m linking up with Debbie, Lora, and Rachel for the Running Coaches Corner and Annmarie, Nicole, and Jen for Wild Workout Wednesday!  I’m also joining the new Friday 5 2.0  with Fairytales and Fitness and Running on Happy – hopefully, this post won’t take too long to read!

[bctt tweet=”The @CTM_Therapy band is really cool and so helpful with recovery as a runner! Check out my full review! #bibchat #CTMBandBR #bibravepro” username=”Janelle_RWNR”]

What is the CTM Band?

The CTM Band is a new and innovative myofascial release tool used to treat muscle/joint immobility and pain.  This product aims to increase blood flow and can help reduce soreness, tightness and swelling to speed recovery.  The CTM Band was created by Dr. Kyle Bowling, a practicing sports chiropractor and former Division 1 athlete.  CTM stands for “Compression, Tension, and Movement” – three components necessary for effective myofascial release.

There are so many tools out there for runners to use for injury prevention and recovery:

• Massage
• Stretches
• Foam Roller
• The Stick/Tiger Tail
• Lacrosse Ball

What the CTM Band accomplishes is that it’s an all-in-one tool that can replace the need for using multiple products.  You literally wrap the band tightly around your affected area (making sure not to have contact on bone), stretch while wearing the band for only 2 minutes, and you’re done!  It can be used to help treat some of our “favorite” injuries as runners:

• Shin Splints
• Plantar Fasciitis
• IT Band Syndrome

Here is just one of the many instructional videos from CTM Band that help show you how it’s done!

My Experience

If you’ve been following along in my training for the New Jersey Marathon, you know that I have encountered some unpleasant pain here and there over the past few months.  I have a couple of Foam Rollers and Sticks that I use, but I’m always looking for ways to get a better bang for my buck.  The CTM Band seemed too good to be true, but I have to admit that it really has made a difference.  Of course, I’m still pretty lazy so I need to commit more to using it routinely!

Tight Calves

With the high mileage that I’ve accumulated this year from marathon training, I constantly struggled with tight calves.  Stretching is a huge help, but stretching along with wearing the CTM Band provides so much relief!  As I’m wearing the CTM Band tightly around my calf, I do the same stretches I would normally do without it, then remove after 2 minutes.  Does the tightness of the wrap hurt at all?  YES, but in a good way!

Plantar Fasciitis

I’ve been in denial for a least a month, but I’m suffering from PF in both feet.  I’ve felt pain in my arches and my heels…ugh.  While I’m a big fan of using KT Tape, I’m not the best at applying it, so using the CTM Band has been another great tool to give my poor feet some relief!

When you use the CTM Band on your feet, you have to remove 3 out of 4 of the trigger points (which look like “half golfballs”) so that you can have that concentrated pressure on the right part of your foot.  It’s very easy to disassemble and reassemble.  Wrapping the CTM Band around my foot is still a bit tricky (but will get better with practice!), but once I get it together, those 2 minutes are such a great help!  I roll my ankle and move my foot around as best as I can while the CTM band does its magic!

Tight Hamstring

After running the Run for Clean Air 5K over the past weekend, I pushed myself a little too far and my left hamstring paid the price.  Walking was pretty painful on Monday morning, so I knew I needed to break out the CTM Band and see if it could help!  I did some squats and leg swings while wearing the band.  I was really nervous that it would exacerbate my pain but honestly, the relief was almost immediate upon removal!  The rest of the day, my hamstring felt MUCH better and the pain was gone by Tuesday.  Now that’s what I’m talking about!

Final Thoughts

As you can see, I’m a big fan of the CTM Band and I look forward to it becoming my number 1 recovery tool!  I love that it’s easy to transport, there are helpful instructional videos and blog posts online, and most of all, the product actually helps relieve pain from overuse injuries as a runner!  I would love to be able to get a professional massage every week, but it’s just time or cost-effective – so thank goodness for the CTM Band!

Not yet convinced this thing works?  Here are some more reviews from my follow Bibrave Pros!

Lindsey  |  Mary Jo  |  Jessica R   |  Danielle F  |  Amanda W  | Amy S   |  Connie

Get Your Own CTM Band with a Discount!

I’m so excited to be able to share a discount with you: Use code CTMBIBRAVE to save 20% on your own CTM Band, which is normally $40!  This is the perfect addition to your arsenal of injury prevention tools.  I highly recommend picking one up!

What tools do you use for recovery?  Do you like trying out new fitness products on the market?