"M.E.L.T. is a self-treatment technique. It simulates the benefits and results of what I do as a hands-on body worker," said Sue Hitzmann, creator of M.E.L.T. "We use the balls on the hands and the feet to try to eliminate some of the tension and inflammation that occurs from active living and aging."
M.E.L.T. is an acronym that stands for Myofascial Energetic Lengthening Technique.
Hitzmann's concept works on nerves and connective tissue. According to Hitzmann, the tissue becomes damaged due to cellular dehydration as we age.
"The connective tissue is the untapped resource in the body," Hitzmann said. "The connective tissue, when it becomes dehydrated, your joints get stiff, your muscles start to ache and you actually reduce the benefits of your hard work and exercise."
When pain gets chronic, massage or physical therapy are effective, but both can be expensive and time consuming, so Hitzmann is trying to empower people to take better care of themselves and also be able to pinpoint where body pain is coming from.
She uses a set of various size balls to press, roll and rub on both hands and feet to bring back mobility and reduce pain of bunions, plantar fasciitis and arch issues, while hand melting fights aches all the way up to the neck. But the M.E.L.T. technique brings relief to hips, knees, lower back, shoulders and more.
The program is safe for all ages and sizes. The overweight, sedentary and pregnant can all benefit.
A M.E.L.T. kit is just shy of $40 and comes with a DVD, instruction book and various size balls. Unless you lose them, they will last forever, Hitzmann says.
"With a little bit of a tutorial, you can really learn how to rejuvenate that tissue," Hitzmann said. "It's simple, it's easy. Anybody can do it."
Hitzmann recommends users to M.E.L.T. 15 minutes per day, three times per week, but it feels so good, it certainly wouldn't hurt to M.E.L.T. every day.
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