The MELT Method: A Breakthrough Self-Treatment System to Eliminate Chronic Pain, Erase the Signs of Aging, and Feel Fantastic in Just 10 Minutes a Day!

Update: literally still using her technique eight years later. Zero pain. Zero plantar fasciitis. Keeps my body feeling fluid and wonderful. Still have not read the damn book but I mean to now lol. Bought performance DVDs but still don’t practice all of that bc I don’t have it memorized and need to. I have regular melt method memorized and practice it from memory several times per week. Cured plantar fas. Nearly cured my pelvic floor issues where a pelvic PT failed and told me to lose weight. Been more regular with melt than yoga movement to be honest. Highly recommend the method with video instructions. Thanks Sue! I am looking into training with you but it is too costly at the moment. End update**** I really am impressed. I am a yoga instructor without mobility issues but some injuries (not from yoga, from HIIT). I notice this helps out a lot with plantar fasciitis (probably from postural problems, which this method corrects beautifully). My body definitely feels a difference after each melting, and my boyfriend feels a big change too. My posture does seem to go back to the way it was pretty immediately after I MELT though. I waited to review to see if the effect is cumulative for that reason and it is. I did it hard core, almost every night, for a month straight and really noticed a lasting effect. My back of thighs did not used to touch the floor supine at all and I could not figure out how they ever would, but now they do regularly. I have not bothered to try it with a regular foam roller for fear of wasting time and the MELT roller really does feel quite different. I bought the DVDs which I really feel is a must. Honestly, I have not read the book- I went to her website after buying this book and flipping through it only to groan at how hard it would be to read something with pictures and try to figure it out from that- and so proceeded to buy the package with the DVDs and roller direct form her website, although they were very expensive. Then I ended up with two books- pretty annoying- but luckily a friend bought this copy from me. So skip the book alone and go get the package - it does work well though. I am excited to continue it.

First up, I sought out this book because there's just no way I'm going to pay someone else to give me a massage. Lots of reasons for that, but that's the bottom line. I wanted to find some relief from aches and pains that I thought must be due to tension and built up stress, and this seemed a likely starting place that would be more comfortable than trying to work with a hard roller. People are complaining that it seems too hard to get to the meat of things in the book. (There really isn't a quick-start section in the book, though she does walk you through a few things early on, those exercises aren't the main lessons, and they're just an introduction.) In some ways I agree that this not quite ideal, but then again she's crammed a memoir, textbook, and workbook all in one volume, and intersperses bits of each as you go along. Towards the end, there are more specific sections saying, essentially, 'if you want to treat this specific issue, do this, then this ...', and there's a lot to absorb before you get there. Working gently, with focus and attention is pretty much essential. Without learning what you're doing, why and how, I think it would be awfully easy to work sloppily and inattentively, which would probably decrease the effectiveness of the work. (That's my experience, at least. I have to be focused on what I'm doing, and paying attention.) Me? I'm just glad the book EXISTS, whatever quirks of presentation it might have. I don't live in a part of the world where Sue might visit for workshops or anything else, and I don't have the freedom to travel, so this do-it-yourself technique is pretty much my only option. Better to flip through some pages, than do without. Unlike some reviewers, I was not much annoyed by her writing style. I've read some really bad fitness/health books by people with more enthusiasm than material, and this book is leagues ahead of those. The author is clearly kind of obsessive, but I don't think the book (or the method) would exist without that, so I'm not distressed by it. She's totally committed to sharing what she's learned, excited about her discoveries, fascinated by what she's learned, and amazed by the experiences she had along the way. Sharing this energy is part of the fun of the book, experiencing things she felt and thought along the way, and how one thing led to another. She's done her own research over years of work, and didn't copy someone else to get here, and I think that's admirable. If it takes her a while to explain all that, so be it. Her story and her journey are very personal, and apparently very deeply felt, and seems quite genuine. This personal style of presentation doesn't bother me. The technical/anatomical stuff doesn't fascinate me quite as much as the rest of it, but I was interested to read about it, if nothing else to understand the parts of the body I'm working with. If you're looking for a quick-start guide, the card set that comes with the hand/foot kit is really great, but it seems to me that the cards and the book (and the video, for that matter) don't quite match up. I'm assuming she added small things as things were in production on each item, so each has a little bit that's not in the others. The bits in question are interesting additions, but don't necessarily diminish the experience of working with the balls and the rollers. A very brief session can bring a lot of relief, and it seems to me so long as you manage to do some pressure point work, gliding, shearing and rinsing, first with the soft balls then the harder ones, or just on the soft roller, that's plenty. :shrug: I like having a variety of options. I just try to incorporate a bit of MELTing into every day, just to get a routine going, and it seems to be 'enough' pretty much no matter what I do. The author does stress the importance of doing self assessments before and after each session, it really does help me notice the changes that are taking place. (For example, the difference in my hands seems kind of subtle, but it's there, and over time has gotten better still. I might not have noticed, if I hadn't made the effort to keep track.) It's possible that part of the self-assessment is more meditative than some people are comfortable with, but I do find it therapeutic and helpful. (It's a physical check-in, noticing what's going on with the body and limbs, noticing spots of tension or release, etc., not anything metaphysical/prayerful.) As I've gotten older, I've had some aches and pains that came and went, stiffness that crept up on me, and I'd begun to assume that they were an inevitable part of the aging process. After having worked with the MELT Method for a few weeks on my own, some of those aches are gone, and I feel more limber and alert than I have in ages. Moving is easier, and I just feel more comfortable in my own skin. Whew. Who knew that was even possible? Sure, if I don't keep up with the techniques, the aches and stiffness come creeping back, (though staying hydrated as she recommends is very helpful), but at least now I know there's something I can DO to help them remain at bay. I bought the book first, just to see whether or not the techniques were doable. I even did a few things on my hard roller (which she cautions against, guess I missed that advice early in the book), and was definitely impressed. Wrong roller or not, the first night I used the MELT techniques, I slept better and more comfortably than I have in a long time. Once I realized that I needed to find a softer option while waiting for the soft roller and hand/foot kit to arrive, (didn't realize what level of firmness/softness was required til I saw Sue on youtube holding/bending a soft roller) I got the idea to buy one of those foam noodles kids play with in the pool, since they were super cheap at the big box store. I covered that with two layers of 3/4" foam from an otherwise awful and useless exercise mat I'd bought years ago and never used. Still firm, but softer than the hard roller. I rummaged around in a few stores, and found some rubber balls, and one little soft golf ball made of foam that I thought might do, and started experimenting with the hand and foot techniques. My backordered products didn't take TOO long to arrive, maybe 17 business days from order to arrival on the roller? Less for the hand/foot kit. I do prefer the MELT brand products to my cheap-y DIY versions, the balls in the kit are all a bit smaller than most of the ones I'd been using, and the soft balls are softer than anything I'd found (though the foam golf ball does come close, and works fine for the hand exercise where you work each finger, pressing first pad and tip into the ball one at a time.) My DIY pool-noodle soft roller with two layers of softer foam on top of the rather firm noodle is pretty much just the right firmness, but I do prefer the real one. The things I've picked up from her book that I've been trying to incorporate into my day: 1) Staying hydrated. 2) Getting a bit of sunlight, out doors, every day. (Shade is fine.) 3) Noticing what I'm feeling in my body. Aches, the urge to move, energy flowing, etc., whatever it is. 4) Noticing how movement seems to ease my stiffness, and how warming up makes moving less jarring. 5) Soft foam roller self-massage just feels good, so I don't dread it, put it off, or think of something else to do. The one thing I do have trouble with is doing the MELT techniques at least an hour before bed. Not sure why, but some days it gets pretty late before I get around to it. I've decided to accept this as proof that I'm more active than I have been in a while, and that's a good thing. For me, this is a do-able, adaptable set of self-massage techniques that help me feel more limber, active and comfortable. I hope she comes out with more of the quick-start cards for the work on the rest of the body, I find the ones for hands and feet very convenient. Plus, the book is kinda heavy, and hard to maneuver when I'm doing certain moves. The basic techniques are pretty simple, and once you get the idea, not hard to do.

Important note: You MUST have a soft foam roller and very small, very soft ball to use the techniques in this book. And, this therapy is not a replacement for strength training, aerobics, or muscle stretching. The workshop isn't a requirement; you can definitely learn the technique from the book. All you need is 10 minutes a day once you learn the "method. This is an excellent book! It's going to cost about $95 for book and equipment, so check my overview of pricing at the bottom of my review for more info. I just happened to be watching Dr. Oz and he had Sue Hitzmann on his show talking about and demonstrating her new "MELT" Method. MELT stands for Myofascial Energetic Length Technique and focuses on hydrating your connective tissue and easing pain. Connective tissue is just below the surface of the skin and is a component of the whole body that is typically overlooked. This book will definitely help you understand and work with your connective tissue to improve health and well being. Since I have my own home yoga, fitness, and meditation practice I was intrigued by Sue's theories and purchased the Kindle version of the book right away. I also got on her web site meltmethod dot com to find out more and was pleasantly surprised that she was having a workshop/class right here in Portland Oregon the same weekend! I signed up for the Sunday noon, 1.5 hour class with book signing afterwards. Workshop: I attended Sue's workshop which was well attended by many people in my same age group 40-65, both males and females. Sue came in and with her high-energy she explained in very simple terms the theories behind her MELT method. She is a very captivating speaker! Then we learned all about the hands and foot technique which uses a small, very soft rubber ball (measures 1-1/2 inches across). You use a series of point compressions and various movements what she refers to as pressing, gliding, shearing, rinsing, and friction. Then she moved on to similar techniques using a soft roller. Excellent workshop and well worth the time and money if you can attend, check her web site! FYI: All of the material presented in her workshop is also covered in her book. The book includes more techniques than the workshop covers. Sue's MELT techniques are not new, they are traditional techniques of reflexology, chi, somatic-movement, self-massage, and even dry brushing and uses pressure-points and movement of lymphatic fluids. However, Sue's approach is a very unique combination of these traditional techniques in a high-energy, quick-fix, yet body-gentle environment. Her methods will help you get in touch with your body's alignment and you could very well heal yourself or at least reduce your amount of chronic pain. Using her methods over a period of weeks will definitely help you with pain management. MELT addresses the four effects of "stuck stress" (which accumulates in the connective tissue and causes pain) with the "Four R's" which are: Reconnect (Body Sensing), Rebalance (whole body balance), Rehydrate (restore hydration in the connective tissue), and Release (decompression) in an absolutely wonderful combination that will get results! I initially ordered the Kindle version of the book, but was concerned if I was actually getting as much as the printed book. So, at the book signing I also purchased the hard-bound, printed book, so I have both the Kindle and Paper book that I am reviewing. The book is broken into easy to follow Parts and Chapters, but I would definitely recommend reading the first 100 pages of the book to fully understand the MELT method before starting the practice. Part four is excellent once you understand the methods and gets you going with your own self-treatment plan. All the movements are lined-out and include a short description and photo of each the positions and movements. Comparing Kindle to Paper Book: Note: I am using Kindle on an iPad 1. The tables in the book are easy to read, but in the Kindle version the columns don't line up very well and they are difficult to follow, especially in landscape mode. 2. You get all the same demonstration photos (Sue is the model) in both the Kindle and Paper versions. Both are of low-quality and although you can click on the Kindle version photos, they are quite grainy and do not provide any enhancement over the smaller photos in both Kindle and Paper versions. 3. I would opt for the kindle version over the paper version both for ease of reading and cost. Reason for my Amazon 4 start rating: I marked down this book for quality reasons, not content. The paper version is printed on very low quality paper, brown-ish newspaper print in simple black ink (no color photos and the black and white photos look low-quality/low-res). I was disappointed that page 157 was ripped out of the book down the center of the page, so this page is completely unreadable ...not a big deal since I have the Kindle version too :) For $26 I would expect better quality paper. I was disappointed since it had a full-color glossy hardcover, but when I opened the book it was cheesy, poor-quality I would have opted for softcover over hardcover and used better, longer lasting paper. Also, I don't believe the book was printed in the USA, but it's not apparent anywhere in the printed book. It doesn't say "printed in China," but my guess is that it is printed somewhere overseas. I believe her rollers and balls are probably also manufactured in China :( For these reasons I marked it down by 1 star. I have to mention, I think Sue Hitzmann has a good thing going here that will probably help a lot of people by avoiding surgery related to chronic pain and getting off pain medications, but I also feel like it is somewhat "gimicy" that she's trying to sell her balls and roller. I understand everyone's trying to make a living and be successful, so I really can't knock it, it's just an observation. I believe in her heart she is truly trying to help people heal themselves, so in this regard the book and Sue's work deserve a 1000+ stars!!! Sue's techniques are truly helpful. I learned so much from her in the workshop and reading and following her book. More than anything her book, instructions, and techniques really helped me to know and get more in touch with what connective tissue feels like over plain muscle stretching. I will definitely integrate her techniques into my home practice. Sue definitely knows her stuff and she learned about connective tissue from the experts and even by dissecting cadavers! I'm still wondering if she found any sign of chi in there ;-) Cost comparison: Retailed Price (and price you'll pay for the book from Sue at her workshops): $25.99 Book price on Amazon, Paper: $14.29, Kindle: $12.74 (over half off Sue's price!) MELT 3-ball set: Included if you buy a book at Sue's workshop AMAZING DEAL!!! Workshop: $35, if you register online you get a $10 discount YouTube Videos: She has lots of short-clips on the internet for free! MELT 6-Ball Set with Video (on Sue's website: $40 (* see note) MELT Body Roller: $40* Alternative Roller: You MUST use a very soft roller for Sue's technique. I have a OPTP Foam Roller, soft/pink, $42 on Amazon OPTP Pro Foam Roller - Soft Pink Marble Full Round 36" x 6" and IN STOCK on Amazon :-) *Note: Unfortunately Sue's balls and roller are not available on her web site and are on back order, so if you want balls, you must attend her workshop. I have NOT been able to find her soft small balls anywhere else, it's definitely a unique and very effective product! See my other reviews on yoga, meditation, and exercising by clicking on my YogaKat Amazon name and going to "frequently used tags" along the left side under my photo and interests. Please check out my reviews and let me know if my review was helpful! Namaste'

After attending MELT classes at the Yoga studio I attend for the first time in over 15 years my feet stopped hurting and I have tried everything. Plus this in addition to Yoga I have reduced joint pain 75%. Hopefully as I continue, it will keep improving. My husband has arthritis and will not attend classes at a Yoga studio! So I bought him the roller, ball kit and videos to watch and this book for me. He has only been at this for 3 weeks, and has noticed improvement with his neck. Plus he hasn't been able to bend one finger when making a fist for a very long time, and now can almost close it. I read some of the one star and two star reviews and I do agree this book will seem confusing if you have had no experience with the method. For me it provided more understanding as to how these exercises actually work. Plus I can see with the pictures and description if I am doing it correctly. Sometimes in class you might be slightly off but your instructor wouldn't be able to tell, and you didn't know it yourself. I consider this a supplement to the practice of the method along with the mini videos on YouTube. I usually do not care for the scientific info most of these books include in the beginning, but her study of the connective tissue and inflammation I found very informative. Just a warning for anyone who does purchase the videos, they do not play on windows 10. We still have windows 7 on an old laptop that my husband hooks to the TV. With modern technology moving at such a rapid pace, I don't know what that fix might be.

You have to wade through five chapters before you actually get to the method in the Melt Method book. The book discusses extensively how the author developed the method. Given the large amount of time and effort involved, the author's interest in telling the story of how she arrived at the method is understandable. However, I'm not sure readers share that interest. Also, the book goes into the theory in what some might feel is complex and excruciating detail. That's a lot of backstory for a method that's supposed to take ten minutes a day. I learned a lot more about the fascia than I ever wanted to know. It also feels like padding. Then again, I suppose not many people are going to shell out $18 for a hardback book with just a couple of chapters that outline the method. I would say the MELT technique is worth exploring further. However, even though the method itself only takes 10 minutes a day, the assessment part looks pretty esoteric. I think I'm going to work with the Miracle Ball Method first because it's simpler and comes with everything I need to practice it. The MELT Method uses a soft foam roller and balls which I don't have. The Miracle Ball Method only costs $13 and comes with everything you need to start working with it right away. After buying the MELT book, you're expected to shell out another $100 for the roller and balls. Makes more sense for me to give the Miracle Ball Method a shot before further outlays. The Miracle Ball Method is a lot less theoretical and a lot more practical. As Petrone herself says, simple. The results promised are the same: tension release, stress relief, and greater well-being. Both methods have rave reviews on Amazon. Plus Elaine has two other kits at $20 each whereas the MELT Method for hands and feet cost $40 just by itself. The MELT roller sells for $60 more, but there's a generic version selling for $38 on Amazon. A little too much profit margin there.

I feel fortunate to have found this method. I read the book after the first class with Kat Folger in Fallbrook, CA because I felt amazing results after my session. Kat & Sue are gifted caring individuals. It is a method that will continue to enhance itself with utilization, meaning the more people know about it, the more it will explode in usage. The techniques are simple. I immediately felt relief. We are encouraged to stop when we feel pain. This is new to me. I am familiar with "feel the burn". After the sessions i feel great. I am new to this. Most of what the book shares makes logical sense to me. Feeling results that quickly is almost disconcerting. I believe everyone should try this method. I don't know if everyone needs to read the book. Read the book if you want or need to understand why the method works. I needed to as I am a bit of a skeptic. Sue's videos are clear & concise. Watch them so you can SEE if what you're doing matches her body mechanics for best results. I bought the e book for Kindle. I had to buy the paper as well. Some of the images would not enlarge and were therefore unreadable. I also needed the graphics available to practice. So I do not recommend the ebook. I do recommend the paper book. This method will enhance your life.

I have had discomfort (I wouldn't go as far as to say "pain") in my right foot, left elbow, mid-back (whiplash), and neck. Since doing MELT, all those areas feel much more comfortable. I do have to MELT my neck on a regular basis to keep it that way, and I'm so thankful to have a method to do that. Since the roller and balls are not available at this time, I rolled two yoga mats roller together. Since they aren't quite long enough, I've rolled up a towel for my head when I need to use the roller longitudinally. (If you watched the Dr. Oz Show, he used a rolled up beach towel.) Then I went to Walmart and bought a squishy ball for $1.00 in the kids department. I enjoyed reading this book. The information was new and interesting, although I did have to go back over some terminology to understand completely. The exercises are also easy, although I did have trouble at first remembering to drink water before and after, and to do the "rest assess" and "reassess" before and after. I also had some healing "transitions" as Hitzmann's termed them, some headaches and joint aches, which quickly went away. UPDATE: the pain in my foot,elbow and back have all gone away, and my neck is MUCH better!

After two rounds of physical therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, ice and heat treatments, injections in the thigh and buttocks, and an MRI that couldn't point me in the right direction, I decided I had to find the answer for myself. I read many books and tried other methods to help with my chronic, terrible pain in my lower back and right leg. The pain never left me, day and night, and I knew I couldn't continue without going on heavy pain medications. I started the MELT Method doing the exercises about every other day. After three weeks of dedicated exercise, I felt some relief from the pain. After six weeks, the pain was gone, not just diminished, but gone. After one year of constant pain, the pain left me after doing the MELT method. I'm not sure why it works, but it does work. I know I will have to do the exercises forever to maintain my benefits and I'm fine with that prospect. It's better than living my life drugged and still in pain. Now I tell everyone of my friends and strangers about this method. My doctor asked me to tell one of her patients about this treatment. This may be the future for treating us as we age and our connective tissue dehydrates. Thank you Sue. Caution: the first pages of the book are hard to get through. Sue could have used a better editor. Don't give up because of that. Skip to the exercises and start doing the work.