Deep tissue massage is very effective with chronic injuries, as well as releasing excess tension in the tissues. There are different forms and techniques, including trigger point therapy, Active Release (ART), Graston, Rolfing, Neuromuscular technique (NMT) and cross-fiber friction.
In my opinion, massage combined with some form of stretching is more effective than either one on their own. This comes from my own experiences, as well as the opinions of others in this field. You get a synergistic effect that is stronger than either one on their own.
Deep tissue massage is very effective for releasing scar tissue which is limiting your flexibility. It makes the scar tissue more pliable, so you can move easier. When injury occurs, scar tissue is laid down to protect the injured area. What sometimes happens though, is the scar tissue spreads across healthy tissue, reducing its ability to stretch.
The goal with the massage is to limit this "spider-web" effect and limit the scar tissue growth to the damaged tissue. This is why stretching is sometimes applied with the massage, to ensure that flexibility is maintained.
I have used massage to help restore movement in many people. One of my favorite instances was with an elderly woman who had torn her rotator cuff. This 77 year old had injured her shoulder two years prior, when she fell from a step-ladder, coming down from the attic.
She chose not to have surgery because she had to take care of her husband, who had Parkinson's disease. She didn't want to be away from him while going through a lengthy recovery process. So she basically suffered with an arm that had limited use.
I worked with her for about 10 half-hour sessions. I would start off with lighter strokes to warm the tissues, before using more pressure. Going with the grain of the muscle fibers and against the grain (cross-fiber friction). Working all around the shoulder and shoulder blade, and then Follow with stretching techniques.
He received chiropractic adjustments for about half of those meetings. He would joke with the engineers that I have against them, and yes, I was pretty aggressive with my blood pressure at times, but it was what he needed. He also knew that it was necessary and vice versa.
At the last meeting that we have completed, he told me that my shoulder is pretty good now grateful swing a golf club, for her much.She could also now place her hand on the steering wheel to drive. Before this, she had to use her left hand to place her right hand on the wheel, as she had almost no movement with this arm.
Her range of motion had doubled after the treatments and she had much more use of her arm. A few more treatments and some strengthening probably would have been good, but she was coming in from about an hour away and that was inconvenient.
Now I'm not suggesting that someone should skip surgery and try massage instead. Its not always going to turn out like this situation did. But if you have had chronic problems and want to try a conservative approach first, finding a skilled soft tissue therapist might be a good idea.
While her shoulder was far from perfect afterwards, surgery and 3 months or so of painful rehab is no guarantee of success. While working in physical therapy, I saw more than one person over 55, who had limited results after their shoulder rehab. The Shoulder is a complex joint, with the right balance between mobility and stability.
Not all massage therapists to work in deep tissue and stretching, and not all the knowledge on the management of injuries. So I would suggest you find someone, one of the techniques of this article is cited, but always evaluated by a qualified physician first.
In most cases, the strengthening of the muscles is then necessary to restore proper operation. Joint mobility training can also help to restore movement awareness and efficiency. For more information, see the article on joint mobility training.
No comments:
Post a Comment