Soma Massage Blog

When Sports Injuries Lead to Arthritis in Joints

from the NY Times:

When a physically active person like me injures a joint, especially one as crucial as a knee or ankle, one of the first thoughts, if not the first thought, is likely to be “How fast can I get back to my usual activities?”

That kind of thinking, however, could set the stage for a painful chronic problem years later: post-traumatic osteoarthritis.

In the rush to get back in the game, whether as part of a team or elite sport or simply a cherished recreational activity like jogging or tennis, it is tempting to short-circuit the rehabilitation needed to allow the joint to heal fully. But adequate recovery, including rehab measures aimed at strengthening structures that support the injured joint, is critical to maximize its stability, reduce the risk of reinjury and head off irreparable joint damage.

Read the rest here.

Rolfing: The technique that may help treat injuries, pain, bad posture or muscle tension

from Netdoctor:

Every now and then a treatment comes around that gets everybody talking - and right now, it's Rolfing. If you haven't yet heard of it, Rolfing (that's Rolfing Structural Integration) is a technique that involves the manipulation of the fascia (connective tissue around your muscles) to create proper alignment and balance in the body.

Named after its creator, Dr. Ida Rolf, 'Rolfers' (people who've undergone 'certified' training) say the technique helps treat injuries, pain, bad posture or muscle tension caused by dodgy alignment or imbalances. Their reasoning is that imbalances in the body can go on to cause serious problems later down the line, so they aim to release tight tissue to allow free, natural movement.

The treatment has steadily been rising in popularity with athletes and dancers who use it to break up scar tissue and help fix injuries, but office workers are increasingly booking in for RSI and back pain, too.

Read the rest here.

 

Legit, Science-Backed Ways a Sports Massage Can Improve Your Workout

from Shape:

You put a lot of work into staying in shape. Maybe you HIIT and run. Maybe you flow, spin, and do as many reps as possible in boot-camp class. Whatever your mix, you're likely missing one simple, science-backed way to maximize the benefit you get out of every drop of sweat: Give your body the targeted TLC of a sports massage. "Athletes typically work sports massage into their regimen to reduce muscle soreness and help treat problem areas," says Beth Mignano, a licensed massage therapist who assisted USA Track and Field at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. The idea is less pain, better training—a sound formula for anyone with a fitness goal. (BTW, did you know organ massage is a thing?!)

"Plus, getting a regular massage—even once a week—is also a great way to develop another level of body awareness," Mignano says. "When you have greater body awareness, it can serve to guide your training choices: If you feel something outside the norm, you might be able to prevent an injury or improve performance by adjusting a drill, a technique, or your intensity. (Not to mention, massage of any kind can do some great things for your mind.)

But these aren't run-of-the-mill spa treatments. Sports massages can consist of some heavy-duty manipulation techniques, including deep-tissue work and stretching, so they're not always relaxing. (Locate a sports massage specialist near you at FindaMassageTherapist.org.) What therapists are after is creating myofascial release to help you move better—myo refers to muscles and fascial refers to the continuous elastic sheet of connective tissue, or fascia, that covers them.

Read the rest here.

HOW TO MAKE IT AS A PRO SPORTS MASSAGE THERAPIST

From Massage Magazine, by BJ Dowlen:

Rejection. Experience. Hard work. Discretion.

These are all necessary components of making it as a pro sports massage therapist.

Before you consider becoming a pro sports massage therapist, you should prepare yourself to endure some, or a lot, of rejection.

Fresh out of massage school, I knew I wanted to work with pro sports teams. I’d always been involved in sports, competed in sports and followed sports, so it was a natural progression to want to work with pro sports teams.

It was in my working free charity events for kids, alongside pro athletes, that I first got my foot in the door.

Read the rest of BJ Dowlen's journey here.

A comprehensive guide to the new science of treating lower back pain

From Vox:

Cathryn Jakobson Ramin’s back pain started when she was 16, on the day she flew off her horse and landed on her right hip.

For the next four decades, Ramin says her back pain was like a small rodent nibbling at the base of her spine. The aching left her bedridden on some days and made it difficult to work, run a household, and raise her two boys.

By 2008, after Ramin had exhausted what seemed like all her options, she elected to have a “minimally invasive” nerve decompression procedure. But the $8,000 operation didn’t fix her back, either. The same pain remained, along with new neck aches.

At that point, Ramin decided to deploy her skills as a journalist and investigate the $100 billion back pain industry. She went on to write Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery, an incredible tale of back pain and its treatment, published last May.

The big takeaway: Millions of back patients like Ramin are floundering in a medical system that isn’t equipped to help them. They’re pushed toward intrusive, addictive, expensive interventions that often fail or can even harm them, and away from things like yoga or psychotherapy, which actually seem to help. Meanwhile, Americans and their doctors have come to expect cures for everything — and back pain is one of those nearly universal ailments with no cure. Patients and taxpayers wind up paying the price for this failure, both in dollars and in health.

Thankfully, Ramin finally discovered an exercise program that has eased her discomfort. And to this day, no matter how busy her life gets, she does a series of exercises every morning called “the McGill Big Three” (more on them later). “With very rare exceptions,” she says, “I find time to exercise, even when I’m on the road.”

More and more people like Ramin are seeking out conservative therapies for back pain. While yoga, massage, and psychotherapy have been around for a long time, there was little high-quality research out there to understand their effects on back pain, and doctors sometimes looked down on these practices. But over the past decade, that’s changed.

Read the rest here.