Are you looking for injury recovery options? You are not alone. In six months, 5 in 10 Canadians suffered back pain, which is one of the most common injuries!
It is overwhelming to know how to recover from injuries and pain. Do you just take medication and wait? Or are there other proactive ways to help heal?
There are integrative therapies that help to heal from injuries. One of those is massage therapy for injury recovery. It does not only help injuries, but it can improve recovery.
The benefits of massage therapy go beyond injury recovery to anxiety and stress relief too. So you can pick your massage type depending on your recovery goals. There are different types of massage, such as therapeutic massage, myofascial cupping, manual osteopathic therapy and relaxation massage .
Read on to learn the five benefits of injury recovery with massage therapy!
1. Relieve Pain
Injury pain is the result of the body responding to protect you. Chemicals release, and your brain triggers a pain response. Although your body is preventing further damage, sometimes responses are excessive.
Often injury pain relates to contracted muscles compressing nerves around them too. It can also lead to organ distress, such as intense menstrual cramps if you suffer from lower back pain. Massage therapy can help relieve all these pain symptoms.
During a massage therapy session, your muscle tissues relax. Massage techniques can reduce spasms, nerve compressions, and painful muscle contractions. Massage therapy brings circulation to the affected areas, which in turn speeds up the healing process. It not only decreases pain, increases mobility and speeds healing – it also causes the brain to make ‘feel good’ chemicals which leads to relaxation.
Your massage therapist will also stimulate nerve fibres that can impact pain messages. Your pain will slowly reduce, especially with regular massage treatments and other recovery methods such as stretching. Studies have found that 88% of people find massage therapy helps reduce pain.
Common injuries massage therapy can help include neck, knee, and lower back injuries. Repetitive strain injuries, tennis elbow, carpal tunnel and soft tissue injuries can also be relieved.
However, it is essential to check the cause of your pain first. There could be some underlying issues that you need to address before getting a massage. Your therapist can help with this in the initial assessment.
2. Promotes Blood Circulation
Massage therapy can also enhance blood flow to the muscles. Maximum oxygen and nutrients can then reach your injury, which allows healing.
Injuries can also be prolonged due to poor circulation. Lactic acid build-up then remains in the muscles. Muscles can be stuck in a shortened state and scar tissue can build up, both which decrease mobility.
Massage therapy boosts tissue metabolism, which can encourage the body to repair itself. For example, lactic acid and metabolic waste can move away from the muscles into the bloodstream where it can be dealt with by the detoxifying organs of the body.
Massage therapy increases circulation by increasing tissue temperature. This is what brings blood flow to that area. It ensures everything stays fluid, so there is no regression to your recovery.
You may also need to take other steps, such as exercise and stretching, to improve blood circulation. It is best to get a professional massage to increase the chance of injury recovery success. Not all massages are created equal, so get the best massage for your injury.
3. Better Muscle Flexibility
Reduce tightness and inflammation in your muscles with massage therapy. Tightness and inflammation can increase injury pain and prevent movement. You need movement to help injury recovery, so when your muscles are no longer stiff, you can focus on healing!
Different types of massage achieve muscle flexibility in different ways. Muscles are manipulated in various ways to encourage tissues and muscles to relax. However, therapists often use deep strokes, trigger point work, kneading, and firm pressure to promote flexibility.
Myofascial release also helps recover flexibility. Fascia is the connective tissue between muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. When you experience an injury, it can harden and scars, resulting in scar tissue.
Massages increase fascia temperature, and as temperature increases, therapists can get deeper. The deeper they can go, the more the fascia can stretch and lengthen. The result is more flexibility and removal of scar tissue!
If scar tissue is old, it can be more challenging to remove. However, you can still improve your flexibility.
Massages also help you relax, which will relieve any places you are holding tension. Emotional tension can aggravate injuries and prolong them.
4. Quicker Injury Recovery Time
Your body responds to injury with inflammation to protect muscles from further damage. It also results in more fluid and white blood cells going to the area for tissue repair. However, swelling can remain for months!
There is no one reason why inflammation can remain, and injury recovery is slow. However, as we age, cells do not always work as efficiently to heal, and muscles can be more tired. So massage therapy is the perfect solution to help your body recover quicker.
Healing from injuries always takes work, but massage therapy can speed up recovery. When you improve blood circulation and reduce stiffness, your injury can recover faster.
Your lymphatic system will drain out waste and toxins, your body will relax, and pain reduces. Pain and stiffness often prevent rehabilitation, such as doing recommended recovery exercises. Massage therapy allows you to retake control of your injury recovery and put the total effort in.
5. Future Injury Prevention
Massage therapy for injury recovery also can prevent future injuries. When you ignore injuries, they can worsen and repeat over time. Massage therapy helps injured areas to restore to their full strength.
Your therapist will identify vulnerable spots, such as muscle tightness, knots, and lumps. These are the areas that can become weak and prone to future injury if not treated. You may also learn the causes of your injuries, such as unalignment or tightness in a different area!
Injury Recovery with Massage Therapy
Having an injury can be a frustrating, painful, and humbling experience. You may feel out of control or overwhelmed. However, healing from injuries is possible with massage therapy, especially alongside other treatments.
It is essential to find a reputable massage therapist for injury recovery success. They will recommend what massage is best and provide effective treatment. An unqualified therapist could cause more harm than good and prolong your injury.
Enjoy all the benefits of massage therapy, including injury recovery, at The Self Centre Massage & Wellness, in Edmonton. We are an award-winning clinic with the expertise to help you. Contact us today to learn more.
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