Benefits of Massage When Healing From An Injury

Physical injuries can come upon us suddenly and may result from causes ranging from a serious accident or sporting mishap to a simple sprain or strain from a sudden incorrect movement. Whatever the cause, these injuries can affect each of us in a variety of ways, and may leave us with temporary discomfort or in chronic pain. Severity and symptoms may vary but generally each will require specific treatment, and most effectively a healing geared toward targeting the underlying cause of the injury. Many people upon suffering an injury seek quick relief from their physical distress by popping a pill for immediate - if temporary - relief. But there are other remedies to be considered that go directly to the root cause and do not come with the risk of side-effects often associated with prescribed or over-the-counter medications. One of the most effective and popular procedures is therapeutic massage. The benefits of massage are numerous and go beyond just relieving stiffness and soreness. While massage helps relieve pain in damaged muscles by sending anti-inflammation messages to muscle cells, it also aids in detoxification and stress relief, improved blood and lymph circulation, and even helps to prevent future injuries.

Physical rehabilitation for an injury can be a long, frustrating and even painful procedure. To that end, massage has been shown to be an important supplement to rehabilitation treatment in that it allows the injured area to become more flexible and heal at an accelerated rate. Deep tissue and trigger point massage breaks up the tissues in the muscle to speed healing and reduce discomfort during the rehabilitation process. Massage has even been proven effective in recovering from broken bones, providing relief from stiffness as well as restoring movement and providing relaxation, significantly decreasing or eliminating pain and settling anxiety.

Muscles that have been heavily strained through strenuous exercise or hard physical labour can -  with repeated use - lose their capacity to relax, causing chronically tight muscles and loss of flexibility. This can result in a predisposition to injuries, especially muscle pulls and tears and even decreased blood flow.

By committing to a continual massage program, you can hasten the recovery process after suffering an injury. As well, regular massage for maintenance allows the therapist to focus on key muscle groups and work specific tissues that can help maintain or improve your range of motion and muscle flexibility. Regular massage also allows a therapist the opportunity to locate your particular trouble spots, including those resulting from past injuries, and thus keep an eye on them so they do not develop further problems.

At Academy Massage our professional therapists specialize in the most effectively proven massage treatments, which include Sports InjuryMassage, Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue Massage and Maintenance Sports Massage.  

Our therapists are dedicated to your health and physical well-being and invite you to call or visit our office to discuss our various massage techniques to decide what therapy is right for you and would be most effective to optimize your individual results.

What is Sports Massage?

Sports massage is a specialized type of massage that has been proven effective in relieving aches, pains and other discomforts that occur in specific parts of the body, such as the neck, shoulders, arms and knees, areas prone to injury due to strain or overuse through physical activity. 

Sports massage involves a systematic manipulation of the soft tissues of the body that focuses on muscles relevant to a particular sport.

Sports massage was originally developed to assist athletes both as a preventive measure against injuries as well as relieving physical trauma caused by sporting mishaps. But while the treatment is geared toward athletes, everyone can benefit from sports massage therapy both for its physiological and psychological qualities. Sports massage can help maintain the body in better condition. It can also cure and restore mobility to injured or swollen muscle tissue, reduce fatigue, and overall improve physical performance whether on the playing field or in workplace labor or simply doing strenuous and/or repetitive yard or household chores.

Sports massage therapy has also been effective in helping to manage stress, which often can be a key concern prior to participating in an athletic competition, although, again, everyone can benefit from this therapy in simply dealing with the stresses that come from our fast-paced everyday lifestyle. Results are achieved by the massage releasing neurotransmitters called endorphins. Endorphins act as the body's natural pain reliever. When released through properly applied sports massage techniques these endorphins decrease anxiety, provide pain relief, improve mood and enhance a person's state of emotional well-being.

For the person engaged in athletic pursuits, sports massage provides superior benefits to enhance  physical ability, regardless of the activity or level of participation from amateur to professional, and can be applied pre- or post-game, during training or, if necessary, rehabilitation.

At Academy Massage our registered therapists offer sports massages that are both relaxing and performance enhancing. Some massages can be applied on the day of a specific event. We recommend that for anyone participating in sports or any strenuous physical activity to speak with one of our professional massage therapists to discuss a plan that works best for you.

With another summer now upon us, your friends at Academy Massage want to see you keep fit, stay limber and remain active to enjoy all that the season has to offer.

Sports Massage Techniques and Benefits

For an athlete to achieve and maintain optimum performance one of the key factors to consider is sports massage. This specific type of massage therapy is recommended not just for treating athletic injuries but as a pre-event preparation procedure and an effective preventive measure.

Sports massage is intended for everyone who partakes in athletic activities, from the career professional to the weekend golfer or casual jogger. The particulars of sports massage technique are determined by the athlete's preferred sport and focuses on those areas of the body that might be injured or suffer stress from repetitive and often aggressive or strenuous movements. During such physical activity muscle tension builds up in the body's soft tissues. Overuse, over-extension and injuries can occur in these tissues resulting in pain and compromising one's athletic performance.

Sports massage promotes blood and lymph flow throughout the body, alleviating pain and preventing muscle soreness and muscle fatigue that can affect flexibility, mobility, response time and overall athletic performance. It can also extend the life of your sporting career. The physical benefits of sports massage include:

• Pumping
• Stretching
• Increased tissue permeability
• Breaking down of scar tissue
• Improves tissue elasticity
• Opens micro-circulation
• Pain Reduction
• Relaxation

The psychological effects include:

• Anxiety Reduction
• Invigoration

Sports massage should be applied before and after athletic events, and should include regular "maintenance" sessions in-between.

One of the most common setbacks for athletes is DOMS, the acronym for delayed-onset muscle soreness. This is muscle pain that develops several hours following exercise, and is most common if the exercise is unfamiliar. Recent studies have shown that sports massage may help reduce and, if integrated into a weekly training regimen, even prevent the painful and often debilitating effects of DOMS in athletes.

There are different movements and techniques used in sports massage. These include Swedish style massage, stroking, kneading, compression, friction, rhythmic striking, vibration, gliding, stretching, percussion, and trigger points. Each of these movements and techniques aids in the physical conditioning of the athlete while decreasing the chance of injury or pain and assisting in a quicker recovery.

At Academy Massage our registered therapists are trained in sports massage and utilize the most proven and effective techniques in a three-way program. Our Sport Performance and Massage offers the deeper, more stimulating Swedish techniques for enhanced athletic performance. Maintenance Sports Massage is essential to an athlete's training and focuses on deep tissue work, intended to facilitate recovery and help maintain optimal range of motion. Post-Event Sports Massage focuses on recovery by flushing out muscles and restoring nervous system activity to normal pre-activity levels. This procedure should be performed one to three hours following an athletic activity as it aids healing time and decreases the risk of DOMS.

Sports massage therapy is gaining popularity as a valuable component in a balanced training regimen. Academy Massage recommends sports massage for anyone participating in regular physical activity to help keep you in the game.

The Benefits of Shockwave Therapy to Treat Tendonitis

Tendonitis is one of the most painful and mobility restricting conditions which is most common in the upper shoulder and lower part of the elbow, although it can also occur in the wrist and ankle. Tendons are the tight, band-like structures that connect muscles to bone.  They come in various sizes throughout the body. When the muscle contracts, the tendon is vigorously pulled.  When functioning normally, these tendons glide easily and smoothly as the muscle contracts. But if the normal smooth gliding motion of the tendon is impaired, tendonitis is usually the result.

Tendonitis occurs when tendons become swollen and irritated due to a buildup of calcium. This can severely compromise one's range of movement and cause pain and stiffness in the affected area. It can also be accompanied by a burning sensation that surrounds the joint around the inflamed tendon, and in some cases swelling, thickening and redness may occur. Tendons become inflamed for a number of reasons, most often the result of overuse, such as continuous vigorous exercise or even prolonged recreational activity, such as gardening or other yard work. While most common in people between the age of 40 and 60, tendonitis is not an exclusive condition and can affect anyone who is involved in an ongoing strenuous physical activity.

There are a number of treatments that can be prescribed for tendonitis, including anti-inflammatory medications, traditional physiotherapy, steroid injections and, in severe cases, surgery. However, many of these treatments do not guarantee results and run the risk of troublesome side-effects. One of the more recent and successful treatments has been Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy, which has become an increasingly popular alternative to surgery or prescription drugs. Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) was originally used as a procedure to treat kidney stones, but its effectiveness has resulted in its re-development for the use in treating chronic tendon conditions.

Here at Academy Massage we have utilized this treatment to positive results.  A probe is placed onto the affected area and shockwaves are delivered through the skin. The shockwaves are felt as pulses which may feel slightly uncomfortable but are not painful. These impulses promote the increase of blood circulation and release essential nutrients which help to repair the injured tissue.

The treatment is performed in our clinic by a trained and qualified practitioner and, as it is a painless procedure, does not require any type of sedation or anesthetic. While it varies with each patient, many experience an improvement in symptoms almost immediately. With continued regular treatment patients will find significant or total pain relief and increased mobility which will allow them to enjoy their normal activities.

What is Plantar Fascia, and How Can Shockwave Therapy Help?

Plantar fasciitis is the abnormal inflammation of the plantar fascia, which is the fibrous connective tissue located on the underside of the foot. The plantar fascia supports about 14 per cent of the total load in each foot and acts like a spring to conserve and disperse energy.  During normal walking the increased tension in the plantar fascia increases the foot stiffness and allows for the comfortable forward motion of the feet.

Plantar fasciitis is a common but painful disorder affecting a large number of Canadians. The condition not only affects the underside of the foot but also the heel, resulting in extreme discomfort especially when pressure is put on the foot. Its cause can range from athletic overuse (specifically high impact running), standing for extended periods, obesity or age.

Complications can arise if the planter fascia continues to be overused during the period of planter fasciitis, in which case the planter fascia has the potential to rupture, causing swelling and severe pain in the sole of the foot.

Surgery has been the last resort for patients when other treatments such as anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroid injections do not prove effective. However, surgery has not always been effective in treating plantar fasciitis, and there is always the risk of post-surgery complications and side-effects.

At Academy Massage we have found that Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) has yielded beneficial results for those clients suffering from planter fasciitis, aiding in promoting healing and the reduction of discomfort. Since the patient receives the treatment extracorporeally (outside the body) there is no need for invasive surgery, thus providing a low risk procedure with a faster recovery time. As well, the treatment minimizes the side effects from the treatment itself.

Before beginning ESWT our qualified therapists will carefully assess the condition to understand the history so that treatments can be properly furnished to the patient’s needs and symptoms. The procedure itself is simple. It is performed in our clinic and is completed in a relatively short period of time, usually between fifteen to thirty minutes. The therapy works by a probe targeting thousands of shock waves directly to the area that is experiencing pain, thus promoting increased blood flow and stimulating and propelling the necessary body nutrients that are vital to healing. Following subsequent treatments there will be a noticeable improvement in symptoms leading to significant reduction in the original pain.

The other good news is that most patients had successful results with only one treatment of ESWT. It has been recognized by practitioners and patients alike as a breakthrough treatment that can make common problems like heel pain virtually obsolete. Many people with chronic pain problems including shoulder pain, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, hip and groin pain and many other musculoskeletal issues. are turning to ESWT to find relief from their discomfort.

Our clients' care is paramount. We strongly advise that if you are suffering from chronic pain that you arrange an appointment to consult with one of our therapists so that a proper treatment program can be started immediately to alleviate your distress and prevent further injury.