People who are regularly physically active go for sports medicine massage therapy. This includes anyone from frequent gym goers and casual runners to more experienced athletes. But, this doesn’t mean that sports massage therapy is solely reserved for these groups.
Sports massage therapy resolves several common conditions and injuries, which people endure or suffer at least once or twice in their lifetime due to simple, unintentional mistakes or undiagnosed dysfunction. A few reasons for these common conditions and injuries are wrong footwear, general overtraining, overuse of a particular muscle group, or spending a little too long on the floor with poor posture.
Common conditions and injuries resolved by Sports Medicine Massage
Runner’s knee– It’s a colloquial, blanket term, referring to repetitive strain injuries of the knee. This commonly affects runners or people who walk and hike a lot. Pain arises due to repetitive bending and stretching of the knee. And this pain emanates from the back or hips and is transmitted to the knee. Sports massage treats repetitive physical injuries as well as stops the injuries from developing in the first place.
Causes of a runner’s knee are foot imbalance, uneven surfaces, incorrect footwear, and muscle imbalance.
For treating a runner’s knees, the sports massage seems a bit hurtful because it involves stretching and the manipulation of ligaments, muscles, and fascia. However, an experienced massage therapist employs a range of techniques to reduce pain and be more effective.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)- Caused by the compression of the median nerve, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome causes numbness and tingling, like pins and needles. The median nerve travels through the wrist at the carpal tunnel. This feeling is felt through the thumb, fingers, and side of the fingers.
Causes of carpal tunnel syndrome are being overweight, past injuries or traumas to the wrist, during pregnancy, repetitive action or overuse, chronic illness, disease or condition, or can be passed genetically from parents or siblings.
Sports massage focuses on reducing inflammation, pain, and numbness. People suffering from CTS experience relief just after one sports massage session. But, still, 4-6 sessions are advised for long-term relief.
Plantar Fasciitis– The pain in the bottom of the foot is referred to as Plantar Fasciitis. Often, the pain is experienced towards the heel and foot arch. The worst part is that the pain becomes more severe or noticeable when people suffering from Plantar Fasciitis start walking or exercising after sleep or rest. Some common techniques to get immediate relief are elevating the foot, icing the area, and taking pain relief.
Causes of Plantar Fasciitis are exercising on hard surfaces, exercising without warming up, over-stretching the sole of the foot during physical activity, running or walking more than usual, poor cushioning or support in shoes, and being severely overweight.
To treat Plantar Fasciitis, the sports massage therapist applies deep tissue massage techniques. The slow strokes during the therapy release the tension in the areas, such as the heel, fascia, and calf muscles, and break up scar tissues.
Sports massage loosens the muscle tissue and kickstarts the circulation of blood and oxygen to the affected areas, breaking down any adhesions caused by strain and overexertion.
These are the common conditions and injuries that sports medicine massage resolves. You just need to find the best massage therapist nearby for the therapy.