Thinking Thursdays ……. “Stop Chasing the Pain”
Sports massage is a valuable service to support both the human and equine musculoskeletal system. It can significant reduce pain, improve nutrients to and healing of tissues, enhance flexibility / Mobility, ease stiffness, induce relaxation, remove toxins and waste products, reduce tension and promote rehabilitation of an injury. However, none of the above is just done from massaging and treating the area of pain……. I know sounds a bit random ….
When you feel pain in an area of your musculature, if due to dysfunction and asymmetry within the tissues and not result of a direct injury then the painful area is not where the problems lie!! That’s crazy right!
Now hear me out, I have not gone mad – for example ….. I have a lot of clients whom come in with pain in the lower neck or just at the top between the shoulder blades…. It can come with a stiff, sore neck, decreased range of motion in arms, shoulder, neck and even into lower back and pelvis and sometimes can result in headaches, jaw pain etc etc. So ultimately, its those areas which they want sorting ….right!?!?
Now, these clients generally always present with –
· Protracted shoulders – where the shoulder come inwards, giving a rounded shoulder look
· Some will have a neck and head pulled forwards
· Difficulties extending the arms behind them, or putting the arm behind their back
· May get referred pains down the arms or within the top of the shoulder joint known as the Glenohumeral joint & Acromioclavicular joint
· One shoulder may be higher than the other and shortened in the musculature into the neck
The list can go on …….
Therefore, as your sports massage therapist it is my job not directly to treat the pain, but to treat the area which is causing the pain…. And in the case of the pain in the lower neck, upper shoulders, where do I start ….. can you guess??? ….. at the FRONT!!
That’s right …. The rounding of shoulders and forward neck quickly indicate to me that the muscles i.e Agonists are actually SHORTENED and CONTRACTED in the front essentially “LOCKED SHORT” – such as Pectoral Major, Pectoral Minor, Subclavian, Deltoid (Anterior specifically), Scalenes etc …. The pulling of these tightened, shortened muscles on the front of the shoulder on the skeletal and fascial system, then over stretching the opposite or the antagonists. They then become this phase of “LOCKED LONG” making it difficult to produce force, do the role they are intended for and pulling on the skeletal and fascial system causing pain, stiffness and imbalance and dysfunction within both human and equine posture.
Therefore, as your sports massage therapist my treatment plan after this assessment is to use all my sports therapy tools and skills to ......
· Firstly support the release of the “locked short” muscles, to support the “locked long” muscles to be able to shorten and contract more effectively
· Then secondly, support the healing and functioning of both the “locked” long and short muscles.
· And lastly, combined with the sports therapy, including homework of some rehabilative exercises to initiate, support and ultimately restore your body’s optimal postural balance, relieve pain and get you back to doing what you love!!
Therefore, no fear we are here to help!!
Huquine’s sports therapy approach is there to help you locate and understand the reasons for the pain and the dysfunction and to both treat and support you to regain balance, strength and a return to doing what you love.
SOOOOooooo don't hesitate, get booked in now and see how we can start helping you!!
Much Love
HST x
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