Therapeutic massage is a common component of many physical therapy care plans. It helps to increase blood flow to injured tissues, improve mobility of muscles, and makes recovery quicker and easier.
Your soft tissues and you:
Your muscles are made up of many small, thin fibers that contract on command, working together to mobilize your muscle groups. These muscles are attached to your bones by connective tissues, called tendons, enabling them to move your body parts. Your bones are then connected to each other by bands of connective tissue, called ligaments. Your muscles and nerves are covered by yet another connective tissue called fascia. All of these connective tissues can be referred to as “soft tissues.”
Soft tissues help to move your body and provide the strength it needs to perform tasks. Soft tissues can be damaged by certain stresses, especially those caused by the repeated actions within athletic activity or through traumatic injuries such as deep muscle bruises. For example, “tennis elbow” or “golfer’s elbow” are both terms used to describe tears in the tendons of the elbow. They got their name from the repeated swinging action that tennis players and golfer’s do, making it a common injury that they experience. An injury or tear in the tendon such as this can leave you with a significant amount of swelling and inflammation.
Therapeutic massage can help with this, as it loosens up the soft tissues, and may even prevent some of these injuries from occurring.
How physical therapy can help:
Therapeutic massage can be extremely beneficial. Your physical therapist may also recommend other types of massage to complement your physical therapy treatments, including:
- Deep tissue massage: This type of massage loosens up your muscles and their connective tissues.
- Myofascial release: This type of massage creates room for tissues that may be trapped by distortions or fascial adhesions, freeing them from constriction.
Therapeutic massage promotes tissue healing, so you can get back to your normal activities as quickly and safely as possible. By working to mobilize, loosen, and relax these muscles, physical therapy can help improve mobility throughout the process. This will decrease your risk of strains, sprains, and ruptures. Call Bay State Physical Therapy to schedule an appointment.
