Massages really can make the pain go away, study finds
A new study reinforced what physical therapist have long suspected: Massage, when coupled with traditional medical treatment, provides significant relief from chronic back pain. The 400-person study was conducted by Seattle’s Group Health Research Institute.
By Roberto Daza read online article here, originally published July 4, 2011
Seattle Times staff reporter
When Nobuku Anderson walked into her home, she knew something was wrong. She had pushed her luck trying to carry the wine case purchased earlier that day. Almost immediately, pain seized her. Collapsing to the floor, crying, she inched toward the phone.
This was the first time in the decades she has been managing her back pain — the result of years of tennis, golf and “the crazy high heels you wear when you’re young” — that she couldn’t move.
Until then, she kept the pain at bay with regular exercise, the sporadic massage, and trips to the chiropractor. She also took aspirin, but those instances were rare. This afternoon was different. It took four hours, but Anderson made it to a phone and called for help.
Her situation is not uncommon; 70 to 85 percent of Americans experience back pain at some time in their lives, and it is the most frequent cause of limited activity in people under 45, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Muscle Pulls and the Beauty of a Good Warm Up
One thing that I see quite regularly as a massage therapist is muscle strain, the good old’ pulled muscle that’s both uncomfortable and highly limiting. Strains can come in varying degrees from a muscle stretched beyond its normal range to minor tearing of individual muscle fibers within a muscle group to a complete tear of the muscle. One of the most colorful muscle tears I saw (deep purple and yellow) was a hamstring that was overstretched while throwing a tennis ball as an impromptu weapon towards a menacing backyard raccoon. Who won? Raccoon: 1, Homeowner: 0.
Plantar Fasciitis: You Pesky Rascal!
by Katy Canete
You wake up in the morning, step down on your foot and the heel pain has you hobbling first thing. As the day goes on, the pain diminishes here and there. No pain after the first few steps of your run but in the afternoon your foot is fatigued and achy and the pain returns right when you stand up or after standing for a bit. You sleep and repeat. Plantar Fasciitis is the sneaky- ninja injury that can come and go, seems to be resolved then hits you again full force when you least expect it. How frustrating!
A doc or physical therapist can diagnose your foot pain and let you know where to go from here. Plantar Fasciitis refers to repeat inflammation on the sole of your foot in the dense tissue that runs from the toes to the heel. It can be associated with a heel spur as a result of the injury that can be particularly painful to put pressure on. This injury can linger because as the fascia is healing and scar tissue is forming, especially in overnight rest as your foot is in relaxed flexion, the healing fascia can re-tear as soon as you step down on your foot with pressure. This can lead to built up adhesions and tension in the area over time that can be difficult to rest and heal.
Some things that might help speed your healing:
