Definition: If your ankle gets swollen and painful after you twist it, you have most likely sprained it. This means you have stretched and possibly torn the ligaments in your ankle. Some people with repeated or severe sprains can develop long-term joint pain and weakness. Treating a sprained ankle can help prevent ongoing ankle problems.
Causes: Most ankle sprains happen when you make a rapid shifting movement with your foot planted; such as when you play soccer or get tackled in rugby.
Often the ankle rolls outward and the foot turns inward. This causes the ligaments on the outside of the ankle to stretch and tear. Less often,
the ankle rolls inward and the foot turns outward. This damages the ligaments on the inside of the ankle.
Symptoms: An ankle sprain can range from mild to severe, depending on how badly the ligament is damaged and how many ligaments are injured. With a mild sprain, the ankle may be tender, swollen, and stiff. But it usually feels stable, and you can walk with little pain. A more serious sprain might include bruising and tenderness around the ankle, and walking is painful. In a severe ankle sprain, the ankle is unstable and may feel "wobbly." You can't walk, because the ankle gives out and may be very painful. Usually, the more pain and swelling you have, the more severe your ankle sprain is and the longer it will take to heal.
Recommended Treatment: Straight after the accident raise your ankle above the chest for 2 to 3 hours a day if possible. This helps to reduce swelling and bruising. For at least the first 24 to 72 hours or until the swelling goes down, apply an ice pack for 10 to 20 minutes every hour or two during the day. An elastic compression wrap, such as an ACE bandage, will help reduce swelling. You wear it for the first 24 to 36 hours.
To avoid complications and speed up rehabilitation process – Massage Treatment will focus mainly on calves and shin muscles with lymphatic drainage. When acute stage is over direct frictions performed by therapist on injured ligaments will prepare the ankle for stretches and will gradually strengthen the ankle. Before you return to sports and other activities that put stress on your ankle, it's a good idea to wait until you can hop on your ankle with no pain.
Definition: The hamstring consists of three muscle groups - including the semimembranosus, semitendinousus, and the biceps femoris.
A hamstring strain occurs after excessive or repetitive stress is applied to one or more of these muscles, so that it gets so tight that it's stretched too far
- causing tearing of these muscle fibres.
Causes:
• You're likely to get a hamstring strain during exercises that involves a lot of running and jumping.
• Tight hamstring muscles, muscle imbalance, sudden movements, and repetitive strain are all common types of hamstring injuries.
• You don't warm up and stretch before exercising.
• The muscles in the front of your thigh are a lot stronger than your hamstrings.
• You're a teenager going through a growth spurt.
Symptoms:
• A sharp pain may be felt in the hamstring when a serious strain or tear occurs. This often happens during such action as an explosive move in basketball or a quick sprint.
• If you feel a deep ache in the hamstring area it may be a less severe strain or minor tear.
• Sudden and severe pain during exercise, along with a snapping or popping feeling.
• Pain in the back of the thigh and lower buttock when walking, straightening the leg, or bending over.
• Tenderness.
• Bruising.
Mild hamstring strains may not hurt too much. But severe ones can be agonizing, making it impossible to walk or even stand.
Recommended Treatment: Luckily, minor to moderate hamstring strains usually heal on their own. You just need to give them some time followed by massage treatment. To speed the healing, straight after injury happened it is recommended to implement R.I.C.E.
• Rest the leg. Avoid putting weight on your leg as best you can. If the pain is severe, you may need crutches until it goes away.
• Ice your leg to reduce pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days, or until the pain is gone.
• Compress your leg. Use an elastic bandage around the leg to keep down swelling.
• Elevate your leg on a pillow when you're sitting or lying down.
To speed up the recovery process and to avoid the formation of degenerating muscles and scar tissues after the sharp pain has ceased see your Sports Massage Therapist to restore functionality of your muscles and help with the strengthening process.
Definition: Inflammation of the Iliotibial Band (the lliotibial Band is a tough, fibrous tissue that runs from the hip to the outside of the knee).
Causes: Excessive pronation, leg length discrepancy, bowed legs, and lateral pelvic tilt may cause excessive stress to the Iliotibial Band. This, in turn, may cause a lateral pull on the patella, resulting in patellar subluxation as well as rubbing and irritation on the outside part of the knee.
Symptoms: Pain on the lateral side of the knee or lower thigh.
Recommended Treatment: R.I.C.E. - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. A special focus should be made to gently stretch the gluteal muscles and lateral quadriceps (outer thigh). Reduce activity to promote healing. Apply Ice for 10-15 minutes after each workout to reduce inflammation and pain. As a prevention and curative method - Massage therapy loosening the iliotibial band is very effective when performed regularly every week for 15 minutes each leg. Additionally a proper stretching routine involving the iliotibial band is highly recommended pre and post workouts.
To speed up the recovery process and to avoid the formation of degenerating muscles and scar tissues see your Sports Massage Therapist who will restore functionality of your joints and muscles and help with the strengthening process.
Definition: Lower-back pain can affect the back anywhere below the ribs and above the legs. It is easily injured when you lift, reach, or twist.
Most low back pain will go away in a few weeks with massage and some basic self-care.
Causes: Lower-back pain is often caused by overuse, strain, or injury. For instance, people often hurt their backs playing sports or working in the yard, being jolted in a car accident, or lifting something too heavy.
Symptoms: Pain in the lumbosacral area (lower part of the back) is the primary symptom of low back pain.
• The pain may radiate down the front, side, or back of your leg, or it may be confined to the low back.
• The pain may become worse with activity.
• Occasionally, the pain may be worse at night or with prolonged sitting such as on a long car trip.
• You may have numbness or weakness in the part of the leg that receives its nerve supply from a compressed nerve.
How to deal with back pain:
• Practice good posture when you sit, stand, and walk.
• Get regular, low-impact exercise. Walk, swim, or ride a stationary bike. Remember to stretch before you exercise.
• Watch your weight. Being too heavy, especially around your waist, puts extra stress on your back.
• Don't try to lift things that are too heavy for you. When you must lift, bend your knees and keep your back straight, keep the object you are lifting close to your belly button, and avoid lifting and twisting at the same time.
• Start Core Stabilization Exercises (core stability or core strength means using the muscles of the trunk to support the spine and body during activity. The trunk muscles include those in the abdomen and back, around the neck and shoulder blades, and around the pelvis, hips, groin, and buttocks). Core stabilization helps improve posture, balance, strength, and coordinated movement, and helps protect the body from injury.
Combine your exercises with Regular Massage – it will make your trunk muscles more flexible and stronger.
Definition & Symptoms: Neck pain is the sensation of discomfort in the neck area.
Causes: Neck pain is often caused by a strain or spasm of the neck muscles or inflammation of the neck joints.
Activities that may cause neck pain:
• Holding your head in a forward posture or odd position while working, watching TV, or reading.
• Sleeping on a pillow that is too high, too flat, or doesn't support your head; or sleeping on your stomach with your neck twisted or bent.
• Spending long periods of time resting your forehead on your upright fist or arm ("thinker's pose").
• Stress. Tension may make the muscles that run from the back of the head across the back of the shoulder (trapezius muscle) feel tight and painful.
• Work or exercise that uses your upper body and arms.
• Cycling for long hours
Recommended Treatment: Sports Massage Therapy concentrating on chest (pectoralis major), back (middle and upper trapezius), as well neck(neck extensors) areas is very helpful to release pain in this condition. After a good massage, stretches will emphasize the relieving effect.
Definition: Inflammation of the patellar tendon (ligament). The patellar tendon is a a ligament that connects the patella (kneecap) to the tibia.
Causes: Overuse. Extensive running or jumping can cause tiny micro tears in the patellar tendon. This can lead to inflammation and soreness. Tendinitis can occur in almost any area of the body where a tendon connects a bone to a muscle. The most common places are -
• Knee
• Elbow
• Shoulder
• Hip
• Achilles tendon
Symptoms:
• Pain at the site of the tendon and surrounding area. Pain may be a gradual buildup or sudden and severe, especially if calcium deposits are present.
• Localized tenderness at the point of insertion where the tendon meets the bone.
• Loss of motion.
Recommended Treatment: R.I.C.E. - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Reduce activity to promote healing. Strengthen surrounding muscles with a professionally recommended program. Apply ice for 10-15 minutes after each workout to reduce inflammation and pain.
Sports Massage Therapy concentrating on the loosening of quadriceps and iliotibial band are essential techniques helping with patellar tendonitis This type of massage routine is highly recommended pre and post workouts.
Definition: Tearing, excessive stretching, and/or inflammation of the plantar fascia (a tough, fibrous band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot with attachments to the heel bone and to the base of the toes).
Causes: Long distance running, aging, and weight gain can all contribute to excessive stress on the plantar fascia, resulting in plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis can cause bone spurs as calcium is deposited where the fascia is torn away.
Symptoms: Pain in the medial (inner) aspect of the heel, where the plantar fascia attaches to the heel bone. Typically, pain is worse in the morning after the fascia has contracted during the night. With the first steps of the day, the fascia is stretched, resulting in pain.
Recommended Treatment:
• R.I.C.E. - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.
• Reduce activity to promote healing.
• Avoid downhill and hard surface/concrete running.
• Apply Ice for 10-15 minutes after each workout to reduce inflammation and pain.
• Massage by professional therapist.
• Stretches (Heel, Calf) of the plantar fascia and calf muscle will help with recovery.
• Treat your body with respect – do not overuse it. Include regular recovery massage in your health routine
To speed up the recovery process and to avoid the formation of degenerating muscles and scar tissues see your Sports Massage Therapist who will restore functionality of your joints and muscles and help with the strengthening process.
Definition: Rotator cuff disorders occur when tissues in the shoulder get irritated or damaged. Rotator cuff disorders include -
• Inflammation of the tendons. Impingement, in which a tendon is squeezed and rubs against bone.
• Calcium buildup in the tendons, which causes a painful condition called calcific tendinitis.
• Partial or complete tears of the rotator cuff tendons
Causes:
• Overuse. Activities in which you use your arms above your head a lot ( e.g tennis, swimming ) can lead to rotator cuff problems. It takes great force to tear a healthy rotator cuff tendon. This can happen during sports, an accident, or a severe fall.
• Even normal motions made often over a long period can stress or injure the rotator cuff. As you age, everyday activities can lead to changes in the rotator cuff, such as thinning and fraying of the tendons and reduced blood supply
• Both normal wear and tear and overuse can lead to impingement, when a tendon rubs against bone. This damages and irritates the tendon, which causes bleeding and inflammation. Over time, scar tissue replaces healthy tissue, and the tendons become stiff, stringy, and more easily injured.
Symptoms: Symptoms of a rotator cuff disorder include pain and weakness in the shoulder. Most often, the pain is on the side and front of the upper arm and shoulder. It may hurt or be impossible to do everyday things, such as comb your hair, tuck in your shirt, or reach for something. You may have pain during the night and trouble sleeping.
Recommended Treatments: Massage Therapy is the main modality which effectively helps with rotator cuff and shoulder pain conditions. By loosening muscle tension around the shoulder and working directly on cuff scar tissues, massage is making this scar tissue functional again - bringing back and restoring blood supply and flexibility/elasticity to muscles and joints, as well as cleansing mineral deposits and strengthening joints.
Definition: Shin splints are a condition that causes pain and sometimes swelling in the front part of the lower leg (shin). The pain is most likely from repeated stress on the shin bone (tibia) and the tissue that connects the muscle to the tibia. They are common in people who run or jog. Activities where you run or jump on hard surfaces, such as basketball or tennis, can also lead to this painful condition.
Causes:
• Repeated pounding on hard surfaces during activities such as running, basketball, or tennis.
• Change to new running or workout shoes or wear shoes that don't have enough support. This can happen when you wear your shoes too long and they wear out.
• Run or walk on a different surface than you are used to. For example, you might get shin splints when you switch from running on a trail to concrete or asphalt.
• Work out harder than usual or train too hard or too fast instead of working up to a training level gradually.
• Some people have flat arches in their feet, which can make the feet roll inward when running.
Symptoms: Depending on the exact cause, the pain may be located along the side of the shinbone or in the muscles. The area may be painful to the touch. Swollen muscles can sometimes irritate the nerves in the feet, causing them to feel weak or numb. Shin splints are very common. They're the cause of 13% of all running injuries. Runners might get them after ramping up their workout intensity, or changing the surface they run on -- like shifting from a dirt path to asphalt. Shin splints are also common in dancers.
Recommended Treatment: R.I.C.E. - Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Rest is often the best treatment for shin splints. This doesn't mean that you have to stop exercising. The idea is that you can exercise as long as it isn't painful. You may need to avoid high-impact activities like running until you feel better, or at least cut back on how often and how long you run. As you recover, it may help if you:
• Choose low-impact activities such as swimming or cycling instead of, or in combination with, running.
• Run or exercise only on soft surfaces, such as dirt or grass.
• Run on level ground and avoid hills.
• Reduce your speed and distance when you run.
• Ice helps to reduce pain and swelling. Apply the ice or cold pack for 10 to 20 minutes, 3 or more times a day.
• Elevate your lower leg on pillows while you apply ice and anytime you sit or lie down. Try to keep your lower leg at or above the level of your heart to help minimize swelling.
Sports Massage Therapy focusing on your tibialis, soleus and gastrock muscles will significantly speed up the whole recovery process.
Definition: It is swelling of the tendons that causes pain in the elbow and arm.
Causes: Tennis elbow usually develops over time through repetitive motions that can strain the muscles and put too much stress on the tendons, such as gripping a tennis racket during a swing. This can cause microscopic tears in the tissue. Tennis elbow may result from:
• Tennis
• Racquetball
• Squash
• Fencing
It can also affect people with jobs or hobbies that require repetitive arm movements, such as:
• Carpentry
• Typing
• Painting
• Raking
• Knitting
Symptoms: Tennis elbow causes pain and tenderness on the outside of the elbow. The pain may also radiate into the upper or lower arm. Although the damage is in the elbow, you're likely to hurt when doing things with your hands too.
Recommended Treatment: Tennis elbow usually will heal on its own. You just need to give your elbow a break .and with help of professional massage speed up the recovery process.
Types of treatment that can be helpful:
Icing the elbow to reduce pain and swelling. Every 20-30 minutes every three-four hours for two-three days or until the pain is gone.
Your massage therapist will demonstrate to you range of simple motion exercises to reduce stiffness and increase flexibility of the joints.