Sports Massage Therapy - Massage Therapy

Kinesio Taping® Method - Ultrasonic Therapy

Sports Massage Therapy

Why and when do I need a Massage treatment as an athlete?

• preparation massage
• massage to eliminate training fatigue
• pre-competition massage
• massage between performances

PREPARATION MASSAGE This massage is used as a physical recovery support in ongoing training preparation. Treatments will usually cover the entire body or specific areas depending on the training protocol, and the aim of this treatment is to establish optimal muscle tone and appropriate biomechanical ranges of motion as related to the specific sport. (Note: for this type of treatment, it is generally preferable to have a Massage therapist whom is familiar with the different training periods and/or training goals. MASSAGE TO ELIMINATE TRAINING FATIGUE The aim of this massage is to eliminate training fatigue and post exercise soreness. This type of massage generally focuses on accelerated blood and lymphatic return, reducing excessive nerve firing and establishing a state of relaxation.

Athletic performance and training results not only in a physical strain but also in a mental fatigue. The mental fatigue is present for period of time following training. It is a direct result of a physical, athletic strain and usually manifests itself in a negative, depressive way. It may result in nervousness of the athlete, inability to focus and to eliminate negative impulses. Negative mental state affects the ability to physically relax. Muscular and tendinous pain further inhibits psychological ability to relax as well. The process of energy recovery may also be affected by other negative aspects such as sleep deprivation.


PRE-COMPETITION MASSAGE

Pre-competition massage has a great influence on physical and psychological status of the athlete prior to the competition. It is helpful when massage therapist is familiar with pre-competitive state of the athlete, his routine in warm up and preparation. Because the prep massage will influence the mental state for the competition, it is important that there is a mutual trust between therapist’s work and the athlete. Massage can be stimulating, beneficial for the athlete that has difficulty in warm up to bringing his body to a full competitive assertiveness. It is shorter, fast paced and aim is to increase muscle tone. The heart rate is also increased, improved circulation benefits with systemic distribution of stimulating hormones such as adrenaline (epinephrine and norepinephrine).

The effect of this massage is two fold. It has mechanical effect on the tonus of the muscles and stimulating effect on the central nervous system. This results in elevated alertness and focus on the performance. Pre-competitive massage can also have a calming effect, reducing stress and nervousness. It is shorter with slower, calming strokes, with aim to reduce the excessive muscle tension and to lower stimulating nerve impulses (sympathetic nerve firing). The maintaining prep massage sustains ideal muscular and nervous tonus. It is not stimulating nor inhibiting.

BETWEEN PERFORMANCES MASSAGE

Aim of therapist is to partially eliminate fatigue and to prepare athlete physically for further performance. This massage is beneficial in transforming a negative energy of soreness and fatigue to the positive energy of focus and concentration.

Massage Therapy (Back to top)

Deep Tissue Massage

This technique is normally used for a more focused treatment, where the therapist will use fingers, palms, knuckles forearms or elbows to increase the pressure slowly and get to the deeper layers of the muscle. It can work well for very sore and tense muscles and can also help release knots, especially when there are problems with the deeper muscle and tissues.


Stress & Relaxation Massage

In today’s world, many people suffer from the stresses of everyday life which often leads to muscle pain, and tension. For many people this means stiffness and pain in the low back, upper back, neck and shoulders, which can be made worse by our jobs. People who sit at a computer all day, tend to keep their shoulders up instead of keeping them down and back. This can be made worse, by sitting for long periods of time without taking a break to move your joints and walk around. Those who have more physical type jobs where they have to stand, walk around, or lift things, often put a lot of stress on their bodies by lifting or moving the wrong way.
In any case, taking time to relax is something that can always be helpful for your muscles. Massage Therapy can be a very beneficial form of relaxation and it often starts as soon as the person lays down on the table and breathes in deeply. Having a massage strictly for relaxation doesn’t mean it has to be light pressure; it can be as deep as you would like and just like any other treatment, the therapist will be sure to ask if you require more or less pressure. For some people deeper strokes work best to soothe sore and tense muscles, while for others, a relaxing massage means light strokes which promote circulation and bring nutrients to the muscles to help them relax.


Myofascial Release

Myofascial Release is a form of bodywork that is manipulative in nature and seeks to rebalance the body by releasing tension in the fascia. Long, stretching strokes are utilized to release muscular tension. Myofascial Release is a manual therapy technique that is utilized to help relieve pain and tension that is due to injury or stress. It involves releasing and unwinding the fascia (connective tissue) that surrounds each muscle and interconnects all of the other internal parts of the body. This tissue layer, which connects every muscle, tendon, ligament, bone, and organ in our bodies, can store memories of physical trauma. Releasing these restrictions allows us to discharge recurring emotional as well as physical pain. Sessions can include craniosacral work, stretching techniques, and deep touch.

In either case when you leave a Massage Therapy session, you will most likely feel very relaxed and may even get a boost of energy after a short while, as some people do. Receiving Massage Therapy treatments for relaxation purposes on a regular basis, can help lower stress and keep you r muscles from becoming tense and forming trigger points (knots).

 

Kinesio Taping® Method (Back to top)

The Kinesio Taping® Method is a definitive rehabilitative taping technique that is designed to facilitate the body’s natural healing process while providing support and stability to muscles and joints without restricting the body’s range of motion as well as providing extended soft tissue manipulation to prolong the benefits of manual therapy administered within the clinical setting. Latex-free and wearable for days at a time, Kinesio® Tex Tape is safe for populations ranging from pediatric to geriatric, and successfully treats a variety of orthopedic, neuromuscular, neurological and other medical conditions. The Kinesio® Taping Method is a therapeutic taping technique not only offering your patient the support they are looking for, but also rehabilitating the affected condition as well. By targeting different receptors within the somatosensory system, Kinesio® Tex Tape alleviates pain and facilitates lymphatic drainage by microscopically lifting the skin. This lifting affect forms convolutions in the skin thus increasing interstitial space and allowing for a decrease in inflammation of the affected areas. Based upon years of clinical use, Kinesio® Tex Tape is specifically applied to the patient based upon their needs after evaluation. The findings of the clinical evaluation or assessment dictate the specifics of the Kinesio® Tex Tape application and other possible treatments or modalities. With the utilization of single “I” strips or modifications in the shape of an “X”, “Y” or other specialized shapes as well as the direction and amount of stretch placed on the tape at time of application, Kinesio® Tex Tape can be applied in hundreds of ways and has the ability to re-educate the neuromuscular system, reduce pain and inflammation, enhance performance, prevent injury and promote good circulation and healing, and assist in returning the body to homeostasis.

The Kinesio Benefit

Evaluation and assessment are key in the treatment of any clinical condition. In order to get the desired results from a Kinesio Tex Tape application as well as any other treatment, a full assessment of your patient is necessary. In some cases, the treatment of a condition may require treatment of other underlying conditions as well. This assessment should include manual muscle testing, range of motion testing, gait assessment, and any other orthopedic special tests that you deem necessary. The information gained from these assessments will allow for the proper treatment protocol to be laid out. Kinesio Tex Tape can be a valuable addition to this protocol. It has been proven to have positive physiological effects on the skin, lymphatic and circulatory system, fascia, muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints. It can be used in conjunction with a multitude of other treatments and modalities within your clinic and is effective during the rehabilitative and chronic phases on an injury as well as being used for preventative measures. Additional information

Ultrasonic Therapy (Back to top)

What is therapeutic ultrasound?

Therapeutic ultrasound as a treatment modality that has been used by therapists over the last 50 years to treat soft tissue injuries. Ultrasonic waves (sound waves of a high frequency) are produced by means of mechanical vibration of the metal treatment head of the ultrasound machine. This treatment head is then moved over the surface of the skin in the region of the injury. When sound waves come into contact with air it causes a dissipation of the waves, and so a special ultrasound gel is placed on the skin to ensure maximal contact between the treatment head and the surface of the skin

What are the effects of therapeutic ultrasound?

The effects of therapeutic ultrasound are still being disputed. To date, there is still very little evidence to explain how ultrasound causes a therapeutic effect in injured tissue. Nevertheless practitioners world wide continue to use this treatment modality relying on personal experience rather than scientific evidence. Below are a number of the theories by which ultrasound is proposed to cause a therapeutic effect.

Thermal Effect

As the ultrasound waves pass from the treatment head into the skin they cause the vibration of the surrounding tissues, particularly those that contain collagen. This increased vibration leads to the production of heat within the tissue. In most cases this cannot be felt by the patient themselves. This increase in temperature may cause an increase in the extensibility of structures such as ligaments, tendons, scar tissue and fibrous joint capsules. In addition, heating may also help to reduce painand muscle spasm and promote the healing process.

Effects on the Inflammatory and Repair Processes:

One of the greatest proposed benefits of ultrasound therapy is that it is thought to reduce the healing time of certain soft tissue injuries.

• Ultrasound is thought to accelerate the normal resolution time of the inflammatory process by attracting more mast cells to the site of injury. This may cause an increase in blood flow which can be beneficial in the sub-acute phase of tissue injury. As blood flow may be increased it is not advised to use ultrasound immediately after injury.
• Ultrasound may also stimulate the production of more collagen- the main protein component in soft tissue such as tendons and ligaments. Hence ultrasound may accelerate the the proliferative phase of tissue healing.
• Ultrasound is thought to improve the extensibility of mature collagen and so can have a positive effect to on fibrous scar tissue which may form after an injury.
  

Application of Ultrasound:

Ultrasound is normally applied by use of a small metal treatment head which emits the ultrasonic beam. This is moved continuously over the skin for approximately 3-5 mins. Treatments may be repeated 1-2 times daily in more acute injuries and less frequently in chronic cases.

Ultrasound dosage can be varied either in intensity or frequency of the ultrasound beam. Simply speaking lower frequency application provides a greater depth of penetration and so is used in cases where the injured tissue is suspected to be deeply situated. Conversely,higher frequency doses are used for structures that are closer to the surface of skin.

Contraindications For Use:

As ultrasound is thought to affect the tissue repair process and so it is also highly possible that it may affect diseased tissue tissue in an abnormal fashion. In addition the proposed increase in blood may also function in spreading malignancies around the body. Therefore a number of contraindications should be followed when using therapeutic ultrasound:

Do not use if the patient suffers from:

• Malignant or cancerous tissue
• Acute infections
• Risk of haemorrhage
• Severely ischeamic tissue
• Recent history if venous thrombosis
• Exposed neural tissue
• Suspicion of a bone fracture
• If the patient is pregnant
• Do not use in the region of the gonads (sex organs), the active bone growth plates of children, or the eye.