Pharmacological therapy aims to enhance the pain threshold and to support sleep. Nonpharmaceutical treatment modalities, such as exercise, massage, idrotherapy can be helpful.
Future studies should investigate the possible benefits of new strategies that may combine the effects of hot pool water, stretching exercises, massage and relaxation benefits of balneotherapy. Brattberg, G. Connective tissue massage in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Eur J Pain, 3 3 The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of connective tissue massage in the treatment of individuals with fibromyalgia.
The treatment effects appeared gradually during the week treatment period. As long as there is a lack of effective medical treatment for individuals with fibromyalgia, they ought to be offered treatments with connective tissue massage. However, further studies are needed in the mechanisms behind the treatment effects. Sunshine, W. Fibromyalgia benefits from massage therapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation. J Clin Rheumatol, 2 1 Thirty adult fibromyalgia syndrome subjects were randomly assigned to a massage therapy, a transcutaneous electrical stimulation TENS , or a transcutaneous electrical stimulation no-current group Sham TENS for minute treatment sessions two times per week for 5 weeks.
The massage therapy subjects reported lower anxiety and depression, and their cortisol levels were lower immediately after the therapy sessions on the first and last days of the study.
The TENS group showed similar changes, but only after therapy on the last day of the study. The massage therapy group improved on the dolorimeter measure of pain. They also reported less pain the last week, less stiffness and fatigue, and fewer nights of difficult sleeping. Thus, massage therapy was the most effective therapy with these fibromyalgia patients. Cortisol decreases and serotonin and dopamine increase following massage therapy. Int J Neurosci.
In this article the positive effects of massage therapy on biochemistry are reviewed including decreased levels of cortisol and increased levels of serotonin and dopamine. The research reviewed includes studies on depression including sex abuse and eating disorder studies , pain syndrome studies, research on auto-immune conditions including asthma and chronic fatigue , immune studies including HIV and breast cancer , and studies on the reduction of stress on the job, the stress of aging, and pregnancy stress.
These studies combined suggest the stress-alleviating effects decreased cortisol and the activating effects increased serotonin and dopamine of massage therapy on a variety of medical conditions and stressful experiences. Benefits of massage-myofascial release therapy on pain, anxiety, quality of sleep, depression, and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia.
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. Fibromyalgia is a chronic syndrome characterized by generalized pain, joint rigidity, intense fatigue, sleep alterations, headache, spastic colon, craniomandibular dysfunction, anxiety, and depression. You could crawl the internet for a massage therapist, but getting a massage is personal and another cyclist with experience receiving massages can connect you with someone who they are comfortable with and who does a good job addressing a cyclist's needs.
Self-massage can also serve as a form of maintenance, helping you address issues before they become bigger problems. Try the three simple techniques listed below, and then read here for more great foam roller ideas and techniques. But injuries can be expensive, too, and enforced time off the bike due to soreness or injury is no fun at all Learn more about timing, frequency and which type of massage is best for your situation. Most runners love to get a massage.
Not only does it feel great, but it can also help speed recovery, reduce muscles soreness and facilitate injury healing. There is, however, a lot of confusion when it comes to massage. Typical questions include:. Having been a massage therapist for four years, I had the opportunity to work with a lot of runners. Not only did this experience help me identify a lot of the common questions and misconceptions about massage, but it also allowed me to test a variety of theories when it comes to the optimal timing, pressure, and massage modality.
In the following pages I will share with you some of the different types of massage for runners and explain when to effectively utilize which type. Depending on where you look, there are over 30 different types of massage identified on the internet. The following are the four most beneficial types of massages for runners:. Active Release Technique, commonly known as A.
During an A. T session, the therapist uses his or her hands to evaluate the texture, tightness and mobility of the soft tissue and then works to break up these adhesions with their hands, as well as movement of the muscle.
Active release is best for treating a specific injury, especially one where the formation of scar tissue impacts the ability for the body to heal itself. Most notably, A. Swedish massage is perhaps the most well known of the common massage modalities and is often associated with relaxation and pampering.
However, Swedish massage can also benefit runners, especially before big competitions. Swedish massage utilizes long, flowing strokes of various pressure, although usually light, to release muscle tension and increase blood flow. Swedish massage is best used in the days before big competitions or as a recovery tool after hard workouts.
The lighter, relaxing strokes help relieve stress and muscle tension without damaging the muscles, which is important if you have a big race on the horizon. Trigger point therapy is a massage modality that targets muscle knots and areas of referred pain in the muscle tissue. Therapists target and find knots in the muscles or areas of referred pain and use deep pressure to help loosen the adhesions. Like A. Specifically, trigger point therapy is effective in the treatment of IT band tightness, calf strains, and hamstring injuries.
Most runners are familiar with deep tissue massage, which is often confused with deep pressure e. Deep tissue massage targets both the superficial and deep layers of muscles and fascia and are often quite intense as a result of the deliberate, focused work.
Deep tissue massages typically focus on a few specific problem areas and, unlike trigger point therapy, work the entire muscle. Because runners often have tight spots and interconnected issues when volume and intensity are high, deep tissue massage is often the modality of choice during hard training segments.
I always recommend that runners get a massage either the evening after a hard workout or the following morning. If the therapist is going deep or using methods like A.
Timing the massage as close to your last hard workout as possible allows your body the most amount of time to recover and feel back to normal. If you plan on getting a massage before your next big race, schedule it at least 3 to 5 days out from the race. Also note that the deeper the massage, the longer it takes for the body to recover and respond — just like running workouts.
Drink lots of water after the session to help flush out some of the toxins and waste products that were released from the muscles. Some people have reported getting sick after hard massage sessions. Generally, this means the muscles released a lot of toxins.
Drinking lots of water will clear them out. If you do find yourself consistently bruised after massage sessions, your therapist may be going too hard. It takes time to recover and not feel lethargic after a hard massage. We are hard wired to serve others. This trait makes our stress unique. Unlike other stressed people, when we need to reduce stress, we must not just disengage from our duties and responsibilities, but we must disengage from our natural inclination to care for those we love over the needs of ourselves.
Stressed Moms are everywhere. At the grocery store, a woman in business clothes pushes the cart with her 5 year old, trying to sound interested in the story about the cereal. Our modern life has created this stressed mom, and while getting out of the cycle of stress is difficult for everyone, it is particularly difficult for a mother. The last thing she needs is to think that she must take a drawing class to relax. When would it be? Before or after the grocery store?
Once people discover the many joys and benefits of massage, a common question arises — "How often should I schedule my massage sessions? In a Newsweek article entitled "The Magic of Touch," the advantages of frequent massage are considered.
The following excerpts help to answer the question, "How often? At Boeing and Reebok, headaches, back strain and fatigue have all fallen since the companies started bringing in massage therapists. Doctors have started prescribing massage to help patients manage stress and pain. And a few HMO's have begun sharing in the cost.
Babies fall asleep faster when massaged than when rocked — and they stay asleep, rather than waking the moment Mom tiptoes away. Massage can also stimulate nerves that carry signals from the skin to the brain, triggering changes throughout the body Nerve stimulation probably explains other benefits as well Remember, your body strives to maintain optimum health by keeping all of its systems in balance. So, make regular massage a priority in your life for a healthier tomorrow! Therapeutic massage has been used for centuries to improve overall health, reduce stress, and relieve muscle tension.
Massages during pregnancy have often received ambivalent responses from the health community regarding their safety and purpose. Prenatal massage is therapeutic bodywork that focuses on the special needs of the mother-to-be as her body goes through the dramatic changes of pregnancy. It enhances the function of muscles and joints, improves circulation and general body tone, and relieves mental and physical fatigue. The gentle, noninvasive approach of prenatal massage can ease discomfort associated with pregnancy, help the mother-to-be prepare for labor and give her nurturing emotional support.
Trigger points are painful spots in the muscle tissue that radiate pain to other areas. A trigger point is an indication that the body has experienced some form of physiological dysfunction, such as poor posture, repetitive mechanical stress, a mechanical imbalance such as legs of different lengths, or acute trauma.
A unique feature of trigger points is that they almost always refer pain to other areas of the body. Trigger points are part of a protective mechanism of your body, an important defense reflex that keeps your body safe. Trigger point therapy is a technique in which trigger points are located and manipulated to reduce the pain and "deactivate" the point. This technique is sometimes also called myofascial trigger point therapy.
Myo means muscle tissue, and fascia is the connective tissue in and around it. Trigger point therapy can reduce pain, increase movement, and allow the muscles to soften, lengthen, and become stronger. Moderate pressure should be used when treating triggers points. If the therapist presses too hard you will tense up against the pressure, and the muscle won't relax.
Trigger point therapy basically involves ischemic compression, a gentle and non-invasive way to deactivate trigger points, and stretching. Trigger point release technique might be a bit uncomfortable but it shouldn't cause pain. In fact, muscles in pain tend to tense up, so causing pain will hinder the technique working correctly. If it hurts too much, you will start to tense your muscles in a protective response. During trigger point therapy, the massage therapist locates the trigger point by pressing on the muscle tissue with a finger palpation or by picking up the muscle fibers in a pincer grip.
Once the trigger point is located, the therapist applies pressure until the pain gradually dissipates. The therapist asks you to rate the intensity of the discomfort on a scale of one to ten, with one being "no or very little discomfort" and ten "excruciating". The next tip is to see your massage therapist often. Bishop also advises that you communicate openly with your massage therapist. By subscribing you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Health Topics. Health Tools. Reviewed: July 11, Medically Reviewed. Fibromyalgia is associated with widespread chronic pain, fatigue, memory problems and mood changes. It occurs more often in women than in men, and is not a disease, but rather a syndrome that can be managed.
Fortunately, fibromyalgia is not life threatening and does not lead to muscle or joint damage. Massage therapy is one of the oldest methods of healthcare still in practice. At Massage Envy, our professional massage therapists concentrate on techniques that encourage circulation in the muscles, which increases the flow of nutrients and eliminates waste products. This is particularly beneficial for those with fibromyalgia as it can reduce heart rate, relax muscles, improve range of motion in joints and increase production of the body's natural painkillers.
Massage Envy's professional massage therapists integrate a variety of massage techniques specific to Fibromyalgia.
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