Sports massage for pain relief
Eliminating pain
We are able to eliminate pain with many different tools developed by modern medicine. Over the counter medicines, prescription drugs and physical supports such as bandages, braces and most recently kinesio-tapes all enable us to carry on regardless by masking our pain. But none of these remedies actually resolves the problem, they merely enable us to block out the message our body is trying to give us – that something is actually wrong.
So pain is actually important – it lets us know that we have a problem. It’s our body’s way of telling us that we have some underlying issue that we need to sort out, and yet frequently we ignore it. For many of us, we choose to keep taking the pills and working through it, strapping on a bandage and running through it, or simply just grinning and bearing it. We frequently deal with the symptom but not the cause and in doing so can be storing up a whole heap of trouble for later on.
Many of the people I see in my clinics have been dealing with some form of pain for weeks. But more often they have put up with pain or discomfort for months. Sometimes even years! They come once they can’t put up with it anymore, once the painkillers have stopped working, or they simply can’t do the things that they want to anymore as a result of an accumulation of multiple problems, often brought about as a result of a single, minor untreated niggle.
The problem with ignoring pain
The problem with ignoring pain is that our body will begin to develop ways to adapt to it. Our movement patterns can change as our body tries to find a way to work without causing pain. This abnormal movement pattern eventually becomes normal. Even once the injury itself has healed the new learned pattern of movement can remain and these imbalances can lead to other injuries. The longer a pain response is left untreated the harder it becomes for the body to unlearn.
What causes your pain?
Aside from those pains caused as a direct result of an injury or illness, a significant cause of pain is postural dysfunction. Most commonly this is caused either by sitting for long hours every day or by a poor walking or running gait.
Many of the problems I treat as a sports massage therapist are a direct result of a lack of movement rather than an excess of movement. In our modern lives we frequently sit for long periods in front of the computer, TV, or behind the wheel. As an example, whilst you may have pulled your hamstring while out running, it is more likely your daily sedentary lifestyle – the 2 hour commute in the car followed by 8 hours sat at your desk – that is the root cause of your problems. The overtight hamstrings as a result of prolonged periods of sitting rather than the running for which all humans are perfectly adapted.
Our bodies are in fact designed to be active. Our evolution as hunter gatherers means we are designed to move for much of the day using great strength, endurance and power. It is frequently our lack of movement that causes pain for example in low back pain and frozen shoulder.
If you suffer from pain then don’t ignore it. Seek expert advice to find out the cause so you can treat it effectively and get rid of the problem not the symptom. It doesn’t have to be expensive. A good sports massage therapist will assess you and provide advice not only on how they can help you with sports massage, but also on how you can help yourself with self-massage techniques, functional movements and corrective exercises. You could spend a small fortune on creams, balms, bandages and footwear to mask a problem that treatment with a professional sports massage therapist could resolve for good. The combination of professional sports massage, self-massage and corrective exercise are powerful tools in recovering from and preventing pain and injury.
About the author
Abby Allen is a certified Sports Massage Therapist trained at Premier Global, a worldwide leader in the health and fitness industry. As the owner of Meridian Sports Therapy, Abby is passionate about helping her clients reach their body’s full potential. Abby specialises in injury management and prevention, postural and movement assessment, rehabilitation and corrective exercise to get you back to health as quickly as possible. Abby’s treatments can help with maintaining and improving sporting performance by improving muscle condition, joint flexibility and so reducing likelihood of injury. Abby is a member of the Sports Massage Association. Meridian Sports Therapy offers treatments to individuals at clinics in Hove, Hassocks and Brighton. Meridian Sports Therapy also provides specialist sports massage therapists to support sports clubs and teams and their teams of therapists are available to offer sports massage at sports events across Sussex.
Visit www.meridiansportstherapy.co.uk or call 07900 587763 for more information.
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