Sports Massage: Enhancing Training, Participation, and Recovery for Today's Athlete, 2nd Edition: Summary 65
Adhesions (when things stick together) can form through poor postures, repetitive motions, or athletic training for sports, cause shortened movement patterns and compensatory movements and an overall effect on the entire connective chain, result in myofascial pain near joints and in the neck and back can be associated with fibromyalgia. A muscle strain is a damage to a muscle or a tendon while a muscle sprain is damage to a ligament. With a muscle strain initially, massage is contraindicated however working proximal and distal is recommend. Also, work longitudinal and perpendicular to the athlete’s tolerance in attempt to prevent adhesions and contractures. Osteoarthritis Considerations • Common complication following an injury is decreased stability due to the integrity of the joint being compromised • More pressure is placed on the joint creating more wear and tear on the joint and increasing the risk of osteoarthritis • Cartilage loss can lead to bone degeneration and eventually osteoarthritis • Once the cartilage begins to deteriorate the bones exhibit great fiction with movement and it can lead to Osteoarthritis • Osteoarthritis then results in Inflammation and discomfort within the joint • Osteoarthritis of the knee; avoid working directly on the knee instead perform light superficial effleurage using a flat hand (with no pressure) to try and get some blood flow going and some warmth • Work the muscles proximal and distal to the joint • Arthritis can’t be reversed however nerves stoke to of all aspects of the joint may help to alleviate pain
LEARNING TIP! Post and between event massage will address: • Break up adhesions • Restore muscle balance • Clear metabolic waste • Induce parasympathetic nerve activity • Normalize circulation
Other Techniques Techniques that may be utilized during a post-event and between event include: • Longer, slower, deeper strokes • Static stretching • PNF • Massaging major muscles groups working tendon to tendon • Crrective muscle imbalance techniques Duration of post-event massage is 20-30 minutes. Static flexibility – moving a muscle into an extended position and holding 20-30 sec. Dynamic flexibility – moving a muscle into an extended position and returning to the starting position with no hold. Examples of stretching techniques include: • Static • Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) • Antagonist activation PNF techniques are very powerful and effective and the details of how PNF is performed are very important. Key components of PNF include: • Optimal body position of the therapist to protect the integrity of their bodies; maintaining stamina for their case load • Communication- essential to explain to the client the plan for the massage session
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