How can massage therapy help you?
A client comes to our physiotherapist/osteopath because of a fall on the stairs; when she slipped, she scraped her entire inner leg up to her ankle. Following an analysis of the edema, the physiotherapist refers our massage therapist.
In this type of injury, the body mobilizes several systems, both to protect itself and to regenerate or replace damaged tissue. When our massage therapist took charge of our patient, the inflammatory phase, as well as the cellular repair phase, was almost complete. There was no more swelling and the bruises had almost disappeared. Only a slight protrusion remained on the medial tibial plateau. From a massage therapy point of view, this accumulation of tissue indicates a tissue retraction that can constitute a barrier to circulation as well as a lack of tissue elasticity.
Therapeutic massage is most appropriate by doing the following:
- Lymphatic drainage acts on the blood and lymphatic circulation, promoting the drainage of waste products and improving the oxygenation and nutrition of the tissues.
- The myofascial release allows to soften the retracted tissues by using some manoeuvres aiming at loosening the adhesions. The application of manoeuvres such as effleurage, kneading, percussion and treading stimulate the blood flow and allow for a local increase in temperature, thus favouring the suppleness of the connective tissue.
- Induce relaxation and from the psychological point of view, to release unconscious tension in the face of the pain felt. Massage is about trusting your body and experiencing pleasant, non-threatening sensations.
- To participate in the improvement of her condition by using certain demonstrated manoeuvres, such as palpating and rolling, where our client is invited to grasp a fold of skin between the fingertips and the thumb during the session.
In conclusion, the meetings reassured the client as to the state of her leg in the short and medium term and involved her directly in her healing process. She was taught certain techniques so that she would be able to speed up the healing process from home.
Once her leg was in good condition, she promised herself to come back for the relaxation and well-being of the massage.
