A Massage Minute

Who among us hasn't sprained a knee, a wrist, or some other joint. As a child I spent so much time in the ER getting x-rays I used to say I was testing the limits of my Dad's health insurance. Like most people the treatment for those injuries was RICE; Rest, ice, compression, elevation. This is very important to reduce inflammation and prevent further injury. Along with traditional treatment massage significantly aid the healing process.

To understand how massage can help a sprain heal, it's important to know a little about tendons. A sprain is a tear in a tendon, the tissue that connects muscle to bone, or a ligament, the tissue that holds two bones together. Tendons and ligaments are composed primarily of collagen fibers that line up parallel to each other along the length of the tendon. In a first degree sprain a few of these fibers rip. In a second degree sprain the tendon is torn but not all the way through. In a third degree sprain the tear goes through the entire tendon, severing the muscle from the bone.

In the acute phase, twenty four to forty eight hours, of the injury, it's important to focus on controlling inflammation and preventing further injury. RICE therapy is ideal for this. Massage applied directly to the joint should be avoided. However, derivative friction can help to reduce inflammation. Derivative friction is light massage applied towards the body above the injured joint, and away from the body below the injured joint; this helps to encourage the movement of fluid.

In the sub-acute phase, after forty eight hours, massage can slowly be applied closer to the joint as client pain tolerance allows. The intent of massage is to help the tendon heal as effectively as possible. When the body heals a sprain it lays down scar tissue in the tendon in a haphazard way; these adhesions can interfere with tendon function. By working along the length of the tendon massage can help this scar tissue to line up parallel with the tendon fibers. Range of Motion exercises can also help with this.

Obtaining an accurate diagnosis from a doctor is important before starting massage. Before beginning treatment the therapist needs to know that the injury is in fact a sprain and not something more serious, a fracture for example. It's also imperative to know the extent of the injury. With a severe, third degree, sprain surgery may be necessary followed by physical therapy and massage.