What is Back Pain?
Common complaints can range from sore middle or lower back, to tightness and pain after sitting or standing for long periods or acute pain that makes it difficult to go about simple tasks in daily life. A diagnosis of non-specific lower back pain is common when X-rays and scans don’t find any structural defects. That normally leaves muscle function, balance and spinal alignment. These are all issues that sports massage and an integrated combination of other manual and neuromuscular therapies can effectively address – by relieving tension and restoring balance and optimal function to muscles, fascia and joints.
Why does this happen?
Common lifestyle factors such as desk work, single side dominant sports (e.g. tennis or golf) or carry patterns (eg. a child), old injuries or surgeries etc., can all cause weakening or shortening of muscles that lead to postural dysfunction and imbalances (both in length and functionality) that will
gradually result in pain.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
A combination of movement and neuromuscular therapies goes further than addressing the symptoms of back pain. It identifies and addresses the root causes of postural and spinal dysfunction. Treatment will usually include a program of education for understanding and adjusting lifestyle factors that may contribute to chronic/recurring issues as well as corrective exercises to restore ideal postural function.
Can stress cause back pain?
In mechanical terms, stress does result in the body seeking refuge in the forward fold position as a mechanical response to physiological stress factors. This results in a breathing pattern disorder and the resulting muscular imbalance shortens anterior muscles of the neck, shoulder and pelvic girdles resulting in postural dysfunction. The body’s mechanical response to stress then, does cause the conditions for back pain.
What counts as Back Pain in pregnancy?
According to the NHS website, about 50% of pregnant people will experience back pain. Common complaints range from increased tension in neck/upper back region to mild aches in lower back and hips to severe debilitating lower back pain, sometimes with sciatica.
Why does this happen
This is due to a confluence of factors, such as hormonal changes that weaken ligaments to ready the body for birth, affecting stability especially when compounded with pre-existing postural imbalances from other lifestyle factors such as sitting down for long periods.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Massage helps by addressing pain directly with remedial and other neuromuscular therapies, to relieve immediate acute pain. Where pain is debilitating to mobility and normal function, joint mobilisation may be used to address postural and alignment issues. Gentle strength and stability exercises may be advised to maintain joint integrity and improve strength to accommodate a fast growing bump.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is nerve pain from an injury or irritation to the sciatic nerve, which originates in the back or gluteal area. The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in the body, with nerve roots originating from the lumbar and sacral spine. Sciatic pain is a compression anywhere along this nerve, that causes radiating pain, commonly down the glutes and/or leg(s).
Why does this happen?
Compression can be a result of joint, disc or muscle dysfunction due to postural and/spinal misalignment. Pain is usually described as sharp and/or shooting with nervy sensations such as tingling and/or numbness pinching. These symptoms can be accompanied by back pain. They can be mild and recurring or acute, sometimes worse after sitting or standing for long periods.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Sports massage helps by relieving acute symptoms. Gentle joint mobilisation and neuromuscular therapies, help with relieving muscle tension that may be contributing to the compression of the nerve. Longer term treatment goals include addressing postural dysfunction and spinal alignment as well as advice on adjusting lifestyle factors that contributes to these dysfunctions.
What is Stress and Tension?
This is the mechanical presentation of the body’s response to stress. Common complaints are usually a sensation of tension, akin to pain around the neck and shoulder areas; gradual shortening of range of motion of the neck, sometimes with pain; general presentations of postural dysfunction (bad posture - rounded shoulders, forward head position); and headaches. Symptoms can be recurrent or chronic with occasional acute episodes. When chronic, it can lead to frequent headaches, breathing pattern disorder, and numerous stresses on other systems of the thoracic cavity.
Why does this happen?
An unfortunate feature of modern life, the physiological fight or flight response to stress triggers a mechanical response in the body that includes shallow breathing. This distorts posture toward the forward rounded position, causing our skeleton to fold inward (see more here).
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Postural dysfunction causes imbalances and that results in overload on the skeleton. A forward carrying frame doubles or even trebles the weight of the head on the spine. The feeling of extra weight on your shoulders is because you are literally carrying ‘an extra weight on your shoulders’. With remedial massage, other neuromuscular therapies and an understanding of biomechanics, treatment usually focuses on restoring ideal posture to reduce imbalance, and a more even weight distribution. Treatment will also extend to exercise advice to address ongoing postural correction.
What is Hip and Knee Pain?
The hip and knee joints are mechanically complicated and have lots of components that can degenerate due to age, overuse or injury, such as bursae and cartilage. This kind of pain tends to be persistent. Pain and discomfort that occurs with certain activity or movement can have other causes that are muscular and biomechanical.
Why does this happen?
Common complaints include pain during or after exercise, walking up or down stairs, etc. This can be a result of imbalance in the muscles attached to the joints or other postural issues such as pelvic rotation or torsion in the lower spine that causes mechanical stresses. Modern lifestyle factors such as sitting at a desk for long periods can cause muscle weakness and pelvic dysfunction that can contribute to uneven distribution of weight in gait, stride and foot landing that can all contribute to muscular dysfunction at lower back and pelvis causing pain in the hips or knees.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Sports massage and remedial therapies help by identifying and correcting muscle imbalances and restoring stability to joints both through soft tissue and neuromuscular techniques. In the long term, advice on adjustments to lifestyle and exercise form help with restoring normal mechanical function.
What are Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)?
These are aches, pains and acute inflammation that happen as a result of overuse. Commonly tennis/golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel and thoracic outlet syndromes, etc. Pain can be sharp, achy and increasingly acute with use of the area.
Why does this happen?
Muscle overuse leads to imbalances in load, function and distribution of mechanical stress. These conditions can turn chronic as the area is not or cannot be rested. This can be due to an inability to - stay off one’s feet for long periods for plantar fasciitis, or having to work at a keyboard for carpal tunnel syndrome, or returning to tennis/golf (for tennis/golfer's elbow) too early after short periods of rest.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Remedial massage (and dry needling) help reduce inflammation of the tendon. Neuromuscular therapies and mobilisation help restore optimal muscle balance and function. There are usually further implications on spinal alignment, possibly as a result of postural dysfunction which have to be addressed with lifestyle adjustments to reduce strain, overload and imbalance.
What is Post-Surgery Rehab?
Any kind of surgery involving incision, is a trauma on the body. When tissue is cut, removed, or a foreign object added, the body aims to protect and heal. For mechanical surgery, e.g. after a muscle tear or knee/hip replacement, c-section or spinal surgery, this causes the muscles around the area to tighten up to stabilise and protect the area. Scar tissue, which is more unyielding than normal soft tissue is also common post-surgery, and can cause dysfunction to muscle and fascia.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Sports massage and neuromuscular techniques break down scar tissue and help with restoring functionality to soft tissue around a surgical site. Dysfunction will be due both to the actual surgery, and the compensation patterns developed afterwards. Neuromuscular therapies encourage and restore muscle function where movement has been curtailed for weeks post surgery. Where compensation patterns have developed due to underuse, massage and other integrated therapies help correct those patterns and prevent mechanical adaptations becoming chronic.
When should I get sports massage after surgery?
Always check with your consultant but normally after the 6-8 week mark when they have given permission for gentle exercise.
What is Post Exercise Soreness (DOMS)?
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a sore, aching, painful feeling in the muscles after intense or sometimes new and unfamiliar exercise. Common complaints include soreness/pain with onset 12 24 hours after exercise. It is often accompanied by muscle swelling and reduction in muscle performance as well as a decrease in range of motion.
Why does this happen?
DOMS is thought to be due to temporary muscle damage and inflammation after exercise. The most accepted theory suggests primary mechanical damage or disruption to muscle fibre induced by exercise. This is naturally followed by the inflammatory process attributing to the symptoms of DOMS, to induce healing. As any other activation of the inflammatory process, slight swelling and pain is experienced.
How does sports massage help?
Research shows that massage alleviates the symptoms of DOMS, and aids recovery after exercise by increasing blood and lymphatic flow, and parasympathetic activity. This leads to relief of muscle tension and stiffness, reduction of muscle soreness, increased joint range of motion, and overall reduction of muscle pain and fatigue.
How does sports massage help performance?
Sports massage and an integration of neuromuscular and manual therapies help sporting performance by:
- Improving cardio endurance by optimising breathing function
- Improving efficiency by optimising spinal function and form
- Identifying and correcting muscular and mechanical imbalances before they become dysfunctional.
- Restoring optimal length and functionality of muscles and fibre improves overall mechanical balance and alignment which also optimises form and efficiency.
What is Back Pain?
Common complaints can range from sore middle or lower back, to tightness and pain after sitting or standing for long periods or acute pain that makes it difficult to go about simple tasks in daily life. A diagnosis of non-specific lower back pain is common when X-rays and scans don’t find any structural defects. That normally leaves muscle function, balance and spinal alignment. These are all issues that sports massage and an integrated combination of other manual and neuromuscular therapies can effectively address – by relieving tension and restoring balance and optimal function to muscles, fascia and joints.
Why does this happen?
Common lifestyle factors such as desk work, single side dominant sports (e.g. tennis or golf) or carry patterns (eg. a child), old injuries or surgeries etc., can all cause weakening or shortening of muscles that lead to postural dysfunction and imbalances (both in length and functionality) that will
gradually result in pain.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
A combination of movement and neuromuscular therapies goes further than addressing the symptoms of back pain. It identifies and addresses the root causes of postural and spinal dysfunction. Treatment will usually include a program of education for understanding and adjusting lifestyle factors that may contribute to chronic/recurring issues as well as corrective exercises to restore ideal postural function.
Can stress cause back pain?
In mechanical terms, stress does result in the body seeking refuge in the forward fold position as a mechanical response to physiological stress factors. This results in a breathing pattern disorder and the resulting muscular imbalance shortens anterior muscles of the neck, shoulder and pelvic girdles resulting in postural dysfunction. The body’s mechanical response to stress then, does cause the conditions for back pain.
What counts as Back Pain in Pregnancy?
According to the NHS website, about 50% of pregnant people will experience back pain. Common complaints range from increased tension in neck/upper back region to mild aches in lower back and hips to severe debilitating lower back pain, sometimes with sciatica.
Why does this happen
This is due to a confluence of factors, such as hormonal changes that weaken ligaments to ready the body for birth, affecting stability especially when compounded with pre-existing postural imbalances from other lifestyle factors such as sitting down for long periods.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Massage helps by addressing pain directly with remedial and other neuromuscular therapies, to relieve immediate acute pain. Where pain is debilitating to mobility and normal function, joint mobilisation may be used to address postural and alignment issues. Gentle strength and stability exercises may be advised to maintain joint integrity and improve strength to accommodate a fast growing bump.
What is Sciatica?
Sciatica is nerve pain from an injury or irritation to the sciatic nerve, which originates in the back or gluteal area. The sciatic nerve is the longest and thickest nerve in the body, with nerve roots originating from the lumbar and sacral spine. Sciatic pain is a compression anywhere along this nerve, that causes radiating pain, commonly down the glutes and/or leg(s).
Why does this happen?
Compression can be a result of joint, disc or muscle dysfunction due to postural and/spinal misalignment. Pain is usually described as sharp and/or shooting with nervy sensations such as tingling and/or numbness pinching. These symptoms can be accompanied by back pain. They can be mild and recurring or acute, sometimes worse after sitting or standing for long periods.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Sports massage helps by relieving acute symptoms. Gentle joint mobilisation and neuromuscular therapies, help with relieving muscle tension that may be contributing to the compression of the nerve. Longer term treatment goals include addressing postural dysfunction and spinal alignment as well as advice on adjusting lifestyle factors that contributes to these dysfunctions.
What is Stress and Tension?
This is the mechanical presentation of the body’s response to stress. Common complaints are usually a sensation of tension, akin to pain around the neck and shoulder areas; gradual shortening of range of motion of the neck, sometimes with pain; general presentations of postural dysfunction (bad posture - rounded shoulders, forward head position); and headaches. Symptoms can be recurrent or chronic with occasional acute episodes. When chronic, it can lead to frequent headaches, breathing pattern disorder, and numerous stresses on other systems of the thoracic cavity.
Why does this happen?
An unfortunate feature of modern life, the physiological fight or flight response to stress triggers a mechanical response in the body that includes shallow breathing. This distorts posture toward the forward rounded position, causing our skeleton to fold inward (see more here).
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Postural dysfunction causes imbalances and that results in overload on the skeleton. A forward carrying frame doubles or even trebles the weight of the head on the spine. The feeling of extra weight on your shoulders is because you are literally carrying ‘an extra weight on your shoulders’. With remedial massage, other neuromuscular therapies and an understanding of biomechanics, treatment usually focuses on restoring ideal posture to reduce imbalance, and a more even weight distribution. Treatment will also extend to exercise advice to address ongoing postural correction.
What is Hip and Knee Pain?
The hip and knee joints are mechanically complicated and have lots of components that can degenerate due to age, overuse or injury, such as bursae and cartilage. This kind of pain tends to be persistent. Pain and discomfort that occurs with certain activity or movement can have other causes that are muscular and biomechanical.
Why does this happen?
Common complaints include pain during or after exercise, walking up or down stairs, etc. This can be a result of imbalance in the muscles attached to the joints or other postural issues such as pelvic rotation or torsion in the lower spine that causes mechanical stresses. Modern lifestyle factors such as sitting at a desk for long periods can cause muscle weakness and pelvic dysfunction that can contribute to uneven distribution of weight in gait, stride and foot landing that can all contribute to muscular dysfunction at lower back and pelvis causing pain in the hips or knees.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Sports massage and remedial therapies help by identifying and correcting muscle imbalances and restoring stability to joints both through soft tissue and neuromuscular techniques. In the long term, advice on adjustments to lifestyle and exercise form help with restoring normal mechanical function.
What are Repetitive Strain Injuries (RSI)?
These are aches, pains and acute inflammation that happen as a result of overuse. Commonly tennis/golfer’s elbow, carpal tunnel and thoracic outlet syndromes, etc. Pain can be sharp, achy and increasingly acute with use of the area.
Why does this happen?
Muscle overuse leads to imbalances in load, function and distribution of mechanical stress. These conditions can turn chronic as the area is not or cannot be rested. This can be due to an inability to - stay off one’s feet for long periods for plantar fasciitis, or having to work at a keyboard for carpal tunnel syndrome, or returning to tennis/golf (for tennis/golfer's elbow) too early after short periods of rest.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Remedial massage (and dry needling) help reduce inflammation of the tendon. Neuromuscular therapies and mobilisation help restore optimal muscle balance and function. There are usually further implications on spinal alignment, possibly as a result of postural dysfunction which have to be addressed with lifestyle adjustments to reduce strain, overload and imbalance.
What is Post-Surgery Rehab?
Any kind of surgery involving incision, is a trauma on the body. When tissue is cut, removed, or a foreign object added, the body aims to protect and heal. For mechanical surgery, e.g. after a muscle tear or knee/hip replacement, c-section or spinal surgery, this causes the muscles around the area to tighten up to stabilise and protect the area. Scar tissue, which is more unyielding than normal soft tissue is also common post-surgery, and can cause dysfunction to muscle and fascia.
How do massage and integrated therapies help?
Sports massage and neuromuscular techniques break down scar tissue and help with restoring functionality to soft tissue around a surgical site. Dysfunction will be due both to the actual surgery, and the compensation patterns developed afterwards. Neuromuscular therapies encourage and restore muscle function where movement has been curtailed for weeks post surgery. Where compensation patterns have developed due to underuse, massage and other integrated therapies help correct those patterns and prevent mechanical adaptations becoming chronic.
When should I get sports massage after surgery?
Always check with your consultant but normally after the 6-8 week mark when they have given permission for gentle exercise.
What is Post Exercise Soreness (DOMS)?
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a sore, aching, painful feeling in the muscles after intense or sometimes new and unfamiliar exercise. Common complaints include soreness/pain with onset 12 24 hours after exercise. It is often accompanied by muscle swelling and reduction in muscle performance as well as a decrease in range of motion.
Why does this happen?
DOMS is thought to be due to temporary muscle damage and inflammation after exercise. The most accepted theory suggests primary mechanical damage or disruption to muscle fibre induced by exercise. This is naturally followed by the inflammatory process attributing to the symptoms of DOMS, to induce healing. As any other activation of the inflammatory process, slight swelling and pain is experienced.
How does sports massage help?
Research shows that massage alleviates the symptoms of DOMS, and aids recovery after exercise by increasing blood and lymphatic flow, and parasympathetic activity. This leads to relief of muscle tension and stiffness, reduction of muscle soreness, increased joint range of motion, and overall reduction of muscle pain and fatigue.
How does sports massage help performance?
Sports massage and an integration of neuromuscular and manual therapies help sporting performance by:
- Improving cardio endurance by optimising breathing function
- Improving efficiency by optimising spinal function and form
- Identifying and correcting muscular and mechanical imbalances before they become dysfunctional.
- Restoring optimal length and functionality of muscles and fibre improves overall mechanical balance and alignment which also optimises form and efficiency.