Massage therapists use a variety of techniques to aid in healing from acute pain or post-surgery recovery. Acute pain is often caused by injury or trauma and is not limited to a single area. Often even when the injury is only to a specific point, nearby muscles or muscle groups will also tighten up and become tense and painful to protect the injury site from further damage. Other conditions that cause inflammation or muscular fatigue can also cause or increase pain. The techniques that massage therapists are most likely to use to encourage healing are deep pressure, lymphatic drainage, and trigger pointing.
Deep Pressure
Deep pressure is common during a massage and is described as flattened hands and fingers applying firm pressure to the affected area. This method is designed to reach the deeper layers of muscle tissue to relieve tightness, tension, and stress or to break down adhesion scar tissue and muscular knots. Deep pressure encourages an increase in blood flow by creating friction between the skin and fingers. This causes an increase in muscle temperature which results in an improvement in tissue elasticity, the softening of adhesions and knots, and an increase in the range of motion.
Lymphatic Drainage
Lymphatic drainage is what happens when the lymph nodes are stimulated with massage to encourage the removal of waste products and toxins from the lymphatic system. After injury or trauma, it is difficult for the body to handle all the extra healing work which results in swelling, muscle fatigue, weakness, and even prolonged pain. Massaging the lymph nodes helps them work to decrease pain and swelling and improve the overall healing process.
Trigger Pointing
Trigger pointing is a method of massage that uses the thumbs or fingertips to apply firm pressure to muscular knots. Trigger points are found in the center of muscle fiber and are so tight that movement of that muscle seems impossible. Trigger pointing allows deeper pressure to be applied that eventually forces the knot to break down and release which returns normal blood flow and movement and allows the body to repair the damaged tissues.
Massage therapists play a vital role in the process of healing, using a wide variety of techniques like deep pressure, lymphatic drainage, and trigger pointing to help recovery from injury or trauma. If you want to help people heal through massage, Hand and Stone has the career for you. Check out all our job requirements and open positions here: https://handandstonecareers.com/.
Sources:
