Can remedial massage help with my back pain?
Remedial Massage
Experiencing persistent back pain, regardless of how much rest or exercise you get? If yes, then it’s time to consider a more holistic approach. Remedial massage has been used for centuries in order to relieve musculoskeletal pain and can evidently work wonders on chronic aches and long-term discomfort. In this blog post, we explore the science behind remedial massage and show you why it’s one of the best possible treatments for finding relief from your back pain.
While it may be true that massage may not be the cure long-term, during a period of intense work, study or training, it’s been scientifically proven to reduce pain and improve movement and function scores.
The Science
Remedial massage is an effective way to reduce lower back pain when combined with exercise and movement. This type of massage helps to alleviate muscle tension, improve circulation, and promote relaxation. To explain the science behind it, muscles can develop trigger points or knots when overworked, leading to tightness and inflammation that causes pain. These knots often result from stress, poor posture, or intense periods of work or training. Remedial massage can alleviate these issues by compressing and stretching tight muscles to increase blood flow and reduce inflammation. Regular sessions can significantly reduce chronic lower back pain and improve overall quality of life.
Here are links to research we refer to when deciding whether or not massage is right for you.
Massage for low-back pain (2015)
Going Deeper
Things start to get a little technical from here on in. Those ‘knots’ we were talking about? They are actually referred to as “hyper-irritable muscle fibres” which means that a ‘knot’ can be anywhere in a muscle. This is because muscle contraction relies on certain chemicals being available. Now, a major theory behind trigger point formation, is you run out of these chemicals, and certain parts of your muscle are unable to move out of the ‘contraction phase’. This then leads to a build up of by-products; lactic acid (which we’ve all heard of), hydrogen and oxygen – but not the good hydrogen and oxygen combo we all know and love (aka water), these are reactive hydrogen and oxygen. They cause inflammation locally and need to be removed from the area so they can be reused in the energy/contraction process again.
Where Does Remedial Massage Come In?
Massage essentially acts like a pump. Your muscle is stuck in contraction and can’t remove inflammation from itself. Pressure is applied, then released, flooding the area with new blood and, you guessed it, hydrogen and oxygen. The muscle is ready to start contracting all over again. This sustained pressure also stimulates nerves and other sensory organs in the area, resulting in decreased pain sensation. The brain responds relaxing joint and muscle stiffness by flooding the area with chemicals responsible for tissue repair and growth. And there you have it! That ‘knot’ is released, movement is improved, and the amount of pain you’re experiencing should be reduced.
How Rock Therapy Can Help!
All of our therapists are skilled at releasing soft tissue, however the undisputed king of remedial massage is Boden 🙂
Bo, like all of us here at Rock Therapy, is a rock climber. So he knows firsthand all about stiffness and pain, and has some of the strongest hands ever! This interest in sport, strong hands, and being part of our injury management team, means that your massage will be tailored specifically to you and the pain you’re experiencing. No standard treatments here, we’ll also listen to your problems. So! If you feel like Bo is the remedial massage therapist for you, just click here to make a booking today! Boden has appointment times ranging up to 90 minutes in length. Our prices are listed below 🙂
$60 for 30 minutes
$75 for 45 minutes
$95 for 60 minutes
$135 for 90 minutes
Still Not Sure?
That’s ok. Picking a remedial massage therapist that suits you is important. So, if you want to ask us any questions, feel free to contact us here. Hopefully we’ll see you soon!