While I don’t have a definitive answer today, I have some theories to run by you.
Have you had an injury and taken good care of it for a week, only to re-injure it afterwards? Then, you take care of it for two weeks and bam there you are again. Ouch! Many times when this happens to people they develop what is called muscle guarding. This is when the muscles of your injury become stiff to protect the injury from re-occurring. That is fine and dandy for a short interim, but in the long haul it can get in the way of your muscle developing healthy strength.
Muscle guarding can cause continued actual weakness in your injured muscle and inhibit a long term recovery. How can you break the muscle guarding cycle?
1. By receiving regular massage. Massage can decrease muscle guarding by relaxing your muscles so that they will let go. Another way massage therapists can facilitate a decrease in muscle guarding is by helping you to use reciprocal inhibition. This is when muscles on one side of a joint relax to provide contraction of the muscles on the other side of the joint. For example: if you flex your bicep your tricep will relax.
2. By strengthening the area. Muscle guarding is not true nor efficient muscle strength. When you truly strengthen the muscle, it will get the message that it no longer needs to guard. Always do this by starting off slow. It is also extremely important that you are under the supervision of a health practitioner.
Ask your massage therapist or other appropriate health practitioner if you have muscle guarding and see how they can help you. If you live in the Seattle area feel free to contact me with any questions regarding this blog or massage. Thank you for reading, PJ Harris, LMP. http://www.pjharris.com/
Good points in this blog post. I know when my shoulder/back were injured, that treatment came far too long after the injury itself. Had appropriate care been given at the onset, there would’ve been a much quicker healing response time as well. Thx 4 sharing –
This is helpful. When I initially injured my back, my doctor looked at it and told me, “Your back is a mess.” She could tell because of the muscle tightening. She initially ordered physical therapy but the regular massage and chiropractic adjustments along with the strengthening exersizes ordered by the Chiropractor have had a more profound impact by far. I am still strengthening, I love the massage, and I can tell I am becoming more healthy. Something the physical therapy alone could not do.
Thank you , both for sharing your experiences.
Good day I injured my lower back and right shoulder in 2006.I have been through phisio massage etc…
Three years on and it is worse.The pain is horrific at times.There is no pattern or reason.It comes and goes as it pleases.I am on medication and it helps a bit.I am now also in depression because of the pain etc.It hits me in my sleep really bad.Panic attacks etc……perspireing when it is 5 degrees outside?…..Help……..
Hello Ray, I am in a field that is depended on touch. I am sorry, I can’t help you without seeing you. I wonder if you have someone to help you through the emotional challange that intense chronic pain brings up? It is really hard to see what you could try next when you are having panic attacks and are depressed. Do you have a psychotherapist or psychiatrist you can talk to? I am so sorry you are in pain. PJ Harris, LMP
Thanks for that but when I exercise my back and shoulder or use it “normally” I suffer pain the next day.I have tried this for years to no avail.What else do I have to do but accept my pain and keep on taking my medication.Now it is not only you that suffer but also your family.