As a massage therapist you will have customers who seek your massage services because of an injury, from playing sports, a car accident or stress induced. Their body will want to heal itself naturally, but when the body tries to heal itself it cannot re-create brand-new healthy muscle tissue. This is when the body will have to put together new fibers, but this serves as only a protective barrier around the injury, this protective barrier is not stable or suitable for strenuous activity it will not work as well as the original tissue. What you will have once it is completely healed is called scar tissue.

Most individuals think that if the muscle in their body is torn, it would be repaired with new tissue but unfortunately that doesn’t happen, it is replaced with scar tissue. People also do not realize that once the scar tissue heals, it is never going to be fully the same. This can especially be hard for athletes as they tend to injure themselves in the same spot repeatedly. This where you a massage therapist can help alleviate this cycle. The buildup of scar tissue over a period of time can cause a person serious problems.

Massage techniques such as advance deep tissue massage, active release techniques and cross-fiber friction has been proven very effective for scar tissue removal. In addition to massage therapy, you must help that individual in limiting the amount of new scar tissue that may form. By doing the R.I.C.E. program, R.I.C.E. stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation. By implementing this type of regimen followed by your massage work can help to lower the chances of having a build-up of scar tissue. I recommend that this be done after every massage session; especially with scar tissue removal just in case your massage work may sometimes re-aggravate the area.

What is Scar Tissue

Scar tissue is the fibrous connective tissue which forms a scar; it can be found on any tissue on the body, including skin and internal organs, where an injury, cut, surgery or disease has taken place, and then healed. Thicker than the surrounding tissue, scar tissue is paler and denser because it has a limited blood supply; although it takes the place of damaged or destroyed tissue, it is limited in function, including movement, circulation, and sensation, that can lead to adhesion in the muscle. Other than with minor cuts and scrapes, scarring is a common result of any bodily damage. In some cases you can actually feel the scar tissue under the skin, but a professional massage therapist will definitely feel it.

One of the biggest downfalls of having scar tissue form at an injury site, is it will never be as strong as the tissue it replaced. It can also cause the flexibility of the tissue to decrease therefore it will become not as useful as it was prior to the injury. This could mean that a person such as an athlete will have a weak spot from this type of scar tissue which can easily cause further damage down the road.

Athletes and Scar Tissue?

Athletes depend on their muscles working at optimal levels to help them in their chosen sport. If they have a weak spot at the location of where past of present injuries occurred, they will not be able to perform to their fullest. They will find that they are constantly re-injuring themselves usually in the same spot. This will only make those spots with scar tissue become weaker and weaker and more of a problem. Which in turn forces all the surrounding muscles, tendons and joints to work harder, putting these areas at risk for injuries left untreated.

Also when scar tissue is present, it can limit the full ability for muscle to contract and retract as it is supposed to. This means the weakening of the tissues as well as the shortening effect of the muscles will definitely limit a person’s ability of movement in that area. This can be detrimental for athletes as well as any with anyone. Scar tissue can form from any type of injury, whether it be from a sporting events, a car accident or a plain old trip and fall.

Scar Tissue Removal

Massage therapy is only one way for removing scar tissue there are different methods to get rid of unwanted scar tissue. And here is a list of them, if I missed please let me know about it, thank you.

• Deep Tissue
• Cross-fiber friction
• Muscle stripping
• Active release
• PNF stretching
• Ultra sound

Unfortunately as a massage therapist ultra sound is prohibited, (at least the last time I checked), I outsource ultra sound work. Ultra-sound is used to heat the injured area hot but the heat doesn’t help to remove scar tissue. But the heat from the ultra-sound can make the scar tissue more pliable, massaging with deep cross fiber friction will do that.

You can have your client do self massage techniques right in your own home by yourself depending on where the injured area is, and I do recommend that you do. The only problem you might have with doing it yourself at home, is that you do not know how deep to go or what types of massage techniques to use or how to apply it correctly, but you can show them some basic massage techniques on how to do it.

Now keep in mind that when you first start working with the area it is going to be quite tender and painful. You want to start with very light strokes than gradually work up to increasing the pressure so you’re able to use firm deep strokes. The more you use the massage techniques on the area the deeper and harder you’ll be able to massage. Scar tissue removal can be a great revenue source for you, due to the fact that some many individuals suffer from it, and it is more effective to schedule massage sessions out over several session depending on how long they have had scar tissue.

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Lately our massage business has had an increase of bicyclist who are experiencing back and neck pain from cycling. So I thought I would share with you what I have been finding and treatment plans for these individuals.

Much like computer users who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and other ergonomic related issues, cyclist are suffering from being in a “static position” for prolonged periods of time. And unlike their computer counterparts who may not be getting much enjoyment from their invested time, bicyclists love the time spent going on 100 plus mile rides and never miss an opportunity to get out, when the weather is nice.

I will address only the two most common pain symptoms associated with cycling which are neck and back pain and poor posture. I would suggest to do further research if you are suffering from wrist, shoulder or knee pain, or if I receive enough comments on these issues I will write another blog post.

Neck

Poor cycling posture is the main factor for both neck and back pain among most cyclists, but equipment fittings and bike ergonomics also have a big role. A helmet that is too far forward on your head will cause you to extend or tilt your neck more upward putting the neck in extension in order to keep your visibility from being block. Riders with a more aggressive riding position need to wear their helmets farther back, than those who sit more upright.

Sunglasses that are also poorly fitted will impact your visibility and cause you to tilt your head upward as well to keep your sunglasses from falling forward down on the bridge of your nose. So be sure to get sunglasses that fit properly not only when you purchase your glasses but also consider how they will fit when you begin to sweat.

Back

Jolts that result from road irregularities and rough terrain associated with mountain biking cause most of the back pain.

When riding a bicycle, the back should be arched, like a bridge, not drooping forward between the hips and the shoulders. If the back is properly arched, bumps will cause it to flex slightly in the direction of the arch; acting as a “shock absorber” this is harmless. If you ride swaybacked (your back rounded off), bumps will cause the back to bow even farther in the forward direction, which can lead to severe lumbar pain.

Some back-pain sufferers modify their bicycles with extra-high handlebars so that they can sit more upright, with their spines straight. This is actually counterproductive in most cases, because a straight spine has no way to “give” when the bike hits bumps. Road irregularities will jam the vertebrae together, often aggravating existing back problems.

Posture

Many inexperienced cyclists adopt a posture which allows their upper bodies to be supported entirely by their bones. This has the advantage that it requires no muscular effort, but can lead to discomfort or injury when road conditions are transmitted through the rigid bones. The elbows should be slightly bent, not straight and locked. This allows the arm muscles to act as shock absorbers. The shoulders should be pushed forward so that the muscles in the front of the chest help carry the weight of the upper body. Many cyclists make the error of letting their upper spine dangle forward, held up by the collar bones.

Your ability to adopt a good posture on a given bicycle will depend on correct fitting and adjustment of the bicycle. See this resource on frame sizing for more on this.

So how does massage therapy help?

• Massage therapists will quickly analysis the condition of your muscle tone and make a determination on what muscles are tight and weak.

• Break up any muscle adhesions and scar tissue that may be influencing your muscle pain.

• Help flush your body of metabolic waste and lactic acid from tired and fatigued muscles.

What else can I do?

Or course as with any form of exercise proper warm up prior to riding is important, but also after your ride properly cooling down is also critical. Stretching is essential for both the warm up and cooling down phases.

Strengthening is also very important here most likely you will want to strengthen the muscle of the upper-back and neck area. And stretch the Pectoralis muscle (chest), when this muscle is tight from being in a riding position it will pull on its opposite muscles and make them weak.

• Rotator cuff (shoulder-blade muscles) strengthening with either a dumbbells or thera-bands will increase muscle tone and help to “balance out” the pull to the front.

• Reverse Flies (intra scapula muscles) either lying on a ball or standing, basically the important thing here with this exercise is you want to squeeze your shoulder blades together for maximum benefit. If possible to increase intensity hold each contraction for a count of 2- 4 seconds.

• Seated Rows-again the important thing here is to use proper form keep your elbows close to your body and squeeze your back muscles with each repetition.

• Shoulder shrugs-this exercise can do done also with a thera-band or dumbbells, with your arms by your sides and elbows straight throughout the movement slowly lift your shoulders towards your ears and squeeze the muscles at the top before returning to the starting position.

• Doorway stretch or corner stretch- this is so important as it will not make any difference how much strengthening that you do without releasing your pectoralis (chest) muscles these muscle will always continue to pull your upper-back and neck muscles.

• Adjust your frame to fit your riding style

*On each exercise listed above I would use a weight that allows for you to do at least 3 sets of 12 -18 repetitions.

Get a massage from an experienced massage therapist, have them evaluate your body, what I have outlined for you today is only a basic assessment and everyone will be different. And remember you should never stop what you love doing even if your doctors advises you to, get a second opinion.

Do you get up in the morning and find it harder to move your arms, legs, and back than you used to? Do you feel more tired when taking long walks in the park, at amusement parks, or shopping in the mall? Do you find yourself having more aches and pains than you ever did before, and just knock it up to old age? Well, unless you are an elderly person feeling old like this due to aches and pains in your body is not normal—at all. If you are feeling old, it could be due to old scar tissue and muscle adhesions in the tissues of your body that are causing you to feel this way; luckily a massage therapist can do something about it.

What are Muscle Adhesions?

The concept of muscle adhesions is pretty advanced but in laymen’s terms, muscle adhesions are your body’s way of repairing damaged muscle tissue in your body. If you have ever pulled or even torn a muscle, hurt your knee, hurt your back, or severely injured some other important muscular group in your body chances are that you have muscle adhesions in that area of your body underneath your skin and inside your muscle tissue. Since it is your body’s natural muscular band-aid, muscle adhesions are not a bad thing but they can cause pain and discomfort as your body gets older and more worn, and that can be what has you feeling so old. Along with other scar tissue under your skin, muscle adhesions can be a nasty culprit for something that once did your body such good.

The Problem with Muscle Adhesions

There is some problem with muscle adhesions, even for those who have not yet reached the point where it can make them feel older and stiffer. Muscle adhesions are like bandages that can lie across the muscles and tendons and hinder the way that they are able to stretch and move. This normally is not a problem, but a serious athlete who takes pride in being strong and flexible will find that although they may feel more powerful, they are less flexible.

What to Do About Scar Tissue and Muscle Adhesions

Muscle adhesions and scar tissue in your muscles can be a nasty problem for an athlete, and a nasty problem for a person who is just beginning to feel their age—or older than it. It can reduce the quality of life for an active person, and outside surgery it can seem like there is nothing to be done about this painful problem. There is one way of treating this issue, and it is an issue that many people fail to consider when they have an ache or a pain in their body. Soft tissue massages are great for helping to ease out muscle adhesions and bring back strength and flexibility to a pained area! Trained professionals that are licensed and have their massage therapy certifications know everything about the muscles that there is to know, including how to repair and ease the pain of scar tissue and muscle adhesions in the body.

RPM-Therapy Can Help You

If you are starting to feel your age and you aren’t sure what to do about it, it could be those muscle adhesions calling your name and punishing you for years of football, track, softball, swimming, or whatever it is that you did to stay healthy and have fun. They can certainly prevent you from having fun now, but not if you do something about it. Our licensed massage therapist are trained to take care of this problem, and we have the power to help you overcome the obstacles that muscle adhesions can put in your path.