How Bodywork Can Help
by Herbert Gooden
Whether it’s a pulled muscle from just bending or an afternoon basketball game, or a long-term pain caused by injury, most of us will come to know the beast that is called back pain. In fact, when it comes to low-back pain specifically, researchers say that 70-85 percent of the population will experience it at some point in their lives.
Causes of Pain – Experts say the cause of back pain can be the result of several factors. High on the list is stress. When our body is stressed, we literally begin to pull inward: the shoulders roll forward and move up to the ears, the neck disappears, and the back tightens in the new posture. It’s an armoring effect. That protective mode, with the muscles in flex, can even result in visceral problems, where the pain also affects internal organs.
In addition to stress, poor posture, bad ergonomics, lack of exercise, arthritis, osteoporosis, a sedentary lifestyle, overexertion, pregnancy, kidney stones, fibromyalgia, excess weight, and more can contribute to pain.
Body mechanics is the main cause of most back pain that I see in my practice. “It’s mechanics, including repetitive use and ignorance about preventative postures, and neglect by employers and employees to provide rest and recovery.” The past also plays a part. “Old injuries and traumatic events, left untreated and unresolved, seem to dictate where stress lands in the back as well.”
Massage Offers Hope –Those who suffer with back pain know there are no easy answers for chasing the pain away. Research has shown that massage can be a great friend to the back-pain sufferer.
Massage therapists have long treated low-back pain safely and effectively. They have done so less expensively and less invasively than is possible with other treatments.
In fact, a study by the Group Health Research Institute in Seattle found that massage was more effective at treating low-back pain than medication. Patients who received massage once a week for 10 weeks were more likely to report that their back pain had improved, and improvements were still present six months after the study. Other research from the University Of Miami School Of Medicine and the Touch Research Institute showed that massage can decrease stress and long-term pain, improve sleep and range of motion, and help lower the incidence of depression and anxiety that often accompanies back pain.
Getting on a regular massage schedule, however, can really help clients manage the back pain. When they go past their normally scheduled appointment, “their bodies know it’s time to get a massage again.”
Whether it’s just helping clients get through the day, or reminding the stressed-out office worker to breathe, massage can play an important part in back pain relief.
The benefits of massage for back pain depend on the primary cause of the pain. If it is predominantly muscular pain, then massage has a great deal to offer in reducing pain associated with chronic muscle tightness, spasms, myofascial trigger points, or those types of problems.
Massage Works – When it comes to back pain, there are a lot of options out there. Ultimately, massage, and its myriad benefits, might be a viable answer. Massage can work wonders. Massage can help relax the body, relax the psyche, and improve a client’s range of motion and circulation to the affected tissues. Not only can massage help directly with the pain, but it can also make life a little easier, too. Massage lets you tap into the parasympathetic system, and tap into all the good hormones that help you sleep better and help you handle stressors along the way. All of that helps in building a healthier back and a happier you.
Benefits of Massage – From stress relief to skin rejuvenation, the benefits of massage are extensive. When it comes to managing back pain, however, there are some specific benefits touch therapy can offer:
• Improved circulation. With increased circulation comes faster recovery
time for sore, overworked muscle tissues.
• Increased release of endorphins. The prevalence of these natural
painkillers is boosted every time you have a massage. This can only help
in managing pain.
• Improved movement. Range of motion and flexibility both get a boost
with massage.
• Increased relaxation. When you relax, your muscles relax, thereby
calming the pain.
