- Pain Relief from the Injury
One of the most evident and serious signs of a soft tissue injury is debilitating pain around the affected part of the body. On top of taking pain relief over-the-counter drugs, you should seek massage therapy. This is because massage therapies have since time immemorial, been known to alleviate pain in injured muscles. Massage therapists use ice packs, hot stones, and essential oils, all of which have been known to reduce pain from soft tissue injury.
At the same time, the kneading and rubbing invoke the production of the feel-good hormone, endorphins which in turn result in pain relief from the injured soft tissues. In addition, massage helps in releasing the tension of the tissues and this too helps with pain management.
- Repair of the Injured Soft Tissues
After experiencing soft tissue injury, it is always good to take some time out from the physical activities that led to the injury. If you are an active sports personality, it is wise to have some recovery time. Recovery time prevents further stretching of the tissues that would cause further injury while allowing medication to heal the tissues. A massage therapy, especially sports massage, helps speed up the healing of the injured tissues. The kneading and rubbing involved during massage help in reattaching and supporting the injured tissues thus accelerating their healing timeline. After reattachment of the previously injured soft tissues, blood, and lymphatic fluids that carry healing properties like white blood cells will flow, as usual, helping heal the tissues.
- Improved Circulation of Fluids around the Injured Tissues
After tissues are injured, circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids is cut off and this is what causes a wound. However, with kneading and rubbing during a massage, blood vessels are repaired and circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids resumes. Since these two carry with them healing properties, the injured tissues experience accelerated healing and reduced pain. It is also through massage that an improved circulation of blood and lymphatic fluid enhances the growth of rejuvenated cells.
- Reduced Tension in the Injured Soft Tissues
The first thing people do after getting a soft tissue injury is rest to avoid stretching the affected part, which can cause further injuries. As a result, the tissues become rigid and stiff, a point at which mobility is completely impacted. Due to the rigidity in the muscles, pain is usually common. When rubbing and kneading during a massage, the rigid tissues are straightened thus easing the tension in the injured tissues. In the same process, the feel-good hormone, endorphin is produced which also contributes to the healing of the injury.
Besides stimulating the soft tissues, sports massage therapists also help improve mobility of the affected limbs through controlled exercises. It is therefore evident why recovery time is critical to the faster healing of soft tissue injuries in sports personalities. The sooner they recover, the sooner they can go back to their workout routines. Therefore, consider getting a good massage any time you are faced with a soft tissue injury.
Healing of soft tissue injury from a massage occurs in different phases namely; acute, sub-acute, last, and chronic stages. The acuter stage takes between 2 and 4 days, while the sub-acute takes up to 6 weeks, a time during which the body heals itself. The last stage can go up to 3 months, while the chronic stage goes beyond 3 months. The key to an effective and quick recovery after a soft tissue injury does not only lie in just any massage. It is all about finding a good and certified massage therapist. This is because being having your soft tissue injury manipulated by the wrong therapist is as worse as not having any at all. To find a good massage therapist, ensure to sample a few and do your due diligence in verifying their credentials. Having done all that, now sit back and for the above-discussed benefits plus so much more.