Shin Splints

I was hiking in Vermont on Saturday when I was reminded how awful shin splints can feel, and how helpful a little massage could be when you suddenly change your physical activity.

Mine were caused by hiking up and down very steep trails. The muscle just outside your shin worked very hard during this activity to keep me from tripping over my own toes. It held my foot up in the air much longer and required more strength against gravity during the ascending and descending hikes. The muscle's name is Tibialis Anterior, and it became over-contracted, unable to relax even while I was sleeping later that night. It felt harder than normal, and tender to the touch.

This muscle is connected to the shin. So as it's continually contracting, it is pulling on the very sensitive nerve-filled membrane surrounding your shin bone. You feel this irritation each time you put your foot down to take another step. Stress fractures are related, but not the same thing. That is a problem with the integrity of the bone itself, not a force outside the bone pulling on it (the muscle).

So because this is a muscular problem, caused by over-use, massage therapy was a perfect solution. I used a mix of swedish, trigger point, and neuromuscular techniques on Sunday, and on Monday I was back - pain free. Yay massage!

Receiving

I just received a relieving massage from my friend and fellow Licensed Massage Therapist, Bea. During each session I always say to myself, "I should receive more often." I felt relaxed even while she found and addressed trigger points in my calves and hamstrings. I rolled off the table after thanking her, and found a new body standing underneath me. Weeks of jogging, lifting, and anxiety - gone.

I felt profound gratitude and joy. Irene Smith, a legend in the massage world for her work with dying people, said,
"Touch was never meant to be a luxury. It is a basic human need."

Findings from the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami have proven this in studies with pre-maturely born infants. Regular, kind touch from other people encouraged greater weight gain and responsivity, as opposed to only being touched when necessary.

Massage Therapy is a consistent form of this healthy touch, so vital to our success as individuals. It need not be a treat, but an aspect of your routine as essential as exercise, fresh air, clean water and good laughs.

Sore Muscles

For serious athletes, performers, and people who depend on the optimal function of their body, massage is a very popular answer. Part of this is related to the relaxation effect we discussed last week. Regular massage can reduce pain, limited movement, and anxiety. It supports the body by increasing circulation. New nutrients are brought to the area to rebuild the tissue while fluid is flushed out of the area, taking any waste (like lactic acid) with it. This type of regular care has helped many people remain pain and injury-free while under great physical stress.

What is interesting to me as a therapist are the different techniques we use at various times throughout the training. Before the event, our intention is to decrease the tension in the muscles and the mind. We want to send the athlete out feeling calm and confident. After the event, the athlete benefits most by returning to a recovery state as quickly as possible. Lowering the heart rate, deepening the breathing and reducing muscle tension signal to the brain that it should begin the healing process. Maintainence care is essential at any point when the body is being asked to overcome new challenges and reach new levels of performance.

And on that note, it is not only people who devote themselves to sport or dance that experience muscle soreness. Anyone starting or changing an exercise regime significantly would be wise to give back to those muscles and bones carrying you. It is reasonable and in fact logical to create balance: do walk those extra miles this week a little quicker than usual... but don't forget to thank them afterward. It's a lifelong relationship worth cultivating.

Deep, Therapeutic Relaxation

The number one reason most people receive massage is also the most widespread result. Massage therapy causes deep, therapeutic relaxation. This relaxation is unlike sitting on the couch after a long day. Most massage techniques use our knowledge of the human body to induce the parasympathetic nervous system. This is the "rest & digest" state of being - the opposite of the "fight or flight" response. Perhaps you can think back to your last massage, and how difficult it was to peel yourself off the table or mat! Certainly your mind and body were not focused on that hyena chasing you. They were in an active state of healing.

You are always experiencing a ratio of sympathetic to parasympathetic stimulation in the brain. Research generally supports the belief that spending most of your time in a parasympathetic state improves your health. I believe many people already understand there is a relationship between the stress in one's life and one's health. You can feel the tension in your muscles! The physical effects of massage therapy on muscles and connective tissue, as well as the neurological changes it induces is a safe and time-tested way to reduce stress in your body.