Learn about ten commonly advised solutions you can discuss with clients suffering from acute or chronic Achilles tendonitis. Also, find out two specific sports massage techniques that can help repair this potentially crippling condition.

by Nicole Cutler, L.Ac.

As the largest and most vulnerable tendon in the body, the Achilles tendon joins the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the lower leg to the calcaneus. Accounting for 11 percent of all running injuries, inflammation of this tendon is appropriately named Achilles tendonitis. Although the slow healing time for Achilles tendonitis is due to scant localized vasculature, bodyworkers can play a key role in restoring this tendon to its pre-injured state.

Achilles Tendonitis
Providing the power in the push-off phase of the gait cycle, the Achilles tendon can become inflamed when the gastrocnemius is stressed. Although this tendon is strong, its lack of flexibility can easily lead to inflammation, tear or rupture. Achilles tendonitis can be acute or chronic. Signs of an inflamed Achilles tendon include:

· Tendon pain during exercise. Achilles pain gradually comes on with prolonged exercise and typically dissipates with rest.

· Swelling over the Achilles tendon.

· Redness over the skin.

· Sometimes, a creaking can be felt when pressing the fingers into the tendon while moving the foot.

Often more difficult to treat, chronic Achilles tendonitis may follow if the tendon is not treated properly or allowed to fully heal. When this problem becomes chronic, the pain typically disappears after a warm up, yet returns once the person stops training. If the Achilles is repeatedly stressed, the injury worsens until it is impossible to run. In addition to the symptoms of acute Achilles tendonitis, additional signs of a chronic problem include:

· Pain and stiffness in the Achilles tendon in the morning. This pain may be described as diffuse along the tendon rather than specific.

· There may nodules or lumps in the Achilles tendon, particularly 2 cm above the heel.

· Pain in the tendon when walking up a hill or up stairs.
Causes

An injury typically occurring from overuse, Achilles tendonitis usually comes on gradually. Ignoring the early warning signs of Achilles pain causes the symptoms to increase until activity is too painful to continue. In general, the more fatigued the calf muscles are, the more stressed the Achilles tendon, and the higher likelihood of tendonitis developing. The most commonly reported causes of Achilles tendonitis include:

1. Overuse – Excessive activity before adequate warm-up causes most overuse injuries.

2. Running Up Hills – Running up hills causes the Achilles tendon to stretch more than normal on every stride, which fatigues the tendon sooner than normal.

3. Overpronation – Overly pronating the foot increases the strain placed on the Achilles tendon. As the foot rolls in and flattens, the lower leg rotates inwards causing a twisting motion. This twist puts an additional strain on the Achilles.

4. Tight or Weak – A tightness or weakness in the calf musculature easily leads to fatigue. Once the gastrocnemius fatigues, it tightens and shortens, thus putting additional strain on the Achilles.

10 Solutions for Achilles Tendonitis
For best results, a sore or achy Achilles tendon responds best to immediate attention and rest. Left untreated, Achilles tendonitis could cause persistent pain or cause the tendon to rupture. A ruptured Achilles tendon may require surgery to correct the damage. Ten commonly advised solutions for treating Achilles tendonitis include:

1. Resting the calf muscles.

2. Applying cold therapy or ice to minimize inflammation.

3. Wearing a heel pad to raise the heel, thus taking some of the strain off the Achilles tendon.

4. Wearing arch support insoles or orthotics to prevent overpronation and improve foot biomechanics.

5. Taking anti-inflammatory medication.

6. Taping the back of the leg to support the Achilles.

7. Applying a plaster cast for more severe cases.

8. Applying ultrasound treatment to encourage the tendon to heal.

9. Administering sports massage to the lower extremities.

10. Strengthening the calf muscle to help reduce the stress on the Achilles tendon. Toe raises, balancing on the toes and wall stretching are useful exercises.

Whenever discussing approaches to Achilles tendonitis with clients, always emphasize avoiding excessive stretching. Taking this action has the potential to aggravate an already stressed Achilles.

Sports Massage
Two sports massage techniques put bodyworkers on the top of the list for Achilles tendonitis treatment: transverse friction massage and strain-counterstrain techniques.

Transverse friction massage is a massage technique that is often used for tendonitis. The massage strokes of transverse friction massage are deep and applied directly to the affected area, perpendicular to the direction of the tendon. When done properly, transverse friction massage can help reduce pain, improve blood flow to the surrounding area, and prevent or reduce the formation of scar tissue and adhesions in the connective tissue.

Another sports massage technique, applying strain-counterstrain on the calf muscles can unload the excessive stress these tightened or weakened muscles place on the Achilles. As published in the September 2006 edition of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, researchers found that applying strain-counterstrain techniques on the soleus of those with Achilles tendonitis produced a 23.1 percent decrease in localized stress. The investigators noted a similarly significant response when strain-counterstrain was applied to the lateral and medial heads of the gastrocnemius.

While early and persistent attention to this injury often results in a full recovery, making sure the original cause of the tendonitis is addressed is the only way to prevent its recurrence. In addition to tackling the reason for Achilles pain, most practitioners recommend some combination of the above ten solutions to help an inflamed Achilles heal. A massage therapist using strain-counterstrain and transverse friction massage techniques can play an important role in the timely healing of an inflamed Achilles tendon – and can even help prevent this injury from turning into a hard-to-treat chronic case of tendonitis.

Recommended Study:
Sports Massage

References:

Howell JN, et al., Stretch reflex and Hoffmann reflex responses to osteopathic manipulative treatment in subjects with Achilles tendonitis, The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, September 2006.

http://altmedicine.about.com, Natural Remedies for Tendonitis, Cathy Wong, About, Inc., 2008.

http://sportsmedicine.about.com, Achilles Tendonitis, Elizabeth Quinn, About, Inc., 2008.

www.mayoclinic.com, Achilles Tendinitis, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2008.

www.sportsinjuryclinic.net, Achilles Tendonitis, Sports Injury Clinic, 2008.

Posted by Editors at 11:59 AM
© 2009 Institute for Integrative HealthCare Studies. This work is reproduced with the permission of the Institute. www.Integrative-Healthcare.org

With just a few simple changes, discover more tips on how massage therapists can take better care of the earth and their clients.

by Linda Fehrs, LMT

As massage therapists, our clients often look to us for simple ways to improve and maintain their health. Massage therapy could be thought of as a collection of non-invasive, non-toxic techniques and tools that help to reduce blood pressure, increase circulation and improve muscle tone. Our needs as professionals are few. All that is required at the very basic level is a trained pair of hands and a body to work on. The next step up would perhaps include a good quality massage table, some clean sheets and safe, healthy lubricants. A good location, somewhere to set up, is of course also necessary. It doesn’t get much easier, or greener, than that.

As time goes on, though, we may develop some bad habits, or not look into newer, more environmentally friendly ways of doing things. Most, if not all, of us can do better. We can make our practices healthier for ourselves and for our clients and, in turn, help the earth.

Here are ten simple ways to make your home and your practice a place that is not only safe and healthy for you, but also has a positive effect on the environment.

1. Drive Less – If possible, use public transportation, or if your office is close enough, walk or ride a bicycle to your practice. You might want to consider the benefits of working out of your home and eliminate commuting all together. There are no motorized vehicles that are totally non-polluting. Even the newer hybrid cars use some gasoline, and a totally electric car still uses unhealthy materials to produce electricity and batteries.

2. Adjust Your Thermostat – By lowering your thermostat by a few degrees in the winter months and raising it in the summer, you will not only reduce the use of energy that is used to produce it, but could also see a savings of 25 to 30 percent on your heating and air-conditioning bills. Remember to lower your thermostat as well during times you are not using your office, such as overnight or while on vacation.

3. Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs or LED’s (Light Emitting Diodes) – Consider using these instead of incandescent bulbs at your desk or in your waiting room. They last longer and are more efficient than incandescent bulbs, resulting in the use of between 30 and 75 percent less electricity. If you are concerned about the harshness of the light, soften it with warm colored lampshades. Also, remember to turn off any lights in unoccupied rooms.

4. Buy in Bulk – Purchasing often used items in larger containers will save on packaging as well as cost. Massage oils, lotions and creams can be bought in large quantity and your small bottles can be refilled.

5. Use Environmentally Friendly Cleaners – Massage offices need to be clean, but that doesn’t mean having to use harsh or toxic chemicals. Many stores now carry gentle but efficient cleaning products. Going back to basics is often the best and there are many books and websites offering easy recipes for creating your own cleaning materials.

6. Use Cloth Bags Instead of Paper or Plastic – Using and reusing cloth bags for shopping ends the debate on paper vs. plastic when it comes to groceries or other products you purchase. Cloth bags are stronger, usually hold more and nothing new is added to landfills.

7. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – Reducing your consumption of one-use items such as disposable razors, plastic water bottles and overly packaged food, reusing what you already have on hand like glass containers, and recycling things made of paper, plastic and metal items helps to lighten the load on local landfills.

8. Visit Your Local Library – By taking advantage of the library you can reduce the number of magazines you buy or subscribe to and minimize the number of books you buy. This helps to save valuable trees, which in turn helps wildlife to survive.

9. Buy Organic – As much as possible eat organic food and use organic materials, such as oils and sheets in your practice. Crops grown using pesticides have been shown to have negative health effects including damage to the nervous system, cancer and birth defects. Growing crops organically decreases this risk not only for the consumer but also farmers and animals.

10. Support Local Vendors – By shopping locally, especially at farmer’s markets or small businesses, you help lower your own fuel consumption as well as reduce the amount of energy it takes to transport goods across the country. Shopping within your community also helps the local economy, providing jobs close to home and resulting in less gas consumption.

Every day, in both large and small ways, we can help to make our offices and homes more eco-friendly. Something as simple as using essential oils instead of commercial air fresheners can reduce allergic reactions and may even help to alleviate the symptoms of asthma or other respiratory problems. Walking short distances instead of driving not only reduces air pollution, but it also gives our body exercise, allows us to slow down and we may see the world around us in new ways.

Setting good examples and letting our clients know that we care about the environment shows we care about their health and safety as well.

Recommended Study:
Developing a Wellness Center

Resources:

Bond, Annie, Home Enlightenment: Practical, Earth-Friendly Advice for Creating a Nurturing, Healthy, Toxin Free Home and Lifestyle, Rodale Books, September 2005.

www.care2.com, Green Living, Care2, 2008.

www.earthshare.org, Workplace Campaigns, EarthShare, Spring 2007.

www.epa.gov, Pollution Prevention and Recycling, Environmental Protection Agency, 2008.

www.greenbiz.com, Small Business, GreenBiz.Com, 2008.

www.greenthislife.com, A Bright Idea: Eco Conscious Lighting, Blake Frino, Green This Life, December 2008.

www.massagemag.com, How Green is Your Massage Practice?, Karen Menehan, Massage Magazine, March 2008.

www.amtamassage.com/mtj, Going Green, Elizabeth Barker, Massage Therapy Journal, Fall 2007.

Posted by Editors at 12:27 PM
© 2009 Institute for Integrative HealthCare Studies. This work is reproduced with the permission of the Institute. www.Integrative-Healthcare.org

Spa… This word sounds mysterious and alluring. On whispering it one can feel tender sea breeze on the face and hear the lash of the waves. But what is SPA, indeed? In its contemporary meaning a SPA is a place where with the help of various sophisticated treatments based on the healing properties of mineral waters, thermal springs, mineral salts, therapeutic muds, and seaweeds as well as different types of massage, body wraps, masks, scrubs, and so on you can relax and restore your physical and mental health.

Today’s SPA doesn’t suppose you have to go somewhere out of the city and spend a couple of weeks in meditation moving from one mud bath to another and eating only healthy SPA meals. These are called resort SPAs and are usually situated in various exotic places good for spending a vacation. Taking into consideration that most people don’t have that much time to spend on their beauty, there are plenty of other options to enjoy a serene and quite atmosphere after an exhausting working day.

There are numerous day SPAs that offer their clients a wide range of services, where you can drop in at any time and immediately immerse into the relaxing world of soothing aromas and herbal teas. At a day SPA you can experience such healthy and relaxing procedures as massage, different body treatments and facials. You may try various types of massage (hot stone massage, Thai massage, etc.) to find the one that you like most. During a facial performed by a trained specialist your skin will be deeply cleaned and rejuvenated. A good day SPA will also offer you SPA manicures and SPA pedicures, which are slightly different from those you can have at an average nail place. These SPA procedures usually involve additional steps like a hand soak or paraffin dip.

For more information visit Toronto Massage Spa.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Olga_Orlova

Massage is recorded as one of the earliest forms of physical therapy. It has many benefits, both physical and psychological and works on many levels. It is the unique way in which it combines the various benefits to suit the individual that makes it such a versatile and effective treatment. Massage helps many people with musculoskeletal problems that first sought help from other specialists and saw no improvement. This shows that massage is often the best treatment method.

The most common musculoskeletal problems are from minor injuries. These can be extremely painful and may seriously affect a persons occupation, sport or quality of life. If not diagnosed and treated properly at the early stage, a minor injury can sometimes lead to a more serious condition in the long term. Massage can treat the majority of such minor problems quickly and effectively. Injury prevention is another area where the importance of massage should not be underestimated. Bio-mechanic assessment and exercise are often prescribed for injury prevention but massage is the only actual treatment that can be applied specifically to help prevent injury. This is not only applied in sports context but also in terms of posture and other forms of stress.

Massage should also play a very important part in any athletes training programme alongside warming up and cooling down. Through massage the build up of general aches and pains can be removed which most sports persons normally seem to accept. The therapist can use their hands to explore the tissues, find these problems and deal with them accordingly. This will not only help to improve performance and endurance but also prevent injuries and loss of joint mobility in potential trouble spots.

After the initial inflammatory stage, sports massage therapy is a superb form of treatment simply because it works with the body’s own healing processes. Improving circulation and manipulation of the injured tissues will result in preventing adhesions forming, realigning scar tissue and much faster return to activity.

Body Torque - Pushing Your Body to Peak Performance

Established in 2002, Body Torques Personal Training, Pilates and Massage Therapy has become one of Surreys elite health and fitness companies. Based in the South East - UK, covering areas including Guildford, Woking, Chobham, Pyrford, Send, West Byfleet and surrounding areas.

Jacky Tyrrell is a highly motivated and dedicated Personal Trainer who has been in the industry for over 7 years for further information please see author bio.

For further information on all services offered or to find out prices, please visit Body Torque at http://www.body-torque.com

Optimised by iWeb Media http://www.theiwebmedia.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacky_Tyrrell

There are 3 different categories of sports massage; event, maintenance, and treatment massage. While each type offers specific benefits, all sports massage can help reduce the risk of injury, increase circulation, and improve recovery time; which are three very important factors for all athletes. This article is going to focus on Event Massage.

Event Massage can be broken into the sub-categories of pre-event, inter-event, and post-event. Pre-event massage will help an athlete prepare for the upcoming physical exertion. Inter-event massage is used during and event such as track, where an athlete may be entered in multiple activities. While post-event massage is used to help athletes recover from the exertion of the event. Event massage targets the large muscle groups, is short in duration (10-15 minutes) and fast paced.

One of the most important benefits of pre-event massage is helping to reduce the risk of injury. This is achieved through the warming up of muscle and connective tissue. As muscle and connective tissue warms, it becomes more elastic; therefore it is less likely to tear. Pre-event massage also increases circulation. This will help supply the muscles with the needed nutrients during the event. Pre-event massages also help create a positive state of mind and can help improve an athlete’s performance potential.

Inter-event massage is administered between the events during a single day’s competition; such as track and field, swimming, and tennis. Inter-event massage is used to identify any areas of tension that developed during competition. Using effleurage and pétrissage massage strokes, a therapist can loosen the tension; therefore reducing the risk of injury.

Post-event massage is best done after an athlete performs normal cool exercises and stretches. The benefits of post-event massage include returning the muscles to a resting or relaxed state. It will help with venous return to support the metabolic recovery; this includes lactic acid build-up in muscle tissue. A massage therapist can identify and de-activate any trigger/tender points that developed during competition. Post-event massage will also reduce the risk of “next day” muscle soreness.

Event Massage is a faced paced style of massage intended to enhance an athlete’s performance potential. It will increase circulation and core body temperature; aide in recovery time and reduce the risk of injury. Event Massage is not intended to take the place of normal warm-up and cool-down routines; rather it is an aide to enhance and complete these routines.

Daniel J. Brownell, LMT
Full Throttle Massage, Inc.
Chattanooga, TN
http://www.fullthrottlemassage.com

Do you need a massage? Are you looking for someone to come to your sporting event to provide massage? Visit our website for details on how we can help you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Daniel_Brownell

By Jag Reeves

There are many similarities between Sports massage and Thai massage, and many obvious differences, though many practitioners feel they are extremely compatible and combine the two to great affect.

Sports massage is one of the most popular western therapeutic approaches to massage. It is not a general relaxation massage, but one focused on reducing tension, pain, injury and increasing the performance of the body. It is generally a deep massage that works on the principles of muscle, bone and nerve function. Usually given on a massage table, with the use of oil, sports massage employs a range of various techniques to stretch and realign the muscles of the body. This will often include a number of applied stretches. It is common to undergo a postural assessment before a session, for the practitioner to consider where the person’s problem may ultimately lie. The focus of a session will be to relieve symptoms of pain in the area affected, but also in areas not directly affected but indirectly causing the symptoms. Following a session, suggestions may be made for a routine of exercises to be practiced at home, to build on the improvements made during the massage session.

Sports massage is not merely for the benefit of the sports person - in fact, it is far more common for the average person seeking sports massage to be an office based professional suffering with upper back, neck and shoulder tension and pain, or lower back tightness, weakness and pain. It is beneficial for everyone.

Thai Yoga massage, often referred to as just Thai massage for short, is part of the ancient and traditional medical system of Thailand. Practiced by at least one member of most households, it has been used as a general preventative healthcare system among Thai families. The Thais are not knowledgeable of anatomy and physiology like practitioners of western massage techniques such as sports massage, but approach the massage from an understanding of energy channels that run through the body, like blood vessels and very similar to the Chinese meridians of acupuncture. Thai massage manipulates the energy channels of the body primarily, and the joints, muscles and soft tissues secondary. It is given with the recipient fully clothed, wearing loose comfortable attire, on a futon mat on the floor.

The massage is given in a very slow, meditative and mindful way. The practitioner uses technically brilliant body mechanics to transfer body weight, rather than muscle strength, and will use most parts of his/her body to administer the massage. Deep, slow squeezes and compressions are applied, but Thai massage is most renowned for the amazing myriad of applied yoga stretches, that challenge and open the recipient’s body, leaving them feeling relaxed, energised, taller and more expansive.

Thai massage can be given for general relaxation or healthcare, or can be focused on a more specific therapeutic outcome, akin to sports massage. It is particularly beneficial to the average person who sits at a desk all day, with little movement of their body. The Deep and manipulations of Thai massage really get the energy flowing that often becomes stagnant when we are stationary for long periods.

Many of the techniques of sports and Thai massage are very similar, such as the compressions and stretches, and Sports massage can and will often be applied over clothing or towels. Some practitioners have studied both and will combine them for very effective results.

Contrary to what some may have heard, good, skilfully applied Sports or Thai massage will not cause you traumatising pain or leave you bruised and aching for days. You may experience some therapeutic ‘good pain’ that affects an immediate feeling of relief, but no more.

Jag Reeves is a massage therapist based in North London. If you are based in London and would like to sample sports or thai massage visit: Sports Massage North London

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jag_Reeves

“Thank you therapy 4 U for all your hard work at our Major event. The team at therapy 4 U was fantastic and kept all guests relaxed and certainly added something extra to our event. Looking forward to working with you again in the future. – Anna Eve (APL Event Coordinator )