Repetitive stress injuries (RSI) have only increased in recent years, especially with the prevalence of cell phone elbow, texting thumb, and tech neck. These newer conditions can be added to tennis elbow, carpal tunnel, frozen shoulders, and other issues impacting the hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders. If you suffer from any of these conditions, massage is a great treatment option to help get you back to pain-free living.
Relieves Tension
Any repetitive activity has the potential to cause injury. The most common symptoms of RSI include pain, numbness or tingling in the affected area, tightness, and stiffness. Pain may sometimes be so severe, it interferes with your sleep.
It’s common for many RSI’s to involve compression, or squeezing, of the nerves onto and around the surrounding bones. Typically, tight muscles are a significant cause of this nerve compression. Muscle tension and/or spasms usually cause pain, leading to additional reactive muscular tightening, and often, more pain. Similarly, regular massage therapy can interrupt and even reverse this pain/spasm/pain cycle, first by decreasing muscle tension, thereby taking pressure off the affected nerves, and in turn, leading to less pain!
Modifying your repetitive activity and stretching regularly can also help to relieve the RSI.
Speeds up Healing
Repetitive stress Injuries like tendonitis can result in torn muscle, tendon or ligament fibers. Targeted massage on those impacted tissues and areas can speed up healing by breaking down the adhesions and excess scar tissue. Massage also increases circulation which brings more blood flow and nutrients to the affected area.
Non-Pharmaceutical Option
Many people who begin to suffer severe pain from RSI can end up on pain medication, whether prescribed or over-the-counter. All medications have potential side effects that can be harmful to other areas of our health. Massage is a wonderful non-pharmaceutical option with no side effects. While it might take several sessions to treat your injury successfully (depending on the severity of the RSI), you will be getting whole-body benefits from the treatments. Schedule your massage appointment today and begin to experience the relief your body needs!
