Some Important Things to Know About Massage Therapy For Injury Prevention

Some people are just naturally injury prone and always seem to be injured. They have aches and soreness and pain that is recurrent, coming and going, and always coming back again. Stopping this vicious cycle can be very difficult, especially without a strategy and and an effective technique for healing the body. One such healing technique is called massage therapy. Massage therapy actually describes a whole assortment of techniques and practices involving the varied and specialized rubbing, pressing, and manipulation of muscles and other soft tissues of the body utilizing the hands, elbows, arms, and feet even. Anybody serious about injury prevention should self-educate themselves about massage therapy as to either treat themselves or seek professional help. Here are some important things to know about massage therapy for injury prevention that should help you to get the best results in your quest to stay healthy and out doing whatever it is you love to do.

There are so many types of massage therapy out there that it can be hard to figure out exactly which techniques can best help you. There are four main, or, at least most popular, types of massage: shiatsu, deep-tissue, Swedish, and trigger-point. Figuring out which technique is best for your body can be a bit of a trial and error exercise. Generally, Swedish and shiatsu both work to improve the body's capacity to move freely and well. Deep tissue and trigger-point both address more specific trouble areas, knots and such, hidden sometimes deep beneath layers of muscle.

The benefits of all these different massage techniques and strategies include relaxation, stress reduction, pain reduction, and most importantly for those trying to avoid a soft tissue injury, increased blood-circulation which also means increased oxygen-circulation, an important ingredient in the healing process. It may help you to sleep better, which helps with healing and prevention of injuries. Some people think massage triggers the release of endorphins and serotonin into the blood stream which make you feel good, reduce stress, and otherwise enable a healthy body.

And while massage can be very helpful, it should not completely replace conventional medicine as your only source of health care. If you have a serious medical problem, you should be seeking medical attention first and foremost. Save the massage for the recovery process after you have your condition properly assessed and treated.

If you decide to seek help from a professional massage therapist shop around a little bit for price, professionalism, and experience. To an extent, you're going to put your body in this person's hands, so make sure you trust them.

Self-massage can also be a handy thing to know how to do, and, in fact, most massage therapists will show you specific self-massage techniques that will help you work on trouble spots on your own. You can also do some research on the internet and find some pretty good tips and tutorials about self-massage.

The most important thing about injury prevention via massage therapy is to be proactive and consistent in your efforts to stay healthy. If you find something that works, don't stop when you start feeling better, but keep on going as to prevent a recurrence and another stretch of rehabilitation

Massage therapy can be a very helpful tool in your fight to prevent injuries and stay healthy. Keep these things in mind when preparing to use massage therapy for injury prevention and you'll have better results in your quest to stay healthy and continue doing whatever it is you love to do.

Best Ways to Find the Best Lomi Lomi Massage Training

Traditional Lomi Lomi massage is widely known for its relaxing benefits. And what is it all about? It's a massage technique that has a very deep style that has its emphasis on soothing rather than more pointed techniques like acupressure. This type of massage is like a rhythmical dance that that gently rocks one into a blissful release of tension. Lomi Lomi massage originated in Hawaii. It follows the idea that a belief can block energy flow as much as muscle tension can. It helps release blockages and simultaneously gives the energy a new direction.

Thus making it not just a physical experience, it also facilitates healing on the mental, emotional and spiritual levels. And if you are more interested why not take a Lomi Lomi massage training in Hawaii. And how would you find the best Lomi Lomi massage training in Hawaii? I'll tell you how. There are a lot of schools that offer training and most of these schools are the cream of the crop.

But of course there are always schools that stand out above the rest. One of the things to find out if the school is a top of its game is by looking at its faculty. In any school the faculty is always important. A great school should offer a faculty that creates a dynamic learning environment to bring out the best in their students. Each faculty member should exemplify excellence in their teaching and clinical practice and all must be skilled professionals.

With this characteristics, together a faculty can inspire and challenge students to discover their own unique gifts and relationships to the healing arts. Another sign of a top school would be its curriculum. In a curriculum you can see what the school teaches and how it teaches it. In a curriculum the interested student should also know the span of time of each class. Class schedule also matter, especially today that there are a lot of young professional who want to develop their careers and learn more. A schedule that would accommodate their time would be okay. A schools location would also be another characteristic to make it a great school. Then schools offering massage training in Hawaii would make things great if they also had tuition options.

Tuition options that offer student loans,scholarship grants and payment options. By offering these financial aids, you can see also that the school is not just about profit but also help those low income students. So with that, we have laid out the characteristics of a great school offering the best Lomi Lomi massage training in Hawaii. We know what we look for, now we must start looking for it. Good luck.

How to Get More and More Physical Therapy Patient Referrals

Here are some basics about physical therapy patient referrals that you should familiarize yourself with. A client who comes in through a referral, usually spends more money, buys more often, and is more loyal than other categories of patients. Referrals lead to referrals, which means that patients who have been referred are more likely to refer their own family or friends.

You may have heard of a common myth that physical therapy patient referrals only come from satisfied clients. Clients who are happy with your services, form one of the categories of patients. You can actually categorize the sources for referrals into varied categories. To begin with, anyone who knows you or knows of you has the potential to refer you. All you need to do is to leverage your list of clients, friends and associates and show them how to refer you.

So the first tip to getting more physical therapy patient referrals is to educate the people on your contacts list on how to actually refer you. The second tip is automating the process of getting referrals so that you don't go through periods when you are up till your knees in referrals and then go through 'dry' spells. Your referrals should ideally flow to you on a regular basis.

Your physical therapy business should be constituted of 70-80% referrals. If you haven't reached that goal, just follow the tips here to show you way.

With your existing clients, deliver results and go the extra mile to get them to refer you. Show your patients that you care and that you make a difference in their lives. Remind them of how your services and products form such an integral part of their routine. Automatically, your patients will feel obliged to do something in return by referring you to their network of associates. As I have already said, do not ignore the fact that prospective referrers may not know much about referrals so you may need to make them aware of how they can refer you to others.

You need to create a system for rewarding referrers as soon as you get a patient whom they have referred. You could send them a thank you note or make a phone call to show your gratitude for the referral. Alternately, you could offer monetary rewards, small gifts or add-on services for existing clients who have referred you.

Using these tips and putting them into a structure will help you start off on your goals for increasing the number of physical therapy patient referrals.

Can Massage Therapy Treat Fracture Injuries?

Massage therapy is a treatment option which can reduce pain and discomfort in the soft tissue surrounding a fracture injury, and it can also assist in reducing edema and muscle tension of both the affected and compensating structures. When a massage therapy treatment plan is carried out correctly, once the cast is removed, a client can regain full function sooner as the health and mobility of compensating muscles has been addressed.

Initially, your massage therapist will only work above the cast, and will take care to not disturb the healing bone. Eventually, when the cast is removed, massage therapy will continue to restore the health of the tissue by increasing circulation, restoring function and strength, and reducing any scar tissue.

Considerations for treatment

It is highly recommended that your physician provide a written recommendation for massage, and your therapist probably won't agree to treat you until your doctor has given the green light.

In all likelihood, you will also be seeing a physical (physio) therapist. It's a good idea to provide written permission for your massage therapist to collaborate with your other health care professionals to ensure the best possible care and treatment outcome.

Before your massage therapist begins to treat you, he or she will want to verify the following information:

• your physician has approved massage therapy


• are you on any type of medication? (anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-coagulant, antibiotics).


• what is your general health - for example, consider age, fitness prior to injury, nutrition (your MT may refer you to a nutritionist, as proper nutrition impacts the healing process), lifestyle (i.e. do you smoke?)


• are there any open wounds which must be addressed? (i.e. with a compound fracture)


• Will treating the affected limb with massage therapy stress and disrupt the healing of bone, muscle, skin or nerve tissue?


• is there any neurological or vascular impairment in the area which prevents the use of certain massage techniques or modalities?


• do you have any plates, wires or pins? If so, hydrotherapy over the site will be contraindicated.


• the most important consideration is to avoid stressing and interfering with healing tissue. Any pressure or traction applied to the affected bone is contraindicated.


• have other types of injuries been sustained, such as sprains or contusions? (in all likelihood, there will be other injuries)


• muscle atrophy from disuse will be present when the cast is removed. Provided that the injury is not an avulsion fracture, the development of atrophy can be reduced by the use of isometric contractions at the appropriate time with cast on. If an avulsion fracture is present, avoid isometric contractions, as this may disrupt the healing bone.


• tissue under the cast will be fragile when the cast is removed, so extra care must be taken when massaging this tissue

As treatment progresses and the injury heals, issues such as tissue atrophy, altered biomechanics and altered proprioception must be taken into account. For this reason, there are different considerations for treatment with cast on and cast off.

Types of fractures

There are several basic types of fractures:

1. Simple - there is no broken skin, and the break is clean. Also known as a "closed" fracture.

2. Compound - the broken bone damages surrounding tissue and skin by piercing it. There is a greater risk of infection in this type of break due to breaking of the skin and protrusion of the injured bone.

3. Comminuted - a fracture that is in several pieces - common among a population with more brittle bones (i.e. elderly)

4. Compression - a fracture where the bone is crushed

5. Depression - a fracture where the bone is crushed and pressed inward

6. Impacted - bony surfaces are forced into each other (impacted)

7. Spiral - an break with ragged edges that result from twisting

8. Greenstick - an incomplete break that is common in children, as bones are more flexible

9. Stress fracture - a.k.a. hairline fracture, is a tiny crack in the bone and may not be visible with an x-ray

10. Avulsion - this occurs when a ligament or tendon pulls away a chunk of bone to which it is attached.

Fractures and breaks are repaired by "reduction" - when the bony ends are placed back together. A closed reduction is done manually by a physician, whereas an open reduction involves surgery, and possibly the placement of pins or wires to hold the bony surfaces together.

Finding the best massage therapist for you

It goes without saying that an injury as serious as a fracture or break will require treatment from a therapist who really knows his or her stuff and understands the healing process. Personally, I would ask my physical therapist if he or she could refer me to a qualified and experienced massage therapist, and then ensure that I give them both permission to communicate with each other so that my treatment plan would address all of my needs and concerns.

What Does Geriatric Physical Therapy Involve?

Late in the 1980's geriatric physical therapy was recognized in the medical field as a specialty and since the introduction of this specific medical specialty many people have benefited from this. This kind of study deals with helping older people or the adults who have experienced or are experiencing different physical ailments such as, but not limited to, cancer and osteoporosis.

Through geriatric physical therapy anyone has the chance to live a more comfortable and a healthier life. We all know that balance and strength are very important for adults especially those individuals who are in their 60s and older. Majority of the aging population have problems with balance, strength and this makes moving around difficult for them. But with care, support from their family and regular physical treatment it is possible for them to move around, do simple tasks and be able to live a normal life. That is why geriatric physical therapy is really important.

It is not only helping individuals do their everyday physical activity that is being addressed by geriatric therapy but it also helps raise the self-worth and confidence of the adult when they are able to perform simple tasks. One of the very reason why many old people have back sore is the inability to move around. This will happen if the person has experienced stroke, osteoporosis, arthritis or any physical ailments that disables the person to move around. With the aid of a geriatric physical therapist, a person can have the hope of being able to move around and do simple things like taking a walk on the park, picking fresh flowers from the garden or perhaps feeding a bird pet or patting a pet dog.

Physical therapy is usually only utilized by people who have met an accident thus disabling them to perform their day to day activities. But, lately, even the healthy old-aged people have recognized the importance and benefits of undergoing regular therapy. Yes, it is beneficial for people who are in their advanced age to undergo regular physical therapy to prevent serious physical ailments.

Perhaps you are wondering what geriatric physical therapy encompasses. There are many forms of geriatric physical therapy but the most common and popular form of therapy is exercise. Once the therapist had conducted a series of test to its patient, he will then assign corresponding physical activities to address the patient's ailments. The set of physical activities or simply called exercises are aimed to help the patient move freely. This will target the person's physical coordination, balance, motor skills and most of all in strengthening the muscles.

Physical Therapy Scheduling Software Promotes Efficiency And Employee Accountability

Everyone wants to make a good impression, and all PTs aim to help their clients effectively and efficiently. But there are stumbling blocks in a typical day at a PT clinic that can greatly reduce your employees' effectiveness and, in turn, lead to dissatisfied clients and a reduced cash flow for your business. Some lapses in performance are unintentional, and many are simply the result of a lack of structure or accountability. One solution is to invest in a physical therapy software package that includes a program tailored to the needs of PT offices.

The What, How And How Many Of PT

Putting physical therapy scheduling software in place in your professional offices can immediately give you the right tools for tracking therapist performance, streamlining the check out and organization of client records, improve billing cycles and even promote repeated, long-term commitments from patients so that they will follow through with their treatment for the doctor-prescribed duration.

But the most important function of physical therapy scheduling software is that it allows managers to quickly get a snapshot of how each individual is using his or her hours at work. Are the therapists spending the bulk of their time working with patients and tracking the details of their progress? Do they spend a lot of it in the break room or at the front desk fielding phone calls rather than actually doing rehabilitation work? You can quickly find the weak spots in your system by reviewing each day and each week of your employees' days and improving the process as needed. Perhaps you need a different system in the front office, or one of your therapists needs to learn how to manage his time more effectively.

If you're concerned about the performance of a particular employee, look for blocks of time that aren't accounted for, then do some additional investigating. Is someone at the front desk simply not scheduling enough patients for this person, or is this person not willing to take on any more work? Physical therapy electronic documentation of hours, duties and details of each PT session will arm you with the information you need when you're ready to review each employee's contribution to the clinic as a whole.

Using The Right Physical Therapy Software Tools

Another way to ensure your clinic will make a profit and satisfy clients at the same time is to make sure every employee is using the available tools in your physical therapy software arsenal. Talk to your employees on an individual basis and ask questions:

Do they schedule multiple appointments in advance? Are they confirming availability of resources? (If you have three treadmills but four clients scheduled to use the treadmill at the same time, it's money down the drain) Do they provide patients with appointment reminders? Are they documenting patient performance?

PT software can lower your overhead and raise the performance level for your staff, but only if they know how to use the system. When shopping for physical therapy scheduling software and documentation programs, find one that balances flexibility with ease of use for results that can turn your clinic into a successful venture for everyone.

Deep Tissue Massage Therapy Perfectly Compliments Strength Training

Have you ever started a new workout routine and felt sore in the same place all the time? How did this hold you back from advancing and making the most of your weight training? The cause of the chronically sore muscles is a combination of lactic acid build up and muscular imbalance. Deep Tissue Massage Therapy is a great solution.

Whenever I go to the gym to work out I see a lot of people that need a good massage. There are many body types presenting many different conditions. I see the huge guys that need massage because their muscles are so hyper-tonic (chronically contracted), and at the opposite extreme, women over 40 that never worked out habitually throughout life and so their large back muscles and core muscles are weak, which causes low back or thoracic pain. I notice many people working with personal trainers that need Deep Tissue Massage Therapy to help them balance certain muscle groups, which would help them get more out of their training.

Lactic acid build up is the muscle soreness you feel when you start a new weight training routine or do something strenuous you don't usually do, like kayaking or sprinting. This is the kind of sore feeling that we have all experienced, and it actually makes you feel like you did something. This lactic acid build up is common, harmless, and goes away quickly. It is easily treated with Tiger Balm, ice, and stretching. Deep Tissue Massage Therapy will help the lactic acid soreness go away more quickly too.

In relation to strength training, though, I want to talk about the other part of the soreness combination -- muscular imbalance. This is not what makes you feel like you did something, but the feeling that you did something wrong. This is the painful, constrictive feeling you get between your shoulder blades when you do rows, for example. Most people experience this feeling of muscle spasm at some point in their strength training routine, and it holds them back from advancing because it is not common lactic acid soreness, but a serious muscular imbalance that can lead to injury. Balancing muscle groups increases strength and flexibility; for example, the pecs are commonly short and hyper-tonic which protracts the scapulae causing neck and upper back pain.

Deep Tissue Massage helps to balance the musculature so that the body can perform optimally. No one is perfectly symmetrical. We all have our areas in which one muscle group is elongated, and another one is shortened. For example, look in the mirror and see if one shoulder hangs lower than the other or look at yourself sideways and see if your shoulders sit in front of the body's coronal plane. Imbalances are very common in the lower body too. Lay on your back and see if one foot naturally splays out more than the other. In addition, one leg usually is slightly shorter than the other.

There is nothing wrong with this and it is perfectly normal, but when left alone it is not optimal for the advancement of one's strength training routine. Deep Tissue Massage Therapy will help balance the muscle groups by releasing chronically tight and constricted muscles and getting to the root of the disequilibrium. Many common factors cause muscular imbalances; for example, repetitive motions at work, incorrect postural habits, scoliosis, old injuries, and emotional holding patterns. A good massage therapist will be able to identify the areas of imbalance, release hypertonic muscles, and balance the whole group (both agonist and antagonist).

A good way to get strong is by lifting weights to work both the agonist and antagonist muscle groups for a given area. Let's use the pectorals (chest) group and the latissimus dorsi (back) group as our example. While doing pull-downs, some people might feel a spasm as if one side of the lats were shorter than the other, like the left side goes down before the right side and is tighter. This could cause a shortening of the left side of the latissimus dorsi, and might even cause the trunk to twist slightly left, with the right pec and anterior deltoid being shortened. This can cause pain that prevents a person from doing this exercise, even though it is good under normal circumstances.

One effective treatment is to have this client lay on his right side, and for the massage therapist to lengthen the left lat and serratus anterior. The therapist also has to release tight muscle bands in the deltoid and the rotator cuff, as well as under the shoulder blade. Then, with the client supine, the massage therapist works to release tight pectorals and the anterior deltoid of the right side. In this example, the SCM and trapezium would also need attention because the entire shoulder girdle and neck area will be affected and in need of relief.

Deep Tissue Massage Therapy also hydrates the tissues, increases blood flow, and makes the fascia more open and supple, increasing the muscles' potential for growth. All of this makes people stronger faster, makes you feel more energetic, and look fantastic. It can help you become more flexible and aware of how your body balances. It is important to get a good Deep Tissue Massage on off days so you can feel the benefits and realize that deep tissue massage is vital to your strength training routine, health and wellness.

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to fix muscular imbalances yourself. If you work out regularly and have hit a plateau, are sore too often, or get muscle spasms frequently, please call a licensed massage therapist that specializes in Deep Tissue Massage Therapy to help you.