A Balanced, Healing Path to Wellness
If you have an injury, it might feel like you will never feel “normal” again. It’s easy to get discouraged, depressed and unmotivated. I can tell you from personal experience that you WILL get better! Sometimes the rehab period can take many months but that’s ok because you can still enjoy exercise, albeit modified. That’s right! Starting with the simple positive thought that you have the power to continue moving your body will help jump start your healing process.
Don’t stop moving your body and exercising just because you suddenly have an injury. You can find ways to work around the injury by paying close attention to your body. Thus, the first step to healing your injury is paying attention and being mindful of you body. Listen to your body’s voice. What is it telling you? With each movement your body goes through, whether its changing positions, lifting weights, walking/running, it’s sending you an important message. Connecting with that information will help you determine how to modify! 🙂
In my massage practice, I work with a lot of people who experience injuries and chronic pain. There is a wide variety of reasons for the pain they are experiencing, but the common denominator is that they simply want some relief. Over the last twenty years, I have had clients who experienced significant relief by implementing a three part program that includes stretching the muscles, improving strength, and releasing places of tension with massage.
Stretch:
Stretching helps to bring the whole body back into balance. Not only does it naturally reduce stress, it also improves circulation and blood flow to the muscles which supports the healing process. Regular stretching will increase range of motion in your joints which will help to decrease your chance of injury because your muscles will be more lengthened, balanced, and have more freedom of movement.
Strengthen:
Strengthening a weak and painful muscle can help speed the healing process. One of the reasons it is injured is most likely from overuse and/or weakness. Using therabands or light weights will help reinforce your alignment, maintain an upright posture, and help the muscle to strengthen, repair and essentially rebuild itself.
Release:
Massage therapy – even self-massage – relieves muscular tightness, stiffness, spasms and restrictions in the muscle tissue. Massaging an injured muscle and the surrounding/supporting muscles will bring balance back to the muscular system. The pressure and depth of the massage increases flexibility in the muscles due to muscular relaxation and increases blood circulation – bringing more oxygen and nutrients into the muscle. This reduces muscle fatigue and soreness which will help you feel more motivated to continue on your healing path!
