Deep tissue massage is very effective with chronic injuries, as well as releasing excess tension in the tissues. There are different forms and techniques, including trigger point therapy, Active Release (ART), Graston, Rolfing, Neuromuscular technique (NMT) and cross-fiber friction.

In my opinion, massage combined with some form of stretching is more effective than either one on their own. This comes from my own experiences, as well as the opinions of others in this field. You get a synergistic effect that is stronger than either one on their own.

Deep tissue massage is very effective for releasing scar tissue which is limiting your flexibility. It makes the scar tissue more pliable, so you can move easier.

When injury occurs, scar tissue is laid down to protect the injured area. What sometimes happens though, is the scar tissue spreads across healthy tissue, reducing its ability to stretch.

The goal with the massage is to limit this “spider-web” effect and limit the scar tissue growth to the damaged tissue. This is why stretching is sometimes applied with the massage, to ensure that flexibility is maintained.

I have used massage to help restore movement in many people. One of my favorite instances was with an elderly woman who had torn her rotator cuff. This 77 year old had injured her shoulder two years prior, when she fell from a step-ladder, coming down from the

attic.

She chose not to have surgery because she had to take care of her husband, who had Parkinson’s disease. She didn’t want to be away from him while going through a lengthy recovery process. So she basically suffered with an arm that had limited use.

I worked with her for about 10 half-hour sessions. I would start off with lighter strokes to warm the tissues, before using more pressure. Going with the grain of the muscle fibers and against the grain (cross-fiber friction). Working all around the shoulder and shoulder blade, and then following with stretching techniques.

She received chiropractic adjustments for about half of these sessions. She would joke with the technicians

that I was beating her up, and yes, I was fairly aggressive with my pressure at times, but that was what she needed. She also knew that it was necessary and kept coming back.

At the last session we completed, she told me that her shoulder was doing well enough now to swing a golf club, for which she was very grateful. She could also now place her hand on the steering wheel to drive. Before this, she had to use her left hand to place her right hand on the wheel, as she had almost no movement with this arm.

Her range of motion had doubled after the treatments and she had much more use of

her arm. A few more treatments and some strengthening probably would have been good, but she was coming in from about an hour away and that was inconvenient.

Now I’m not suggesting that someone should skip surgery and try massage instead. Its not always going to turn out like this situation did. But if you have had chronic problems and want to try a conservative approach first, finding a skilled soft tissue therapist might be a good idea.

While her shoulder was far from perfect afterwards, surgery and 3 months or so of painful rehab is no guarantee of success. While working in physical therapy, I saw more than one person over 55, who had limited

results after their shoulder rehab. The shoulder is a complicated joint with a fine balance between mobility and stability.

Not all massage therapists do deep tissue work and stretching, and not all are knowledgeable about dealing with injuries. So I would suggest finding someone who does one of the techniques mentioned at the start of this article, but also getting an assessment from a qualified healthcare professional first.

In most cases, strengthening of the muscles afterwards is necessary to restore proper function. Joint mobility training can also help to restore movement awareness and efficiency. For more information, see the article on joint mobility training.

Brian Morgan has been a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) since

1993. He is also a massage therapist with 5 years experience in rehab settings, working with people of all ages. For more information go to http://www.brianmorganfitness.com and sign up for the newsletter “Mobility for Life.”