Massage Therapy and Stages of Traumatic Injury

Massage Therapy is the hands on manipulation of muscles, skin, tendons, ligaments and membranes of the body to develop, maintain, rehabilitate or augment physical functions, relieve pain or prevent physical dysfunction. (College of Massage Therapists of Ontario)

Massage therapy has many benefits and can help a wide range of the population. Massage can be particularly beneficial after a trauma such as whiplash type injury, which can occur from a motor vehicle accident, fall or other mechanism of injury.

Typically Massage therapy can benefit in all stages of healing after such trauma, whether acute, sub acute or chronic.

In the very early, or acute stages of an injury, the main goal is to manage inflammation and reduce pain. Lymphatic drainage type massage, as well as ice massage or other cold hydrotherapy can help to accomplish this. Other techniques such as Cranial Sacral therapy can be helpful to rebalance the nervous system, allowing the body greater innate healing abilities. Massage during this stage will also help to speed up recovery time and may prevent stagnation of waste products in the affected tissues and build up of fibrotic materials. (If you have had an accident you may need medical attention before seeing your massage therapist. It is recommended to see your medical doctor and have appropriate diagnosis of your injury before commencing treatment)

In a sub acute stage, massage treatments may involve some joint mobilization and range of motion techniques within patient's tolerance to improve joint lubrication and motion. Beginning the retraining and reeducation process the sensory apparatus within the soft tissue is important at this stage. Some more specific techniques may start being used at this stage to help align any fibrotic tissues into the correct patterns, which may minimize the loss of ranges of motion in a joint.

In the chronic stage of healing, massage has many uses. It can be used to stretch, strengthen, increase range of motion, retrain, rebalance, increase circulation, help free trapped nerves or blood vessels, and increase the patient's general vitality and wellness. Techniques such as myofasical release can be useful and indicated at this stage for breaking up adhesions, treating residual joint dysfunctions and relieving trigger points.

In all stages, massage techniques to areas around and affected by the injured area can be beneficial. Compensations throughout the body can occur at any stage, but particularly symptomatic by the chronic stage, as the body is striving to balance itself around the trauma. Often after the initial injury has stabilized, the massage treatment will need to focus on removing the patterns of strain, which the body has developed as a way to cope with the injury.

Massage therapy may also have an affect on the psychosomatic or emotional aspect of a traumatic injury. Patients may process the emotional part of the trauma through the process of working on the physical aspects. Some massage therapists may have taken additional training in this type of therapy. Your registered massage therapist is informed of the services of other health care practitioners and will refer you to the appropriate provider if necessary.

*This article is not intended to provide legal advice. It is recommended that you consult your lawyer for advice concerning your particular case.