Injury Recovery

Massage is a wonderful tool for healing when appropriate, but there are definitely times when massage is the wrong thing at the wrong time. Understanding a few simple things about the nature of soft tissue injuries will help you determine what will help and what will hurt.





There are two types of injuries: Acute and Chronic.




Acute Injury






An acute injury happens suddenly, due to a traumatic event. There is generally a lot inflammation, pain, swelling, and bruising. The body’s defense mechanism is to rush a whole lot of blood to the site -- because blood contains all the goodies for healing – and this causes the swelling and bruising. Although blood heals, too much of it in one place isn’t helpful, and the correct first aid treatment is to slow down this rush of blood and bring down inflammation. An acute injury requires rest, ice, compression, and elevation. The useful little acronym is RICE:




Rest: Stop moving. Movement increases blood flow.

Ice: Applying ice will slow the rush of blood and reduce swelling/inflammation.

Compression: Pressure will constrict the blood vessels, slowing the blood rush.

Elevation: Use gravity to encourage the excessive blood to return to the heart.

People often wonder whether they should use heat or ice for various things. This is important to understand. Where there is inflammation, there is excessive blood, and you want to reduce that by applying ice to constrict the blood vessels. Heat will INCREASE blood by dilating blood vessels. You most certainly want to avoid using heat in the early stages of an acute injury.



Once the inflammation has gone, you can make the switch from ice to heat. Heat will work on relaxing the muscles surrounding the injury, draw fresh blood to the site and move the old toxic blood away. Movement will achieve the same thing, but the injury may still be quite sore, so a heat pack is a good gentle helper.



Is it ever helpful to use massage for an acute injury? YES. Heat and massage go hand-in-hand. Once the bleeding (internal and external) has definitely ceased, it can be very beneficial to employ massage to clear the area of toxic blood and encourage mobility. It is best to wait at least 1-2 weeks before trying massage, as the injury could be quite sore and bruised, and it could easily become inflamed again.



KEY: Ice reduces blood flow. Heat increases blood flow. If ice is required, massage is contraindicated. If heat is helpful, massage is usually helpful, too.

Chronic Injury


A chronic injury is one that develops over time, and it either lasts a long time or constantly flares up. Some common examples: Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI), tennis elbow, tendonitis, etc



Often, if an action doesn’t cause any discomfort at first, repeating that action over time with or without proper technique can lead to strain and inflammation. Sometimes these activities are things we are required to do, and we can’t simply stop. If it’s possible to change the action at all, improve technique, switch hands, complete the task in another fashion, this will give your body the necessary chance to rest and recover. But what if you can’t stop, and you can’t change? You need to effectively treat the injury while you’re not using it.


When a chronic injury flares up, you should use the same treatment as with an acute injury. Rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Once inflammation has abated, a healing therapy such as massage or osteopathy can be perfect for restoring your body, ready for continued use. If you find a treatment that helps, it’s a great idea to be proactive with treatments in the hope of avoiding future flare ups.



Heat can be a really helpful tool for chronic injury! If you have some aching, tension, or stiffness, but not inflammation, your best treatment is relaxation. Put a heat pack on your shoulders after a long day of gardening. Soak your feet in a hot foot spa after walking the hospital halls all day. Apply some heat rub into your wrists after a day of typing. These are effective ways to relax and relieve, being proactive to restore your body before you get to injury and inflammation.