THEThe decontracting massage can be the ideal solution in case of pains due to a stiffening of the muscles. His goal is to release muscle tensionreduce pain and speed up i recovery times through the manipulation of well-defined areas. In these cases it can be of great help the osteopathwhich acts to improve the body’s ability to adapt faced with new stressphysical, chemical, metabolic and emotional.
What is a contracture
«The causes of the contracture are many. At the base we have an arthrogenic component, i.e. mediated by joint disorders of various kinds, such as stiffness due to pain, osteoarthritis, ligament disorders, old traumas. The muscles adapt to these joint stiffnesses by generating them the contracts. However, it must be emphasized that contracture is a symptom, a warning light on your car’s dashboard, not the problem itself. It is a manifestation of a disorder that may arise from other aspects. It is said that the contracture is symptomatic and, if it continues over time, it will become chronic and the muscle tissue will become connective tissue (less elastic) through a process called fibrosis”, they explain Gianluca Simonetti and Stefania di LibertoOsteopaths of the Pneuma Studio in Milan.
The effects of bad postures
“Among the most frequent postural alterations there is the accentuation of dorsal kyphosis which manifests itself with a closure of the shoulders and anteriorization of the head, due to functional disorders of therespiratory system, gastrointestinal tract, emotional tensions, old accidents. Even sitting a lot or in front of computers and smartphones can be a predisposing factor. It is not uncommon to see on radiographic examinations cervical calcifications of the nuchal ligament due to the typical posture from smartphones», warn the experts.
The phases of the massage
“The various stages of treatment usually begin harmonizing the pressures of the belly and chest, improving breathing and the mobility of the two most important muscles of the body, the diaphragm and iliopsoas. Thanks to this work, contractures and stiffenings already greatly decrease. We then continue with more specific techniques on the muscle tissues and painful areas of the person. Later we focus on joint component, usually priority over the muscle component. The last part of the session is often oriented towards a balance of the nervous system by means of light direct pressure on the level of the areas of the skull and sacrum where there are nerve centers», continue Gianluca Simonetti and Stefania di Liberto.
Decontracting massage: how it works
“There are specific techniques for stretching and relaxing muscles which will improve the local microcirculation. To these, then, it is useful to associate techniques aimed at improve joint mobility that generate muscle stiffness. Treating the joints of the spine, for example, produces reflexes in the spinal nerves that relax the muscles, relieving symptoms. To use a metaphor, we can consider the spinal cord as the power plant, the nerve which reaches the bowels as the electric wire and the bowels like a light bulb. The osteopath can act on one of these electrical parts to improve the symptoms, whether visceral or musculoskeletal”, conclude the experts.
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