Bursa is a small sac of fluid present between the heel bone and fat pad. It helps in preventing friction and shock absorption. Bursa is commonly found in areas where padding or shock absorption is needed such as between a tendon and a bone. In bursitis there is inflammation of the sac inside the synovial cavity of joints which results in swelling and extreme pain in the cavity. This greatly hinders the joint mobility. Bursitis commonly affects the shoulders, elbows, knees, and hips. The cause of this condition is trauma or unnecessary strain and could be very self-limiting for a person. Massage therapy does wonders for providing relief from pain and improving mobility and flexibility. Massage therapy, when used in combination with yoga, helps in strengthening the surrounding muscles and gives an individual long lasting relief from pain.
Massage Therapy for Trochanteric Bursitis
Bursitis commonly affects the hip joint. The hip joint has many bursas, one of which is the trochanteric bursa. Trochanteric bursa is situated outside the hip joint. Directly massaging the inflamed bursa is not recommended, as it may not be beneficial and may cause more harm. Massage is beneficial only if there is spasm and tightening of the adjacent muscles (including the gluteal muscles) causing pain. Manipulation of the soft tissue is recommended in other cases via an indirect approach. It is recommended to get this done by a trained and qualified massage therapist. The techniques used in the massage are neuromuscular and myofascial release techniques.
Benefits of Massage Therapy for Trochanteric Bursitis
Massage therapy does wonders for management of trochanteric hip bursitis. However, massage alone can’t give you all the benefits. It should be done in conjunction with yoga to derive full benefits. Yoga along with muscle strengthening exercises should be practiced in order to strengthen the surrounding muscle tissue. Apart from this, the patients should also consume a diet rich in vitamin-C and omega-3-fatty acids as it helps a lot in patients having inflammatory conditions. This multi-disciplinary approach helps in promoting the recovery process and preventing the problem from recurring.
Benefits of Soft Tissue Massage in Trochanteric Bursitis
- This massage technique comprises of direct physical contact on the muscle as well as other soft tissues of the body.
- Soft tissue massage focuses on your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissue such as fascia.
- Soft tissue massages comprise of a wide range of massage pressures, depths, and durations. A professional massage therapist will know what techniques are appropriate for your body in any situation.
- A soft tissue massage helps in alleviating aches, pains and injuries that are related to the body’s soft tissues.
- A soft tissue massage is a specific form of massage, which helps in increasing blood circulation, relaxing muscles, hastening the healing time of strained muscular tissue and ligaments and also decreases the joint inflammation and heart rate. It also improves range of joint mobility and flexibility, increases endorphins, enhances the immune system, reduces muscle spasms, increases the oxygen flow and helps in relieving muscle tension.
- Apart from physical benefits, it also gives multiple mental and psychological benefits, such as reducing anxiety, depression and giving a sense of calm and relaxation.
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